adidas Futurecraft 4D ‘Crystal White’

The adidas Futurecraft 4D “Crystal White” is one of those pairs that feels like a peek into the future of sneakers, even though it’s already a few years old. When adidas first started rolling out Futurecraft pairs, the hype was real — they were one of the first brands to actually put a 3D-printed midsole on shelves. Not just a sample, not a concept, but a real shoe you could actually wear.

This pair in particular, the “Crystal White,” dropped in September 2021 and takes that tech-first approach but keeps things simple on the styling side. The Primeknit upper comes in a super clean white, sitting on top of that lattice-style 4D midsole. The midsole itself is built using Digital Light Synthesis, a process that looks more like something out of a sci-fi lab than a sneaker factory. The end result is a midsole that’s cushioned, responsive, and strong in all the right places.

On-foot, the 4D cushioning isn’t as soft as BOOST, which some people found surprising, but it has a springy, tuned feel that’s more performance-oriented. It’s the kind of sneaker you can wear all day without your feet feeling cooked, and the open structure of the midsole paired with breathable Primeknit makes them a great warm-weather option.

What I like about the “Crystal White” colorway is that it doesn’t try to compete with the tech. It’s minimal, stripped back, and lets that wild midsole design do all the talking. Some Futurecraft pairs leaned hard into loud colorways, but this one proves you don’t need to scream when you’ve already got one of the most futuristic midsoles on the market.

It might not have the same hype today as it did on release, but the adidas Futurecraft 4D Crystal White still feels like a milestone shoe — the kind that sneaker history books will look back on.