Yeezy QNTM

yeezy quantum liftestyle photo

Adidas Yeezy Quantum Sneaker Colorways and Release Info

The Yeezy QNTM, also known as Yeezy Quantum, is designer Kanye West’s first performance basketball shoe built with extra support. Similar to the 350 V2, the QNTM has a two-tone Primeknit upper for comfort and an extended ankle collar for help while playing or for everyday use. This sneaker silhouette released in 2020 combines style and durability for severe gameplay and casual wear, featuring Adidas Boost technology on the sole. But how did this design come about? What makes it different from other Yeezy’s? and what colorways have been released? In this article, you’ll read a brief history of the Adidas Yeezy brand, about the Yeezy QNTM, similar sneakers, pricing, where to buy, and sizing. 

Yeezy Boost: The History

Yeezy is a brand collaboration between designer Kanye West and sneaker company Adidas. However, it didn’t start that way– way back, BAPE was the first company to collaborate with West to create the famous ‘College Dropout’ sneakers inspired by his album, although West didn’t design them himself. There were very few pairs released, so they are worth about 9 thousand dollars today. Later in 2009, West collaborated with none other than Louis Vuitton to release three sneakers. That same year was the true start of Yeezy. Nike partnered with Yeezy to create the Nike Air Yeezy 1. It had three colorways; three years later, the Nike Air Yeezy 2 was released in another three colorways. The ‘Red Octobers,’ an all-red colorway of the Nike Air Yeezy 2, is worth over 10 thousand dollars today due to its rarity! 

However, this partnership with Nike didn’t last very long. After these two silhouettes, West decided he didn’t like the collaboration. Nike wasn’t paying him adequate royalties or giving him enough room for his designs to be how he wanted them. He broke off of Nike, but that wasn’t the end of the brand– it was just the beginning. Adidas saw the potential in Yeezy, and they partnered to form Yeezy Boost. Among sneakerheads, one of the first releases that remained the most popular Yeezy’s was the 350 Turtledoves. Another fan favorite was the Yeezy 350 V2 Beluga, later released in similar colorways, including the Beluga 2.0 and Beluga Reflective. The entire Yeezy 350 V2 collection took off, and new colorways are still coming out—the QNTM sneakers released after the Powerphases and the Desert Boots but before the infamous Foam Runners. 

Yeezy QNTM Features and Release Info

The Yeezy QNTM Lifestyle first dropped on February 16 of 2020, the same year of the Foam Runners. Kanye made them to pay tribute to his hometown in Chicago by creating ‘lifestyle’ versions of performance basketball shoes: Yeezy’s first release inspired by basketball. The QNTM has extra support compared to his other shoes and debuted during the NBA all-star weekend. The boots’ upper has three pieces, high-tops for ankle support and a toe structure resembling the Yeezy 700 V2. The midsoles are semi-translucent rubber and, of course, include Adidas BOOST technology visible through a heel cut-out. 

Boost technology is a patented Adidas design in Adidas and Yeezy sneakers for maximum support and performance. Before its application in 2013, EVA foam was standard for the sneaker industry. However, Boost raised previous standards with its development. It has thermoplastic polyurethane particles that expand and form closed cells around air pockets, also known as eTPU, or expanded thermoplastic polyurethane. It maximizes the capability to absorb and return kinetic output while running to reduce impact and give you a ‘boost.’ It’s also a flexible material, and its durability holds up for miles without reducing performance. It was developed by the Adidas Innovation Team and German chemists BASF. 

The shoes also use the signature Adidas Yeezy Primeknit technology in the upper. It gives the shoe a sock-like comfortable fit along with breathability. Most sneakers have uppers made with multiple parts and materials stitched together. Primeknit takes numerous materials and knits them into a single piece. Some people have tried removing the upper from these shoes and noticed that it folds out into a single knitted piece of fabric, so it’s durable, and you won’t feel any uncomfortable stitching on the insides of the shoe.

