What changed on the adidas Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20? The new adidas Ultraboost PB (Personal Best) recently launched on adidas.com. The price point of $180, which is the same price as the Ultraboost 20.
And thanks to the good people at adidas, we have the Ultraboost PB in hand for a comparison with the Ultraboost 20 and our first impressions.
Note: We have a similar Ultraboost 20 vs Ultraboost 19 comparison here.
Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20: What’s the same?
TPU heel clip
Continental rubber outsole
Torsion bar
Midsole
Insole
Weight (almost)
The Boost midsole including the plastic torsion bar, TPU heel clip, and Continental rubber outsole are exactly the same. The insole is also exactly the same.
You’ll get the same step in comfort as the Ultraboost 20. And since the midsole/outsole setup is the same, the midsole drop matches at 10mm. The stack height is 22 mm in the heel and 12mm in forefoot, an exact match to the Yeezy 350
And interestingly, despite what looks to be a much sleeker upper, the overall weight is almost the same. In a size 9, the Ultraboost PB weighs 10.8 ounces and the Ultraboost 20 weighs 10.9 ounces. The upper materials on the Ultraboost PB appear thinner and lighter but don’t make much of a practical difference when it comes to weight.
Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20: What’s the difference?
Upper design, materials, and fit
Laces
The Ultraboost PB is supposed to be a “faster” iteration of the Ultraboost 20. Would I say it’s faster? No. It’s just different. Whether you prefer the normal Ultraboost 20 or the Ultraboost PB comes down to what you prefer for the materials and fit of your running shoe.
The Ultraboost PB brings an all new upper to the air jordan line. Early Ultraboosts were engineered mesh and recent years have transitioned to Primeknit. The Ultraboost PB ditches Primeknit entirely in favor of Celermesh. It’s a super thin, light, plastic-y mesh. It’s breathability is amazing. Celermesh is adidas’ thinnest mesh and is clearly made for warm climates. The inside of the Celermesh has been layered with a criss crossed felt pattern that gives the mesh structure. While the support material does allow the Celermesh to retain its shape, it also prevents it from stretching. The Ultraboost 20’s upper has a lot more flex to fit various foot types while the Ultraboost PB’s upper is stronger and stiffer. Though the Ultraboost PB still fits true to size, the Celermesh makes it fit more narrow through the midfoot than the Ultraboost 20. Wide footers will need to try on the Ultraboost PB to be sure they enjoy the fit.
At the heel of the shoe, the felt material covers the entire inside of the shoe and even includes two nice-sized achilles pillows. This makes for a fairly comfortable heel, that, while not as comfortable as the plush heel of the Ultraboost 20, is very nice considering the minimal materials used.
The laces, which are slightly thinner and stiffer than the Ultraboost 20 laces, are strung through 5 traditional lace holes. The lace holes are fused to the Ultraboost PB’s upper versus the usual TPU lace closure of previous Ultraboost models.
The tongue is a thin neoprene-type material that is sewn to the outer edges of the fuse lace holes. It’s a comfortable tongue, featuring some holes for breathability, and some padding at the top middle where the adidas logo is found. While the tongue is a departure from the integrated socklike tongues of the Ultraboost 19 and 20, it doesn’t have any functional issues. I felt it was comfortable despite it’s non traditional construction.
Overall
The overall adidas Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20 comparison results are the shoes feature the same midsole/outsole but with a completely different upper design and materials. The Ultraboost PB’s upper is stiffer, stronger, more breathable, and fits narrower. It’s a change that some will love and some will hate. If you’re considering the Ultraboost PB, go try it on to make sure you like the materials and fit of the upper.
For my part, I think the Ultraboost PB is a nice change up. After running multiple miles in the Ultraboost PB, I find I prefer the comfort and flexibility of the Ultraboost 20 upper for most regular runs while I use the Ultraboost PB for faster days or warmer runs where I need the extra airflow.
Do you even protro bro? Pros: traction, fun cushioning, fit, support, stability, containment, looks dope Cons: gets hot, shell toe can hurt on hard stops Best for: Any position Buying Advice: I didn’tsee any marketing for these at all except for some NBA players wearing them. Got them for $70 bucks off adidas which is very fair. Bottom around $40
Weight
15.5 ounces so basically the same weight as the yeezy 350 and any other modern mid. “Technology” these days
Traction
Nothing fancy no story telling no homage to anything and it still works great after all these years
Sticky as pho noodles when clean or freshly wiped and a little wiping needed on dusty floors. Sign me up !
Great job Adidas !
Cushioning
These have been upgraded from to Bounce and it just makes the shoe way more fun. Adidas was behind in the cushioning game for years and years and years .. and more years until Boost and Bounce so it’s nice to see Adidas refresh a bunch of their older shoes. Itdoes not feel as plush and soft as the Lillard 2 because Bounce (and foams in general) needs volume to feel great like the Dame 2. I’d say these feel like more like Dame 5 in terms of feel with enough feedback and bounce to make the shoe feel fun (NB are you reading this? ). The PM rides low to the ground like the nmd r1 Since cushioning is thinner in the forefoot than the heel but there is still enough Bounce to give you some feedback and from heel to toe.
Thank you Adidas, time to refresh everything from 1995–2013.
Fit
These fit a little long ( not Marquee Boost long ) but more like typical Adidas sizing. I had a little more than a finger width but less than a thumb at the toe. Although I went true to size I think most people will want to go half a size down. Despite going true to size there was zero movement inside the shoe or any heel slip due to the higher cut and ability to pull the ankle down and back.
No issues at all with the fit although I could have gone down half a size to cut some space at the toe. Like any good shoe should fit, these are adaptable and TTS fit just fine.
Materials
Close your eyes if you do not like wrinkles .. and someone bring me some strivectin.
