Air Jordan 1 “Royal” 2013 VS. 2017 Comparison

How many of you are planning on picking up the return of the Air Jordan 1 “Royal” on April 1st? I’m sure a lot of you guys answered yes, and for good reasoning too.

Jordan Brand is finally giving us a remastered release of the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Royal” as they continue to bring back legendary original Air Jordans.
Last seen in 2013, the classic Air Jordan 1 will return in its OG high-cut that’s dressed in the traditional Black and Varsity Royal color scheme. The shoe features a clean Black leather upper with Royal overlays on the toe, heel and Nike Swoosh logos. Staying true to its heritage, the release will also come with OG Nike Air branding on the tongue and outsole.
Similar to recent remastered reissues, this Air Jordan 1 release compared to the 2013 version will come with better quality. Featuring a mix of smooth and premium textured leather that’s dressed in the OG Black and Varsity Royal with Nike Air branding throughout.
Look for the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Royal” to release on April 1st at select Jordan Brand retailers. The retail price tag is set at $160 USD.

Which is The Best Shoe to Resell: adidas or Air Jordan?

It’s a common question among beginner sneaker resellers who are not sure what brand to sell:
What’s better to resell, Adidas or Nike Jordan?
(if you want to know how to sell both and all brands of shoes profitably as a business, check out the Reseller’s Field Guide here.)
We will give an answer to at the end of this article. Although there is a winner in this article, this number one spot is both subjective and subject to change. However, for the following reasons, one of these two is the winner right now.
Let’s first dive in to what gives a shoe resale value to answer this question.
There are 3 main factors for shoe resale value:
History
Hype
Scarcity
So let’s rank Adidas vs Nike Jordan on these 3 factors.
Nike Jordan
History
Nike was born in 1964, co created by track athlete Phil Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman out of Oregon State.
It quickly rose to become the authority in athletic footwear for both track athletes, runners, and aerobic exercisers as it passed older competitors like Reebok in market share.
As Nike made a move in to the basketball arena, it was first met with mixed reviews. Nike needed the endorsement of a professional athlete. Tinker Hatfield was recently enlisted as Nike’s primary shoe designer. Nike and Tinker went for the biggest partnership possible in the basketball world, which was an agreement with the undisputed reigning king of the court Michael Jordan, but it wouldn’t be easy.
Nike had first partnered with Jordan to make the Air Jordan 1, and it remains one of the great Jordan designs with excellent resale value to this day. However, after the Air Jordan 2, it seemed that Jordan was losing interest in the continued partnership with Nike. Nike needed to do something to keep the Jordan brand valuable.
The year was 1985, and Tinker Hatfield and Nike were able to arrange a meeting with Jordan, but the basketball great arrived hours late and it seemed like he was not interested at all in the partnership.
Tinker then unveiled the Air Jordan 3 black cement. Jordan was so impressed with the overall design, with both its luxurious looks and its unprecedented comfort and performance, as well as its bold elephant print accents which became a Jordan signature of many shoes that were valuable on the resale market.
Based on this, Jordan’s History is quite strong. It has had resellable shoes for over 30 years and continues to have models every month that have resale value.

Hype

The hype for Jordans is real. Ever since Jordans released online in the early 2000s, there has been a large group of people going after Nike Jordans to profit on the resale market, with increasingly sophisticated methods as the years go by.
However, the hype in recent years, especially 2017, has shown to drop drastically as Jordans sat on shelves and historically hyped releases like the Nike Air Jordan 11 which had been releasing with great resale value every December, in 2017 its “Win Like 96” Variation struggled to resell with the hype of past 11’s.
The Air Jordan 11 Win Like 96 is just one of my examples of Jordans that did not do well last year.
However, last year was also the debut of the Kaws Jordan 4’s which saw resale value in the thousands of dollars, as well as a collaboration with Off-White for a whole slew of Jordans that were worth close to or over $1,000. Nike also has released some of the most hyped sneakers of all time with Kanye West and the Air Yeezys, the Air Mags from Back to the Future, and Drake OVO Jordans, which each have aftermarket values in the thousands of dollars presently or at some point in the recent past.
On the overall hype scale, Nike and its Jordans are still up there, but there are so many models to sort through, it is hard to know which shoes are best to resell or which shoes to avoid as possible flops or financial losses.

Scarcity

There are so many Jordans now, including lifestyle models like the Air Jordan Future and Eclipse which both never have resale value. Jordans are everywhere and are not the least bit scarce as a whole.
However, for rare models like certain Retro Jordans, scarcity seems to be making a come back in the upcoming years.
Jordans are becoming harder to buy in 2018, first told at the end of 2017, and proven by the resale value and difficulty to get of recent releases like the Air Jordan 1 Bred toe. This increase in current scarcity will certainly revitalize Nike Jordan’s spot as a great sneaker to resell.
Adidas

History

The brand with three stripes is actually older than Nike, having started in 1949. Although it had a solid run of releasing athletic shoes, it was more well known in the soccer arena than it was in the basketball court, and there is much more resale value in the latter than in the former. Adidas never did have the longevity or greatness of a partnership like Nike did with Michael “Air” Jordan, but it did have greats like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, for which the three stripes brand had the very first basketball player endorsed sneaker in history with its Adidas Superstars, years before Nike and its Air Jordan. However, these Adidas Superstars were not a unique design as Adidas released many non Jabbar superstars. Surprisingly, the Kareem Abdul Jabbar is known more to depreciate than to have resale value, with pairs sitting as low as $10 on eBay at the time of this writing in March of 2018.
2015 marked the beginning of a renaissance for Adidas with its partnership with Kanye West made official, kicking it off with the Yeezy Boost. Its boost technology spread on to many more valuable pairs of sneakers like the UltraBoost, NMD and Pharrell Human Race, some of which commanded resale values that greatly surpassed that of many Nike Air Jordans.
Adidas surpassed the market share of Nike’s Jordan brand for the first time ever in 2017. However, with new scarcity to Jordan models for a revitalized hype and resale value, Adidas will have to fight to maintain its number one spot.

Hype

Thanks almost entirely to its partnership with Kanye West, Adidas is reaching a level of hype that a lot of the younger crowd (who don’t know the full history of Nike Air Jordans) prefers to Nike and its Jordan brand. Adidas’ UltraBoost technology and cozy Primeknit technology has garnered copycats from brands like Skechers and Zara. Copying is a classic form of flattery and also a sign of hype in the shoe resale world.
Hype also centers around celebrity partnerships. Following its marriage with Kanye West, who is the undisputed king with a Midas touch for a shoe company, Adidas is looking to add Drake to its team as soon as this year in 2018, which will make things very interesting and certainly birth some of the hottest and most hyped shoes to date with juicy profit margins.
Interestingly, Yeezy hype is fading. Kanye arguably went too far in his newfound creative freedom and released one too many (or five too many) Yeezy models that saw record lows in resale, with more than one shoe model, including the Yeezy 950 and the Yeezy cleats losing resale value. Familiarity creates boredom: have you ever heard your favorite song too many times and then gotten sick of it? Kanye is dangerously close to doing this with the Yeezy brand and its shoes.
Other Adidas models like the Human Race by Pharrell and new Bape collaborations remain super hyped, as do NMDs and UltraBoost in the fashion world as Adidas continues to innovate and maintain its hype level.