Adidas Yeezy QNTM ‘Lifestyle Model’

This grey, black, and white colorway is a QNTM classic that represents the original model of the silhouette. It has a grey Primeknit upper, black suede heel panel, a boost midsole, and high visibility reflective detailing. The semi-translucent midsole is white with silver on the sides beneath the black heel. The Primeknit upper is grey mixed with white in a stripe pattern, the laces are black, and the toe box is white. There is no heel tab. Being the original colorway that dropped during the all-star weekend, it may be more expensive and difficult to find.

qzy qntm lifestyle sneaker
Photo source: stockx.com

Adidas Yeezy QNTM ‘Teal Blue’ AKA ‘Ophani’

The Teal Blue isn’t too different from the Lifestyle Model as it still has grey, black and white. The rubber midsole is smooth and light grey (translucent). The upper has the same curvy striped digital camo pattern as the Lifestyle, also in light and dark grey, but with added teal blue spots. The tongue and laces are black, along with the ankle collar, and the Teal Blue has a bright white instead of the silver triangle on the Lifestyle midsole. The heel is reflective, and the toe box is suede. It was released on October 10th for $250 for adults, $160 for infants, and $180 for kids’ sizes.

teal blue yeezy qntm sneaker
Photo source: stockx.com

Adidas Yeezy QNTM ‘Onyx’

Every sneaker silhouette must have an all-black colorway (and with Yeezy, sometimes multiple). For the quantums, the Onyx is just what you want. It’s all black with the same materials and designs as the other colorways, and the digital camo print of the upper features black mixed in with shades of dark grey. It was released on September 10th of 2021 for $250 in adult sizes. Unlike most Yeezy’s, the midsole on the Onyx is also black to match the rest of the sneaker.

Photo source: stockx.com

Adidas Yeezy QNTM ‘Flash Orange’ 

If you like warmer, earthier tones, the Flash Orange may be the QNTM for you. Released May 22, 2021 for $250, it has a white midsole, black ankle collar, suede heel, black tie-less laces, and a cream toe box. The upper is digital camo striped with warm orange mixed in with some black and white, slightly resembling a tiger stripe pattern. The triangular patch on the sides of the midsole is a greyish brown. The translucent midsole is a creamy off-white. It’s a warmer-toned shoe compared to Teal Blue and Frozen Blue.

flash orange yzy qntm sneaker
Photo source: goat.com

Adidas Yeezy QNTM ‘Frozen Blue’

The Frozen Blue and Teal Blue may be fabulous toned blue colorways, but the Frozen Blue has an exciting surprise: the blue glows in the dark! It was released on December 23rd of 2020 for $250. The midsole is a translucent white with a black suede heel and ankle collar, plus some metallic silver towards the back of the midsole. The upper is the same pattern as the other Quantum’s, but it’s a bright, electronic blue that glows in the dark mixed in with white. The toe box is also bright white, with black tieless laces, a black tongue, and no heel tab. A BSKBTL version of this colorway is also available.

frozen blue qntm sneaker
Photo source: stockx.com

What’s the Difference Between Yeezy QNTM and Yeezy BSKTBL?

If you didn’t already know, there’s a similar release to the Yeezy QNTM’s called Yeezy BSKTBL. They share some colorways and have a very similar structure, and are both Yeezy’s first basketball-inspired sneakers. They may even look like an identical shoes if you’re looking from afar. However, they have different purposes. Note that basketball performance sneakers inspire the QNTM, but it is designed as a lifestyle shoe, so it’s not mainly made for playing. The BSKTBL takes the same style as the QNTM but with some differences in structure to make it perfect for use on the court. The BSKTBL has an RPU cage over the embroidered mono mesh. It has a knitted elastic collar and a high-performance skank. Both shoes still have suede heels and reflective material. So which should you get? They look similar, so think about your planned use. If you’re looking for shoes to wear for basketball, the BSKTBL is a better choice. If you’re looking for a sneaker designed for everyday wear, get a pair of the Yeezy QNTMs.

Photo source: stockx.com

Yeezy QNTM Sizing

The consensus for sizing a pair of Yeezy QNTMs is that you should go a half-size up. Note that while other Yeezy’s and many other sneakers, in general, aren’t designed for wide feet, the Quantum’s have a wider fit than usual, so if you have a wide fit, you don’t need to miss out on this pair. At first, the extended ankle may feel a little tight, but with wear, it’ll loosen up comfortably. You may feel the bulbous heel at first, but it’ll give you a comfortable spring in your step once you get used to it. These are sold in men’s sizes. To convert a women’s to men’s size, go one to one and a half lengths up and add the half size up for the Yeezy QNTM fit.