Patent is stiff to start but as you break it in and allow those creases to form, you’ll have no issues. Keep in mind that the forces from your 150, 175, 200 pound body is more than enough to move a pliable thin piece of patent leather a few millimeters, so don’t give me the “I wish it were Primeknit” cry. It doesn’t matter folks.
However, patent leather around the entire shoe makes for a hot shoe.. I mean literally it gets hot.
There is a reason MJ didn’t cover his shoe in patent leather and that reason would be breathability. I had to take my shoes off to let some air in the first night because since the AC was off (and we kept winning) . If you’re playing just a league game for forty minutes you’ll be fine but if you’re going longer, do yourself a favor and let your dogs breathe.
And yes the shell toe is iconic but like my beloved Soldier VI, it will hurt like a mofo on some hard stops. The trick to fewer toe bruises is to make sure you crank the top laces down so your foot can’t slide too far forward or quickly.
Support and stability
Support is just enough to notice bc of the mid cut and the stiffer patent leather but as you can see above it’s still plenty pliable.
Midfoot support is solid thanks to old school torsion which is really just a piece of plastic right in the middle of the shoe (man I was ignorant back then!). The shoe isn’t as stiff as something with a a hard plastic shank or carbon fiber but it isn’t a rollie pollie either like a lot of shoes these days.
Stability is average. It has a little curvature to the heel but nothing dramatic and I found it more stable than the Omn1 and Dame 6 with my heel test. I do wish it were flatter like most of my shoes but hey, I didn’t design these. Btw my camera angle is bad and makes these look curvier than they actually are.
Overall, no issues here.
Containment
No stretch Patent leather ? No problems here
Conclusion
Updated retros seem to be all the rage these days with Adidas, Nike, and Puma all getting in on the act and I freaking love it. The OG promodel was everywhere back in the day and Adidas did them right by keeping the look true to the OG. A lot of people love to say how great tech is these days but in reality, Nike was so far ahead of everyone that there hasn’t really been any major tech advances that make a difference unless you’re not Nike. Adidas was so far behind with cushioning that updated the Promodel with Bounce just made an average feeling shoe into something special. Compared to any “modern” hoops shoe, the ProModel checks all the boxes.
Good traction ✔️
Fun cushioning ? ✔️
Good fit? ✔️
Supportive and stable ? ✔️ –
Containment? ✔️
All these checks despite being older than a lot of a lot of kids watching YouTube (I’m proud most of my readers are older). I’d easily take these over the Omn1s despite being half the price after discount.
Speaking of pricing, I don’t expect these to move off the shelf since many people will look at these and see an old outdated shoe with whack styling. (you can barely see the “Bounce” label on the back of the shoe) But those who balled back then know the goodness of the Promodel and may even turn back the clock for some.
This is a other shoe that toes the line for me. I love everything about it but the heat buildup, some toe banging, and a very slightly curved heel won’t allow me to give it a first team but I still really enjoy wearing them overall especially for the price. Did I mention these look ?
I wrapped this review up a week or two ago but I didn’t want to publish it because it didn’t feel like the right time; I didn’t know what to say or how to say it so rather than write some long epic novel about life, death, and celebrity I thought I’d just post this review. Kobe was never my favorite player but I loved his shoes and Nike did the Protro retro right.
Pros: improved traction, comfortable cushioning, outstanding fit, support and stability, containment, best in class ultra lightweight ..nothing is even close to these in terms of weight
Cons: hard to get, Zoom Turbo really can’t be felt much
Best for: I’d say small light guards but basketball is positional less now so why can’t the shoes be
Buying advice: good luck
Weight:
Same as the OG at 12 ounces which is a half to a full ounce lighter than anything else I’ve seen in the last few years. Weight doesn’t matter to me but my first time picking up the OG box I wondered if there was anything inside. Most lows these days weigh about 13-14 ounces for reference.
Traction
For the first time in a Protro, Nike actually (slightly) changed the pattern on the outsole. There are more points of contact on the Protro to make the traction a a little better..better enough for me to consider sliding these into the rotation.
OG left, Protro right
If you look at the pic about it looks like a good 20-25% more contact points. The rubber feels the same as beforeFYI. Nikeslightly dulled the pattern to create even more contact (similar to how I like a worn down Kobe VI).
Thank you improving the major flaw of the Kobe V Nike.
Well done!
Cushioning
Zoom Turbo in the forefoot…yea that technology shit ship has sailed. Give us one regular shaped bag like the HD16 and we’d get a better feeling shoe. People see the perforations in the Zoom Turbo and think it adds flexibility but the flexibility of the bag is limited by the foam surrounding the bag and to a lesser extent, the outsole and upper so it’s pretty useless. I honestly hard a hard time telling where the Zoom started since it all felt pretty much the same from heel to toe. The good news is the foam feels great with just enough give and bounce to it. However, I can’t say it’s an upgrade because the foam on the OG was pretty soft plus it had a big heel Zoom bag and a met bag in the forefoot. I enjoy having Zoom in the heel but I didn’t miss it in the Protro.
Overall, it’s just a wash versus the OG based on feel. On paper, it’s a little skimpy with the Zoom Turbo.
Fit
These run smaller than the OG by about half a size. If you like a super snug fit you can go true to size but the safe play is half a size up. I always loved the low profile of the shoe which gives it its sexiness but aside from its looks, it just fits like glove. The fit is fantastic out of the box, just like the OG, with zero heel slip, no movement side to side no deadspace anywhere. No need to poke holes, work the shoe like an accordion, pre wear them casually to break them in or any of that nonsense. The V IS still one of the best fitting shoes I’ve ever worn.Put it on, go play, forget you’re wearing a shoe.
Still awesome after ten years of sneaker “tech”, 4d printing and AI.
Materials
Flyskin…new from Trojan!
