Balenciaga’s newest sneaker is for trekking and for telling the world how bulky your footwear can be

It really is a matter of time before Balenciaga too desires a piece of the outdoor shoe pie. And it was later than sooner that their new Hike has emerged. It isn’t clear why anyone would need a proudly “leather-free” hiking shoe with a four-figure price tag out on the trail, but it looks like the Kering-owned brand has every intention to expand its sneaker category to include those dominated by the likes of Hoka and Salomon. The Balenciaga Hike keeps to the typical form of the brand’s unapologetically clunky sneakers, with all the heft that a shoe worn for mountain trails (or for those not into steep climbs, nature-reserve paths) do not really require.

An amalgam of mesh, polyurethane and polyester that, in sum, is a not the luxurious combo that has been other bombastic Balenciaga kicks. But it does reduce the weight of the shoe somewhat, even when the brand has retained the bulky, exaggerated footwear form factor it is know for. Available in three colours (including black, as well as red), with a finished described as “worn-out” )read: dirty), the Hike’s shapely profile shows a curved composite of midsole and what looks like layered outsole, augmenting its somewhat busy compositional overmuch. Elasticised lacing criss-crossing the upper and the heel (where a cord lock is placed) allow the Hike to look bound, rather than secured (definitely not merely laced). The minimalist retro sneaker this is definitely not.

Balenciaga Hike, S$1,820, is available in stores. Product photo: Balenciaga. Collage: Just So