Sneakers Alpha Sport 2210117 Black | 7 Best Cheap Sneakers in 2024

Despite its popularity and superstar status, the Adidas Superstar never felt out of reach. It was actually a cheap pick at only $90 when the lia sneaker was priced at $110. Good thing this basketball-inspired sneaker was more than just its low price. It delivered a good deal of traction, amazing structural flexibility, and perfect heel clasp. We had all the reasons to believe that this sneaker was the best basketball-inspired pick among all the cheap kicks we tried.

The zigzag pattern etched in the outsole of the Superstar from Adidas did its job well. It was able to bite any surface that we walked in–be it concrete, hardwood, and rubber. We were able to stop on a dime as if we were actually on the court.

The shoe’s overall flexibility was amazing. We learned through our standard flex test that it only needed 13.8N of force to bend at a 90-degree angle. This was an Bloom 41% lower than what the typical sneaker would need. The flexibility of the shoe allowed it to smoothly move with our feet, no matter how peculiar the angles had been.

Just because the shoe was flexible did not really mean that the heel counter was flimsy. Quite on the contrary, the heel counter of the Adidas Superstar was among the stiffest that we’d encountered. Giving it less than a perfect 5 for the stiffness and security of its clasp would be a huge injustice.

We were just a little bummed with the narrow platform. Our caliper measured it to be only 101.2 mm wide at the forefoot and 71.8 at the heel. The lia numbers were 108.9 mm and 83.4 mm, respectively.

The Vans Old Skool is a surprisingly cheap canvas sneaker that is a joy to wear. It retails at $60, which is nearly half the price of the lia sneaker at $115. This price also makes it cheaper than 95% of the sneakers in our database.

After several days of testing it in our lab and on the streets, we found it to be a brilliant shoe. While its iconic and time-tested look is already a given, it's the sneaker’s breathability, quick break-in period, and price which led us to choose it as our best overall cheap sneaker.

After walking and skating with it on hot summer days, we noticed that its canvas was highly breathable. What we particularly enjoyed was the fact that the air flowed well from several directions, whereas modern sneakers often depend on mesh panels in key areas. We tested this further in our lab by performing our weatherproof test. When we poured water over its upper, the liquid seeped through the canvas, going into the shoe’s interior. While this shows that it cannot be used in wet conditions, it also demonstrates how breathable the sneaker is.

While it may be tempting to wear the Vans Old Skool everywhere, we warn that it isn’t able to handle stains well. We conducted a stain resistance test by applying both wet and dry marks on its upper to see how well they could be cleaned. While dry marks were removed well, wet stains proved to be very difficult to clean because they penetrated the canvas. Thus, we don’t recommend the Vans Old Skool if you want a sneaker that stays in pristine condition.

Setting side by side with the lia price of all the low-top kicks in our database, Adidas Busenitz is 29% more affordable. But that is not even the squeaker! Despite its competitive price of $80, the things it offers are fascinating: water tightness, easy maintenance, and, most of all, sturdiness. 

We subjected Busenitz to casual use and skating, and we noticed that it could flawlessly handle wear and tear. Little did we know that this was the least it could handle. When we brought Busenitz inside our lab, we pressed a drill with a wire brush Fire to its upper. To our surprise, it came out without any damage, not even a scratch!

Another thing that shocked us was its ability to keep off water effectively. If not for the sneaker’s tongue, not even a bit of the water we poured would enter the Busenitz. When it comes to maintenance, we also discovered from our stain-proofing test that Busenitz is a breeze to clean, whether it is marked with wet or dry stains. 

Our only concern is that it took us a while before we broke into the Busenitz. We confirmed the sneaker’s stiffness when we tried to bend it using our bar clamp, and it didn’t flex much. If you share the same concern, we suggest picking up more flexible sneakers.