Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review

 All hail the Godfather

Before the Kobe IV, lows were afterthoughts for shoe companies as they would produce them after the mid releases and watch them hit the clearance bins. Now everyone clamors for the lows thanks to the innovation Nike, Kobe, and Eric Avar created in the kitchen. Although it has its flaws, the Kobe VI still outperforms most of the newer shoes despite being  seven years old. Hell, it’s still in my top five rotation today.

TRACTION

Full length multi directional herringbone gives the Kobe IV ridiculous traction. I wish they kept this pattern on the V and VI. Worked amazing back then and still sticks like glue. I’d take this traction over almost every shoe out there. No floor was too dirty for the Kobe IV.

CUSHIONING

Zoom in the heel and Lunarfoam in the forefoot. Sound familiar ? The Kobe X basically has the same set up with caged Zoom in the heel and Lunarlon in the forefoot. Zoom in the heel is perfect, stable yet bouncy. Lunarfoam, the first iteration of Lunarlon, worked ok for me but lost its bounce and bottomed outextremely quickly. However, after all these years I have gotten used to the feel and don’t really mind it anymore since the shoe excels at so many other things.

FIT

The Kobe IV was the first Kobe that I went up to an 11 in. Prior to that all my Kobes were a 10.5. These ran shorter and much narrower than the previous Kobes and really set to Nike’s new sizing since nearly  every shoe I’ve bought since the Dunk High has been an 11.

Flywire was in its infancy and wasn’t even detached from the shoe and shows up as raised lines on the upper. I mean, it really did nothing but Nike needed some kind of tech to hype right ? The upper where the Flywire was really had a plasticky feel. No additional support was provided by the raised lines known as Flywire.

Thankfully the shoe still fits like a glove thanks to a plush heel collar that all shoe companies should copy. Almost the exact same heel collar as the Kobe X. Zero heel slip, no side to side movement even on the hardest cuts.

SUPPORT and STABILITY

Support comes from a perfect fit and the Y bar to help keep the ankle from leaning on hard movements.  It works wonderfully as I can honestly say I have never turned my ankle in these in  7 years.

The Kobe IV also has an outrigger at the forefoot that really kept the forefoot stable and safe

CONTAINMENT

Woven uppers and the minimalist movement hadn’t started yet so the upper features a mix of Flywire/fuse and synthetic leather that helped provide excellent containment. None of this mesh stuff that my foot could bust through.

I know I used this pic already
Containment is further enhanced since the footbed is sits below that line you see along the forefoot.

Conclusion 

Aside from the crappy short lived Lunarfoam, the Kobe IV really was and still is a perfect shoe . Excellent traction, fit, support and stability as well as containment all in a low top form factor. It really is no wonder everyone else followed suit after the success of the IV. It took a lot of balls on Nike Kyrie 8 behalf to put a low top on Kobe but thanks to some serious innovation, they set a whole new precedent.

Jordan Jumpman Hustle Performance Review

 Let’s warm-up with the freshest Jordan brand’s take on team performance, before having a go at the big daddy – Air Jordan 33. Get ready for the Jordan Jumpman Hustle performance review…

WEIGHT: 335.5 g. / 11.83 oz

TECH: ZOOM AIR

TYPE: LOW-TOP

COLORWAYS: 2+

FIT: TRUE TO SIZE

RETAIL PRICE: $110

BD RATING: 8.2/10

BEST PLACE TO BUY: FINISH LINE 

 

PERFORMANCE

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MATERIALS

So the Jordan brand bringing back that shroud trend alive with the Why Not Zero.1 has built up a ramp for even more back-to-90s vibe by recapturing that zippered shroud upper with the two-type leather combination on the Jumpman Hustle.

Talking about that two-way leather combo, the toe cap section is rocking that extra shiny patent leather taken straight out of the AJ 11. Meanwhile, the shroud itself is made out of paper-thin synthetic leather which adds an enormous amount of containment & volume for the upper without really making the shoe play heavy/bulky due to its thin nature. And it’s definitely something that lets our eyes take a break from consistently looking at those knitted uppers. Love it.