Just Like the OG the upper pops a little bit to start but doesn’t affect play since it’s so thin and pliable (Trojan inspired indeed). It breaks in after about an hour or two anyways. One problem with the OG was that the upper would rip and since the upper hasn’t changed at all, I expect more of the same because let’s face it, quality control isn’t Nike’s biggest strength. Still sexy as hell to look at in this colorway and one of my favorite shoes to just look at of all time. Can show companies merge looks and “tech” or does whack looks sell nowadays ? If so bring back the Dadas
Support and stability
Zero issues here Just like the OG
Fit is ridiculously good especially in the heel thanks to a perfect heel fit and a sturdy external heel counter . Hey NB are you listening ? I said sturdy think heel counter.
S T U R D Y: antonym, see Omn1 heel counter
Midfoot support is great since Nike still employed the Carbon Fiber shank.
Stability is excellent as before thanks to a forefoot outrigger and Y heel. Hey Adidas and NB take some cues, you want stability in the heel and the Y allows the heel to flex more independently. I always loved this concept.
Containment
No issues here.
Conclusion
For the first time, Nike made a change that was actually impactful by improving the traction on the Kobe V. However, they also went a little sideways with the cushioning but I’m not mad, it works just fine. Everything else is pretty much the same as the OG sans cushioning which, for better or same or worse, you can’t feel much. Thankfully the foam is forgiving and soft so you have a really smooth and enjoyable ride from heel to toe even if it doesn’t have the Zoom signature feel.
As you all well know, Kobe prices have gone through the roof as Nike pulled all Kobe items off the online store to prevent resellers from capitalizing on his passing so in reality this review is pretty useless unless you want to fork out $400 plus to ball in. If you’re spending $400 bucks, you won’t care what any review has to say because it ain’t about the shoe’s “performance”. People complained and cried about the prices of the Kobe 4 Protro but as I said before, prices, especially with retros, aren’t about tech at all, it’s about nostalgia and connections to the past whether it be watching your hero play in them or reliving found memories of younger yourself wearing them. Jordan retro prices are over $200 on average and the average consumer doesn’t blink an eye, you know why? Because everyone still wants to be like Mike and sex sells. Not many shoes out there that have the significance or memories adults like myself built up in our head growing up. I remember the time air jordan dunked from the free throw line or when he hit the shot over Ehlo. (Don’t worry I didn’t see it live, we didn’t have cable so I saw the replays). The same goes with Kobe or any sports figure who has done great things on the court or field or course.
I certainly hope that Nike floods the market with recent Kobe’s to help satiate the demand. Flood the market, make money while making the fans happy and honoring Kobe? That sounds like a win win to me.
The Li-Ning Way of Wade 8 impresses after wear-testing. Find out more in our Way of Wade 8 Performance Review.
I was concerned a bit with the Way of Wade 8’s traction due to the line’s track record. The annual WoW model isn’t necessarily known for its positive remarks on its ability to cover you on the hardwood. However, the WoW 8 did a solid job and handling the court.
I played with the Way of Wade 8 on numerous floors and each time I was pleasantly surprised by how good it held the floor. The only time I had any issues was not when dust was present — which was another pleasant surprise — but only when I’d hit one of the sweat droplets coming off of everyone at the gym. For some reason, a little bit of moisture was this rubber compound’s kryptonite. Luckily, I didn’t hit too many of those sweat droplets, but boy was I in for a slippery surprise when I did.
Outdoors, the air jordan was great. No issues at all — and we’re talking about outdoor winter hoops. When debris is all over the court due to winds and random rain storms out here in the Sacramento area. There was some noticeable wear and tear on the outsole after two hours of outdoor playing, but it was very minor. Honestly, it looked very similar to the slight fraying you’d see on a lot of soft rubber compounds after some indoor hoop sessions.
The Way of Wade 8 uses what Li-Ning calls BOOM cushion. It’s a Pebax based foam that is similar in feel (in-hand) to Boost, but not as soft.
When you first wear the model they’re a bit stiff all-around, but once you start running around in them the BOOM cushioning starts to sine. It absorbs impact really well and is able to bounce back from impact in a way that almost mimics Nike’s Zoom Air technology.
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, I can’t believe that we now have foams that can mimic the feel of Air so well. It’s a testament to both Nike’s technology and how far foam cushioning has come. Nike has been using it’s Air cushioning systems since 1978. They’ve tweaked the way it’s structured and implemented since then, but the same basic function of the cushion still applies all these years later. It’s shocking to think that brands are still trying to catch up to Nike’s Air system 42 years later, however, foam has come very far since the days of rubber cup soles and PU that we now have a few foams that may rival Air. These are things I find to be fascinating in the sneaker world and I hope some of you agree.
Outdoors is where the BOOM cushioning really showed what it can do. We all know how unforgiving the blacktop can be and the WoW 8 held it’s own really well. Yes, I was still sore and in a bit of pain the evening and day after playing, but this was also me coming off of my third day straight so I can’t attribute everything my body was feeling to the blacktop.
Cordura’s Nylon was officially licensed by Li-Ning and the Wade Brand and used as the main component to the Way of Wade 8’s build. There are still some TPU Fuse panels in certain areas for reinforcement and strength, but overall, the Cordura Nylon is what you get.
There wasn’t much stretch to the material, but it wasn’t really allowed to stretch. Your foot is cradled by the midsole tooling so well that it takes the brunt of you lateral force. For added security there are lines of reinforcement stitching from heel to toe to help prevent stretching upon lateral moves as well. This wound up making the build strong for basketball style moves, but also provided me with the feeling that the upper was already broken in from a linear standpoint. Flexibility of the build was fantastic without losing support. This is often what happens when fabrics are used for the upper on basketball shoes, but not this time.
For the fit of the Way of Wade 8 I’d recommend going down 1/2 size. The Wade’s have been fitting a bit long since the Way of Wade 6, so that 1/2 size down should help with overall lockdown and internal shifting of the foot.