Scarcity

The Adidas Yeezys 350 go from impossible to get to just about impossible to get. Even when Yeezys have low resale value and they are considered “general release” by Yeezy standards, a lot of people left empty handed who wanted a pair. Examples include the recently released Beluga 2.0’s and Blue Tints which values dropped to below 100% above retail for the first time ever for Yeezys, which remained scarce despite large release numbers since the number of people trying to get them was so large.
On top of Yeezys being hard to get regardless of how many there are, recent hard to get shoes like the Adidas Dame 4 “Bape” and the Adidas Pharrell HU NMD prove that the Adidas models worth reselling remain scarce and hard to get, making the resale value high.

Conclusion
Which shoe brand is better to resell, Adidas or Nike Jordan?
Although Adidas has been Pepsi in comparison to Nike as Coca Cola, it seems like in 2018 the tables are turning. Nike is putting up a fight by making Jordans rare again, but Adidas definitely has the attention of the younger crowd who makes up a large part of the resale community. Coupled with the supposed upcoming collaboration with Drake and his OVO brand, Adidas is better overall to resell if you were to just focus on one shoe, especially given that Yeezys are an Adidas shoe.
Jordan came in a terribly close second place and collaborations like its “Off-White”, KAWS, and of course Supreme, make it hard to overlook. However, as the world changes and Adidas aggressively innovates, and since there had to be just one winner in this match, Adidas will win this one, in an overtime that is arguably still going until the partnership between Drake and Adidas is official.
Of course it’s best to sell both of them, and to make tons of money doing it.
For those curious about what it takes to do so, and for the best step by step guide complete with history and info about Sneaker bots, streetwear and more, have a look at the full 5 part field guide available exclusively on this site.

Better Air Jordan 11: “Gamma” or “Cap and Gown”

Every year Jordan Brand either releases original or new colorways of the Air Jordan 11 typically during the holiday season.

Back in 2014, they introduced the Air Jordan 11 Gamma, which featured a Stealthy all-Black upper highlighted with Gamma Blue and Varsity Maize accents.The Jordan Brand serves up an all-new colorway of the iconic Air Jordan 11 for Holiday '13. This retro features a black cordura and patent leather upper with Gamma Blue 11's Jumpman Branding. Varsity Maize provides subtle detailing on the tongue and heel. A blue-tinted translucent outsole caps off the look below
For May 2018, Jordan Brand will be releasing a dressed-up Air Jordan 11 Cap and Gown that also comes in a full Black-based upper with premium detailing. It comes with a suede base, Metallic Jumpman logos and laces that resembles graduation cords.the Air Jordan 11 ‘Cap and Gown’ which will release on May 26th.

While both pairs strongly resemble one another, if you could only select one, which would it be?

Nike Kyrie 4 vs. Flytrap head-to-head performance review.

Affordable entries to Nike Basketball’s signature lines have a track record of not just being great values, but great sneakers, period. Devoid of frivolous gimmicks and not-quite-ready-for-basketball tech features, sneakers like the KD 2, Kyrie 1, and PG 1 put all of their resources where they mattered most: performance.
Those aforementioned examples utilized tried and true tech and combined it with “best practices” design elements to create sneakers that just worked. They may not have broken much ground, but they represented the full realization of past innovations.
Thanks to that history, last October’s announcement of an even more affordable addition to Kyrie Irving’s signature line was welcomed with open arms. It offered the potential to not only make the line more accessible to Irving’s fanbase, but offer another viable performance option for players who prefer no-frills models on court.
Based on my cushioning preferences and its unique fit system, the $80 Nike Kyrie Flytrap looks like an even more attractive sneaker than the $120 Nike Kyrie on paper. But how do those features translate to performance?.
Hover over the dots below for a head-to-head breakdown of the two models, and an analysis of which one does it better.
Nike Kyrie 4 vs. Nike Kyrie Flytrap - Fit
Advantage: Nike Kyrie 4
It may not be fancy, but the Kyrie 4’s half-bootie construction allows for a glove-like fit thanks to its sculpted shape and traditional eyestay construction. When fully tightened, the upper fully engages and hugs the foot, offering a reassuring fit that inspires confidence through cuts. Unfortunately, my first time lacing the shoe up resulted in a ripped eyelet. To the shoe’s credit though, the reinforced backing prevented the rip from tearing completely though, and it caused no further issues.
The concept behind the Flytrap’s closure system is a solid one, but the execution falls flat thanks to a sloppy overall shape and sub-par materials. I typically only play in a single pair of socks, but had to double up in order to fill some of the excess space that couldn’t be tightened out of the shoe when fully laced. Going down a half size may help alleviate some of the extra room, but it is more of a volume issue than length.
Nike Kyrie 4 vs. Nike Kyrie Flytrap - Ankle Support
Advantage: Nike Kyrie 4
The Kyrie 4 and Flytrap have different cuts, but both rely on the collar padding to provide heel lockdown. In theory, they should match up well based on utilizing the same philosophy on ankle support, but the corners cut on materials in the Flytrap give a clear advantage to the more expensive Kyrie 4. The padding, while shaped properly, is just not dense enough to actually engage and fully stabilize the heel. The Flytrap’s ankle support isn’t necessarily bad, just not as comfortable or confidence-inspiring as the 4.
Nike Kyrie 4 vs. Nike Kyrie Flytrap - Cushioning
Advantage: Nike Kyrie 4
My favorite cushioning configuration from Nike is Zoom Air in the forefoot and and foam in the heel because I find it provides a perfect combination of responsiveness and impact protection where each is most needed. That should have boded well for the Flytrap, but not all Zoom Air is created equal. The bag found here is comically small—roughly the size and shape of a quarter—and about as effective. It’s placed directly under the ball of the big toe, which is fine, but it’s so low volume that it offers nothing in terms of response. Even the shoe’s insole is of the cheapest persuasion possible; there’s not as much as a Nike logo screen printed on the wafer-thin unit.
Meanwhile, the Kyrie 4 improved greatly in the comfort department over the nike Kyrie 3, despite using the same configuration of heel Zoom and forefoot foam. I found the 3’s ride to be downright harsh, but the addition of a Cushlon midsole turned the cushioning into one of the high points of the 4. It’s not as protective as a shoe like the LeBron 15 with its massive Zoom Max hybrid units, but for players who want more court feel, it’s an excellent compromise.
Nike Kyrie 4 vs. Nike Kyrie Flytrap - Traction
Advantage: Nike Kyrie 4
Traction is the one area where the Kyrie 4 and Flytrap share the most similarities, and it’s a positive point for both shoes. But despite using a very similar traction pattern, the Kyrie 4 edges out the Flytrap thanks to its level of refinement. The large zig-zag groove that runs up the middle of the sole enhances its radiused shape and offers a sticky surface regardless of the angle from which it engages. It also has the additional benefit of creating a smoother transition. That same groove is implied on the Flytrap, but doesn’t offer the full benefits of the effectively decoupled design of the 4.
Nike Kyrie 4 vs. Nike Kyrie Flytrap - Conclusion
Image via Nike
Advantage: Nike Kyrie 4
The Nike Kyrie 4 tops the Flytrap in almost every measurable category, including value. “Affordable” doesn’t always equate with “good value”—sometimes, like in the case of the Kyrie Flytrap, it mostly means “cheap.”
It’s commendable for Nike to offer such a budget-conscious option for Irving’s fans, but it’s just not one I can recommend from a performance standpoint. There’s simply not enough support and protection other than for the smallest and lightest of players. Furthermore, excellent performers like the PG1 have been regularly available on sale for even less than the Flytrap’s $80 retail price, rendering it’s primary selling point moot.
But the Kyrie 4 doesn’t just win this head-to-head matchup because the Flytrap is so bad. The Flytrap feels so cheap that it doesn’t even feel like it was made by Nike—but the Kyrie 4 is good in its own right. While not spectacular at any one thing, it’s a well-rounded sneaker that does pretty much everything one could ask for in a performance model, at a price point that’s still relatively affordable in context of the signature sneaker world. And it feels downright premium in direct comparison.