Now the back area, including the ankle section, and everything else that is hiding underneath the shroud creates a one-piece mesh booty. Worth mentioning – I didn’t receive any fit related issues unlike experiencing some light bubble effect type of scenario in the toe area of the HP X & air max 2021. I’m willing to think that it’s mainly because of the shroud sort of containing everything together in one place. Or it’s just every single piece of the upper contributing & performing as a whole package. Either way – I’m really impressed.

 

CUSHION

If comparing the Jumpman Hustle with one of its rivals – the Hyperdunk X – that $30 dollar decrease in price leaves us with only one Zoom Air unit located in the forefoot – the rest of the midsole being pure Phylon.

Obviously, with the heel Zoom Air pillow gone, the back loses some of the fun if high-grade of bounciness is what you’re going for. Personally, phylon alone was not enough for me to really enjoy the heel unit as much as I would want to. It definitely wasn’t “dead” by any means. You’re still getting a decent amount of impact protection. But the problem for me was that it did feel some type of way constrained, I’m assuming, that has to do with the phylon compound being too firm – even for my size & weight. Man… That heel Zoom Air pillow would have changed everything.

 

TRACTION

I feel like for brands it’s so much easier to manufacture a team model, instead of a signature one just because you’re not forced to push the envelope as hard as possible by inventing top-of-the-line technologies and so on. You just pick what’s available & what is proved to work and whoa la – all of the sudden you got yourself a beastly performing sneaker. And the Jordan Jumpman Hustle is the newest proof of that.

So the bottoms are housing, no doubt about it, the best traction pattern since first it came out – herringbone. I think there’s no need to add more. Well, maybe that this stuff is a true dust assassin & the king when it comes to producing beastly bite with whatever surface you’re playing on. The spacing is rather narrow, not going to lie, but that doesn’t make any difference as far as performance goes whatsoever. Those outsoles don’t give a damn. You know your bottoms are so damn good – that the only reason you’re wiping them is to protect that icy look from turning piss yellow.

Also, street ballers should be celebrating since the rubber compound seems to be outdoor friendly – not the most durable – but you should be okay.

 

FIT

That zippered shroud and one-piece booty combo don’t sound like an easy access for any type of foot. WRONG. The tongue section actually has those rubber panels on the lateral sides for an easy access. No sweating your ass off while trying to stick your foot. They got you, bro.

So what’s going on under that shroud? Well – nothing unusual. Just your standard loop style lacing system. Which has been working flawlessly since I remember it – tight lockdown, your heel is pushed in its ideal spot, no some type of sliding – you get the point.

Now when it comes to actual sizing. These do fit a tad bit narrow but not as narrow enough for regular footers to go up in sizing – true to size is what I recommend. For wide footers, on the other hand, might want to go half a size up. Either way – you ain’t zipping that zipper on. Talking about the zipper, I loved how it tightens up the whole front construction of the shoe, creating that awesome custom fit.

 

SUPPORT

Can’t say a single bad word against the upper – that area did it thing flawlessly. Strong foot containment in all areas possible, especially on the lateral side. And all of that does come without costing any issues with the comfort whatsoever. I still was having that almost flyknit-like second-skin fit, as flexibility wasn’t intact as well.

Can’t say the same about the midsole. First of all, I’m definitely not a super explosive/shifty player. That being the case, I didn’t experience my foot busting off the footbed when performing mad stuff. Yet, that pretty marrow platform that you have under your foot & not having an outrigger to compensate all of that or at least some of it – explosive players should definitely put that into consideration. Everything else was on point tho.

 

OVERALL

I would gladly pay those extra $20-30 in exchange for that juicy fat Zoom Air unit in the heel. It makes me so freaking mad when something is so close to taking that big W but comes short in such a frustrating fashion. Just noticed – I accidentally described last night’s the Lakers vs the Spurs game. LOL

Anyway, the Jordan Jumpman Hustle should have been in this year’s TOP 5 list of best performers, yet, was hit by LeBron’s brick free throws, basically. Keeping it serious – they’re still awesome/fun/solid performers. It was some much fun to play in them – definitely going back to them once I have some free time from testing shoes. And if you’re one of those ballers who doesn’t use their heels so often & doesn’t mind having firmer cushioning – this might be your best investment this season.

