Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade: Oxidization Overload?
Price: $200 [SOLD OUT – Check eBay for Current Prices]
Why Should You Buy?
The Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade offers an affordable entry point into modern Yeezy design, and is one of the most colorful Yeezy sneakers to ever drop.
Why Stay Away?
The Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade doesn’t offer much in the way of comfort, plus sizing is going to be very difficult to nail down on a shoe that isn’t available to try on.
Specs:
| Model | Yeezy 700 V3 |
| Height | Low |
| Colorway | Copper Fade |
| Size | 13 |
| Weight | 450 g / 15.8 oz |
| Construction | Cemented |
| Country of Origin | China |
Contents:
History:
Released at the very end of 2019, the Yeezy 700 V3 is the quintessential shoe in the current wave of Yeezys. More organic in design, more traditional in materials, and – maybe most surprising – more affordable in pricing. This is now what the Yeezy line is. These new models have also been a base for more daring colors. After years of pretty much all yeezys being some variation of beige, tan, taupe, and cream, in just a few models the Yeezy 700 V3 has seen bright blues, bold yellows, and, in December of 2021, this bold Copper Fade colorway.
However, despite giving us what we’ve been asking for in color and price, the 700 V3 has not been as popular as Adidas’ might have wanted. Getting a pair on release day is pretty easy. And, even if you miss resale on most colorways is only a little bit higher than retail. It’s older brothers, the 700 V1 and V2, continue to be more popular years after their release.
Do these deserve to be the forgotten 700 variation, or are people just missing out on a great option? Let’s dive in and take a look.
Looks:
I feel like I need to mention something at the beginning. I might have been the only one, but when I first saw pictures of the Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade, I thought the upper was primarily orange and grey, but there actually is hardly any grey on this sneaker at all. Instead, you have shades of orange, brown, navy, and a healthy dose of olive. The name of the shoe makes a lot more sense now.
Upper:
On the upper itself, Adidas was able to make good use of the plastic material to have an extremely smooth fade from a medium brown at the toe to a bright orange at the heel. As you take a closer look, you see additional gradients top to bottom. There are also dots, waves, and other patterns as well. It’s not an easy look to match, but it’s definitely an interesting pattern.
The upper also has a number of additional panels and details. Up front, an olive toe panel has a nice textured pattern on it, adding even more visual interest. Moving up the middle of the shoe, a brown tongue peaks through the orange upper. Like other 700 V3’s, the Copper Fade has two very small reflective panels peaking out at the bottom of the tongue. This time in a navy blue.
Over the orange panels, the typical Yeezy 700 V3 cage is here in a translucent clear material. This does a great job at softening the reflectiveness of the plastic. Unfortunately, while these are supposed to glow, this pair did not.
The upper isn’t completely devoid of grey and black – the laces that come started are a black infinity lace system. In other words, there is no end. If that isn’t your style, there are also a pair of traditional laces you can swap in. Don’t expect any color variation, not that this shoe needs it, they are also black.
Inside there isn’t much to it. Some brown fabric around the throat and on the insole is pretty much the only thing in here. Everything else is open to the plastic mesh of the shoe.
Mid- and Outsole:
The midsole on the Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade has an extremely curvaceous design. Something I can really appreciate in a modern shoe. It’s kind of a mix between a Yeezy 350 and a modern basketball sneaker with some outriggers. At the very back you’ll find the Adidas Sportswear logo, an interesting choice since the Yeezy line normally gets the originals logo.
Adidas also carried the orange tone onto the very back of the swept-up heel, with some paint sprayed on. This takes some of the visual weight off of the midsole, and adds it to the upper. I’m not sure I would have done so if I had the pen, but I don’t hate it either.
Underneath, the shoe features a navy-colored outsole. Like all other 700 V3s, the outsole features cut outs through both the rubber outsole but the midsole material as well, exposing the softer foam. A herringbone pattern provides some grip, though I doubt anybody is using this shoe for performance.
Fit & Comfort:
Fit:
The Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade fits small, even for a modern Yeezy. I measure between an 11.5 and 12 on a Brannock device, tried these in a size 13 and they just barely fit. I had trouble getting them on and would definitely need to wear thin socks. For reference, I wear a size 13 in Jordan 1s, a size 12.5 in Stan Smiths, and a size 13 in Yeezy 350 v2s.
Of course, always try on a shoe before you buy if at all possible. However, if you have to take a guess, I would suggest going up at least half a size from other sneakers. Maybe even a full size if you’re a wide footer. If you do make a sizing mistake, you can remove the insole to get a bit more space.
For a list of full sizing on every shoe reviewed on this site, click here.
Comfort:
One major change between the Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade and most previous Yeezy models is that this shoe has no proprietary foam. Almost every other Yeezy sneaker uses Boost, one of the best sneaker foams out there. Even the Yeezy 500 uses Adiprene, a modified version of EVA foam that is designed to outperform regular sneaker foam.