Air Jordan 10 Comparison: Orignal 1995 Vs 2015 Remastered

Remastered or (re) diculously priced ?
I used to be a huge Air Jordan 10 Collector up until 2005/2006 when retro quality quickly went downhill.  Glue spots galore, cheap materials, and sudden increases in prices really turned me off  so I was intrigued by the entire “remastered” idea. Was this an admission by Jordan Brand that they were making pure shit for the past ten years ? In my eyes, yes but we all know quality was not JBs top priority. To make amends, JB has promised better quality with an uptick in price. Let’s see how they compare.
Original 1995 Orlando Magic Jordan X DS
2015 Jordan X “Double Nickle” DS
MATERIALS
Leather quality appears almost identical to the originals. It seems more manufactured than the OG, meaning the OG pair had smooth, non textured spots whereas the retro looks exactly the same all the way around the shoe.
 Above: retro, below OG
Materials get a thumbs up from me but the AJ X never got hit by the bad quality bug as bad as other retros such as the IV V and VI. I’ll see if I can find my other Air Jordan 14 Desert Sand from 2018.
STITCHING AND GLUE
Very happy to say my pair didn’t have any excess glue spots or poor stitching

Above: retro, notice how smooth the second (bottom) layer of leather is? Almost too smooth and fake looking  but that’s just me being nitpicky (compare to below)
below OG

MIDSOLE AND SOLE
Spot on again

TONGUE
OG 
Retro

The stamping on the retro jordans is actually more defined and clearer than the original.  The tongue’s material on the retro feels stiffer so maybe that’s why they were able to print it more clearly
BOXES
Nothing beats an OG box sorry lol

.
PRICING
The OG Aj X retailed for $125 20 years ago so taking inflation into account you get $192.

Although pricing is the same, Nike’s economy of scale has increased a lot so they are still making a lot more off these shoes than back in 1995.  In other words, Since they have grown so much in 20 years , production has increased , manufacturing is way more efficient and material prices have dropped since they buy so much more nowadays.
Overall though, as a big Aj collector, I can say that these remastered Aj Xs look and feel great, and are not over priced. If the rest of the remastered Jordans look like this I wouldn’t hesitate to buy them. Good job Jordan Brand !

Better Air Jordan 3: “True Blue” or “Seoul”

Jordan Brand is currently celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Air Jordan 3 in 2018. For the occasion, there has been a few OG and new colorways that have debuted.
One OG pair that didn’t arrive during its celebration is the “True Blue” colorway, which was last released back in 2016. The remastered version came with “Nike Air” logos on the heels.
Technically, the 2016 Nike Air Jordan 3 will be the second time we see them release, the first of course being in 1988. We saw the True Blue 3 retro for the first time in 2001 which came with the Jumpman branding. We once again saw this pair release in 2011 when the brand celebrated the 23rd anniversary of the shoes. They still came with Jumpman branding, but did have the original style box.
For 2016, the brand will return the True Blue Jordan 3 just like the originals. Featuring tumbled and smooth leather through the uppers, while Blue runs through the mudguard, Nike Air branding on the heel, eyelets and liner. The elephant print is expected to return just like in 1988, which will wrap the heel, toe box and hinted on the uppers. The last details are a White midsole and Grey outsole.
Released in very limited quantities and only available in South Korea, the “Seoul” Air Jordan 3 was one of the newer colorway that arrived in 2018. This special edition release celebrates two sports milestones that took place in 1988: the NBA Slam Dunk contest won by Michael Jordan after taking flight from the free throw line, and the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
The Air Jordan 3 Seoul isThe Taegukgi (Korean flag) inspires the shoe’s overall color scheme, with the “taeguk” symbol expressed through the lining and collar’s blue and red and the white upper representing peace and purity (as it does on the flag). 서울 (Seoul) is featured on the left inner tongue, while the 1988 summer games motto 화합과 전진 (Harmony and Progress) is featured on the right inner tongue. The heel reads “Nike Air” in a clear nod to the original Air Jordan 3.
While majority of us weren’t able to get our hands on the “Seoul” Air Jordan 3, if you did have the option of picking one of these to buy for retail, which would it be?

Jordan Fly Lockdown Performance Review

Jordan Brand has had a killer season for performance, but a new silhouette has dropped with hardly any warning or hype. So how does the Jordan Fly Lockdown stack up against the rest of the lineup? Here we go…
Circles and herringbone, two patterns that Jordan Brand has proven to work in the past, are both featured on the sole of the Jordan Fly Lockdown. The forefoot has the large concentric circles for traction under the middle of the forefoot, and it works. However, breaking up the circles is a thick, wide-spaced herringbone pattern that leads to the medial side, where a player would toe off and need that extra bite. The circles come back in under the heel with the herringbone covering the midfoot.
The magic of this pattern is the spacing. Looking like the Death Star tunnels — with gaps and spaces placed throughout the sole — the treads are wide and deep and brush dirt away and out. I think I wiped twice during play for the entire length of this review. Not twice a game, or twice a night, but twice, period. It works.
One little detail: it doesn’t bite the floor in that loud, screeching stop like the Kobe 9 or Rose 7. It’s a smooth, quiet stop, but it is a serious stop.
Outdoors? This is a two-part answer; the tread pattern is deep and wide, so there is lots of rubber to burn through. However, you will burn through it because it is a softer rubber than Nike’s XDR soles. Honestly, if the court isn’t extremely rough, you should be good for a summer of play.
While Zoom Air and injected Phylon have been around before most of you were born, this setup would seem to be outdated. When done right, however, there are very few systems better for basketball. The Jordan Fly Lockdown is extremely close to getting it right, and if I was a lighter high-flyer these would have been perfect.
The forefoot Zoom feels bottom-loaded so the initial response isn’t felt, but when playing the forefoot feels low and quick with no impact problems at all. Coupled with the great forefoot traction the Fly Lockdown is one of the quickest-feeling shoes I have played in recently.
The midfoot and heel are just Phylon, but whatever Nike has decided to do with its normal budget foam lately, thank you! When Phylon first appeared it was a softer carrier (or in some budget cases, the whole midsole), and it felt great underfoot. Over the past couple of years, Phylon became stiff and unforgiving and basically sucked @$$. This season, the real Phylon has made a reappearance (along with Cushlon on the Kyrie 4) and the feel is outstanding.
My only complaint — and again, I weigh in at 200 lbs on a 5′ 10″ frame — is that the Phylon is too soft. I could feel the Phylon compress and rebound, which made the heel-to-toe transition seem a little slow. If you are a quicker guard/forward who is light on your feet, this won’t be an issue at all and the Jordan Fly Lockdown should feel great on-court.
First of all, some sites say that the Jordan Fly Lockdown features a “mixed-media upper of leather, synthetics, and textile.” Leather shouldn’t even be mentioned because it is only on the top of the tongue — not exactly a piece for performance. What we do get with the textile is a form-fitting upper that flexes in all the right ways but holds solid where it needs to.
The material is not exactly a woven like the Jordan 32’s Flyknit or even the Jordan 29, but more like the Jordan 15 — wide bands of fabric woven over and under so one strand will pull against the other, providing lateral stability when playing but allowing the toebox to flex freely while running. I know, it’s an evolution of the Jordan 19 lace cover concept. I never understood how an independent lace cover was supposed to provide containment, but the Jordan Fly Lockdown does. Fuse is found on the high-wear areas of the toebox, and the midfoot laces almost mimic the Jordan III look with rubber lace holes. Otherwise, all textile, all the time.
By using a full textile upper, the Jordan Fly Lockdown provides great — you guessed it — lockdown. When first stepping into the shoe you will notice the forefoot is cut narrow but it isn’t restrictive (thank you again textile upper).
The lacing system is both traditional and internal, but it’s straight-forward; it allows the shoe to be pulled easily around the foot. The heel has a thick area of padding just around the ankle area, and coupled with the padded tongue, it takes up any dead space in the area for complete…yeah, lockdown. There is seriously no movement inside the shoe when laced tight, although I did get a little lace pressure at the next-to-top lace hole where it switches from the runner eyelets back to one internal loop. No numbness, but you may have to loosen slightly to prevent irritation.
As for length and sizing, definitely stay true-to-size unless you are super-wide. I am a little wider but not enough to switch from a normal D, and the Jordan Fly Lockdown fit me perfectly. I had about a thumbs-width in the length of the toebox (which is normal for me), so if you want that serious 1:1 fit, you could go a half size down.
For a textile upper and a lower cut, the support isn’t bad. The base is wide and solid, with a forefoot outrigger and one of the strangest midsole formations you will see anywhere. While the outrigger is on the smaller side, it works perfectly to keep you from rolling over on hard slides and cuts.
The midfoot rollbar is where it is at though. We have seen companies try constructs like this before, but Jordan Brand has taken it to an aesthetic next level by incorporating a side-bumper into the overall upper design. While I never felt the tool being used when playing, the idea works (I am talking about the grey bridge running along the midfoot; when the shoe rolls over laterally it should stop the extreme rolls that lead to ankle injuries).
The heel design of the Jordan Fly Lockdown is also serious, with the midsole rising up and forming the heel counter and an extended heel clip. Your foot sits down around MJ’s waist so there is plenty of stiffness to hold you down and in. This also helps on lateral stability if you happen to land back on your heels and — especially for me, feeling the midsole was too soft in the heel — not roll over on bad landings.
The ankle area is, again, completely locked in with the lacing and internal padding. The cool heel loop, that looks like the one used on the Off-White x Converse , is just that — cool, but with no real purpose.
Jordan Brand was started with performance in mind — specifically, for the greatest basketball player who ever lived. The 2017-2018 season has been a complete return to that ethos. The Jordan Fly Lockdown is, for pricing purposes, a budget Jordan model that performs like a signature shoe (which, if rumors are true, is exactly what the shoe was in the first place).
If you need a quick, stable, low-riding foot rocket look no further than Jordan Fly Lockdown. If you need a solid cushioning base or a little more lateral containment in the forefoot, or if you are a bigger post player looking for ankle coverage, the Fly Lockdown may not be for you (but the Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 may be). This is the year Jordan Brand has offered great performance for every player, and the Jordan Fly Lockdown only strengthens the lineup. It’s a good year to be a Jumpman fan.