 

Risewear Halo 720 Performance Review

 Executive Summary: I know 99.99999999999% of people will brush these off but if you’re looking for a bang for your buck shoe that does it all or just an outdoor shoe to beat up, these are it.

Risewear ? More like Surprisewear! 

I don’t know much about Risewear or it’s backstory but I’ve always been curious how a discount brand performs on court. I could have bought some Shaq’s but to tell you the truth, the design and look of the Halo 720 looks better than Shaq’s and a lot of the whack jobs out there today.  It seems Risewear pulled a play from the Hyundai or Kia playbook and made an nice looking for less than the big boys. I find these very Air Jordan 1 and  Hyperdunk looking for the crazy low price of $29.99 available at Kmart using coupon code SHOE10. I even got 4% back on befrugal. (Just looked today, they are $34.99-29.99 without coupon)

The Halo 720 is named after The Air Up There’s 720.

I can’t do that on a 7 foot goal without a ball . Lol

Ah the word Kmart. I remember back in the day Kmart was a demeaning word.
“Oooh your mommy buy those at Kmart? ”

“Is that a Blue light Special?”

I have no idea if Kmart is still looked at in that light anymore nor do I care because I’m a mature man now.  Sadly there are no more Kmart stores around Texas as Walmart and the internet basically killed off everyone.

But I digress and I applaud Risewear for making a good looking inexpensive shoe. I also applaud Shaq for bringing a huge superstar name at an affordable price to an “uncool” segment of the footwear industry.

Pros: good indoor traction, great outdoor traction, outsole durability, fit, materials, decent cushioning, support and stability, containment, price

Cons: traction needs some break in time indoors, needs a lot of wiping on dusty floors, no half sizes past size 11, deadspace on top of forefoot, could use more midfoot support

Sizing: runs short about 1/4 size

Best for: guards

Buying advice: I don’t think they get much cheaper than $29.99.  Retail: $44.99 and $39.99 mid and low respectively

Weight

Surprised it was only half an ounce difference between the low and mid. Usually it’s about an ounce.

Traction:

I get asked all the time about a good outdoor shoe and this pattern and compound will be durable outside. Look how deep the herringbone runs. It says “non marking” which is usually something you see only on outdoor shoes.  Would make sense the old And1 guys are called STREETballers eh?

Indoor performance was great on clean floors (what isn’t ?) Dirty floors do require a lot of wiping which is expected since the rubber isn’t ultra soft; that’s the trade off you pay for durability.

I would have preferred plain full length herringbone but the idea to make lateral side like the did was to help with side to side movements and stops. In theory it’s a nice idea but but those flat spots caused some sliding on dusty floors indoors.

Not the best traction ever but a great pattern for outdoors they will last. Indoor performance is similar to the Lebron Solider 10 to give perspective.

Cushioning

There isn’t much on the Risewear or Kmart website so I’m guessing it is just EVA or something similar but it feels pretty good overall all. It actually has a nice bounce to it although you won’t mistaken it for Boost, Bounce, Micro G or Zoom.  Feels similar to Nike Phylon. I like it better than the Bounse on the Wade 4. By the way, I can six of these for the price of one Wade 4. 

It is low profile so you feel close to the floor and I didn’t have any bottoming out. If this is just EVA or Phylon, I don’t expect it to last long because once that foam compresses it pretty much stays that way.

Risewear also took a play out of the Adidas playbook and gave us a thin insole.. or maybe it was the other way around ? Time to play insole swap.

Overall, I expected the cushioning to be below average since the shoe retails for so little and there probably isn’t a bunch of RnD or proprietary foam. So it was nice to be surprised that it actually felt better than average. No knee pain or other aches after 90 minutes pickup sessions so I’m more than pleased.

Fit
I went true to size with my size 11 and I feel it runs about a 1/4 size short. However there aren’t half sizes above 11 so I made due. No issues with width for my wide feet.

