adidas Busenitz Vintage
Joining adidas’s skate-team in ‘06 alongside masterful mad-man Mark Gonzales and good-friend photographer Bryce Kanights, Dennis Busentiz has become an influential figurehead for adidas Skateboarding over the past 14 years. Known not only for his signature pro and vulc models but for refreshing reiterations across a repertoire of iconic designs such as adidas’ Indoor Super, Gazelle and Samba profiles, Busentiz’s hard-charging style and creative flair is something that has continued to captivate the market, whilst his honourable commitment to skate leaves plenty to be admired by each and every release.
Arriving shortly after Lance Mountain’s transitional departure from the brand, Busentiz brought with him a fresh sense of originality and vitality that in turn helped elevate adidas’ then-idle skate programme. Inspired by the streamlined appeal of the Copa Mundial, first unveiled in 1972, Busenitz swiftly released his first signature model - the Busenitz Pro in 2009, a design that set about enhancing his now highly-popular customizable, with trimmable tongue, Busenitz profile. Deciding against the mainstream preference for vulc shoes, the soccer-inspired design hosted a sleek cupsole and a longer tongue for a more unconventional yet high-functioning aesthetic, whilst the precision-minded pivot-point tractioning and the shred-resistant recessed eyelets put skate-specific functionality back on the map. As stated by Busentiz, ‘it was a shoe that I liked and I was gonna skate, so I was happy’. Little did the pro-skater know, this iconic pro model would soon go on to influence an array of colourways and collabs over the upcoming decade. Later that same year, Busenitz went on to collaborate with fellow skaters Tim O’Connor and Mark Gonzales to drop the exclusive adidas Originals ‘Skateboarding’ Nizza High collection, jam-packed with abstract artwork and a chance for each skater to really solidify their own unique sense of character during adidas Skateboarding’s early-day stature.
Fast forward to 2012, after a lengthy period of competing (and winning) contests such as 2011’s Tampa Pro and appearing in grainy edits such as Quartersnacks’ full-speed ‘DB2009’ and adidas’ ‘Busenitz Ledge’, the famed break-neck speed pro-skater returned in collaboration with the skatewear powerhouse to release both his debut Vulc and ADV profiles. The widely received Busenitz Vulc brought smooth all-suede uppers to the popular skate profile, whilst the addition of a supportive GEOFIT collar and adidas’ then-new Vector Traction vulcanised rubber outsole made for grippier tread and step-by-step traction. A more structured and moulded design than its pro model counterpart, the iconic Busenitz Vulc has since gone on to continually update via its succeeding Vulc 2 re-model, redesigned with both a stabilising heel counter and resistant toe-box for added abrasive-awareness. Additional vulc reworks include the soccer/skate RX hybrid from 2017 with its distinctive ‘triple-black’ makeover.
Busentiz celebrated 10 years of partnership with adidas in 2016, and in line with tradition, the groundbreaking duo released a limited edition 10-Year Pack containing both ‘06 and ‘16 gold-foiled and custom-insoled Busenitz Pros, ADVs and Pure Boosts that complemented the commemorative unveiling of the short-form documentary ‘Up To Speed - The Story of Dennis Busenitz’. Never one to be defeated when it comes to precision, purpose and practicality, Busenitz has continued to welcome refreshing new colour pairings and fabrics across his extensive collaborations with adidas, effectively setting a new standard of excellence when it comes to professional-led partnerships within the realm of skate.
Returning to his roots for 2020, the latest adidas Busenitz Vintage pays homage to the skater’s undying love for the soccer-spun Copa Mundial profile, with his own skate-specific black and white rendition debuting in 2014. Busenitz once again opts for his favoured rubber cupsole for added boardfeel and comfort as opposed to the more contemporary vulc profile. Archival elements reign supreme throughout the lowered profile, with the shortened tongue and the washed chalk-white colourway honouring the sportswear brand’s classic court-side roots. Dark legacy-blue adidas 3-Stripe decals help anchor the design to its more traditional aesthetic, whilst the crisp-white flat laces, the single-stitch reinforced trims across the toe box and the well-shaped GEOFIT ankle collar all honour functionality above all else. A skate-specific moulded Adiprene sockliner helps deliver undeniable flex and responsive resilience to high-impact landings, whilst the designs signature gold-foil ‘Busenitz’ print branding across the butter-smooth dusty side panels helps the celebrated pro-skater seal yet another design off with his own stamp of certified skate excellence.
Deemed a pillar-profile for adidas’ entire skate programme, Dennis Busenitz has helped cement the brand with firm stature since its OG sportswear backing. Joining the likes of all-time skate heroes Tyshawn Jones and Rider Series contributors Jason Dill, Chewy Cannon and Na-Kel Smith, Busenitz continues to set a high-bar precedent that very few can ever hope to reach.
Shop all adidas Skateboarding at Flatspot.
