Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue: Actual Quality (at a Price)
Price: $260 [SOLD OUT – Check eBay for Current Prices]
Why Buy?
The Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue is comfortable, with great materials, and a design that manages to be both flashy and wearable.
Why Avoid?
The Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue is expensive, and might be too bright for a lot of people.
Specs
| Model | 700 |
| Height | Low |
| Materials | Leather / Suede / Mesh / Rubber |
| Size | 13 |
| Weight | 487 g / 1 lb 1.2 oz |
| Construction | Cemented |
| Country of Origin | China |
History
Initially, the Yeezy 700 didn’t look like it was going to be a winner. The original Wave Runner colorway was almost universally despised. One of the first threads on the shoe over at r/Sneakers is a real trip to read in 2022. Some actual quotes from that thread: “looks like it’s off a Walmart shelf.” “Something a kid would wear with cargo shorts and a minecraft t shirt.” “Absolutely disgusting.”
In case you’re wondering, that same colorway has restocked more than 6 times and sold out every time. A modern thread is nothing but praise.
What really makes the 700 stand out is that it’s the only Yeezy silhouette where Adidas is willing to play with color. From the original’s greens and oranges, to the bright blues on this Hi-Res colorway, if you want colors like you’ll see in Jordans, the 700 is the one for you.
However, there is one major elephant in the room. They cost Two Hundred and Sixty Freaking Dollars. For a sneaker. That’s the sort of price people expect to pay for made-in-America fully leather boots.
Can a sneaker possibly be worth it? Let’s find out.
Looks
Upper
The upper of the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue has a lot going on. Made up of more than a dozen panels of leather, suede, mesh, fabric, and reflective plastic, it would be nearly impossible to describe it here in the way I normally would. At least not without upsetting Google’s all-powerful algorithm that punishes pages with sections longer than 300 words.
The key take away, however, is that the upper of this sneaker uses a lot of materials, colors, textures and more. Judging by that sentence, you’d think it’d be awful. Unexpectedly, though, it somehow works. The various blues – 7 shades by my count – work together rather than clash.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not subtle. But it’s not supposed to be.
There are a few details you might not catch, especially as it takes a bit to get over the blueness of it all. First, there are a lot of reflective hits on the sneaker. The hidden 3-stripes along the side is in every review, but there is more than that. The lace loops – hiding the “infinity” lacing system, the blobs near your heel, and the dots on the heel cap. All are super reflective.
Inside, you’ll find more blue (of course). Even the Yeezy branding on the insole is the same tone of blue.
Mid- and Outsole
The midsole of the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue doesn’t turn down the intensity one bit. In fact, the highest contrast part of the sneaker is the bright orange painted hits near the front. I think the orange plays well, though there is a small amount of overpainting. Kind of expected with this sort of complicated design, but would have been nice to see a bit more care.
Once you get past the orange, however, you’ll find a pleasing wave design along the entire thing. The oval sections in the back appear unpainted at first, but they are full of clear reflective paint once you put a light on it.
Flipping the sneaker over, you’ll find a thick herringbone pattern. A more solid heel panel features the adidas performance logo – interesting this sneaker isn’t in the “originals” line. Small windows let you see the boost, though I’m not sure how much they will let the boost expand.
Summary
Like I said earlier, the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue isn’t subtle. If you’re wearing anything less colorful than a clown suit, these are going to be the first part of your outfit anyone sees. However, acknowledging that, I have to say that I’m pretty impressed with how they were able to get something with this many color variants, bright blues, and bright oranges and come out with a cohesive package.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
The Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue fits like all other 700 V1s. That means it’s slightly shorter than average for a sneaker, but also slightly wider. That can make them pretty hard to fit if you’re not able to try on a pair first – which isn’t easy to do for a pair of Yeezys.
If you find that the only reason you size up in sneakers like Jordan 1s and Yeezy 350s is because of width, you might want to consider sizing down a half size for these. That being said, I’d only do so if you have a lot of space in front of your toes on those sneakers – well over a thumb’s width.
If not, I’d go with your typical sneaker size.
Thankfully, these shoes are heavily padded so your foot will be held in place even if you go a half size too large. At the same time, all that structure means there is very little stretch, so going a half size too small probably won’t work.
I wear these in a size 13, which is the same size as my Ultraboosts and Jordan 1s. I wear a size 12.5 in Stan Smiths, and a size 12 in most stitched footwear. For a full list of sizing for every shoe reviewed on this site, click here.
Comfort
Speaking of the padding in the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue – it’s great. This is a super comfortable sneaker. Probably among the best I’ve ever worn.