Why are there no half sizes above 11?

My guess is that half sizes above 11 don’t sell well and that’s a money saver to cut out unpopular sizes.

Regardless of length, the Halo fit me perfectly width wise and I had no movement side to side and my ankle was locked in from the get go. There is some dead space in the toe box but it sits on top of the foot which is perfectly fine.  No frills, no gimmicks. Heck they only have two colorways instead of thirty and that helps keep costs down for everyone.

I took both the mid and the low out for a spin and surprisingly, I had no heel slip in either. 

The mid does an excellent job sucking the heel and ankle back with the use of the synthetic straps around the ankle.

The low does a great job holding the heel down due to the overall design that grab the Achilles like fingers.

No need to poke holes anywhere right YEEZY 350 ?

Also the low has a midfoot strap that actually works and puts extra lockdown at the midfoot.

I really think they need to cut the strap 3/4 of an inch or add more Velcro though because that overhang starts flipping upward and gives it a worn out cheap look.

Overall, the fit is great even with a little deadspace in the toe box. I feel the mid gives a better one to one fit due to the ankle collar though.

Well done Risewear!

Materials 
Before I picked up my pair at Sears ..yes Sears still exists..I thought that the materials and build quality would be total garbage but I was wrong. No crispy cracker Kyrie 1 fuse but instead it’s a softer fuse similar to what you’d find in an older Hyperdunk or midlevel Nike.

No hotspots and very little break in time needed to eliminate the bit of stiffness there is in the upper.

The rear lateral and almost the entire medial side even features a nice synthetic leather.

I thought it was leather until I smelled it. I think the synthetic leather on the lateral side would have made more sense but oh well.

Even the tongue is decently padded and features a nice synthetic leather

Overall great materials which you’d expect to find on much higher priced shoes.

Support and Stability 

The support comes mainly from the fit and the heel counter which is surprisingly stiff.

It is stiffer than what you’ll find on the Curry 2, KD 14, Hyperrev 2016 and does a nice job holding the heel and Achilles in place.

It also has a small plastic midfoot shank . I really couldn’t tell it was there but I can see it. The Halo is already low to the ground but is also stable at the heel and passes my heel test easily. I had no qualms or worries playing in these.

I should also note that the shoe is very flexible in the forefoot due to two deep flex grooves. No break in time required to get a natural feel.

Well done Risewear!

Lateral Containment 

No raised midsole or physical barrier to contain the foot had me worried but the extra layer of fuse did a good job holding the foot in place on the footbed on hard cuts. Using stiffer synthetics definitely helps with lateral containment.

Conclusion 
Dear Nike, Adidas, and UA,

Please take a step back (not jumper) and look at what can be achieved with a minimal budget. No outstanding modern tech, no storytelling, no frills or gimmicks. Just a basketball shoe that you can pick up on the cheap, lace up, look good and play well in. There is no shame buying a pair of shoes at Kmart especially when you’re (blue) lighting up your opponents in a shoe that costs a fraction of the big names.

The biggest hurdle for Risewear will be competing against big names at discount stores like Marshall’s and Ross because they are typically priced around $50 and below. Given the choice of similar products, the big names will win every time. However to go out and start at a retail price of $44.99 and bringing the And1 guys on board is fantastic and I wish them best in the future.

Reebok Nano X1: Everything You Need to Know

 Ten years ago, Reebok introduced the world to a shoe, that at the time, was a completely new concept for a sneaker, a Crossfit shoe. Crossfit was several years old, but no brands made a shoe specifically for rope climbs, weights, running, box jumps, and everything else your typical WOD includes. To fill that need, Reebok introduced the Nano.

Now, after ten Nano models (click here to read our most recent review, the Air Jordan 1), we get what Reebok is billing as the pinnacle of ten years of research and evolution – the Reebok Nano X1.

Materials

While most cross training or functional fitness sneakers are stiff from the mesh construction (durability and stability are key), the Nano X1 uses a new Flexweave Knit for better flex and comfort while still being tough enough for the gym. However, in a first for Reebok, the Nano X1 will ALSO be available in Flexweave Grit, a tougher, more durable and supportive material for the crazy days or bigger athletes.