Why the Remastered “Chicago” Jordan 1 is a Must-Have

It would not be hyperbolic—or, you know, wrong—to say that the Air Jordan 1 Chicago was the shoe that changed everything. In fact, if anything, that’s not saying enough. It would be more fair to say that the Air Jordan 1 started everything. It didn’t make Michael Jordan—he did that by himself—but it was there at the start as he, the Chicago Bulls, and Nike became juggernauts. The Air Jordan 1 wasn’t the first basketball sneaker, not by a long shot, but it was the first basketball sneaker that transcended basketball while it was still new. Designed in Portland, Ore. and worn in Chicago, it became a nationwide phenomenon before conquering the world.Let’s get more specific: This is about the red/black/white Air Jordan 1—the one that wasn’t banned. The black and red pair had its Letterman moment, but the red/black/white pair was the version Michael Jordan wore most often, from November ’84 in his rookie year, to April of ’86, when no less than Larry Bird called him “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”

The Air Jordan III (and designer Tinker Hatfield) gets credit for changing the course of signature sneakers, essentially birthing the concept, but the original Air Jordan 1 Homage to Home laid down the blueprint. The name, picked from a list presented by agent David Falk at the initial meeting, came before Jordan even signed. So did the original ball-and-wings logo, sketched on a napkin by then-Nike Creative Director Peter Moore on his flight back to Portland. “On the flight home I noticed a youngster wearing a replica pair of pilot’s wings given to him by the airlines,” Moore remembers. “The design seemed to fit the idea of a guy who could fly.”

The sneaker itself was based on what little input Jordan gave. “[Jordan] expressed the idea of having ‘something different, something exciting, and low to the ground,’” Moore says. “Those were the directives. I decided color would be the way to create something different and exciting. The colors were dictated by the Bulls colors, which were red, black, and white. That meant that we could have three colors on a single shoe, which in 1985 was unheard of in basketball shoes.”
Jordan famously derided those as “the devil’s colors”—those of UNC rival NC State—but no matter. The palette was set, and in the five months between their November appearance and their April launch, Nike and Jordan tirelessly marketed the shoe—Nike through ads, Jordan through his play. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in December 1984 (his shoes unfortunately cropped out) and started the 1985 All-Star game, playing 22 minutes. He wore the black and red version of his shoe in the dunk contest, but wore the black, red, and white in the game.

POST CONTINUES BELOW

By the time the April ’85 release rolled around, the Air Jordan hype had reached a crescendo never before seen around a sneaker release. In New York City, 54 of 75 posters put up in bus stations were stolen. Some of the first resellers in history flipped their $65 Air Jordans for $100 right out of the store. Demand was insane.
“I wanted them so bad, but I didn’t have the cash and my mom was not laying out that kind of money for sneakers that I was going to grow out of in a year,” says MC Serch. “I decided that the only way to get the kicks was to get a job at a sneaker spot, and I did. I went to work for Morton’s Army Navy in Far Rockaway and saved up my dough—and by the time I had enough for them, I no longer wanted them.”

“I AM SOMEWHAT SURPRISED BY THE STAYING POWER OF THE JORDAN 1. IT SEEMS EVERY NEW GENERATION OF KIDS HAS TO TRY IT, ALMOST AS IF THEY DISCOVERED IT.”
—PETER MOORE

The Air Jordan 1 was still available because, despite the initial sell-through, there was a second wave. How big was Air Jordan? Jordan products alone accounted for $100 million in sales in 1985 after the company sold just $65 million in all its product in 1984. Forget Nike and Jordan himself for the moment; Air Jordan represented a huge windfall for retailers as well. And once the initial shipments sold out, they wanted more. Lots more.
“Trying to cool the fever was the hardest thing,” says Moore. “Especially with a company that was in need of a home run at the time. In the end, we made too many shoes and so the unsold inventory was discounted.”

Flooding the market hurt the bottom line initially, but in the long run it may have been the best thing for the Air Jordan line. The first Air Jordan literally remained on shelves for years, eventually reaching markets it was never intended for. They were still available, dirt cheap, when skateboarders were looking for durable alternatives to canvas Vans—even as Vans was trying to branch out of skateboarding.
“When [Vans] stopped giving us shoes altogether, we started wearing other shoes,” says legendary skater Steve Caballero. “I rode Converse for a while, I rode Nike Air Jordans, Puma Prowlers. I even tried the first Airwalks when Airwalk started in ’87.” For some, the Bones Brigade (Caballero and his Powell-Peralta teammates) endorsement became as important to Air Jordan as Jordan’s own.
“I skated in my Jordans in Washington Square Park one sleepy afternoon ’cause I thought it would be ill and they matched my Hosoi Hammerhead graphics,” says legendary hip-hop A&R Dante Ross, then a 19-year-old living in NYC’s Lower East Side. “They were and are still the best kicks to skate in.”

