Adidas Originals
Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men
This men's adidas Originals Handball Spezial low-top sneaker features a leopard pony-hair leather upper, synthetic lining, and T-toe reinforcement for durability. It has a padded collar, removable foam footbed, and a non-skid gum rubber outsole, making it suitable for everyday casual wear. Model number KI6678.
- Color
- Leopard
- Material
- Pony hair leather upper, synthetic lining, gum rubber outer sole
- Gender
- male
- Style
- sporty, casual
- Category
- Apparel & Accessories > Shoes
Specifications
Men's handball-inspired sneakers with leopard pony hair leather upper and gum rubber sole.
Pony hair leather upper, synthetic lining, T-toe reinforcement, padded collar, removable footbed, non-skid gum rubber sole.
- Color
- Leopard
- Material
- Pony hair leather upper, synthetic lining, gum rubber outer sole
- Secondary
- rubber
- Style
- sporty, casual
- Occasion
- casual, everyday
- Gender
- male
- Age Group
- adult
- Condition
- new
- Category
- Apparel & Accessories > Shoes
Additional Attributes
- Pony hair leather upper
- Synthetic lining
- T-toe reinforcement for enhanced support and abrasion resistance
- Comfortable padded collar
- Removable foam footbed for custom comfort
- Non-skid gum rubber outer sole
- Leopard print pattern
- adidas Originals handball silhouette
Product Insights
The Adidas Originals Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers, originally a 1979 handball shoe later adopted by 1980s terrace casuals, now a lifestyle sneaker (not for competitive play). Its angular shape amplifies the genuine pony hair's directional nap, making the leopard pattern shift with movement; however, the hair sheds on toes and heels over time, and the pattern fades on high-wear areas to reveal the leather base. The intact epidermal layer offers water resistance that suede lacks, but the soft gum rubber sole wears faster on concrete (the lifespan bottleneck). The removable foam footbed provides minimal arch support (aftermarket orthotic recommended), and the ride is firm and low-to-ground (14.4mm drop, flexible gum sole, low 25.1mm heel stack) with direct ground feedback; no break-in needed. At 344g per shoe (7% lighter than comparable retro sneakers), it fits true to size and delivers reliable dry-pavement traction. Priced at $49.95 as a final closeout (similar to last closeout), this genuine pony-hair Spezial undercuts typical $50 animal-print sneakers that use printed textiles, but it is currently out of stock.
Verified claims
- Heritage
- Introduced in 1979 for handball, the Spezial's low-profile shape was later embraced by 1980s British terrace casuals.
- Use case
- Despite handball construction details, this model is a lifestyle sneaker, not for competitive handball.
- Nap effect
- The pony hair's fine directional nap reacts to touch and lighting, so brushing the shoe one way deepens the leopard pattern and shifts its color.
- Care
- The pony hair abrades and fades on high-friction toe and heel areas over time; gentle brushing and avoiding harsh conditions help preserve the pattern.
- Patina
- Pony hair abrades and pattern fades on high-wear areas, revealing the leather base beneath.
- Water resistance
- Intact epidermal layer provides water resistance that suede lacks.
- Cleaning
- Use a soft brush and mild soap to clean the pony hair upper, then air dry.
- Arch support
- Removable foam footbed offers minimal arch support; aftermarket orthotic recommended.
- Ride feel
- Firm, low-to-ground ride with 14.4mm drop and flexible gum sole.
- Sizing
- Fits true to standard Adidas sizing.
- Traction
- Lab-rated moderate traction; gum rubber provides reliable grip on dry pavement and polished floors.
- Outsole wear
- Soft gum rubber sole wears faster on concrete; expect shorter sole life.
- Weight
- At 344 g per shoe, it's 7% lighter than comparable retro sneakers.
- Underfoot feel
- Low 25.1 mm heel stack and flexible sole deliver direct ground feedback.
- Flexibility
- No break-in needed — bends naturally from the first step.
- Value
- At $49.95, this genuine pony-hair Spezial undercuts similar leopard sneakers by ~$40 and is a final closeout.
- Material
- Genuine pony hair with directional nap is rare at this price; typical $50 animal-print sneakers use printed textiles.
- Animal print lineage
- Included in adidas' Cow Print pack alongside the Superstar and Samba, part of a pony hair sub-line.
- Toe reinforcement
- This leopard edition retains the Spezial's T-toe reinforcement, originally designed for abrasion resistance in indoor handball.