Cushion

Under foot, the Nano X1 utilizes what may be my favorite foam (also favorite of fellow testers Drew and Mrs. Wing), Floatride. The last few years, I’ve continually praised Floatride. If you need a comparison, it’s a lighter form of Boost. Last year, Floatride made its training debut in the jordan 1 high. The Floatride midsole might make the Nano X1 Reebok’s best “running” trainer.

Fit

The toebox of the Nano X1 is also reshaped from the bulkier, flat toebox of previous models to a sleeker, formed shape. This is mostly to make the aesthetics cross over from the gym to the street. Honestly, not a bad idea as long as performance doesn’t suffer.

Yes, a review pair is on the way. Stay tuned for a full performance review. It’ll take a lot to knock off the air max 2021 as Reebok’s top cross training shoe, but we’re excited to see if the Reebok Nano X1 is up to the challenge.

 

Chrome Industries Southside 3.0 Pro Review

 The Chrome Industries Southside 3.0 Pro sneaker is supposed to be a cycling shoe that you can wear off the bike. I’m used to traditional road cycling sneakers that are impossible to walk around in. A shoe with bike cleats that was functional both on and off the bike was something I always wanted to try out.

The Southside 3.0 is compatible with two-bolt clipless pedals and have a stiff nylon sole to help the shoes transfer power efficiently. I used them with Shimano SPD cleats and the pedal engagement was efficient and easy. The nylon plate does its job well. On my first ride I noticed the shoe was very supportive when I started to put power down. They are clearly not as stiff as a pure road biking shoe or even an indoor cycling shoe (like the patta x nike air max 1), but they were more than capable in all the riding I did with them. The combination of the firm upper and nylon sole made my feet feel locked in on the bike, which is exactly what you want from a clipless biking shoe.

Off the bike, the shoes are very sleek and wearable. They have enough flex to walk around comfortably, and the design is kyrie 8. This makes them perfect for commuters, backpackers, and casual riders. The shoes looked great to me in casual settings, the design is basic in a good way and the shape looks awesome on foot.  They also come in a few different versions such as a low top or slip-on option. The shoes do run about a half size big so size down and they should fit perfectly.

Chrome Industries Southside 3.0 Pro Overall

I’m a cycling tech nerd and I was impressed by the Chrome Industries Southside 3.0 Pro. The power transfer was good enough for them to work well on the bike, but the aesthetics and comfort made them very wearable off the bike as well. I will continue to use them for my increased commuting rides as well as any backpacking I do in the future.

Pros

• Aesthetics
• Wearable off bike
• Good pedal power transfer for casual riding
• Very durable vulcanized rubber outsole

Cons

• A little heavy

Crossover Culture Menace Performance Review

 The Crossover Culture Menace. One of the year’s biggest sleepers now receives a performance review.

Colorway: “Snow Patrol” White/Black

Release Date: May 2021

Style Code: G-DRFL-8-110

Price: $115

Traction

First things first, allow me to correct myself on a previous statement. The outsole of the Menace and Mayhem both combine a true solid rubber layer with translucent rubber via a special bonding process — the solid color outsole is not simply colored or painted on.

This bonding of solid rubber in the forefoot was specifically done to maximize grip where it is needed most for low-to-ground style of play and I must say, it works well for it’s intended purpose.

The Wavybone pattern provides all of the coverage and pliability needed to navigate around both ends of the floor and the solid rubber forefoot has been extremely resilient against dusty settings in my experience. This is one of those outsoles that visually looks like it can go either way, but performed stellar throughout testing.

Cushion

Twitchfoam, a new proprietary blend from Crossover Culture, is a responsive foam that runs full length in the Menace, Mayhem, and Kyrie 8. While the Drift’s Twitchfoam is tweaked more for impact absorption, the Mayhem and Menace for this performance review build upon the responsiveness of the foam by putting you closer to the ground.