Speaking of lockdown, the shoe is very secure all the way around. The lacing is fairly traditional [on this version] which is great as I prefer actual laces on my shoes. Not only do I feel it looks better, but I prefer being able to adjust and customize my fit with the laces. This is something that laceless designs haven’t quite yet perfected. Don’t get me wrong, there are some solid laceless basketball shoes out there, but nothing truly replaces laces as far as being able to adjust and customize the fit to your foot. I will say that the Wade Brand has tried with the dual Boa-style design on the laceless version, but that is a lot of extra weight and build just to shove a laceless design on the shoe. You’re adding more weight the model as well. Unnecessary weight on top of that.
The support on the Way of Wade 8 is Hall of Fame level. Normally, that isn’t a great thing as it typically coincides with a shoe that is so supportive that they’re extremely restrictive. However, the WoW 8 is extremely supportive without restriction. Sweet Christmas.
The BOOM cushioning is caged by EVA and TPU. A bit excessive? Yes, but it works. It works really well too. And with a few modern day shoes using EVA to cage the foot laterally literally bursting open at the seems… the TPU reinforcement may be a good thing. Then there is the overall fit. If you go true to size and wind up with a sloppy fit then it’s likely because the shoe fits too long. Again, I went down 1/2 size and wound up with a perfect 1-to-1 fit. The little outrigger is just enough to catch you on lateral cuts, stops and changes of direction only further proving that a small outrigger is better than no outrigger.
Then we get to the Carbon Fiber shank — which is implemented in more of a spring plate fashion like past Air Jordan models [the AJ 11 and AJ 12]. This was what I was most concerned about as I’m a small guy so all this restriction can often times be too much. Luckily, that wasn’t the case here and while I did experience a bit of foot fatigue in my first few runs, the more I wore the shoe and broke-in the Carbon Fiber plate the better things got. By the end of testing I was just lacing these up and playing without ever thinking twice about the giant plate running from heel to toe.
So, Hall of Fame level support… in a good way. If you hurt yourself in these [and most other shoes] the size you’re choosing to wear is likely the issue for the lack of support and containment. That whole thumbs width amount of wiggle room is enough to cause an issue with these shoes made of softer materials.
Overall, the Way of Wade 8 was not only a surprise, but it’s just a nice playing shoe in general. The model addresses what a lot of consumers have been ranting about and takes care of them — I.E. the lack of shank plates/torsion support. However, all this awesome-ness comes at a cost… $218 to be exact (now $225). Well, plus shipping. Yeah, nearly $300 later and at least I can say I got exactly what I paid for. No corners were cut and the shoe is damn-near perfect.
I think the larger price tag could have been a bit less had the Wade Brand not licensed Cordura’s Nylon fabric. I feel they could have come up with their own textile build, reinforced it with stitching, and had a shoe that plays the same. Although, Carbon Fiber like the one used here isn’t cheap either. So those two things combined likely caused the retail price to exceed the $200 mark. Again, at least I got what I paid for.
If you were interested in trying out the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8 and they sound as if they offer exactly what you’ve been looking for in a basketball shoe then I’d say go ahead and try them out. You may end up being pleasantly surprised.
The Under Armour Spawn 2 is technically the 3rd version of the Anatomix Spawn line. You might remember either the original or the 2019 version. Today, we have a performance review of the 2020 edition of the Under Armour Spawn 2.
Sorry to spoil, but traction is easily the best aspect of the Spawn in its 2020 iteration.
This year the pattern itself is even closer in resemblance to the Nike Kobe 4 Protro foot map pattern — and traction is great, but seems to fall short of the Kobe 9 — possibly even short of last year’s reboot. Even so, it’s surely no slouch.
Stopping power is great on all types of surfaces, excluding those with heavy condensation. It has less of a tacky compound than other shoes with great traction typically have but somehow still works despite it’s dead silence. While this is irrelevant performance wise, I could see it having a placebo effect on those that feel more secure with loud screeching shoes.
The rubber is still soft, but not quite as soft as last year’s model. Still, outdoor use is not recommended as even playing strictly indoors I’ve noticed fraying in some of the thicker tread areas – which is strange. If you keep them indoors and don’t mind quiet traction, these are good money.
Candidly speaking, I’m not the guy to look to for comparison between old-school and current gen Micro-G. What I can say, is that this doesn’t feel like the best the brand has offered, based on trusted reviews of our more experienced WearTesters in the past.
Court feel is prominent and lag time minimized. Impact protection isn’t top-tier, but there’s not much to complain about in my experience. The springy feeling some may be accustomed to in other cushion setups is hardly present, but for those that don’t need or care for that feedback, it should be satisfactory.
Despite my personal preferences for the midsole, I respect it’s use in the Spawn 2 – keeping things lightweight, smooth and overall responsive as a shoe.
Just as we left off, lightweight/minimalism is the theme of the materials. UA Curry 7 also touts the upper as being supportive, but I’ll save some of those thoughts for now.
The textile upper flexes very well and moves well with the foot in the areas that it hugs well, such as the skin-like midfoot sections. This time, instead of fuse, that area is more of a neoprene material that seems to mimic the veins of a foot (I get it, but still weird). To offset that potential loss of support in materials, a lateral TPU cage has been added but it’s not at all invasive.
BUT, one problem returns to the Spawn line with materials.
Our team struggled with dead space above the toes in last year’s Anatomix Spawn Low – I regret to say I had the same issue in this year’s model. To add to that, the absence of stronger holding materials means the shoe will stretch to the point where it just doesn’t hug the forefoot well and doesn’t move as well as it should with the shoe. In a small way, it works against everything done to make the shoe minimal.
I’d love to have seen how a half-size down would have differed, but UA basketball has little to no presence locally, so I wasn’t able to conveniently try on a pair.
The good part is there is some hope for wide footers to remain true to size, but foot shape will also be a factor, so it isn’t a guarantee. A half size up could be necessary in some cases, which hopefully will not create an issue with length. Narrow footers, I would recommend a half size down.