Caring for Your Yeezy QNTM Sneakers

Including this section is essential because cleaning your Yeezy QNTMs will be slightly different than cleaning a pair of Yeezy 350 V2’s. While you can place other sneakers in a laundry bag and throw them in a washer or scrub them with detergent and water, the QNTM sneakers have suede, which you should clean in a specific way. If you want to be extra careful, you should invest in a suede protector and brush. Use this brush to remove any dirt from the surface. You can also use a rubber or eraser to do this. If the stain doesn’t come off, use a bit of white vinegar. Using water can damage the suede. Rubbing alcohol also works instead of white vinegar, but know not to soak the suede or dampen it. Then, finish it off with a suede protector.

Pricing and Where to Buy

StockX is the first sneaker marketplace that comes to mind for many collectors and sellers. Based in Detroit, it’s a ‘stock market for things’ where the sellers don’t determine the price– buyers and previous sale prices do. You can bid on sneakers and apparel and sell your own, as long as they are 100 percent authentic and brand new. Before the shoe arrives at the buyer, it’ll get shipped to one of StockX’s authentication facilities, with a green tag showing that it is original. With StockX, you won’t need to worry about receiving fakes. For a Yeezy QNTM ‘Onyx,’ you can buy a pair for an average sale price of $224, but pricing depends on the size and the time you buy. 

GOAT offers sneakers in various conditions, giving you even more options when buying and selling. You’ll find used, new, new with defects (damaged box, missing lid, etc.), and instant new shoes for sale at set prices. Instant new shoes are brand new in the box and are pre-verified by GOAT, so they are shipped immediately to you upon purchase. Otherwise, all other sneakers are authenticated similarly to how they are with StockX. You can expect to pay around $180 for a pair of Yeezy QNTM ‘Flash Orange’ sneakers on GOAT if they’re brand new, but you can find used shoes too for a much lower price. 

Flight Club is a tried and true sneaker marketplace established over 15 years ago. It has retail outlets in New York City, Miami, and Los Angeles, so you can stop by and browse if you are in one of these major cities. Expect to pay around $170 for a new pair of Yeezy QNTM ‘Teal Blue’ sneakers. Used shoes are available on Flight Club also but are harder to find due to stock issues. Note that all sales are final, and you can only cancel orders within three hours of placement. 

The original retail price of these sneakers was $250. They have since gone down in value (along with many other sneakers– take a look at StockX trends. Now may be a good time to buy!) Whether you choose GOAT, Flight Club, StockX, or another trusted marketplace, stay away from sellers like Amazon and eBay to avoid receiving a fake pair or paying an overinflated price. 

Authenticating Your Yeezy QNTM’s

Once you have a pair, you should always look for signs of it being fake. While companies like StockX use machine learning technology to check for originality, these machines have failed! Take a look at the text on the shoe. It is typically the best way to check for authenticity. If some numbers or letters are slanted, thicker or thinner than others, or in a weird font, there’s a good chance it’s fake. The size tag and logos are good indicators of this. Make sure the toe box isn’t unusually inflated. Look at the print on the insole– fakes tend to have too thick printing. Ensure the laces are put on the shoe correctly (unless used, because then the previous owner may have taken them out and put them back in incorrectly). If you want to be extra careful, check out the Legit Check app, where your iPhone camera can scan your shoe and allow the app to use its photo database to compare yours to real and fake models. 

Summary

Yeezy began with Nike in 2009 and later started its current partnership with Adidas. The Nike 350 V1 ‘Turtledove’ release marked the beginning of a global, billion-dollar sneaker brand designed by rapper Kanye West. After the 350 V2’s release came the newer Yeezy QNTM’s, West’s first performance basketball-inspired shoe that dropped on the NBA all-star weekend in 2020. This shoe features extra support in an enhanced toe box, suede heel cover, and a high-top extended ankle collar. It has a Primeknit upper and Adidas Boost technology in the sole. While it’s a lifestyle shoe, fans looking for the same look but in a sneaker made for playing basketball can check out the Yeezy BSKTBL collection. 

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