Also made from Twitchfoam is the insole, which is lightweight and quickly molds to the foot. That combined with the midsole makes the step-in comfort next-level and also provides a fun experience on-court.

the step-in comfort next-level and also provides a fun experience on-court.

If I could compare the Menace cushion setup to another brand shoe, I would say it feels like a bouncier version of the Air max 2021, which is a shoe I loved. If you are looking for more outdoor play or extended indoor sessions, then I would recommend the Crossover Culture Drift which uses the same foam but is better for taking impact.

Materials

I commend Crossover Culture for blending modern and classic materials via layering across the upper. Ripstop and leather team up for a supportive and durable package that I hardly have any critiques for.

If I have to reach for a critique, I would say the Mayhem and its sock-like inner bootie construction is more comfortable around the foot compared to the Menace. However, for performance purposes I would take the Menace and its traditional construction as my top choice.

Fit

I prefer the fit of a half-size down from my true size in the Menace and all other Crossover Culture 2021 releases for performance. I’d like to think wide footers will be fine going for their true size, however if you have a store near you that stocks these then do try them on first.

Overall fit was adequate for me. The thick cuts of leather for the mudguard on the Menace creates a little volume in the toe box (hence why I opted for a half-size down), but for the rest of the shoe it is nice to have a little more customizable fit with the traditional build.

Support

The Menace never failed me as far as support goes. The dual-TPU shanks and abundance of court feel aid to torsional and lateral stability. Materials and optimal fit also enhance the support the shoe brings.

I would be more comfortable with a little stronger of a heel cup, but the internal counter of the Menace is an improvement over the Mayhem in my opinion, also making it my preferred sneaker of the two for performance purposes.

Overall

Crossover Culture continues its line of high value performance basketball sneakers at reasonable prices with the Menace silhouette. I’d recommend this shoe to the quicker, grounded players looking to give something new a try.

It’s rare in a basketball shoe that you find good grip, nice cushion, and thoughtfulness put into materials for under $120, so if you value all three in a sneaker then it may be time to look outside of the norm from other brands.

World Balance Scottie 1 Review

 

We have an exclusive first look at the World Balance Scottie 1. This shoe is significant in many ways, not the least of which is that it is the first signature shoe for a Filipino athlete by a Filipino brand in a long time – around a decade actually. That’s quite a feat for a basketball crazy nation like the Philippines. The brand was kind enough to let us get an early look at this historic sneaker.

Scottie Thompson is a Filipino professional basketball player for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the most popular team in the country’s basketball history. Scottie resonates with his countrymen because of the hustle and effort he puts out on the floor every night. He isn’t the tallest guy on the court, standing just 6’1”, but he outworks a lot of the big men in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), especially in crucial and clutch moments.

First Impressions

When I saw the silhouette of the sneaker, my immediate thought was that it resembled the Air Jordan 36 Low, one of the best performing sneakers that was released in 2020. The way the eyestays are placed as well as the overall shape give off those vibes. And I’m all here for it. What makes these different from the Jordan flagship is that these have an internal booty construction which should make for a more snug and secure fit. True to size is the sizing recommendation of the brand and we’ll test that when we get the shoes in hand.

The outsole looks typical, but interesting. There’s herringbone all over and it’s hard to go wrong with such a set up. There are segmented portions in red, which leaves us to wonder whether or not that is for foam pods in the midsole, firmer rubber, or just for design. However, as far as I’ve seen, World Balance outsoles tend to last quite a while, which is great for Filipinos who mainly play outdoors.

The cushion of the Scottie 1 has to be the feature I’m most excited and interested in. Scottie himself said this about it,

“Actually, 2 conference ko nang nagamit itong shoes and wala talaga ako masabi sa comfort and performance talaga.” (Translation: I’ve actually used these shoes for two conferences and I am left speechless with the comfort and performance.)

The brand is calling this foam compound air max 2021, which they say “provides superior and responsive cushioning that will help you outlast your opponents all season long and add explosiveness in every step.” We’ll have to give these a whirl once we get them on court.