 

The Air Jordan 1 wound up everywhere, and in those days before retro, the overproduced, virtually indestructible Air Jordan 1 never entirely went away. Like Serch, I didn’t get a pair of Air Jordan 1s when they first released for the same reasons. Unlike Serch, I still wanted them. Five years later, I finally got them, when, as a college freshman, I came across a pair in a Newark, Del. Goodwill. They were two sizes too big and a bit battered, but I bought them—and wore them—anyway. That was 25 years ago, and I still have them. In fact, they’re the pair photographed for this story.
Since 1985, the white/black/red Air Jordan 1 has returned several times, starting in 1994. It remains the most universally wearable Air Jordan, one that resonates with fans both new and old. “I am somewhat surprised by the staying power of the Jordan 1,” Moore says. “It seems every new generation of kids has to try it, almost as if they discovered it. When I look at the shoe today I don’t see old, especially in the upper—the cup sole is the thing that dates it—but the upper is almost timeless at this point.”
And what sets it apart now—despite legions of imitators, some of which were introduced while the original Air Jordan was still on shelves—is what set it apart then. “The whole idea of the shoes was to bring color into basketball,” Moore says, “and Jordan, as it turned out, was the most colorful performer in the game.”

Air Jordan 32 Low REVIEW: A Comprehensive Comparison to the Mid

I always want to test out and review as many shoes as I can since every single player likes different types of shoes. Some like lows, some prefer the mids or even the highs. Today, we got a low top version of the Air Jordan 32 to the test. This will be a quick review detailing all the differences from the Mid, which I already made a review on.
I’ll talk about the shoe’s tech specs, the fit, performance, the upper and decide if it’s worth the price. By then, you’ll be able to decide which version you like more. Let’s start the Air Jordan 32 Low review!
THE TECH

ZOOM AIR & FLIGHTSPEED

The same cushion setup is present – ZOOM AIR units in the heel and forefoot areas, along with the torsional FlightSpeed plate that smoothens out step transitions, provides stability and properly activates the ZOOM units for maximum energy return.

FLYKNIT

We also have the same Flyknit upper construction. If you read the Mid review, you know it – this is as close to 100% pure Flyknit as it gets. It’s awesome.
FIT

SAME THING PLUS ROOM FOR THE ANKLE

So the fit experience is overall very similar to the Mid simply because all the tech, materials and construction is identical. The only difference is the absence of the relatively high ankle collar.
The shoe fits great after a break-in period. It’s comfortable, soft on the inside, has proper lockdown and I experienced zero major issues (no dead space, slipping etc.). Go true to size whether you’re a narrow, regular or wide footer. The Flyknit will gladly mold to your foot shape in time.
The key difference from the Mid was how much more free my ankle was (duh). The shoe doesn’t really weigh less without the collar but it does feel that way just a tad bit. If you want more mobility and speed with the cost of no ankle protection, go with the Low.
PERFORMANCE

CUSHION

There’s no reason to talk about the cushion setup since it’s excatly the same. Balanced, versatile, more on the responsive side, some impact protection. These would be the ke phrases to describe the Jordan 32’s cushioning.

TRACTION

Once again, the same outsole = same traction. Fantastic grip but pretty sensitive to dust and not really durable enough for proper outdoor play. Not that you’d want to spend $160 for an outdoor beater.

SUPPORT

This is where I felt the biggest difference from the mid top.  I felt that the Mid was relatively restricting and bulky. That doesn’t take away the fact that the shoe does support you and lock you in nicely. If you prefer a bit more mobility and comfort though, I think the Low does that better.
You will lose the potential ankle protection and extra lockdown in the upper foot area but it’s not really a drastic loss. I’ve played in shoes that basically have useless ankle collars and while this may not be one of them – it’s not on the opposite side either.
UPPER

IDENTICAL – STILL PREMIUM

The same Flyknit at the front and synthetic leather at back combo is back and it’s still awesome. From the Air Jordan XXX1 to this one, this upper just works. Legit pure Flyknit at the front makes for one hell of an experience in terms of softness, comfort, mobility and lightness.
The back where the leather sits also does a nice job of locking in the heel, securing and supporting.
Overall, an excellent material combo that kills it performance-wise..
PRICE VS. QUALITY

THE SAME SHOE FOR CHEAPER

Comparing to the $185 Mid’s, this is fantastic deal for $160. Yeah, it’s still expensive these days but you pretty much get the same shoe with a 5% difference for $15 less.
You won’t lose much by taking the Low’s, so if you’re targetting the AJ 32, getting the low top option is definitely a good idea in my opinion
OVERALL

BEST FOR ANY MEDIUM-HEAVY PLAYER

The Air Jordan 32, mid or low, are great shoes that do what they’re supposed to do. They are comfortable, provide good traction, solid cushioning, confident support and a fantastic upper. The price is high comparing to recent budget models that are really good. But if you’re willing to pay for it, $160 AJ 32 Low is pretty damn worth it.
Okay, that’s it for the review! I hope you found it useful!