Midfoot and back, there are good support features. The midfoot TPU cage is placed well and does it’s job, and it feels as though there is at least a small torsional support bar placed somewhere within the midsole. I also enjoy how the rubber outsole uniquely wraps up the heel as additional reinforcement.
My two critiques for support would be 1) the absence of stronger, form-fitting materials up front and 2) even though the upper has space for wide footers, the actual base of the shoe tapers heavily towards the toe, creating a slightly tippy feeling over an already rounded platform.
While the Spawn 2 may not be my preferred hoop shoe, that doesn’t make it a bad one. The brand has marketed it as a guard-style sneaker, and I can 100% understand why. Those that appreciate a purely responsive shoe should appreciate the Spawn 2, especially if the sizing works out. Even for some big men out there (those that work the perimeter), this shoe can be a solid option.
It’s not my favorite shoe, but it may work well for you if the fit works with your foot.
The Hoop team received pairs of the Under Armour HOVR Machina in advance of Under Armour’s Human Performance Summit. The shoes were sent so we could preview them and use them during the summit’s running workouts.
Of course, being WearTesters, Jodi and I jumped right into intensely testing them and put a bunch of miles on them before we even made it to the summit. Chris wore his, but didn’t test them. That’s ok, we’ll always have this gem of him testing the adidas Energy Boost in 2013. His thoughts are in the first look video. Keep reading for Jodi and I’s unfiltered performance review of the Under Armour HOVR Machina.
Cushion
Drew: The Under Armour HOVR Machina uses (surprise!) HOVR as the foam cushion. The shoe features an ample amount of HOVR. It actually has a 2mm stack height advantage on the Under Armour HOVR Infinite, UA’s most cushioned running shoe of 2019. Despite the stack height difference, the amount of HOVR used seems similar.
The 2mm difference may come from the inclusion of a Pebax propulsion plate sandwiched between two layers of HOVR in the midsole. The propulsion plate was inspired by similar plates in track spikes and adds bounce. I felt a nice spring while running in them. It wasn’t a carbon fiber plate level spring, but it was noticeable, and helped make it easy for me to wear them enough to put in 75+ miles.
And, adding to a very well-cushioned shoe, Under Armour included a thick ortholite insole to secure step-in and all day comfort. The combo of HOVR, propulsion plate, and cushy insole make the HOVR Machina Under Armour’s most cushioned running shoe to-date. Jodi: The HOVR Machina had a disadvantage when it came to my testing. I keep a rotation going during testing because there’s so many shoes and I only have two feet. So this poor shoe was pitted up against the Nike Infinity React AND the adidas UltraBoost 20. Both shoes feature instant, plush step-in comfort. So when someone asks about great cushioning in a running shoe, my mind immediately turns to those shoes. But I will say, if you’re looking for a neutral ride, the HOVR Machina holds its own. It’s a more firm set up then the other two shoes I mentioned, which made it a better shoe to take out on the road multiple days in a row. The cushion doesn’t seem to need a recovery day. So in that respect, kudos to Under Armour. Not every brand can say that about it’s cushion set up.
Materials
Drew: Complementing the midsole’s HOVR, the upper is 100% engineered mesh in a cool new pattern that’s reminiscent of a cheetah’s fur. The HOVR Machina looks fast. The tongue is also mesh and topped with soft, padded laces that don’t loosen as you run (a pet peeve of mine with some thinner laces). Most of the laces loops feature fuse reinforcement while the top two have metal eyelets. The materials don’t leave any room for durability issues.
One other thing I should mention is the inclusion of a Bluetooth performance pod in the right shoe. A lot of Under Armour shoes, even lifestyle shoes, have a performance pod now. It automatically measures distance, time, stride length, cadence (steps per minute), foot strike angle, ground contact time, pace, and calories. If you’ve paired the shoes with MapMyRun, Under Armour’s running app, it will upload all your run stats every time you log into the app. It uses AI to analyze your stats and give you tips on how to improve. If you run with your phone on and MapMyRun connected to your shoes, you can get personalized coaching tips as you run. While I wouldn’t recommend paying more for shoes with a Bluetooth setup like this, it’s fun to play with and see where your running form could improve (without having to hire a professional coach). Jodi: I would like to second how awesome the laces are. It might be a small thing, but not all laces are created equal. These are soft to the point they’re almost silky, and with enough stretch that you can tie them up without double knotting and know they are now locked into place. The engineered mesh that encases the upper is tough. I almost ate it along the streets of Baltimore where my ankle unfortunately rolled due to some horrible cobblestone. I was sure this graceful move left me with a hole in the upper and my pinky toe sticking out. Nope. There’s not even a frayed thread sticking out to remind me of my klutzy move.
Fit
Drew: The engineered mesh upper on the HOVR Machina fits true to size (though wide footers will have to break them in a little) and provides the comfort you’d expect from a mesh shoe. The tongue is also mesh and thick enough to distribute any lace pressure. The tongue is secured to the strobel board and midsole by elastic mesh straps that hug both sides of the midfoot. Because of those straps, I doubted I’d get any tongue slippage. Even then, Under Armour included the fail safe of dual loops on the tongue (one for each side of the lace) that you loop through before the final eyelets. With this setup, there’s no way the tongue moves at all. It’s super secure.
I really enjoyed the quilted mesh on the back of the tongue and around the collar. It’s still an engineered mesh, but the pattern used makes it super comfortable on the sensitive top of foot and ankle areas. I wish more brands would adopt a similar pattern when using mesh on the inside of a shoe as it was plush. The ankle area also features heavy padding underneath the quilted mesh that both helps lockdown and feels good. Jodi: The fit was difficult for me at first for multiple reasons. The first one being the tongue booty system. My wide feet had to get the straps locking the tongue into place stretched out. And even now, after 50+ miles, sometimes my socks will roll the strap on my right foot when I’m pulling the shoe onto my foot. I have to do some wiggling and maneuvering for everything to feel just right.
