Yeezy Beluga

Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Beluga Reflective Product Review

Released at the end of 2021, the Yeezy Boost collection remains one of the most popular lines of Yeezy shoes to date with the brand new Yeezy Beluga. While retaining elements of the original 350 V2 Beluga shoe style, the new Beluga features reflective grey and orange fabric stitched into the shoe for a gleaming shine in the light. In this article, you'll learn the facts about the new Yeezy Beluga sneaker, pricing, where to buy, how to spot fake Yeezy's, and other similar styles by Adidas Yeezy both new and old.

History of Yeezy Boost

Yeezy x Adidas is one of the most dominating collaborations in today's sneaker market. However, Yeezy shoes actually began their way up to the top with a short-lived partnership with Nike. In 2009, the first Nike Air Yeezy released. This collaboration included the designer of Yeezy, entrepreneur, rapper, and former 2020 presidential candidate Kanye West. While Nike Air Yeezy's immediately gained traction from buyers across the globe, the releases stopped in 2013 when West broke off with Nike stating that the company wasn't paying adequate royalties for design.

This led to the birth of Yeezy x Adidas: a deal signed between the two that turned out to work perfectly. The first shoe released is the Yeezy Boost 750 in 2015, a monochromatic high top with laces that arrived in multiple neutral colors of suede material and a zipper. While originally selling for just a few hundred dollars, obtaining a set today could set you back several thousand.

The first Yeezy Boost 350 was known as the 'Yeezy Boost 350 Turtle Dove'. This is the most sought-after Yeezy Boost 350 to date and was released in 2015. After this, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 collection was released containing the original 350 V2 Beluga. In 2021, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Beluga was released again, but this time with a twist– a reflective stitching.

Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Beluga Vs. 350 V2 Beluga Reflective: What's the Difference?

The Beluga reflective model dropped on the release date December 18th, 2021, five years after the original Yeezy beluga. This new shoe has reflective threads on the Primeknit upper which give it a new gleam in the light. The entire upper of the sneaker is not reflective, though; only the woven reflective material that is speckled throughout. The upper also now features speckles of 'Solar Red', the same color as the signature stripe across the shoes. Overall, the differences between the original Beluga and the reflective are very subtle and might not be noticeable from afar or without shining direct light on the shoes. It's the perfect chance to pick up a pair of Beluga's if you missed the original release and wanted that design.

Another Yeezy Boost Beluga is the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 'Beluga 2.0', which was released in November of 2017. This shoe is more noticeably different than the original Beluga and Beluga reflective because it's missing the Solar Red stripe. However, all three sneakers still have the SPLY 350 branding and sport the same Beluga grey color.

Beluga Reflective Features

The Beluga reflective shoes arrive in the original 350 brown cardboard box with the 'Boost' logo printed on one side. The colorway of the shoe is Beluga/Solar Red, representing the grey and bright orange. The upper retains the classic Primeknit upper design woven of orange, dark grey zebra stripes, and medium grey, but now with silvery reflective thread woven throughout on the dark grey. You'll notice the reflection when you shine bright light on the sneakers. The laces are the same color as the original 350 V2 Belugas, and do not have any reflective thread. the outside of the shoe are two stripes; solar red with SPLY 350 branding and a beluga grey solid stripe beneath it. This model doesn't have a heel tab, so if yours does, there's a chance it might be fake.

The midsole of the shoe utilizes the Adidas Innovative Boost technology for comfort and shock-resistance. The outsole is rubber and semi-translucent grey. The sockliner of the shoe features three dark Adidas stripes as well as padding. The insole is the same as the other Yeezy Boost 350 V2 insoles, in a light grey, and features the Adidas-Yeezy logo. The cloth material of the shoe makes it soft and flexible so that it feels just like wearing a sock, and the Boost sole puts a 'cloud-like' bounce in your step so you can wear these during long walks, exercise, or throughout a regular day without discomfort.

