SNEEX Pits a Mandrill Against a Python on the XLG 2.0

The adidas x SNEEX Wild Rivals pack is two Adistar XLG 2.0 sneakers built as opposites, one covered in hairy suede and one in embossed snakeskin, and it releases on Saturday, November 14, 2026. Eric "Shake" James, who runs the Milwaukee boutique SNEEX, teamed with adidas on both pairs, built around a mandrill and an African rock python, two animals cast as rivals. It is the sixth adidas release traced to his stores since November 2023.

Hairy Suede Against Embossed Snakeskin

The mandrill pair carries a reflective gradient mesh, hairy suede and vibrant colors, and the African rock python pair takes a quieter route with embossed snakeskin suede. Sole Retriever describes the mandrill pair in the blue, yellow and red of the animal's face, with the python pair in yellow and black. Both pairs have glow in the dark details.

The python pair has the better idea. Its removable translucent overlay is inspired by the way a snake sheds its skin, so the shoe can be worn covered or uncovered, and the clear panels around the toe and heel carry the same reference. The mandrill pair spends its budget on texture instead, which is why the hairy suede and the reflective mesh do most of the talking.

The silhouette suits the idea. The Adistar XLG 2.0 is the chunky cousin of the Adistar Jellyfish, the Pharrell Williams shoe that drew attention to the shape. Coverage of the pack ties the animals to the XLG name, since a mandrill and an African rock python are both big. Each pair also comes with a collectible field card that lists its animal's habitat, diet and behavior.

Saturday, November 14, Through SNEEX and Clicks Kicks

The pack releases on November 14 for $140, available through SNEEX and Clicks Kicks. That date is new. Earlier previews, including Sneaker News' report of October 5, had no day: Sole Retriever and House of Heat pointed to November, and Sneaker Bar Detroit filed it under Holiday 2026.

The $140 price also corrects an expectation. Sneaker News had guessed the pack would land a bit above the silhouette's usual $150, and it lands $10 under it. For a shoe with two textured uppers, a removable overlay and a field card in the box, that is a lower entry than the preview suggested. It also matches the April Samba View Finder, which cost $140 at SNEEX, and sits $40 under the June Forum.

Shake Has Done This Before

Shake's relationship with adidas runs through his stores, and the Wild Rivals pack is its sixth dated stop. His first adidas sneaker was the Day One Forum Low in November 2023, followed by the Rivalry Low 414 on April 13, 2024, which retailed for $130. The Adistar Control 5 Cranberry came through Clicks on November 15, 2025, a shoe built around his recovery from cancer.

This year has been busier. The Samba View Finder went on sale on April 11, 2026 exclusively through SNEEX and its online store at $140, and every purchase came with a ticket to Summerfest 2026. The Forum What The Milwaukee followed on June 6 at $180, again through SNEEX stores and online. Milwaukee Magazine places SNEEX in the Third Ward, and Shake and his nonprofit JAY Academy have worked with the adidas Cornerstone Community since 2020.

The November 14 drop stays in the family: SNEEX and Clicks Kicks are the two outlets named, and no wider rollout has been announced.

Nov 4, Nov 7, Nov 14: adidas Fills the Month

The Wild Rivals pack is the third adidas collaboration to land between November 4 and November 14. adidas Originals and Denim Tears said on November 4 that their project was live on Canal Street, and the adidas x BAPE Golden Era drop follows on November 7 with Jalen Williams in the campaign.

It is also the second Adistar collaboration in 18 days. Menace's Adistar Control 5 Heat Signature was set for October 27, a thermal gradient over Collegiate Purple that marked the Los Angeles label's 13th anniversary. It followed Menace's Superstar 82 of October 2025 and its Old Rose Superstar 82 of May 10, 2026, so the label has put three Menace adidas releases into thirteen months. The Control 5 and the XLG 2.0 are different shoes in one family, and adidas, named for founder Adi Dassler, now has two Adistar collaborations on the calendar.

The mandrill pair, the python pair and their two field cards go on sale at SNEEX and Clicks Kicks on November 14 for $140 each.