There are also the lateral sway bars, which are plastic pieces that come up both lateral sides for containment, and a torsional shank plate that’ll help reduce overtwisting the foot. A standard external heel counter is also present with the words “hard work,” faith”, and “discipline” etched all over it. Scottie credits his success to those three attributes.

World Balance Scottie 1 Conclusion

Do I think these will perform well? I honestly think they will based on the tech specs provided. World Balance is on the come up as far as basketball sneakers are concerned and I’m hoping that these will propel them into the mainstream. Filipinos should be proud that we once again have a homegrown signature athlete with a local brand.

Nike Air Pegasus 83 Premium Review

 I was honestly surprised to see the Nike Air Pegasus 83 Premium pop up on SNKRS a few weeks ago. Retro running shoes don’t catch people’s interest like retro basketball, training or Jordan product. But I’m glad someone at Nike made this happen. The shoe appeared to be a 1:1 or remastered version of the original Nike Pegasus that, you guessed it, originally released in 1983. Retro running is a look I love for casual wear so I was interested. I turned on my SNKRS notifications and hoped that these wouldn’t sell out in a millisecond.

Luckily, I managed to grab a pair. And though they’re sold out on Nike US, a brief look at other geographies such as England and Canada showed me in stock pairs of both initial colorways. I’m also betting new colorways will arrive soon. So let’s talk retro Pegasus.

Fit

The Nike Air Pegasus 83 Premium runs a little long. But I don’t recommend going up a half size because the shoe is narrow at both the midfoot and heel. Given the materials used on the Patta x Nike Air Max 1, the midfoot and heel will widen somewhat once broken in. Will they widen enough to justify going a half size down? I don’t think so. Luckily, the toe box widens nicely (as good running shoes should) so your forefoot will feel great from the first wear.

Materials

The materials of the Nike Air Pegasus 83 Premium are the star of the show. They’re more premium than I expected for $100 USD. The leather used for the Swoosh logo, heel tab and inner ankle collar is fairly thick and feels good. The suede used on the toecap, eyestays and heel is also high quality. Finally, the nylon material used on the majority of the upper feels like it’s relatively high end nylon. Again, I expected lesser materials at this price point and was glad my low expectations were easily surpassed.

Plus, in addition to the upper materials, the insole is lined with leather to offer a more premium feel. And the outsole features a very thick old school rubber with a big square waffle pattern. Again, more than I expected for the price.

Cushion

The Nike Air Pegasus 83 Premium features an EVA midsole with an Air-Wedge in the heel. Well, I don’t really know if it looks the same as the original Air-Wedge, but I do know there’s encapsulated Nike Air in the heel. And again, knowing the cushioning tech specs going in, I didn’t expect it to be that comfortable. But surprisingly, wearing the Pegasus 83 all day is 100% possible. The EVA is softer than I expected and the heel has the tell tale squish of an encapsulated air unit. One of my go to casual shoes right now is the remastered Nike Air Max 2021. Nike did a great job making the new Air Max 3 truly comfortable and they’ve done it again with the Nike Air Pegasus 83. I wish I could high five whoever at Nike is taking the time and care to make these retro runners and trainers as comfortable as possible. It makes a huge difference in the usefulness of the end product.

Overall

Comfort and high end materials make it easy to recommend buying the Nike Air Pegasus 83 Premium. At $100, you get more than you pay for (a rarity in today’s sneaker industry). You also get to rock the Mark Parker designed original Nike Pegasus in all it’s glory. And that’s just freaking cool.

If you’re interested in the storied history of the air jordan line, you should read a great in-depth article on the origins of the Nike Pegasus on the Mr Porter website.

Vivobarefoot Magna FG: Training in Zero Drop

 Recently, I tore my Achilles tendon. I’ve played basketball my whole life and have always been very physically active. Needless to say, it was a big blow. Going from dunking one day, to not being able to walk the next, was tough.

Once I was back home post-op, I began planning my rehab to get back to playing basketball and testing shoes as soon as possible. One of the things I wanted to make sure of was that this wouldn’t happen to me again. One thing trainers and physiotherapists brought up several times was to train with flat shoes. The theory being that with a flat shoe, the achilles tendon is completely extended while training. Shoes with a lift in the heel or heel drop (the majority of athletic shoes) shorten the tendon slightly causing the tendon to be less prepared to hyperextend when beginning to sprint. I didn’t know if I believed this theory 100%, but it was enough to pique my interest.

