Adidas’s Viral Bowling Shoes Are Back and Kookier Than Ever

Last year, Brain Dead did something that nobody saw coming. Right in the middle of the boom of boxing shoes and football boots and trail runners, the LA streetwear label linked up with Adidas for the Bowling—a literal bowling shoe dug out from deep in the Three Stripes archives.That felt like a left-field choice on the surface, but the execution made total sense. Decked out in simple black leather, the shoes couldn’t have looked cleaner or more instantly appealing. Now, 20 months later, the Brain Dead x Adidas Bowling is back. And this time, it’s completely off the leash.Brain Dead x Adidas Bowling ‘Animal Pack’ Brain DeadDubbed the “Animal Pack” (for obvious reasons), the silhouette now comes wrapped in two absolutely insane makeups, including a hairy leopard-print one and a minty green faux snakeskin version. Both come with clean white stripes stitched across the sidewalls, a smooth sole that’s designed for a bit of tenpin, and a Brain Dead x Adidas hangtag that was made exclusively for this drop.The timing couldn’t be better. This year, animal prints took over. Onitsuka Tiger went all in with wild Mexico 66 colorways. Wales Bonner and Adidas have been experimenting with snakeskin textures. Dolce & Gabbana even linked up with Diadora for leopard-covered sneakers. After a full year of flat, minimal trainers, the sneakerverse has remembered that having fun exists. If last year’s Bowling was the gateway drug, this is the full-blown fever dream.Brain Dead x Adidas Bowling ‘Animal Pack’ Brain DeadAnd the best part? Underneath all the fake fur and reptilian vibes, it’s still the same freaky Bowling model that made us all stop scrolling the first time around. It’s just got a lot more bite to it now.The Brain Dead x Adidas Bowling “Animal Pack” is set to release via Brain Dead on August 1, with a wider launch through Adidas, the Confirmed app, and select stockists worldwide expected to come a few weeks later. If your sneaker rotation has been looking a little too tame lately, you know what to do.This story originally appeared on British GQ.