That dang propulsion plate Drew mentioned earlier was a bit of a hassle as well. We were fortunate enough to be invited out to UA’s Human Performance Summit and were taken into the lab where we saw the shoe fully deconstructed. You literally got to put the shoe together like a sandwich. Seeing that propulsion plate, I was like, this little guy is what’s giving me problems? I love the idea of it. Who doesn’t want help being propelled forward on a run? But the way it was caged inside of the tooling made the shoe extremely stiff to the point I could feel my heel slipping out of the shoe on those first runs. If you watch our initial look video, I talked about how I was having a serious love/hate relationship with the HOVR Machina because of this. When it came down to it, I just needed to break everything in. The sole hello base of the shoe is now much more pliable and I am locked into place. Which brings us to support…
Support
Drew: The HOVR Machina’s support is pretty normal for a neutral running shoe. There’s a normal sized internal heel counter, you sit slightly inside the midsole at the heel, and the lateral forefoot midsole flares out slightly into a very small but natural outrigger. These aren’t meant for any type of offroading but they’ll do great on city streets or roads. Jodi: Once the stiffness of the shoe was worked out, I was able to appreciate other aspects of the shoe. The heel is super padded around the collar, and balanced out nicely along the top of the tongue. And the engineered mesh along the whole upper is great because it doesn’t stretch on turns or uneven pavement. All of that left my feet feeling really secure.
Traction
Drew: The outsole is a mix of blown rubber and high abrasion rubber. It’s an improvement from the UA HOVR Infinite but there’s still too much of the soft blown rubber. The high abrasion rubber sits at the top of the toes and the heel. While the high abrasion rubber is holding firm and showing little signs of wear, I’ve managed to really ground down the blown rubber. The HOVR Machina’s outsole will still last 300+ miles but by the time you get there your forefoot strike zone will be bald as your Uncle Donny with no comb over to save(?) the day. Jodi: I understand the purpose of blown rubber, it makes the shoe lighter and helps give you a more cushioned ride. But I too wish there was less of it. I’m a supinator, which leads me to destroy the outside edge of my traction in most running shoes. So I wish the high abrasion rubber they use on the heel and toe also wrapped up along the edge where I land. I’m pretty confident this shoe will last the typical 300+ miles, but I’m right there with you Drew. That last mile you run in them better end at your local running store for a new pick up.
Overall
Drew: The Under Armour HOVR Machina is a nicely built running shoe. If not for the beloved original Under Armour HOVR Sonic, the HOVR Machina would be the new high water mark for Under Armour running shoes. At $150, the price is about $10-20 too high but not entirely out of the right general range. The great news is that the HOVR Machina is a running shoe that competes well with everyday trainers from all the other major brands. With running being such a big category, it’s nice to have other brands producing shoes that are just as good as their larger, richer competitors. That just gives us consumers more choices to find the perfect shoe for our feet. Jodi: I personally found the HOVR Machina to be a great improvement over my last experience with Under Armour, the HOVR Infinite. It’s sturdy and comfortable, and if you happen to grab this colorway, everyone is going to see you on the running trails and they will let you know about it. I received lots of compliments on them. If you’re not a social butterfly and want to fly more under the radar there’s a lot of great neutral colorways coming too. Hopefully you found our thoughts on Under Armour’s latest runner helpful. Make sure you join our hoop jordan Discord Community so you can chat with us about your experience with running shoes from Under Armour.
After making an impressive return to performance basketball with the AND1 Attack, AND1 improves upon the original with the Attack 2.0.
The traction hasn’t changed at all between the original Attack and the Attack 2.0. Sometimes no change is a good thing as the traction was the Attack’s strongest suit.
As the wavy tread covers and chevron pattern makes its second appearance, the performance is still just as good. Even with this colorway offering a translucent outsole. Toe-offs feel strong and secure while quick stops and direction changes (toe drag) feel secure. This is a setup that doesn’t requite much wiping at all, but it also didn’t offer any of that squeak that a lot of players tend to gravitate towards. Sound never equals traction, so I wouldn’t let that bother you.
Outdoors isn’t an issue. The Shoe started as a streetball brand and they continue to build upon that heritage with footwear that can handle the blacktop and the hardwood.
Much like the traction, the cushion/midsole tooling hasn’t changed between the original model and the 2.0.
Harmonix RX makes a return, but the RX seems to have been dropped from the name. The material is still ETPU (Boost-like) and sits under the strobel and insole. You will need to break in the tooling a bit, but it’s pretty quick and painless. The thickness isn’t anything crazy so don’t expect a ton of bounce or energy return under-foot.
However, you’ll receive a nice balanced ride offering adequate impact protection along with plenty of court feel. Losing neither of the two.
I’ve been playing in the AND1 Attack 2.0 on and off for about half a year, both indoors and outdoors, and the shoe just feels comfortable no matter which type of court I choose to play on that particular day.
Materials are where we see the most change between the original Attack and the 2.0.
The dated Fuse is gone and replaced with modern textiles, neoprene and some synthetics. This kept the shoe lighter feeling when on-foot without sacrificing much in terms of durability. Its synthetic layers are at the heel and forefoot — typical high-wear areas — so you should be good. However, there are different materials in those sections depending on the colorway. I don’t anticipate much difference in performance overall, but you could end up having some more apparent visible wear and tear with the colorways offering a softer material.
They fit is true to size, but you will need to adjust your laces until you find the perfect fit/tightness for your foot shape.
With one piece builds like the one featured on the Attack 2.0, I tend to want to yank my laces as tight as possible to ensure I get the snug fit I prefer. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the way to go with these as the knit doesn’t work too well with lace pressure. Some adjusting here and there and I can say that I’ve found what works best for me without any foot fatigue or numbness.