So, I started looking into barefoot sneakers. The brand I chose was Vivobarefoot. I was particularly interested in the The Magna FG model. It seemed to be their most versatile model and sort of resembled a hoop shoe.

It’s been seven months since my injury and I have been training with the Magna FG for just over a month. Here’s the performance review, based on my personal experience.

1. Vivobarefoot Magna FG: Training in Zero Drop
2. Traction
3. Cushion
4. Materials
5. Fit
6. Support
7. Overall

Traction

The traction on these shoes is aggressive.. They feature what Vivobarefoot calls their Firm Ground Sole, which includes an effective and durable t-shaped traction pattern meant for a variety of different surfaces.

The sole is primarily a semi-translucent gum rubber that sits on a 2.5mm base with a 4mm lug height. It’s designed to maximize ground feel and grip on everything from wet, dry, to rocky and firm terrain. The textured arch also provides zonal grip for technical trail movement.

I’ve used these shoes everywhere: on grass, over rocks, in the gym, and even on the outdoor courts near my house with zero performance issues. If I continue playing basketball outdoors, I might grind down the traction pattern. I don’t think the rubber compound was designed to withstand the sandpaper-like surface of the blacktop for long.

Cushion

This answer is simple. The shoe does not provide cushion and that’s the point. I can’t say I missed the cushion terribly. They take a little getting used to. But once you get accustomed, at least in my experience, you are not begging to have a slab of Boost underfoot.

The little (and I mean little) cushion you do get comes from the Outlast Thermal Insole inside. I really liked this feature. The temperature regulating insole helps keep your feet cool as you train by absorbing, storing and releasing heat. I haven’t had any blistering or overheating issues during the blazing hot summer months in Spain. So, I assume these guys are doing their job.

Materials

I really love the materials. They are functional, designed to take a beating and still look good. The Kyrie 8 is made from naturally scarred leather from

free-roaming cattle sourced from small-scale farmers (so not vegan friendly) with a water-resistant treatment so you can use them cross country without getting your feet wet.

The shoe’s body is made with Woolmark certified Merino wool. Wool is naturally breathable, temperature-regulating and sweat-wicking. Merino sheep are originally from Spain, so that was also a plus for me. The attention to detail and care with which the materials were selected made me feel good about the product.

I have only one bone to pick with the materials. The metal eyelets and the laces affected the long-term usability of the product. In general, l I like metal eyelets, but the laces that come with the Magna FG are TERRIBLE. The metal eyelets cut through them with only two lace-ups. Not good.

Fit

The shoe fits true to size, but the shoe is purposely roomy. The forefoot area is wider than normal to allow your toes to spread out naturally, instead of being pushed together by a more traditional pointy shoe shape. So, they feel loose in the forefoot. In this case, that’s a good thing.

Support

The support is as good as it can be with such a minimal set up. The shoe features a rubber cup in the heel and two wings on either side that pull your foot into the shoe bed and hold it in place.

Aside from that, you are depending on the lacing system to keep your foot stable.

There is nothing in the midsole, and I mean nothing. You could practically roll these shoes up and put them in your pocket. Again the lack of support is purposely designed so the shoe moves naturally with your foot.

One thing to note is that if you like to really cinch up your laces, you won’t like this shoe. If you tighten the shoe too much, it will begin cramping your foot.

Overall

I was pleasantly surprised. I was initially excited to get these shoes as a sort of novelty item that might possibly get me back on my feet again. I thought it  would be similar to getting a brace when I injured my knee. A brace helped me play and exercise again, but I really didn’t care too much about the brace itself. That’s what I thought max 2021 would be. Just the pair I would grab when I went out the door to do my rehab. But I find myself reaching for these shoes way more often than I expected. I look forward to training with them. If the lacing system were better, these would be in my permanent pantheon of training shoes.