The only foam in the Yeezy 700 V3 is base EVA. The same foam that you’ll find in the absolute bottom of the line Adidas sneakers. The ones that sell for $35 on Amazon. To make matters worse, the foam is almost entirely caged. The small cut outs on the outsole being the only place for it to expand. This further limits the cushion of the sneaker.
While the cushion of the shoe is a bit of a letdown, the upper of the Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade is fine. There isn’t a ton of stretch to it, but it’s structured enough.
To be clear, it isn’t an uncomfortable shoe. It is much more wearable than a lot of the retros that are out there. That being said, I think that Adidas and Kanye could have done better. The Yeezy 450 uses similar parts bin materials – EVA foam and off the shelf primeknit – and it is much, much more comfortable.
Materials & Construction:
As mentioned above, the Yeezy line has moved from featuring Adidas’ best technology to pulling older stuff off the shelf. The majority of the upper is made from a plastic mesh – think the material used in the stripe on modern 350’s. This mesh is supported by a rubbery plastic cage that gives plenty of structure to the shoe.
The only other real material on the upper is a fabric lining around the collar of the shoe and down the tongue. This is a polyester blend material, with just a bit of padding underneath. And, as mentioned earlier, the rubberized plastic toe cap.
Underneath your foot, the insole is a hard thin foam. It’s kind of a shame, because this is an area where Adidas could have made a big difference in comfort for a comparatively small price. Further down, that EVA midsole caged in a harder rubberized foam, and a even harder rubber outsole.
This shoe is held together with cemented construction. That essentially means that the upper and the mid/outsole are held together with contact cement. We go more into it what that means here, but in short this is the standard for modern sneakers. It’s light weight and flexible – though if it does fail there is no easy way to fix it.
Ease of Care:
For the most part, this shoe is going to be extremely easy to maintain. With the upper being made up of pretty much just different types of plastic, simple water and a bit of soap should get everything cleaned up quick and easy. I wouldn’t even worry about shoe trees in these. There just isn’t any material that needs to be pulled back to shape.
There are only a couple things to be aware of. First, the midsole and the toe panel are both slightly textured, so you might need a brush to really get them clean. Second, the paint on the back of the midsole doesn’t feel all that solid. While I don’t have any proof of it yet, I bet that any real washing could take it off fairly easily.
Pricing & Value:
Pricing:
The Yeezy 700 V3 Copper Fade cost $200 at release, and sold out instantly online. While there were none around me, it looks like it was sitting in other cities, at least for the few hours between the release and this review being written. Thankfully, if you’re interested in getting a pair, prices are not that bad on the resale market. At time of writing, many people had not even received their pairs and the final price you pay is only just above retail – anywhere from $220 to $235 depending on size.
As always, I suggest checking out eBay if you’re looking to pick up any pair of sneakers that costs $100 or more. There are no fees for the buyer, or the seller, which means prices are often lower and there are no additional fees. When I’m comparing, I find the savings is typically around 15-20%.
That price range means the Copper Fade is the lowest price of all the 700 V3s released, with most of the rest coming in around $250.
Like with most other modern Yeezys, there isn’t really much to compare them to other than more Yeezys. The Yeezy 450 retails and resales for around 10% more than the 700 V3. The 380 retails for even slightly more, though resale on these is the lowest.
Value:
It’s never a good thing when a product has obvious cost cutting. No matter if it’s a box of cereal that now comes with a couple ounces less, or a pair of sneakers that goes from one of the best cushioning systems on the planet to generic foam, it feels like you’re missing out.
That being said, when this happens the company doesn’t normally cut the price of the product as well. Other than a few foam shoes and sandals, the 700 v3 is tied with the very first Yeezy 350 for most affordable Yeezy released – at least for retail.
It isn’t the most comfortable option released by the Yeezy brand, but if you want Kanye’s style on your feet, there isn’t really a more cost effective way to do so.
Wrap Up:
Like a lot of modern Yeezys, it’s helpful to think of this as less of a traditional hyped up sneaker, and more like an upgraded fashion line from Adidas – something like Y-3. That means the price you’re paying is more for the forward-thinking design, rather than the advancement of sneaker technology or the history of the pair. It also means that just about anyone who wants a pair for close to retail will be able to get a pair.
I’m not against it. In a world where sneakers are increasingly becoming accepted in a variety of workplaces, this type of high-fashion look is a great way to express yourself and avoid the baggage that comes with traditionally hyped-up sneakers in a workplace.
In my eyes, I think the 450 did this a little bit better, but that look might be too out there for a lot of people. If you want something that has this look, but at a more accessible design and price point, it’s definitely worth checking out the 700 V3 Copper Fade.
> Unfortunately, no glow on this model.
This is inaccurate, the cage glows the same as on all 700v3s
Mine didn’t – even with a bright flashlight in a black room – but checking into it more, it looks like they were supposed to. Updated the review to account. Thanks!