To be clear, this isn’t the minimalist’s option. It’s big and clunky. However, it is also incredibly plush. Obviously, you’ve got a thick layer of boost underneath your feet. People often think that there is only “boost,” but it can come in different forms of softness and this is right there at the softest end of the scale.
This comfort isn’t just about the boost, though. The upper of the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue is heavily padded throughout. Behind your heel, along your foot, all around. While I still say that the Nike Invincible Run beats it out under foot, this extra padding is where the 700 really shines.
There are some tradeoffs here. All that padding is going to get hot, and the softness means it isn’t supportive in the way a pair of New Balance 99X’s will be. That being said, I don’t think anyone will complain.
From long days walking all over to just lounging around, you won’t be disappointed.
Materials & Construction
Materials
Let’s get this out of the way – the materials on the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue are not world beaters. The leather isn’t Horween, and the suede isn’t C.F. Stead. But, even as someone who owns plenty of shoes from those tanneries, they’re not bad.
Almost every sneaker you’ll find uses the absolute bottom of the barrel materials. The leather will be the bottom splits with a heavy coating of plastic on it. The suede probably isn’t even from a living creature. With these, that isn’t true. The leather and suede pieces feel high quality, and should actually age really well.
Elsewhere, the mesh is nice and thick. No mesh is going to be super durable, but this is about as good as can be. The same can be said for the rubber under foot. It’s fairly thick and hits a great balance between durability and softness.
For a sneaker from one of the big brands, this is about as good as you can expect from a materials viewpoint.
Construction
The Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue uses cemented construction. If you want a more in-depth guide on what that means, click here. For a short version, a cemented construction means that the upper is made, and then glued down onto the midsole.
Cemented construction is the most common way to make a sneaker. Its pros are that it’s flexible, affordable, and very weather resistant. The cons are that it isn’t the most durable and can’t be resoled.
Typically, I would have no issues with a sneaker using cemented construction. There is a reason that 99.9% of sneakers out there use this method. It’s great for running and jumping, and easy to make.
However, on this pair I do feel like something was missed by going with this construction. The materials and design are pretty good for a sneaker, but one of the big benefits of high-quality materials is that they last.
Having good leather on your upper doesn’t mean quite as much if the outsole wears through like every other $100 pair you can pick up at the outlets.
Ease of Care
The Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue is not going to be an easy sneaker to take care of. With so many different materials and color, each panel will need its own care routine if you want to keep the sneaker looking it’s best.
For the suede panels, I’d be sure to get some waterproofing spray – particularly for the light blue panel on the toe. Thankfully, these sprays are pretty cheap, and one can might last you half a decade.
For the leather, I’d consider getting some conditioner. You won’t need much, but when the leather doesn’t have a heavy coating of plastic on it you might get some cracks if you keep the pair for a few years. Condition two times a year.
The mesh can just use your typical sneaker cleaning kits.
Pricing & Value
Pricing
Already said above, the Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue dropped for a retail price of $260. At time of writing, resale is around $300. As always, I suggest checking eBay before purchasing on StockX or Goat. With lower fees for the seller, you can often (but not always) find better deals.
You can check out current pricing on ebay right here.
While not the most expensive sneaker out there, that pricing puts the Yeezy 700 dangerously close to designer brands. Adidas’ high-end Y-3 line’s runner is $350, for example.
It should be pointed out that at least the price is going in the right direction. When they originally launched, the 700 was $300, and the Jordan 11 was $190. Today, the 700 is $260 and the 11 is $230.
Value
Most of you already know, but I think it bears repeating here: value doesn’t mean cheap. The most famous quote about how being poor costs you money is shoe related. Terry Pratchett’s “boot theory.” Quality shoes can save you money in the long run, even if it costs more.
However, the thing with boots is that they can be repaired and resoled. A $300 pair of boots worn a few times a week will last you a decade. A $300 pair of sneakers won’t.
At the same time, I don’t think anyone is picking up a pair of bright blue Yeezys because they are trying to find something to last them a long time at a job site. Taking away the durability concerns, they are an extremely comfortable pair of sneakers, made with pretty good materials.
Are they objectively worth $260? No. Of course not. Nothing from Adidas or Nike is other than maybe their marathon shoes is. But subjectively? I don’t think it’s hard to make the case that for those who can afford it these sneakers will be a good pick up.
Wrap Up
The Yeezy 700 Hi Res Blue is a comfortable, well built, and uses materials that are great for a sneaker. Style is subjective, obviously, but I think these do a great job of being bright and in your face, but not looking like you’re colorblind.
The price is undoubtably high, and if you’re in a spot where $260 will be the difference between making rent or not I don’t think these are worth it. However, if you’ve got some extra cash in the bank, this could be just the pair for you.