Lockdown at the midfoot is solid, along with the rear (very solid in the rear) but I did have a bit of volume in the toe. The lebron 17 feels like it’s build around a slightly different last than the previous model (which was pretty damn tight for most people) which offered me a bit of space between my foot and the material. Given that this shoe (in this colorway) has a synthetic toe panel, there was some bubbling in the area that I didn’t love. I do have a second pair with a textile toe and those feel a bit better as the material flexes and moves better with my foot. I still would have liked something a bit more in between the fit of the Attack and the Attack 2.0, but for those that like to have a little bit of space then you should prefer this version over the last.
The support is solid and has everything that almost any other basketball shoe has.
There is an internal heel counter in place while the midfoot offers a TPU shank for torsional support. The midsole doesn’t cup you foot in the forefoot, but the heel portion does which is a feature I always love. I do wish there was a bit more of an outrigger, but the base is a bit wider than the upper so that helps offset the lack of outrigger.
Overall, the AND1 Attack 2.0 does everything the original did, but the materials are a lot nicer. I may lean towards the overall fit/shape of the previous model a bit more, but that may depend on the day. If my feet are a little swollen the original model were a bit too suffocating while the 2.0 version never gave me that suffocating feeling. Traction is still a beast while the cushion is a nice balanced ride that you may not expect from AND1 given its past.
If you have a chance to try the AND1 Attack 2.0 out then I’d say go for it. They don’t feature a mainstream brand logo, but they offer a pretty powerful punch on-court in terms of performance.
The adidas Ultraboost 20 performs a lot like the adidas Ultraboost 19. And that’s a good thing. The Ultraboost 19 finally made the Ultraboost into a serious running shoe. So we’re glad that adidas is continuing the tradition. There were some differences between the 19 and the 20 that we briefly mentioned in our comparison post. We’ll explore most of them more in depth here. 3, 2, 1, launch:
Cushion Based on the drop measurements, the Ultraboost 20 may have less Boost overall than the Ultraboost 19 but it’s not noticeable while running and, let’s be honest, it’s still a lot of Boost. Some of the adidas marketing materials say that it’s 20% more Boost than the original Ultraboost which is exactly what they said last year. So, maybe there truly is no difference in midsoles from 2019 to 2020 but to my eyes there’s a slight change.
Similar to last year, you’re getting a super plush ride that provides enough cushion to be a versatile everyday running shoe. It worked great for long runs, recovery runs, and every distance in between.
Traction Sporting the exact same outsole as the Ultraboost 19, the Ultraboost 20 doesn’t mess with what works. The Continental rubber covers the entire outsole, doesn’t slip on wet surfaces, and is built to be durable. After 50+ miles, there’s exactly the amount of wear I would expect. The Ultraboost 20 outsole will last 300+ miles.
Support The Ultraboost 20 offers a touch more support than the Ultraboost 19 due to three slight changes. 1) The heel uses a tighter, more neoprene-like material in place of the UB 19’s knit. The shoe is just slightly more form fitting and locked down at the heel because of that change. 2) The new lace closure replaces fused TPU mesh with a mostly synthetic version with thicker but flexible TPU edges. The lace closure is larger overall and is attached to the TPU heel clip in more places. The new version added medial and lateral support while slightly improving lockdown. Some runners will prefer the lighter lace closure from the Ultraboost 19 but I think the added support will come in handy for most people. 3) The Ultraboost 20 upper adds support with thin foam backing around the edges of the entire forefoot. The Ultraboost 19 featured some foam backing as well but the foam wasn’t as tall and didn’t go all the way around the toes. The Ultraboost 20 also has extra stitching (what adidas calls “Tailored Fiber Placement”) around the entire forefoot to reinforce the areas that need the most support.
These were all good changes and made it possible to take the Ultraboost 20 offroad and tackle light trails, something I didn’t feel was possible in the previous model.
Materials The upper is entirely made of Primeknit+, which is a finer version of Primeknit. It still has that sock like fit and feel. We’ve covered some of the other materials in previous sections but the majority of the materials are exactly the same as featured on the Ultraboost 19.
One difference that’s purely aesthetic, is an iridescent painted midsole (on some colorways). The iridescent paint color looks fantastic in person and draws compliments from random people on the street. It’s flaking off very slightly at the bottom of the backside of the heel on my left shoe (probably due to some heel landings) but otherwise looks to be holding up well. This Boost paint job seems to be as durable as adidas’ previous all black painted Boost misoles.
Fit The heel is covered with great lockdown and a cushy foam lets your achilles and ankle sink in nicely. Your foot slides easily into the sock-like upper and there’s plenty of room in the forefoot to splay your toes. I was able to find the right lace tightness after 1-2 runs and from then on I could just slide them on and be ready to run. If you liked the fit of the Ultraboost 19, think of the adidas nmd as the same fit with a couple minor upgrades.
Overall If you like running on Boost or enjoyed the Ultraboost 19, the adidas Ultraboost 20 is worth your $180. If you didn’t like the Ultraboost 19, or think Boost is too mushy for running, your opinion will be the same as it was with last year’s model. Overall, the Ultraboost 20 features some minor upgrades but sticks with the tried and true formula that made the Ultraboost 19 a best seller.
Even after heading in a new direction, the Nike PG 4 doesn’t disappoint too badly. Click through for our full Nike PG 4 Performance Review.
Similar to the moon landing inspired pattern from the PG 3, this Full-Length Air inspired pattern performed better than I had anticipated.
Every court I took the PG 4 to just proved how good the traction was night after night. Even on the worst, and dirtiest, of courts the pattern accumulated the debris from the floor, but it did not let it affect the grip in a way that made me want to change shoes. There would be times when I would be surprised to see just how much dust was collecting and falling off of these things without me noticing while playing. Best of all, the pattern is done in a way that you receive consistent traction from every spot on the sole. The grip I received at the midfoot was the same at the heel. Which was the same at the toe and both medial and lateral sides. Just consistent coverage without worry.