Jordan CP3 11 Performance Reviews

Chris Paul (with the help of James Harden) has lead the Houston Rockets to the Western Conference Finals. That means it’s about time to find out if Paul’s eleventh signature shoe, the CP3 11, is any good.
Nothing puts a level of expectation on an outsole quite like herringbone. Luckily, the outsole on the CP3 11 didn’t disappoint. Coverage is abundant and simple — two things that tend to make for good traction.
It isn’t quite as aggressive as something like the CP3.VI’s herringbone, a standard for Chris Paul’s signatures, but it works nearly as well (the CP3.VI had a bit more bite on the hardwood). The CP3 11 holds tight on a clean floor, as expected, and with only a slight delay on dustier settings. Even if the floor was really dusty, any slips would be caught with plenty of backup herringbone to spare.
One minor complaint would be that the pattern could’ve benefited from being a bit more spaced apart, as dust clumps catch quickly to the current compact design. However, a quick wipe and I was back on my way.
The rubber is soft but will grip outdoor courts, although there’s also plenty of surface space for the blacktop to burn through. If you choose to make this your primary outdoor performer then you should get some decent amount of playing time in them before needing to consider a replacement pair.
For cushioning in the CP3 11, heel and forefoot Zoom Air are laid directly into a semi-firm Phylon midsole.
The midsole itself is on the dense side, but it still has a bit of bounce to it. Couple that with the forefoot’s standard-sized Zoom unit (think Air Jordan 13) along with a moderately-sized Hex Zoom unit in the heel and you’ve got a pretty sweet ride.
It’s low enough to be considered a quicker ride, but thick enough to provide some cushion. It might not be as fast as some slightly lower-sitting models like the Why Not Zer0.1 or Kobe 1 Protro, but it’s faster than models featuring beefier cushion.
Due to the extra firmness and thickness (even though the thickness isn’t more than 1mm) in comparison to the two previous models I mentioned, I had a lot of foot fatigue during the first few nights. The feeling does go away the longer you wear the CP3 11 but it’s still something I needed to get used to. Maybe some flex grooves would’ve helped, but that’s just a guess.
Either way, the Jordan CP3 11 offers plenty of cushion and court feel for most guards. Larger wings and forwards that are nimble should find these to be very well suited for what they’d want/need in terms of cushion without sacrificing any support because the build isn’t lightweight or minimal.
That brings me to the materials. This colorway features synthetic leather on the heel and toe while the main body is comprised of a textile mesh. The mesh was awesome, as anticipated, but the synthetic leather was stiff and slow until broken in.
Having the forefoot be as stiff as it was likely added to the foot fatigue I was feeling from the midsole. Not all CP3 11 colorways feature the synthetic leather toe so if you can avoid it I would. Unless you like some stiffness in your shoe — yes, some players prefer a stiffer ride, and some feel it’s more supportive than the lighter knit and mesh models. I don’t mind having to break in an upper, but when I do, I prefer the end result to be a custom feeling build — which this type of synthetic leather just does not offer.
The CP3 11 fit true to size. However, the shoe can break in enough for those with a slightly wider foot, but those with really wide feet should try the shoe on. I still haven’t seen this model in a store but my local retailers aren’t the end all be all of inventory so it might be different where you’re located. If you can, try the CP3 11 on and see if it feels like something you’d enjoy running in.
The lockdown was solid. Dynamic lacing hasn’t been promoted as it used to be, but it’s in place on the CP3 11. When you lace them up you can feel each nylon thread cinch right around your midfoot as it grabs hold, without feeling like your foot is being choked. The heel sculpt was also comfortable and functional. No heel slip at all, and the shoes never felt like they were digging into my Achilles.
Support in the CP3 11 is adequate — nothing to write a novel over, but it’s simple and effective. An internal torsional shank is in place and works the way we have come to expect. It would have been nice had the shoe offered an external TPU shank; not for performance purposes, but I think that’d give the CP3 11 a slight pop with its otherwise plain aesthetic.
An internal heel counter is in place and works well with the overall fit. Meanwhile, the base is fairy flat which offers a ood level of stability. I’d love to have seen a wider design to the tooling to allow for an outrigger, but there was never an issue in lateral stability at the forefoot.
The base of the strap’s design doesn’t allow for much compression in that section so it could essentially take on the role of the outrigger without actually needing it there. Whether that was the intent is something I’m not sure about, but it makes sense in my mind.
The Jordan CP3 11 is definitely a step in the right direction when compared to the CP3.X (10) and CP3.IX (9). The cushion, comfort, and traction have all been upgraded. Although I’d prefer the Flyweave build of the CP3.X over what we received on this colorway of the CP3 11, I’d take traction and cushion over the materials any day of the week.
If you don’t mind some break-in time then the CP3 11 might be the shoe for you, depending on your needs. It’s very well-rounded so I don’t see many players not liking the shoe. The CP3 11 doesn’t quite make it into my “rotation” — which doesn’t really exist since I’m constantly testing new shoes — but that’s because I personally find the Kobe 1 Protro and Jordan Why Not Zer0.1 to be a bit better in both of the key areas I pointed out above (traction and cushion).
Finding yourself with a pair of Chris Paul’s signature shoes isn’t a bummer this year. If your feet end up in a pair, share your experience with us in the comments below.

Nike LeBron 15 Low Performance Review

For years, the LeBron signature line lowtop model has released and immediately been looked over as a performance let-down — and for the most part, they were. However, the LeBron 15 Low has arrived, and for once, it just may be better than the original. Let’s ride…
The LeBron 15 Low uses the same cleat-like turf-gripping pattern that worked great going forward and back on the LeBron 15, with one minor change: the pattern is turned about 30-degrees, and that makes all the difference between a serviceable pattern and a really good pattern.
The LeBron 15 Low has good grip running and stopping going forward, but there is now noticeable stopping power while playing laterally. While trying to stay in front of my man on defense (gets harder every game) I had no issues with any slipping out or pushing off to change direction unless the court had hairballs and dust bunnies all over it — which is not uncommon at the three 24-Hour Fitness courts I play at. It’s amazing that this change in performance wasn’t noticed when developing the regular LeBron 15 but thankfully Nike got it right on the Low.
As for outdoor use, it’s possible. The rubber is thick and is a little harder in durometer than most on the market, but it is still softer than most outdoor-specific shoes you may be used to. The points and peaks will probably wear off and lose all bite within a few wears, but overall, the LeBron 15 Low may work fine for a few months.
While the LeBron 15 relied on the serious bounce and response of articulated Max Zoom, the LeBron 15 Low uses a 180-degree heel Curry 5 unit and an oval forefoot Zoom Air unit. The first thing that I noticed was a lower ride, which, as a guard who relies on whatever lateral quickness is left in the tank, was a welcome sight.
The high top was definitely springier and had better impact protection overall, but the LeBron 15 Low is nothing to laugh at. The forefoot Zoom is responsive and quick, as well as a feature that seems like a problem at first: the curved outsole. The Zoom unit is set behind the curve, which means that as you land the impact and response come at you first, then the foot rolls into the next step smoothly and toe-off feels natural. Some of the oval Zoom setups can feel stiff and slappy, but not the LeBron 15 Low.
The heel Air Max could have easily been the same Max Zoom as the high, and honestly, it should have been. There were a couple of times, when planting for jumpers or stopping on drives to change direction, that the heel unit rolled over on me. Instability on heel landings is a common problem when cushioning is too soft.
In one instance, I had a one-on-three break (no one ran with me) so I planted on the right wing to square up for a 3-point jumper. As I planted the outside (right) foot to square, the Air unit rolled and I didn’t get a clean jump, missing the shot. If I was a purely forefoot player this wouldn’t be an issue, but I’m not, so it was.
The materials used on the LeBron 15 Low are the same as what’s used on the high — Battleknit across the upper with Flywire lacing and a stretch knit collar. The knit is soft in all the right spots (around the tongue area, the midfoot) and stronger and tighter in the high stress areas around the forefoot and heel. There is a liner in those areas as well, so the true knit feeling isn’t there, but for an athlete like LeBron (or any heavy-footed or bigger player) the backing is necessary.
The ankle and tongue tabs are still a nice synthetic leather (some colors may use real leather) and add a touch of luxury to a ball shoe. The Flywire does actually work and you can feel it pull the upper around the foot. Honestly, that’s about it — the shoe has a simple construction and a good look.
The fit on the high was debatable — I have a pair in both my true size 10.5 and a half down to a 10. The 10 is definitely more form-fitting, but the 10.5 doesn’t kill me with extra space either. On the LeBron 15 Low it’s the same; I went with my true 10.5 but felt like a 10 would work also. Again, the room in the 10.5 isn’t an issue when playing, but you feel more of the knit-stretch and the hug of the shoe in the smaller size.
The LeBron 15 Low does a fantastic job with heel lockdown, something lows have had an issue with for years. The knit collar, internal counter, and heel padding allow no movement — especially when laced tight for playing. The Flywire pulls the foot back into the heel and the high heel tab, with thick padding, locks it down.
The lacing system is actually the same one used in the high top, which shows the high was really a LeBron 15 Low in disguise (we all knew that though, right?). As for wide footers, most should be fine. I am slightly-wide but not enough to size up in most shoes. The LeBron 15 Low allows a little stretch around the foot but if you are extremely wide you may need a half up or to try these on.
On the high top version lateral stability was a little…off. Most knew it was due to the high-riding midsole with an uncaged cushioning system (no stiffer foam surrounding the softer padding). The solution in most of the public’s eyes was to add an outrigger. Guess what? The LeBron 15 Low has an outrigger — and it is better.
More than the outrigger, though, the midsole foam provides a stiffer, lower ride, which naturally leads to a more controlled system. Don’t get me wrong — the outrigger helps, but the foam is the bigger plus. This would normally mean the cushioning is sacrificed, but as we covered above, the forefoot Zoom still provides responsive bounce and a smooth ride.
The heel area is hoop jordan and if any cushion can be considered unstable, this is it. To put Air Max on a knitted low makes the ride questionable to start. Fortunately, the heel lockdown is better than the previous LeBron lows that used the Max heel, so even though the unit is soft on the edges, the heel lockdown takes away most of the insecurity while playing.
Even so, there were times I would come off a screen and feel my foot roll over the Max unit — not to the point of injury, but enough that I either had to gather and then jump or I didn’t get fully squared around on my jump, missing the shot. Driving the lane was also fine going straight in, but if a hard plant laterally led into a jump, a roll could be felt — but not every time. It was frustrating because if it happened every time the LeBron 15 Low would be easy to throw in the closet. Most of the time, it’s great, so the shoe is fun to wear. Then, you feel it, and want to give up.
The LeBron 15 Low is such an improvement over the past years’ lowtop models that it really isn’t fair to compare them. The last five years have felt like the low was just to say there was one — and so you could have an LBJ logo on your summer shoe.
The LeBron 15 Low feels like a game shoe, an actual design for playing that is close to the normal shoe but just different enough to warrant a new release. The shoe feels more guard-oriented, with a lower ride and stiffer cushioning for a fast game — especially with the curved forefoot and the transition it provides. If you are a lighter player that never bought LeBron’s because of the boot-like fit and feel, here you go. Even for heavier players that didn’t like the higher midsole, the LeBron 15 Low is a find.
The first three models of the LeBron line had lows that were completely playable and looked promising for summers, but with the rise of the LeBron Soldier line the performance of the lows went by the wayside. With the LeBron 15 Low performance returns — and the summer may be a little hotter, at least on-foot.

