Adidas Samba vs Nike Air Force 1 Sizing: Which Size to Order

The Nike Air Force 1 runs about half a size big, and the Adidas Samba fits true to size with a narrow, low-volume shape. That means you should not wear the same number in both. For most people the Samba size is half a size higher than the Air Force 1 size, and some end up a full size apart.

Say you wear a 9 on a Brannock device. A common outcome is an 8.5 in the Air Force 1 and a 9.5 in the Samba, which is a full size of difference between two shoes that look equally simple. This guide explains why, and gives you a way to work out your own pair of numbers.

The conversion at a glance

• Normal-width feet: Air Force 1 half a size down from your usual size; Samba at your usual size, or half up for more room.
• Narrow feet: Air Force 1 half a size down; Samba at your usual size.
• Slightly wide or wide feet: Air Force 1 at your usual size or half down; Samba half a size up, although some people still find it too narrow.
• High-volume feet: Air Force 1 at your usual size; Samba half a size up.
• Between sizes: take the smaller size in the Air Force 1 and the larger size in the Samba.

Use this as a starting point. Our Air Force 1 sizing guide and the Samba sizing guide go deeper on each shoe.

Why the Air Force 1 runs big

The Air Force 1 is a chunky, tall-toed basketball silhouette from the early 1980s. The toe box has real height, the forefoot and midfoot are wide, and the cupsole is built to be stable rather than sleek. All of that adds up to more internal volume than the length suggests. Most narrow or average feet feel they have room to spare at your regular size, so we recommend going half a size down.

It also forgives thick socks and thicker insoles, which is a point in favor of keeping your usual size if you rely on either. The Low, Mid and High fit the same.

Why the Samba feels closer

The Samba is a flat, slim indoor football shoe. The toe box is lower, the forefoot tapers sooner, and there is more pressure around the little toe. The heel hold is snug. Length is accurate, so it is not "small," but the width and height are minimal. The Samba is happiest with thin socks and a standard insole, and it gets cranky if you pile on volume.

This is why the two shoes need different adjustments. One has too much room for the standard size; the other has just enough.

Length vs width vs volume

Length

Both shoes are in line with the chart. The AF1 feels longer because the toe box is tall and round, but the Samba at the same number is no shorter. The apparent difference in length is really a difference in air above your toes.

Width

The AF1 is wider through the forefoot and midfoot. The Samba is narrower. Everyone feels this, but wide feet feel it most.

Volume

The AF1 has extra volume above the toes. The Samba has a lower toe box. If you have thick toes, a high instep or both, the Samba is where trouble starts.

Break-in expectations

Leather Sambas feel stiff when new. The leather softens at the front over several wears, although it does not gain much width. Air Force 1 leather creases across the toe box, but the interior room does not change noticeably. So neither shoe gives you a reliable second chance. Choose the size that feels right on day one, with only a little room for settling.

Size charts for both brands

These charts come from our brand data. Foot length is the real length of the foot that fits that US size, which is almost the same for both brands (26.2 cm at Nike and 26.3 cm at Adidas for a men's US 9). CM (JP) is the box label: a men's US 9 reads 27 at both Nike and Adidas, while the UK label differs (UK 8 at Nike, UK 8.5 at Adidas).

Take your measurement in centimeters, find your row under Foot length, and then apply the half-size rule for each shoe. If you would like a refresher, read the foot measuring guide. For help converting a different brand, use the brand size comparison.

Walking through three example feet

Foot A: 26.2 cm, narrow

This is a men's US 9. Order an 8.5 in the Air Force 1 and a 9 in the Samba. The AF1 will feel generous, the Samba will feel clean and snug.

Foot B: 26.2 cm, normal to slightly wide

Again a US 9 on the chart. Try an 8.5 in the Air Force 1, then a 9.5 in the Samba. This is the full-size gap people talk about.

Foot C: 27.1 cm, wide with a high instep

This is a men's US 10. Keep the 10 in the Air Force 1, since going down removes the room you need. In the Samba, try 10.5, and be prepared for it to still feel tight at the forefoot. A wider silhouette might suit you better, and our wide feet guide has options.

Men's and women's sizing

Both shoes come in men's and women's versions. Add 1.5 to a men's size for the women's equivalent, so a men's 8.5 is a women's 10. Apply the Air Force 1 half-size-down rule and the Samba half-size-up rule after you have converted. Our men's to women's guide lists the full conversion.

What if you only want one pair?

Sometimes you are buying a single pair as a gift or for a trip, and returns are not convenient. In that case, buy the shoe that is more forgiving of a mistake. The AF1 can be worn in a slightly wrong size more comfortably than the Samba, because extra room is easier to live with than a pinch. If you buy a Samba blind, lean up rather than down.

Using other sneakers as a reference

If you already own pairs from Nike or Adidas, you can skip some guesswork. A Nike Dunk fits true to size, so your Dunk size is also your starting Samba size for narrow feet, and the Air Force 1 is half a size below it. That gives you a simple ladder: Air Force 1 at half down, Dunk at your usual size, Samba at your usual size or half up. Our Dunk sizing guide explains the one wrinkle, the SB Dunk, which runs half a size snugger.

If your reference shoe is a New Balance or an ASICS, start from the measured size on the chart and treat the Air Force 1 and the Samba as two separate decisions. Do not carry one over to the other.

All-day wear and standing

If you stand or walk for most of the day, think about what your feet do by evening. They swell a little, and a pair that fits at 10 a.m. may be tight at 6 p.m. The Air Force 1 absorbs that easily. The Samba does not, which is another reason people with swelling-prone or high-volume feet end up half a size up. Try them on late in the day, with the socks you will actually wear, and you will make a better call than you will on a fresh morning foot.

Signs you chose the wrong size

• Air Force 1 too big: your heel lifts when you walk, the toe box creases far back from your toes, or you need to lace very tight to feel secure.
• Air Force 1 too small: your toes touch the front, or the sides of your foot press against the leather. This is rare unless you went down for a wide foot.
• Samba too small: burning or pinching at the little toe, numbness across the forefoot, or red marks on the outside edge after a short walk.
• Samba too big: a heel that slips, or length that bunches in front of the toes. With a half size up, this is uncommon.

A heel that slips in an Air Force 1 can often be fixed with a heel-lock lacing pattern, and an Air Force 1 that is a bit long still wears well with a thicker sock. Neither fix works as well on a Samba, which is why the Samba deserves more care at checkout.

Final recommendation

Treat these as two different size numbers. Go half a size down in the Air Force 1 for narrow or average feet and stay at your usual size if your feet are wide. In the Samba, wear your usual size for narrow feet and half a size up for anything wider. When you are between sizes, go smaller in the AF1 and larger in the Samba.