Adidas Spezial Size Chart India: Handball Spezial Fit Guide
The Handball Spezial looks like a Samba's cousin, but it does not fit like one. Buyers who order their usual Samba size in a Spezial often end up half a size tight through the toe box. This guide gives you Adidas' own UK, EU, US and India size chart, plus the fit notes that decide whether you order true to size or go up.
Photo: Kicks Machine, Adidas Handball Spezial Black Gum
The Spezial line traces back to Adidas' 1970s handball and training shoes, and the modern Handball Spezial keeps that low profile, narrow gum sole silhouette. That narrower build is exactly why sizing questions come up so often. It is not a running shoe with a forgiving midsole, it is a flat, close fitting court shoe reissued for the street, and a size that felt fine on a Samba can feel snug here.
The one rule that fixes most sizing mistakes
Buy to your foot length in centimetres, not to whatever number you normally wear in a different Adidas line. Samba, Gazelle and Spezial share a brand and a general silhouette family, but they are cut on different lasts. Measure your foot once, match it to the CM column below, and use that number across every Adidas model you shop on Kicks Machine, rather than assuming your Samba size carries over.
Adidas Spezial size chart (UK, EU, US, India, CM)
| UK | EU | US (Men) | India | Foot length (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 38 | 5.5 | 5 | 23.3 |
| 5.5 | 38⅔ | 6 | 5.5 | 23.8 |
| 6 | 39⅓ | 6.5 | 6 | 24.2 |
| 6.5 | 40 | 7 | 6.5 | 24.6 |
| 7 | 40⅔ | 7.5 | 7 | 25.0 |
| 7.5 | 41⅓ | 8 | 7.5 | 25.5 |
| 8 | 42 | 8.5 | 8 | 25.9 |
| 8.5 | 42⅔ | 9 | 8.5 | 26.3 |
| 9 | 43⅓ | 9.5 | 9 | 26.7 |
| 9.5 | 44 | 10 | 9.5 | 27.1 |
| 10 | 44⅔ | 10.5 | 10 | 27.6 |
| 10.5 | 45⅓ | 11 | 10.5 | 28.0 |
| 11 | 46 | 11.5 | 11 | 28.4 |
| 12 | 47⅓ | 12.5 | 12 | 29.3 |
Source: Adidas official footwear size chart (support.dtb.adidas.com, men's and women's footwear sizing table). Indian retailers sell adidas footwear on the UK scale, so your India size and UK size are the same number, there is no separate India conversion Adidas publishes.
Adidas' own fitting note on this chart reads simply, for a tight fit go one size down, for a loose fit go one size up. That single line is the whole official policy; everything below is silhouette specific advice layered on top of it.
Indian frame translation
Most Indian buyers land between UK 6 and UK 10 on this chart. If you already know your Samba or Gazelle size, do not carry it over blind. The general consensus among Spezial wearers is that the shoe runs true to size for an average width foot, with wide footed buyers going up half a size for comfort through the midfoot. Compared to the Samba and Gazelle, the Spezial is actually the roomier of the three in the toe box once you have the length right, it is the vamp and lacing that feel snugger on first wear.
Narrow to average feet. True to size is the safe call. The suede upper softens with a few wears and the fit through the heel stays snug without pinching.
Wide feet. Go up half a size. The Spezial's low volume lacing area is the tightest point across the whole Samba, Gazelle, Spezial family, and a half size up gives the forefoot room without making the shoe feel sloppy at the heel.
Thicker socks or Indian winter wear. If you plan to wear the Spezial with a crew sock rather than barefoot or no show socks, size up half a size from what the chart says for your bare foot measurement.
Handball Spezial versus Samba: the sizing difference
Buyers frequently ask this because both shoes sit in the same terrace family. The Samba has a slightly deeper toe box and a more forgiving suede tongue. The Spezial's tongue and lacing sit lower and tighter, which is why a true to size Samba wearer sometimes needs to size up half a size in the Spezial, especially with wider feet. If you already own a Samba in your size and it fits comfortably, use the same number as a starting point for the Spezial, then size up half if your foot is wide or you wear thicker socks.
Every pair sold through the Adidas Spezial collection at Kicks Machine goes through our in house authentication and size stamp check before it ships, which matters on a silhouette where box swaps and mismatched size tags are common in the resale market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does adidas Spezial run true to size?
Mostly, yes, for an average width foot. The Spezial's low cut lacing area is the tightest point on the shoe, so wide footed buyers should go up half a size. Check the current colourways in the [Adidas Handball Spezial collection](https://www.kicksmachine.com/collections/adidas-handball-spezial) and match your measured foot length to the CM column above before choosing.What is the India size for adidas Spezial?
India sizes for Adidas footwear follow the UK scale, so a UK 8 is also an India 8. Adidas does not publish a separate India conversion, the chart above shows UK, EU, US and India together for exactly this reason.How is the Handball Spezial different from Samba sizing?
The Samba has a slightly deeper toe box and a softer tongue. The Spezial's lacing area sits lower and tighter, so a true to size Samba wearer with a wide foot often needs half a size up in the Spezial. Narrow and average feet can generally use the same number in both.Do Handball Spezial pairs need breaking in?
A little. The suede upper is stiffer out of the box than a canvas sneaker and softens over the first week of wear. If you are between two sizes, the true to size option usually breaks in comfortably rather than staying tight.Should I size up for wide feet on the Spezial?
Yes. Half a size up is the standard adjustment for wide feet across the Spezial line, since the forefoot and lacing panel run narrower than the Samba or Gazelle. Average and narrow feet should stay true to size using the chart above.Closing thoughts
Measure your foot length once, match it to the CM column, and treat that as your Spezial size rather than reusing whatever you wear in a Samba or Gazelle. If your foot is on the wider side, take the half size up, the lacing panel is the one part of this shoe that does not forgive a tight fit.
Browse the current lineup in the Adidas Spezial collection, including the Adidas Handball Spezial Black Gum and the Adidas Spezial for Women edit, every pair authenticated in house with cash on delivery available pan India.