Better Air Jordan 13 : “He Got Game” OR “Bred”

Two original releases of the Air Jordan 13, which are considered two of the fan favorites, are the “He Got Game” and “Bred” colorways.
Dressed in a White, Black and Red color scheme that received its nickname “He Got Game” thanks to its appearance in Spike Lee’s classic basketball film. It’s safe to say that no Air Jordan Collection is completed without this colorway.This Air Jordan 13 He Got Game will feature the original color scheme of White, Black and True Red. Utilizing White tumbled leather across the uppers while Black covers the toe box and suede detailing on the midsole. Completing the look is True Red which lands on the Jumpman logo and outsole.
The “Bred” version is one of the original Air Jordan 13 colorways that was worn by Michael Jordan in the 1998 Playoffs along with the other Black-based colorway dubbed, “Playoffs.”,The last time we saw the Black and Red Air Jordan 13 Bred released was in 2013, however many were disappointed as it didn’t feature the traditional 3M reflective detailing across the uppers. For 2017, Jordan Brand will correct their wrongs.

 It’s defiantly a hard choice to pick one or the other, but if you had to choose, which is the better Air Jordan 13? Cast your vote below and leave your reasoning on why in the comments section.

It also should be noted that Jordan Brand is bridging back the Air Jordan 13 He Got Game this August 2018.

Under Armour Curry 5 Performance Review

Reviewing shoes is a strange thing, and if you read Nightwing’s review of the Under Armour Curry 5 yesterday, you probably know where this is going.
If you stopped and counted how many basketball shoes are released each year, by all performance brands, it has to be near or over 100. Out of all of those, we review 35-45, maybe more. Not all of those can be good, but we try to review them all — the good, the bad, and the ugly. And while we do try and find the good points of every shoe, sometimes it means we are putting lipstick on a pig. No matter how you try to make it pretty, it’s still swine.
I have been doing this for almost 10 years, and some bad shoes that come to mind are the Hops (credit if you were around for that one), Nike Kobe 7, Under Armour Micro G Charge BB, Air Jordan Super.Fly 5 PO, an adidas team shoe (pre-Boost), the Peak DH3, and various runners and trainers.
Sometimes we get slammed for bias when we don’t like or enjoy a shoe, but for the most part you, our readers and watchers, know us and understand where we are coming from. Like Chris (Nightwing) said, it gets to a point where some shoes are just not fun, or actually feel dangerous, and we just want to have fun playing basketball.
We all here at hoop jordan have had shoes that feel like work when reviewing and those shoes generally get bad scores. We are like you guys — we just want to play basketball and have fun while wearing some sick kicks doing it. Our only mission is to help you all decide which kicks to drop your dough on, and which not to.
Here’s my Under Armour Curry 5 Performance Review. Enjoy.
While the pattern looks interesting, and it should work, it just doesn’t — at least on the courts I played on. I tried out three different 24 Hour Fitness courts that range from decently swept to down-right nasty, and afterwards the floors were all clean. Why? The Curry 5 picked up every bit of dust and took it home. Even the black rubber grabbed and held on worse than the translucent did.
Wiping was necessary on almost every dead ball or stoppage and most times even more, as I found myself sliding after a couple of trips up and down the floor. Trying to stay in front of an opponent on defense and trying to V-cut backdoor was very difficult as the shoe just didn’t feel like it wanted to keep up. Even when wiped clean there was little in the way of stopping power, and when it did stop the upper didn’t feel like how my foot was held, but more on that shortly.
Outdoors? You may be okay for a while because the rubber does seem a little harder than most translucent rubber out there, and the pattern is a little deeper.
Cushioning was the same as the Curry 4: a proprietary foam that feels like dense EVA, so no real feel of impact protection or energy feedback. However, for the short time I wore these I never felt any excessive drain or pain in my joints.
The Curry 5 does feel a little softer, especially on initial step in, due to the blue OrthoLite sockliner and the fact that the heel foam is a little softer, but not much. Again, it rides super low, is stable on takeoffs and landings, and although it doesn’t have the compression and return of other foams (HOVR!), it never caused any pain. That was later.
The return of Anafoam! Yeah, that’s what surrounds the forefoot and the heel cage, and it feels great in hand. Anafoam’s main property is forming to the foot as the material heats up so it can flex with you. It’s also more durable than a full-on knit while providing a lot of the same feel — perfect for flexible support on a shoe that needs to be fast and light.
The inner sock is knit and elastic, making the Curry 5 comfortable on-foot and providing needed ventilation outside of the Anafoam. The inner sleeve is really a compression sock that forms up and fits right on the foot. Not much else to talk about except the TPU midfoot shank that raises the arch completely away from the floor and holds tight.
Well, here it goes. Out of the box, on initial try-on, the fit was fantastic. Great. Stupendous. It felt good. The toes had very little space but didn’t feel cramped. The midfoot was locked in and tight. The heel, well, the heel slipped up and down and side to side, but for the try-on I wasn’t laced in game-tightness and the Anafoam was new, so that would get better after a couple of casual wears and some gym time.
It didn’t. The main issue with the fit of the Curry 5 is the lacing system. The nylon internal lace straps are fitted under the arch and over the instep into the lacing area as well as from the midsole up on the lateral side. The lace straps are unlined — they sit just outside of the thin, knitted internal bootie and it is not a good feeling.
I lace my shoes tight so I have no heel slip, if possible. Lacing the Curry 5 as tight as I needed caused the lace loops to cut directly into my arch, and while I didn’t end up with the kind of blisters NW did, the Curry 5 was still unbearable to play in.
But why did I have to lace them that tight? Because heel slip was a monster no matter how tight I laced. The Anafoam is too soft in the heel to be a proper heel counter that holds the heel in pace. It isn’t molded or fitted, and instead lets the inner sleeve provide support — that material is not durable or strong enough to hold the foot in. The Anafoam is a wider cup that is just… there.
Then we have the lacing system. The laces run over the top of the foot, like a normal shoe would, but there is no front-to-back angle. The last lace hole runs over the top of the foot so when the shoe is laced game-tight it pulls the foot down into the midsole instead of back into the heel. Laced up game-tight, I could take the shoe off without untying. That, my friends, is not a good sign.
Length-wise and overall size is definitely true, which makes the situation even more frustrating.
The midfoot is completely, almost overly, supported by the TPU shank under the arch. It is raised from the floor almost an inch and is solid and stable. The Anafoam does an extremely good job of keeping the forefoot over the footbed on lateral movements, so no issues with sliding out while playing. The midsole foam is stiff and stable and won’t compress under most weights while landing.
I would say the midfoot is locked in for support but having to lace so tight causes too much pain and loosening makes the heel slip terrible. The heel is not locked, has too much slip, and honestly felt a bit dangerous to me while playing. When the traction continually slides out and the heel is moving up and down confidence was not my first thought.
I will not be playing in the Curry 5 again. Releases slow down in the summer, and that’s when I go back and pick my favorites from the year to revisit them. Summer list minus 1. At my age and level of playing, safety has to be a priority. An injury of any severity will take some serious recovery time. The Curry 5 looks fantastic, and even though the Curry 4 had some issues, the promise of performance from that shoe made all of us anticipate the greatness of the Curry 5. That promise is gone.
I know some of you will like this shoe — someone likes every shoe. And that’s the way this works; one man’s Benched is another man’s All-Star. However, if asked, we will be honest, and honestly, I cannot recommend the Curry 5 to a player of any position or size. If you are a die-hard Steph fan, go for it.
This is not a dog-pile on Under Armour by any means. The brand just released one of the best new technologies in years with its HOVR foam, the Heat Seeker and it’s knit upper were oh-so-close to greatness, and the Curry 4 is still on shelves and still performs great.
There are some serious team shoes coming this summer with crazy designs colorways — and it should be mentioned that the design team did a good job, visually, with the Curry 5. Let’s see how the team bounces back for the Curry 6. Again, every company has some misses. Don’t let this review drive anyone away from the brand — just this shoe.

