Silhouette index
adidas Handball Spezial — releases & stockists
The Handball Spezial began life in 1979 as an indoor handball shoe and became the graduation shoe of the terrace trend — the model people move to once the Samba goes mainstream. Distribution for the best colorways runs through the boutique tier, which is exactly what this page tracks.
We're tracking 9 Handball Spezial releases, 7 currently live or in limited stock. The newest is the adidas Handball Spezial "Denim Pony Hair (Khaki Six / Preloved Brown / Aurora Coffee)" (July 17, 2026).
Releases
| Date | Release | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-17 | adidas Handball Spezial "Denim Pony Hair (Khaki Six / Preloved Brown / Aurora Coffee)" | limited stock |
| 2026-03-24 | adidas Handball Spezial "Federation Pack (12 country colorways)" | limited stock |
| 2026-03-24 | adidas Handball Spezial Loafer "Core Black / Gum" | limited stock |
| 2026-02-20 | adidas Handball Spezial "Blue" | live |
| 2026-02-20 | adidas Handball Spezial "Purple" | sold out |
| 2026-02-20 | adidas Handball Spezial "Red" | live |
| 2025-10-22 | adidas Handball Spezial Made in Germany "Preloved Ink / Off White / Gum" | limited stock |
| 2025-08-20 | adidas Handball Spezial Made in Germany "Equipment Red / Off White / Gum" | limited stock |
| 2025-08-16 | adidas Handball Spezial "O.G. With A Twist (Core Black / Gum)" | sold out |
How the Handball Spezial compares
| Handball Spezial | Samba | Gazelle | SL 72 | Campus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | 1979 indoor handball shoe | 1950 indoor football trainer | 1966 training shoe | 1972 Olympic training shoe | 1980s basketball shoe |
| Fit | Close to true to size; roomier than a Samba | Runs narrow and long; most go down half a size | Snug and slightly narrow; true to size for most | Narrow retro-runner fit; true to size for narrow-to-medium feet | Wider and flatter than the terrace models; true to size |
| Profile | Suede upper, T-toe, gum midsole with extra cushion | Low-profile leather/suede, gum sole | Soft suede, rounded toe, rubber cupsole | Nylon/suede upper, wedge EVA midsole | Suede upper, flat vulc-feel sole |
| Distribution | GR colorways wide; seasonal and SPZL-line drops boutique-restricted | Core wide; Wales Bonner and SMUs boutique-restricted | Seasonal colorways wide; Indoor and collabs restricted | Core wide; collab and SMU colorways restricted | Campus 00s wide; ADV/collabs through skate and boutique doors |
Sizing
The Handball Spezial runs close to true to size with a slightly roomier fit than the Samba. Between sizes, most wearers stay true; wide feet are fine true to size. The suede upper breaks in soft and the gum midsole adds a touch more cushion than other terrace models.