Source: Amazon.com

Other 350 V2 Reflective Colorways

The Beluga reflective is not the only 350 V2 reflective colorway that was released. You can find this sneaker in many of the other 350 V2 original colorway designs released as reflective models too like cinder, synth, and static black. The Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Cinder Reflective dropped in April of 2020 and it's an all black color with a silvery lateral stripe and it has a heel tab– but no SPLY 350 branding. Similar to the Cinder is the 350 V2 Static Black Reflective, which is also fully black with a heel tab but has a black stripe instead of a silvery one. There is a red stitch decal on the heel tab and it was released in 2019.

In terms of lighter colorways, there's also the Synth and Static Reflective. The Synth Reflective has no pull tab and is a creamy color. It has a Primeknit upper with reflective threading that is also in the laces and a similar semi-translucent rubber outsole to the other 350 V2's. Lastly, the 350 V2 Static Reflective is bright white with a heel tab. The Primeknit upper is bright white and light grey with a white lateral stripe and rubber outsole. Although many colorways such as these have been released, the Beluga Reflectives remain one of the most popular re-releases of the 350 V2's.

Source: Amazon.com

Where to Buy and Pricing

With higher-priced and limited sneakers, it's easy to buy from the wrong place and accidentally get a fake pair. Unfortunately, Yeezy shoes are mainly sold entirely online and if they are ever available in in-store retailers, they go out quickly or you'd need to win some sort of raffle to obtain a pair.

While you might not be able to find in the original packaging Beluga Reflectives that easily, there are some reliable online retailers where you can find new and never worn pairs at affordable prices. The original release price of the shoes was $240 on Adidas.com.

On StockX you can buy, bid, and sell a pair of new and never worn Yeezy Beluga Reflectives within the $200-$300 range used. Is StockX legit? It definitely is– almost 30 percent of all purchases in the footwear industry is done through StockX, and that number is growing. Many Sneakerheads prefer this marketplace to any other. The company has over a thousand employees in almost 200 countries. When you purchase from the company, your package will arrive with a StockX green tag that ensures it has been checked using machine learning technology to make sure it is an original model of what you ordered. Packages are sent from sellers to StockX for inspection before they are sent to you. You won't get any dirty or worn sneakers because only new condition shoes are allowed to be sold on the platform.

GOAT.com is another alternative where you can buy both new and used sneakers. The website also has an option for 'instant new' sneakers where you can purchase the product and have it immediately shipped as it has been pre-verified as original and new. However, this will be much more expensive. Goat.com is a completely legitimate website for buying and selling original sneakers. Accounts and products are all authenticated before reaching the buyer. On Goat, prices for the Yeezy Beluga Reflective will vary based on size and condition. New will be in the mid-300 range, used in the upper $200, and you can also purchase New with Defects for a slightly lower price. Instant New can reach prices in the mid $600.

You can also find both new and used Yeezy Beluga's on Flight Club. Although it's not as popular and can be expensive, Flight Club is a 100% legitimate sneaker site where you can find all sorts of sneakers from Stan Smith to Air Jordan shoes. Each shoe goes through a review process to be authenticated before it's shipped to you, and you can also purchase streetwear apparel on the site. Beluga Reflective sneakers on Flight Club will be in the mid-300's range for price when purchased new, and slightly less then that for used.

Amazon also sells Beluga Reflective sneakers. However, it's best to avoid Amazon when considering these shoes because you may receive a fake. The prices are also much higher on Amazon then from a designated footwear marketplace like StockX or Flight Club and can read over $500 on certain sizes. There are no authenticity requirements or checks on Amazon and you don't have a surefire way to gauge the reliability of the seller.

Yeezy Beluga Rankings and Popularity

The 350 V2 Yeezy Boost collection easily tops the charts in terms of the most popular Yeezy shoes ever manufactured. Many celebrities have acquired their own pairs of the sneaker and worn them for all to see.

Kenneth Faried, a former NBA player known as 'The Manimal', proudly sports a pair of Yeezy 350 V2 Belugas. Celebrity Kim Kardashian was spotted with a pair of Yeezy Beluga 2.0's as well. According to StockX news, the Yeezy Beluga made it to the top as the #1 retail shoe after it was released, gaining over 60% revenue more than the second and third places, which were Air Force One's. Luxe Digital ranks Yeezy 350 V2 as the #1 best Yeezy shoe release and also as the most popular.

