Adidas Originals
Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men
The adidas Originals Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers are low-top men's court-style shoes with a leopard-print pony hair leather upper, off-white three-stripe overlays, and a gum rubber sole. They feature a synthetic lining, T-toe reinforcement for support, a padded collar, removable foam footbed, and non-skid gum rubber outsole with molded adidas branding. Dark green laces are included with a spare cream pair; 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
Size
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 Spezial's angular shape amplifies the pony hair's directional nap, making the leopard pattern shift with movement and angle.
- Care
- The pony hair sheds on toes and heels over time; gentle brushing slows fading and maintains the nap.
- 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.
- Outsole durability
- Gum sole wears faster on concrete, making it the lifespan bottleneck.
- 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.
- Performance
- The Spezial is lightweight, flexible, and has natural gum rubber traction, but the rubber wears faster on concrete and footbed lacks arch support.
- Animal print lineage
- Included in adidas' Cow Print pack alongside the Superstar and Samba, part of a pony hair sub-line.
Product record
- Title
- Handball Spezial Leopard Pony Hair Leather Sneakers Men
- Brand
- Adidas Originals
- Price
- 150 CAD
- Availability
- Out of stock
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
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!