- Fashion relevance
- Adidas selected the Spezial for a September 2023 collaboration with Sporty & Rich, signaling the silhouette remains a current fashion-selector favorite rather than a forgotten archive relic.
- Silhouette authenticity
- Adidas has altered the Spezial's silhouette minimally since 1979, so this leopard pair retains the original low-profile court shape rather than a chunky modernization.
Product record
- Title
- Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men
- Brand
- Adidas Originals
- Price
- 150 CAD
- Availability
- Out of stock
Buying Guide
1 comparison · 18 sourcesUses
Indoor court play with grip-first gum sole
The Handball Spezial's soft gum rubber sole is designed for indoor court grip, making these sneakers suited to play on indoor court surfaces. The T-toe reinforcement adds support and abrasion resistance in a high-wear area. Note that the soft sole wears faster on concrete, so it favors indoor use over street wear.[3,5,6]
Everyday walking with cushioned footing
For days spent on your feet, these Adidas Originals Handball Spezial sneakers pair a non-skid gum rubber outer sole with cushioning that supports each step. RunRepeat testers noted the outsole compresses under the wearer's weight, helping to cushion landings while walking.[4,6]
Everyday casual wear with retro terrace style
These adidas Originals sneakers work as an everyday casual shoe, with a padded collar and removable foam footbed for all-day wear. The Handball Spezial design traces back to the terrace casuals of 1980s Britain, where it became a popular fashion item among football fans, so it pairs naturally with retro-inspired and casual outfits. This leopard pony hair leather version adds a statement print to the classic silhouette.[1,2,6]
Product comparison
Compared within this brand.
| Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men: Choose this if you want the classic low-profile Handball Spezial court silhouette in a standout leopard-print pony hair leather upper, with off-white three-stripe overlays, a gum rubber non-skid sole, padded collar, and removable foam footbed. Reviewers note it runs lighter than the Gazelle or Samba, but the soft gum sole is designed for indoor court grip and reportedly wears faster on concrete, so it suits lighter street wear more than heavy daily use. It comes in listed men's sizes 7H through 12H.[2,3,4,6,7,8] | Samba Og Snakeskin Sneakers Men: Choose this if you want a low-profile, classic Samba silhouette with a statement look: a debossed snakeskin-pattern upper in beige and brown with dark brown suede overlays, cream laces, gold trefoil branding, and a non-marking gum rubber outsole described by the retailer as offering excellent grip, over a lightly padded collar and moulded foam footbed. It is offered in Brown in men's sizes 8 through 13. Note that some wearers report Sambas fit aggressively narrow and tight, recommending them mainly for narrow feet, while others find them true to size with minor pinky-toe hot spots—worth trying on if your feet are wide.[9,10,11,12,13,14,15] | Bw Army Sneakers Men: Choose this if you want a minimalist, understated leather sneaker: it skips the Three Stripes, pairs with jeans or slacks, and features heritage details like a T-toe, embossed tongue, suede overlays, and a translucent gum rubber outsole. Multiple reviewers report it feels comfortable and broken-in straight out of the box, and its EVA foam sole gives it a touch more underfoot comfort than some other low-profile adidas silhouettes. Note that some customers find it runs large and half sizes aren't offered, its roughly 10.3 mm forefoot stack makes it unsuitable for ball-of-foot pain or toe joint concerns, and its long tongue can cause chafing for some wearers.[16,17,18] |
Image Analysis
3 images- 01
Product
Lateral side view of a low-top sneaker with leopard-print pony-hair upper, three off-white leather stripes, gum rubber sole, dark green laces, and an off-white leather heel tab.
- Overall silhouetteLow-top court-style sneaker shown in strict lateral profile, toe pointing right, flat gum sole, slightly tapered rounded toe, and low ankle collar.
1 region
x 0.05 · y 0.45 · w 0.90 · h 0.35 (high) - Upper material and patternUpper covered in tan pony-hair with irregular black and dark brown leopard spots across the vamp, quarter, and heel.
1 region
x 0.06 · y 0.48 · w 0.68 · h 0.28 (high) - Three stripesThree parallel off-white leather stripes stitched on the midfoot lateral side running diagonally from midsole toward the laces.
1 region
x 0.40 · y 0.55 · w 0.20 · h 0.18 (high) - Heel tabSmooth off-white leather heel tab wrapping the rear collar area, contrasting with the textured pony-hair.
1 region
x 0.07 · y 0.46 · w 0.12 · h 0.16 (high) - LacesFlat dark green laces threaded through eyelets across the tongue.