How does Yeezy Boost compare to it's main popular competitor, Jordan 1? Jordan 1 shoes are produced by Nike while Yeezy Boost is by Adidas. Jordan 1's are cheaper than Yeezy 350 V2's but this is also due in part to the fact that Yeezy shoes are more limited and exclusive. For comfort, Jordan 1's are mainly made of leather, which will be more stiff and possibly uncomfortable compared to the sock-like feel of the Yeezy Primeknit upper. Jordan 1's do have more color variety while Yeezy's are known for their muted colorways. Overall, both are great choices and are similar in popularity.

Sizing and Care

Wait! If this is your first pair of Yeezy 350 V2's, don't rush to click the buy button just yet. Make sure you know that these shoes are not true to size. Just like the previous 350 V2 Beluga's, the Beluga Reflectives run small. If you have a pair of V1's, the fit isn't the same. V1's do fit true to size. The 350 V2's run a half size small, so note your normal Adidas shoe size and order one half size up from that to get the right fit of the 350 V2 Beluga. This is because the toe box of the V2's is more narrow and small than the V1.

You have may options to clean your sneakers without damaging them. Your best option would be to take them to a cleaner who specializes in cleaning sneakers, but this can be expensive. If you want to clean them at home, first remove the insoles and laces. Use a gentle cleaning solution and lukewarm water to brush any stains off. For very dirty shoes, put them inside of a pillowcase or laundry bag and wash them in a washing machine with cold water, then leave them to air dry. The insoles and laces can be washed separately with cleaning solution. 350's are made with cloth and rubber so they can withstand washing machines, but Yeezy 700's and 500's should be washed more gently.

 Summary on Yeezy 350 V2 Beluga Reflective

Yeezy Boost made its debut in 2009 after an initial partnership with Nike. After designer Kanye West felt that the royalty divisions were unfair towards him, the release of any new Nike Air Yeezy's was put to an end. However, the Yeezy brand as a whole didn't stop there; West partnered with Adidas soon after and created one of the greatest sneaker collaborations of all time: Yeezy Boost. With the initial release of the 2015 V1 Turtledove, sneakerheads across the world began collecting Yeezy Boost sneakers to a point where there would be lines outside of stores before the release date of a new pair.

Yeezy 350 V2 shoes are the #1 Yeezy shoes to date in terms of fan favorites. One of the latest releases includes the 350 V2 Beluga Reflective, an almost identical remake of the original 350 V2 Beluga. This new model, dropped December 2021, features the same Beluga Grey/Solar Red colorway as the original and the same zebra stripe design + Primeknit upper. It also has the signature Solar Red lateral stripe with SPLY 350 branding. The only difference is the upgrade in threading, featuring silvery reflective threads in the upper of the shoe only that you'll notice when you shine light onto the sneaker. However, the pair is so similar to the original Beluga's, which are one of the most sought-after Yeezy releases of all time.

In addition to the Beluga, multiple other reflective 350 V2 colorways have been released on earlier dates. These include the Cinder, a silver and black model, the Static and Static Black, which are pure white and pure black respectively, and the Synth reflective, a cream color.

The retail price on Adidas.com for new Beluga Reflectives was originally at $240. However, they sold out quickly, and now it's easiest to find them on an online sneaker marketplace. Legitimate options for buying, bidding, and selling, include StockX, Flight Club, and GOAT. All of these websites check posted products for authenticity before shipping them to the buyer. On StockX, you'll find only brand new shoes. Flight Club offers both new and used shoes, and GOAT has both new and used, as well as 'instant new' which are pre-inspected, brand new, and ready to be shipped directly to you upon purchase. You can find these sneakers on Amazon.com as well, but this is generally advised against because there is no way to check authenticity of the product and there's a good chance you'll receive something fake.

Overall, the Yeezy Beluga Reflectives are a great pair to invest in for anyone who is a seasoned sneaker collector or is looking for their first pair of Yeezy's but doesn't know which to buy. Yeezy Beluga's are guaranteed to turn some heads and get some compliments for being memorable fan favorites.

Source: Stockx.com