adidas Samba, Gazelle & Campus compared

All four models come from the adidas archive and belong to the "terrace" sneakers: flat, slim and with a thin rubber sole. They work well as everyday shoes, but not as heavily cushioned sports shoes.

adidas gives EU sizes in thirds, such as 42, 42 2/3 and 43 1/3. This is due to the Paris point, a unit of two-thirds of a centimetre. The Samba and Handball Spezial are considered narrow and on the small side; many people go half a size up for these. The Gazelle and Campus usually fit true to size. If you're between two sizes, choose the smaller one for leather, as it stretches a little; suede gives less.

Before wearing them for the first time, it's worth using a proofing spray so water and dirt bead off. Brush out dry dirt with a suede brush in the direction of the fibres; stains can often be removed with a suede eraser. Stuff wet shoes with newspaper and dry them away from the radiator – direct heat makes suede hard and blotchy. The gum sole turns yellowish over time; that's normal and not a defect.

The Samba and Gazelle have been in high demand in recent years, and some colourways were sold out at times. Standard colours such as black/white or white/green are now widely available again. Use the price history to see whether an offer is below the usual level, and check whether marketplace sellers are trading commercially.

Thanks to its smooth leather, the Samba looks a little cleaner and pairs well with tailored trousers, chinos or jeans. The Gazelle and Handball Spezial look softer because of the suede and are real eye-catchers in bold colours such as red, green or blue. With its thicker sole and wider profile, the Campus 00s is the bulkiest and the sportiest version. If you're looking for a shoe for every day, a muted colour in leather is the easiest to look after.