1 region
x 0.55 · y 0.49 · w 0.28 · h 0.16 (high) - TonguePony-hair covered tongue continuing the leopard print and sitting low under the laces.
1 region
x 0.48 · y 0.46 · w 0.28 · h 0.20 (high) - Midsole and outsoleGum rubber midsole and outsole in a uniform tan-brown with embossed texture and a rectangular brand panel on the lateral heel area of the sole.
1 region
x 0.05 · y 0.69 · w 0.90 · h 0.12 (high) - Sole embossing text“adidas”
1 region
x 0.13 · y 0.69 · w 0.12 · h 0.08 (high) - Inner liningSmooth light beige inner lining visible at the collar and ankle opening.
1 region
x 0.16 · y 0.47 · w 0.18 · h 0.12 (high) - Stitching detailVisible topstitching in off-white around the stripes and heel panels contrasting with the leopard upper.
1 region
x 0.36 · y 0.52 · w 0.28 · h 0.18 (high)
Other
Studio shot on a uniform light gray background with soft frontal lighting and a faint soft shadow beneath the shoe.
- Background and stagingEven light gray seamless background with no props; shoe centered horizontally in the lower half of the frame.
- ShadowSoft diffuse shadow beneath the sole extending slightly outward, indicating frontal or overhead studio lighting.
1 region
x 0.10 · y 0.78 · w 0.80 · h 0.05 (medium) - Shot compositionStrict side-on product framing with the full lateral profile visible and generous empty space above the shoe.
Colors
tan with black leopard spots· pony-hair upper#BC9C73black and dark brown spots· spot markingsoff-white· three stripes and stitchingpale cream· heel tab and collar exterior#C5C6B9dark green· lacesgum brown· midsole and outsole#B38B55light beige· inner lining#EDEDED- Overall silhouetteLow-top court-style sneaker shown in strict lateral profile, toe pointing right, flat gum sole, slightly tapered rounded toe, and low ankle collar.
- 02
Product
Pair of low-top sneakers shown from a rear/three-quarter view focusing on the heels and outsole; leopard-print pony-hair upper with cream leather heel tab, white three-stripe overlays, and gum rubber outsole with molded adidas branding.
- Upper material and patternLeopard-print pony-hair upper with tan base and irregular dark brown to near-black spots covering the visible shoe panels.
2 regions
x 0.58 · y 0.47 · w 0.36 · h 0.29 (high); x 0.15 · y 0.47 · w 0.30 · h 0.25 (high) - Heel tab material and colorCream off-white smooth leather heel tab at the rear collar of the right shoe.
1 region
x 0.66 · y 0.42 · w 0.15 · h 0.13 (high) - Three-stripe overlaysThree parallel white leather stripes on the shoe lateral visible at the right shoe's midsection and extending toward the toe area.
1 region
x 0.62 · y 0.50 · w 0.22 · h 0.20 (high) - Gum rubber outsole profileGum-colored rubber outsole and midsole with textured sidewall and patterned tread; outsole wraps slightly up the heel and shows circular and grid tread motifs.
2 regions
x 0.02 · y 0.52 · w 0.60 · h 0.37 (high); x 0.56 · y 0.68 · w 0.35 · h 0.19 (medium) - Molded midsole logo panelRectangular molded badge on the gum midsole at the heel with raised lowercase text 'adidas' and a small trefoil mark to its right.
1 region
x 0.67 · y 0.73 · w 0.18 · h 0.10 (high) - Outsole circular trefoil markCircular recessed area on the left shoe outsole containing a trefoil logo and surrounding pattern.
1 region
x 0.14 · y 0.56 · w 0.22 · h 0.23 (high) - Insole and interior collarVisible interior collar and insole of the right shoe in a darker neutral tone, showing fabric lining and collar depth from the rear angle.
1 region
x 0.72 · y 0.46 · w 0.15 · h 0.18 (high) - Transcription on midsole badge“adidas”
1 region
x 0.69 · y 0.75 · w 0.13 · h 0.06 (high) - Transcription on outsole circle“adidas”
1 region
x 0.25 · y 0.58 · w 0.10 · h 0.10 (medium)
Other
Studio product shot with a neutral light gray background, even diffuse lighting and soft shadow beneath the shoes; close-cropped composition centered on the rear and outsole.
- Background and lightingUniform light gray background with soft diffuse lighting and subtle shadow beneath the shoes.
- Shot compositionClose-up rear/three-quarter composition showing both shoes arranged with one shoe on its side exposing the outsole and the other upright showing the heel and lateral side.
