Pick Up Balenciaga Soon-To-Be Sold Out Sneaker Before Anyone Else
Can the Trek deliver the same levels of fanaticism as the French brand’s Triple S sneaker? It sure seems like it.

Under the direction of Demna Gvasalia, avant-garde designer extraordinaire and general king of meme-y fashion, Balenciaga has emerged as a powerful force in men’s designer sneakers—maybe the most powerful. While the luxury fashion house may have built its storied reputation on its elegant womenswear, it is currently synonymous with Gvasalia’s elevated normcore—and for making the hottest dad sneaker in the game: the Triple S. Many menswear fans have wondered when the next hit Balenciaga sneaker would come, and when Gvasalia sent a brand-new outdoors-inspired silhouette down the runway earlier this year, it seems like that question was answered. And now, after months of waiting, that very sneaker is finally available for pre-order.

The Balenciaga “Trek” sneaker, which is available in three colorways, taps into the hiking sneaker trend that we’ve also seen from fashion labels like Our Legacy and Alyx (see Alyx designer Matthew Williams’s just-unveiled Nike hikers. Even straight-up trekking sneakers by ROA and Salomon are worn by some of today’s most stylish tastemakers. And there is definitely a distinct vintage trek shoe vibe here: the multi-paneled upper, the super grippy outsole, the extreme lace-up vamp. It’s unlikely we’ll see a sneaker as big (no pun intended) as the Triple S disappear from the scene, but Balenciaga’s new “Trek” sneaker directly speaks to menswear’s very of-the-moment obsession with the great outdoors. So expect see a lot more of it in street style photos across the globe later this year.

Salute to Gvasalia and Balenciaga for these. Making a trail-esque sneaker feel stylish and wearable enough to slide into the closets of non-hikers is no small task. While these aren’t quite as mammoth-like as the Triple S, they’re still a hefty pair of kicks with a hefty price tag to match. Sure, you could hit up your local outdoor goods store like you’re Kanye West and pick up a similar style for less, but you could also go with the most luxurious trek shoe that money can buy. As menswear continues to move towards clothes and sneakers that provide function and style in equal measure, these Balenciagas certainly deliver on both.