Forget hitting its stride, adidas is looking for a strike. The adidas Bowling series is a wearable ode to what may be the sport world's (yes, bowling is a sport) most controversial shoe. 

It's not even the wearing of other people's shoes that makes bowling shoes so strange. The design itself is just off the hook.

Mismatched uppers, cork-based outsoles — the shoes are intentionally kitschy both for functional and anti-theft purposes. Yes, the kooky look of bowling shoes is an intentional design choice to discourage people from running off with them. 

Funny enough, though, it's this clunky disposition that has made the lane-friendly sneakers the ultimate muse for adidas.

adidas’ bowling collection features three different bowling shoe-inspired sneakers, including the delectably neutral brown and pink Changle Bowling sneaker where the smooth leather upper is layered with light pink paneling, laces and a matching Three Stripes.

The cork-style outsole enhances the sneaker's quirky disposition, making the shoe look less like an adidas sneaker and more like a true strike-getter.

adidas' bowling sneaker series also includes a wavy black and red Predator sneaker that brings some urbane football contradiction to ye old bowling alley. For the calm shoe lovers out there, the Anfu bowling shoe brings an air of tranquility to the program with a full cream upper that's certainly the most "normal" part of adidas' bowling saga.

Available on the adidas website for $190, the Changle sneaker sits most comfortably at the intersection of lane-inspired stepper and typical adidas sneaker. It’s the best of both worlds, if you will. So strange that it’s almost circled back around to being just another sneaker. Though these bowling sneakers can’t take all the credit.

In fact, intentionally ugly shoes have been the footwear industry's playground for a while now. Convention is out, strange is in, we know the drill. Thankfully, though, these shoes are categorically clean — no antibacterial wipe down needed.

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