Traction was reliable and consistent. Two things you need when it’s the foundation of your basketball shoe.
Nike PG 4 Cushion The PG line had been using my personal favorite cushion (Zoom Air) and then they decided to switch things up for the PG 4. Initially, I didn’t want the change. I love Zoom Air and I was wishing they had just used the Zoom strobel featured in the KD 12. But the Air strobel used here proved to be just as nice — maybe even better than nice for some people.
Zoom Air has a bounce to it. You compress the unit and when you begin to lift your foot you can feel the air bag bounce back into shape in a quick and snappy fashion. Air is more of a pillow. You land onto [then into] the bag while it absorbs impact along the way. It won’t bounce back in a way that you can feel, but it maintains its shape well, so by the time your foot strikes again you have another soft and absorbent landing for the duration of the cushioning’s lifecycle.
Some players, like myself, prefer the quicker snappy feeling Zoom provides. However, there are a lot of players that love this pillowy feel under foot. It will make you feel like you’re sinking into the midsole a bit, but luckily the Air unit is thin enough to not have an effect on mobility and speed.
The midsole is thicker than I’d like, but its also wide and stable. Often times when you have plush cushion you lose stability, but that doesn’t happen with the PG 4. I do think they could have achieved the same cushioned feel with a slightly thinner midsole, but this setup wasn’t a major deal breaker.
Personally, I still prefer Zoom Air. But, there are going to be a lot of players that will fall in love with Air all over again.
Nike PG 4 Materials Materials are pretty standard for today’s modern textile/knit builds. The main difference is that they used a shroud with a zip-up enclosure. This aspect reminds me of the good ‘ol 90’s. A time when zippers were cool and ventilation was an afterthought. Luckily [for us] we now live in the 2020’s (crazy to think about) so ventilation wasn’t an afterthought this time around.
The medial half of the zip enclosure is an open knit. This area doesn’t have the torque and pressure from game play applied to it throughout your time on-court so having it remain breathable is a welcomed change. Whereas the lateral section is more of a traditional shroud with a stronger layer in place to hold you on during your cuts and lateral moves.
Nike PG 4 Fit The shoe fits a bit awkwardly. They run short length wise so I ended up going up 1/2 size. Once broken in the shoe fit perfectly, but left me wishing there was a bit more lateral support.
The lacing system under the shroud really helped save the overall fit from being too sloppy. I would have loved to have seen the foot rest within the midsole a bit more with a setup like this. There were times when I’d be moving around and would feel my foot move over the footbed a bit. The shoe held itself together well enough, but it could have been better. Especially when being compared directly to previous PG iterations where forefoot lockdown/containment seemed to have been a priority.
Nike PG 4 Support Because of these small containment issues I felt the support suffered a bit. The platform was wide and stable once planted, but getting yourself into planting position wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. Torsional support wasn’t awful, but also could have been a bit better. Perhaps the full-length Air hindered the use of a torsion bar? I’m not exactly sure. All I know if the overall tooling does feel a bit soft all-around.
If you’re needing a much stiffer setup under-foot then this isn’t going to be the shoe for you. If you’re not in need of a stiff or rigid setup, then the PG 4 may end up being perfect for you.
Nike PG 4 Overall Overall, the Nike PG 4 was very solid, but not as well rounded as I would have liked. They remind me of the Curry 7 — only opposite. The Curry 7 focused on stability and left cushion behind — even with the combination of HOVR and Micro G. Whereas the PG 4 took a new stance on cushion, and left a bit of the support/containment from the previous models behind.
I feel most people will enjoy the shoe. The $110 price point makes most people feel they’re getting a great shoe full of tech. Which, isn’t completely inaccurate. The tech specs are much more appealing than they are in the similarly priced Nike Zoom Freak 1. However, the comfort and traction aren’t enough for me to make them a go-to in the gym bag. That honor currently goes to the Nike Kobe 5 Protro — #MambaForever
Nothing fancy no story telling no homage to anything and it still works great after all these years
Sticky as pho noodles when clean or freshly wiped and a little wiping needed on dusty floors. Sign me up !
These have been upgraded from to Bounce and it just makes the shoe way more fun. Adidas was behind in the cushioning game for years and years and years .. and more years until Boost and Bounce so it’s nice to see Adidas refresh a bunch of their older shoes. It does not feel as plush and soft as the Lillard 2 because Bounce (and foams in general) needs volume to feel great like the Dame 2. I’d say these feel like more like Dame 5 in terms of feel with enough feedback and bounce to make the shoe feel fun (NB are you reading this? ). The PM rides low to the ground like the 
Close your eyes if you do not like wrinkles .. and someone bring me some strivectin. 
There is a reason MJ didn’t cover his shoe in patent leather and that reason would be breathability. I had to take my shoes off to let some air in the first night because since the AC was off (and we kept winning) . If you’re playing just a league game for forty minutes you’ll be fine but if you’re going longer, do yourself a favor and let your dogs breathe.
Support is just enough to notice bc of the mid cut and the stiffer patent leather but as you can see above it’s still plenty pliable.
Stability is average. It has a little curvature to the heel but nothing dramatic and I found it more stable than the Omn1 and Dame 6 with my heel test. I do wish it were flatter like most of my shoes but hey, I didn’t design these. Btw my camera angle is bad and makes these look curvier than they actually are.
No stretch Patent leather ? No problems here
For the first time in a 
OG left, Protro right
Flyskin…new from Trojan!
Zero issues here Just like the OG
Stability is excellent as before thanks to a forefoot outrigger and Y heel. Hey Adidas and NB take some cues, you want stability in the heel and the Y allows the heel to flex more independently. I always loved this concept.