- Image framingShoes occupy the lower half of the frame with substantial empty space above.
Colors
tan with dark brown spots· upper pony-hair#CC9B64cream· three-stripe overlays and heel tablight gum brown· outsole and midsole#D4AA75- Upper material and patternLeopard-print pony-hair upper with tan base and irregular dark brown to near-black spots covering the visible shoe panels.
- 03
Product
Top-down view of a pair of low-top sneakers with leopard-print pony-hair upper, dark green laces, off-white three-stripe overlays, pale beige collar trim, and visible black insoles showing an 'adidas' wordmark and trefoil logo. A coiled spare pair of white laces is placed above the shoes.
- Upper material and patternLeopard-print pony-hair textured upper covering toe, vamp, quarters and tongue with tan background and irregular dark brown and black spots
1 region
x 0.06 · y 0.18 · w 0.88 · h 0.62 (high) - Three-stripe overlaysOff-white leather three-stripe overlays on the lateral sides of each shoe, contrasting with the leopard print
2 regions
x 0.12 · y 0.32 · w 0.35 · h 0.38 (high); x 0.53 · y 0.32 · w 0.35 · h 0.38 (high) - Laces installedDark green round/flat laces threaded through seven eyelets on each shoe and tied inside so ends are not visible
2 regions
x 0.23 · y 0.30 · w 0.26 · h 0.44 (high); x 0.51 · y 0.30 · w 0.26 · h 0.44 (high) - Spare lacesCoiled spare laces in an off-white/cream color placed above the toe area of the shoes
1 region
x 0.33 · y 0.02 · w 0.34 · h 0.18 (high) - Collar trim color and finishPale beige/pink smooth collar trim around the ankle opening contrasting with the leopard upper
2 regions
x 0.19 · y 0.66 · w 0.22 · h 0.26 (high); x 0.60 · y 0.66 · w 0.22 · h 0.26 (high) - Insole color and visible branding“Black insoles with a white 'adidas' wordmark and a white trefoil logo above the wordmark”
2 regions
x 0.28 · y 0.70 · w 0.20 · h 0.20 (high); x 0.52 · y 0.70 · w 0.20 · h 0.20 (high) - Insole small-print linesSmall lines of white text under the adidas wordmark on each insole that are too small to fully read at this resolutionPartial
2 regions
x 0.28 · y 0.78 · w 0.20 · h 0.10 (medium); x 0.52 · y 0.78 · w 0.20 · h 0.10 (medium) - Toe shape and profileRounded toe box visible from top-down; toe cap area covered by the same leopard-print pony-hair material
2 regions
x 0.11 · y 0.24 · w 0.35 · h 0.26 (high); x 0.54 · y 0.24 · w 0.35 · h 0.26 (high) - Stitching and panel seamsVisible white stitching around overlays and along the eyestay and toe panel seams
1 region
x 0.12 · y 0.30 · w 0.76 · h 0.50 (high)
Other
Studio top-down product shot on a neutral light-gray background with soft shadows; shoes centered with spare laces above. Even lighting and minimal reflections emphasize textures.
- Shot compositionTop-down centered composition showing both shoes side by side with a coil of spare laces above them
- Background and lightingUniform light-gray background with soft diffuse lighting and subtle shadows under the shoes and laces
- Image qualitySharp focus on shoes and laces with visible hair texture on the pony-hair upper; no visible motion blur
Colors
tan with dark brown and black leopard spots· pony-hair upper#B3B3B3off-white cream· three-stripe overlays#C3C3C3dark green· installed lacesblack· insole#0B0E0Cpale beige· collar trim#D5C3B3cream white· spare laces#F4F1EB- Upper material and patternLeopard-print pony-hair textured upper covering toe, vamp, quarters and tongue with tan background and irregular dark brown and black spots
Variants
10 SKUs| SKU | Title | Price | Avail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4476299 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 7h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476300 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 8h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476301 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 8.5h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476302 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 9h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476303 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 9.5h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476304 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 10h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476305 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 10.5h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4476306 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 11h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4668034 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 11.5h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
| 4668035 | Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men - 12h | CA$49.95CA$150.00 | Out of Stock |
Documents & Data
Customer Reviews
2 total2 reviews · out of 5
Shoes not as described
I ordered these shoes because they were described as men’s shoes. They weren’t. The box clearly indicated women’s. It isn’t that they aren’t great shoes but I find women’s shoes don’t tend to fit the same even when I go up a size. Disappointed with the misleading description on the website. I returned them.
Love them!
I can’t wait for nicer weather to wear these!