Nike Kobe NXT 360 Performance Review

Who needs a bag when you have the Nike Kobe NXT 360? These shoes are super portable — just roll them up, throw them in your pocket, and go.
The Kobe NXT 360 features a translucent nubby traction pattern, and that’s all it is. Who cares about how the traction looks right? You all want to know how the stuff performs.
The traction it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the best either. On dirty courts, the shoe tends to be the kick it spot for dust; a legit dust party was happening underneath my Kobe NXT 360s, which caused some ice skating here and there. Definitely wasn’t a fan of that, especially for $200.
If you play on extremely terrible court conditions, do not buy the Kobe NXT 360. However, on ordinary courts that most of us play on you will be fine after the traction breaks in. Dust will still stick, and some wiping will need to occur, but it will be very minimal. Don’t expect this traction to be Kobe 9 good because you will be disappointed.
The cushion was by far my favorite part of the Kobe NXT 360. You get a drop-in midsole that features Lunarlon foam along outer edge for structure and support. Plush React foam is used at the center of the midsole for that feel-good softness.
At first I was a bit skeptical about this setup because the last React cushioning system I tested was pretty trash (Hyperdunk 2017). However, that was not the case for the Kobe NXT 360. This cushion was fire — and this dual-density foam has become my favorite cushioning set up of all time. The comfort is there, the impact protection is there, the court feel is there — the stuff is just amazing.
If I’m walking around or standing around the cushion it’s plush and somewhat bouncy. If I apply any force, whether it’s running, jumping, or cutting, it doesn’t matter — the cushion stiffens up a bit, so I don’t sink into to the midsole, and becomes a bit more bouncy. It’s almost as if the React is actually reacting.
Now for the materials. 360-degrees of Flyknit equals one word: bomb. This thin material is so durable and supportive it’s mind boggling because it’s like nothing is there. The Flyknit doesn’t stretch much due to the heating process that sets it, but because it wraps beneath the foot (360-degrees) it moves with you so well I honestly don’t have anything negative to say it. I’m almost speechless when it comes to materials in the Kobe NXT 360 — the stuff was that good.
The fit of the Kobe NXT 360 is a bit longer up front, and depending on how you wear your kicks, some people may want to go down half-size. Players who like the wiggle room for your toes should stay true to size.
Widefooters: I’m sorry, but this shoe just isn’t for y’all. No disrespect to the wide-footers out there, but if y’all squeeze in this shoe it’s going be very uncomfortable for you. For starters, people with wide feet tend to make shoes flatter than usual because the shoe is stretching out width wise. Being that this Kobe is already so low to the ground, a wide-footer might as well be hooping barefoot because this shoe can’t get any flatter.
Lockdown was like a vacuumed sealed bag, but with tons of airflow, and I wasn’t going anywhere. I did have to re-lace the Kobe NXT 360 a few times, but once the materials broke in and took the shape of my foot I was able to dial in the lockdown the way I wanted.
Without the drop-in midsole, the support is nowhere to be found. Once the midsole is in place the support will become incredible. What I’m trying to say here is all of your support is mainly coming from the drop-in the midsole, which cups the entire foot to give you some excellent containment.
Beneath the midsole you will find a transparent shank plate for stability. An external heel counter also found its way onto the 360’s and does a damn good job at cradling the heel and locking it down. Flyknit 360 is the icing on the cake because it wraps the drop-in midsole and the foot for added support. What a fantastic experience.
Overall, the Kobe NXT 360 is the best Kobe shoe since the Nike LeBron Soldier 12, in my opinion. The traction isn’t as good as the Kobe 9, but I don’t care because everything else makes up for the just slightly above average traction. Plus, you can roll the shoes up and put them in your pocket.
The Kobe NXT 360 is fire — and that’s jordans for all I have to say.

LeBron and Durant and Nike Top NBA in Sneaker For Sale

Although King James isn’t favored to snatch the title this season, he still has the top-selling signature shoe.
The rankings are as follows: 1. LeBron James, 2. Kyrie Irving, 3. Kevin Durant, 4. Stephen Curry, 5. Michael Jordan.
Nike dominated the market with three of the five top-selling signature athletes. Of note, Durant sold more than his teammate Curry in 2017, a swap from the rankings in 2016. Nike is sitting comfortably atop the basketball sneaker market with James, Irving, and Durant.
According to NPD Group, a market research organization, Nike’s market share of the $1 billion performance basketball market was 73.5% in 2017, while the Nike-owned Jordan Brand added another 7.8% share. However, despite obtaining a massive market share in basketball performance sneakers, basketball isn’t a huge part of the footwear market.
“Basketball has fallen from its height of being an important streetwear product to really out of fashion right now,” Matt Powell told Forbes. In the performance basketball market, where shoes typically retail for around $120, peaked at $1.3 billion in 2015 but shrunk 13.6% last year.
Kyrie Irving, on the other hand, is bucking the trend by being the only one of the top five players to see an increase in his signature shoe sales last year. He may prove to be the next king of the basketball performance sneaker game.
Interestingly, retro sneakers are still seeing a healthy dose of revenue generation; according to NPD, retro is more than three times the size of performance basketball with sales at $3 billion last year. Jordan had a 65% share of retro basketball in 2017, followed by Nike (23%), adidas (9.3%), and Puma (2.3%). Although retro sneakers are not factored into the 2017 top-selling signature shoe chart, that market is certainly holding up.
Who do you think will have the best sneaker in 2018? Let us know in the comment section below.