UA Curry 7 Review: Another Perfect Guard’s Shoe?

 I’m coming a little late with a 2020 review of the latest Curry 7 but better late than never! So, you got $140 in your pocket, and you’re looking for a trustworthy pair of basketball shoes to play in. Perhaps this one will do the job just right? That’s what we’ll find out in my comprehensive Curry 7 review.

We’ll be covering the comfort & fit aspects, the shoe’s performance on the court, value for the price, and I’ll also compare it to the last model, the Curry 6 which I actually really liked.

SPEC SHEET

 

Model: Under Armour Curry 7

Build: Low-top

Weight: 13.2 oz / 374 g. (size 10)

Retail Price: $140

Cushion: Dual-layered HOVR & Micro G

I. COMFORT & FIT

 

SIZING ADVICE: TRUE TO SIZE ALL-DAY

Just as the Curry 6, the 7th model fits true to size for just about any foot shape. I’m a wide footer myself and just as I liked the fit on the 6, it’s more of the same feeling on the 7.

However, since the materials have been changed on the upper, the break-in process of the shoe was a bit longer for me, and putting them on for the first time didn’t feel as great as the Air Jordan 37.

This is nothing to worry about though – after the shoe adapted to my foot, I was reaping the full experience of the Curry 7 in about 5-7 days.

The materials aren’t even stiff or hard to break in, it just so happens that I’m a very wide footer.

I’m pretty sure the break-in process would be completely minimal for a regular footer, and the shoe would feel closer to optimal right from the start.

COMFORT: COMPACT & COMFY

In terms of overall comfort – I have no complaints. If you’re a fan of low tops, this one is one of the prime examples of a good fitting, comfortable, light, and secure shoe, all in a very minimal design.

I usually prefer mid-tops but if you’ve never tried a low before – I think this is a good one to get into.

I didn’t experience any slipping or containment issues, ventilation is mediocre but I don’t really care about that too much.

If I had to stack this one up to the previous Curry 6 – I’d give a very slight nod to the 6 just because of the softer knit materials used.

Nothing to take away from the 7 though – they’re very comfortable and if you don’t care too much about having more premium materials on board, then it really makes no difference.

II. TRACTION

 

A classic multidirectional herringbone traction pattern is back along with a radial pattern combo to better accompany quick movements from all angles.

What can I say – works just as good as it sounds. At this point, I think you shouldn’t even think about how good’s the traction on a Air Jordan. All of them excel in this area and this one’s just more of the same.

Pure grip on a wood court, dusty or new, just as aggressive bite outside on rubber & concrete courts. Once again the classic pattern choice proves it’s simply the best in the business.

I play mostly on a medium-condition wood court inside and in a park outside, made of synthetic rubber. Both courts felt great, I was barely wiping my outsoles as it was mostly not needed.

Thanks to the no-too-dense pattern of the outsole, dust isn’t much of an issue, even less so than on the Curry 6, so I guess you could say it’s a slight improvement.

OUTDOOR-READY OUTSOLE?

As for durability for outdoors, again, very similar to the 6. The rubber compound is not among the most durable, but from the few weeks of playing in them, I still don’t see any cracks or forms of deterioration on the outsole.

The grip itself is also just as good as it was from the start.

I do believe the rubber will start deteriorating soon if I keep playing outside so much, but this shoe isn’t really made for outdoors, so take it with a grain of salt.

I think if you’re looking to spend your money on an outdoor shoe specifically, this won’t really be it. But if you’ll be playing indoors and take them outside from time to time, I can absolutely see this lasting for a while.

III. CUSHION

 

A brand new setup is used on the Curry 7 – it’s a dual-layered setup, meaning HOVR sits on top, while Micro G sits on the bottom layer of the midsole.

Yeah, sounds good on paper, though it’s more of the same Curry style cushion, just as on the previous models.

I know it’s not much of a surprise for you but don’t expect to be walking on clouds or feeling any kind of bounce/spring from these.

This is a very low-profile, guard-orientated setup that will provide as much speed with zero sacrifices, mobility, and court feel will be at their maximum.

Though since the setup is not completely barebones with nothing in the heel, there is still some impact protection, so you won’t be blowing your knees out.

I personally prefer more cushion in general since it works better with my playstyle, so this will definitely come down to your personal preference.

Give ’em a shot if you’re looking for a very stable, quick, and responsive ride, with no restrictions or anything else to take away the speed of movements.

Though stay away from them if you’re looking to get maximum impact absorption and a soft, bouncy ride.

I do think the Curry 6 felt just a bit less firm than the 7 in my opinion. Despite all the marketing and bringing the beloved Micro G to the game in the Curry 7, I would actually stick to the Curry 6’s setup if I’m hunting for something balanced, catered towards more players than just low profile guards, shooters, etc.

Not saying the Curry 6 has a very bouncy and springy cushion setup – it doesn’t. Just comparing the two, I think the 6 is a bit closer to an in-between solution.

IV. SUPPORT

Just as traction goes, the support area tells a similar story. The Curry 7 does a fantastic job providing stability, support, and hardcore lockdown – but that’s no surprise since pretty much all Curry’s releases blow this category out of the water.

We’ve got a supportive upper and a snug, contained fit, an internal heel counter, outriggers for lateral protection and there’s the plastic flexible plate around the shoe’s heel & midfoot areas for even more stability.

This one feels like a tank, reminds me of the older LeBron’s back in the day, but the Curry 7 does it in a much lighter & minimalistic frame, which is really cool and shows how far basketball shoe technology has come.

Though due to the stiff upper, the plastic reinforcement, and overall rigid tank-like design, the shoe barely flexes, as the Curry 6 does.

I definitely don’t have any complaints about this though – I personally prefer this level of support over a small loss of flexibility.

If you’re really looking for maximum support and security – keep in mind that it comes at a cost of having the shoe a bit less flexible, and leaving your foot with a bit less mobility in terms of awkward movements.

But once again, this is totally a personal preference, I personally think this is a fantastic setup for my explosive play style.

For anyone who’s looking to feel freer and get more flexibility – taking a look at knit upper shoes might be a better idea.

V. BUILD & MATERIALS

 

It feels kinda weird to see a classic, OG material combo in 2020 but it’s what we get with the Curry 7.

The upper is pretty much mesh with synthetic fuse overlays, as well as plastic casings on the sides of the shoe. That’s what I meant when I was talking about the shoe being tank-like, and this upper adds to it for sure.

Compared to the way less hardcore Curry 6 upper, this one is almost the complete opposite. Yes, you’re getting a ton of support, containment, lockdown on these is insane, and the shoe is definitely very durable.

But as I’ve said earlier, the flexibility of the shoe and the material’s ability to move around more freely will be limited.

Ventilation is also something that’s not going to be ideal if you care about such, due to the synthetics taking up a larger part of the shoe’s upper.

So as you can tell, it’s not a very premium-like upper, and it seems a bit strange for a star’s signature shoe to be this way, but I don’t personally complain about it since it works from a performance perspective.

They’ll last longer and provide excellent comfort & performance on the court, so if you could get past the fact that you’re paying $140 for a 2011 style upper, then I think you’ll do fine with the Curry 7.

VI. OVERALL

 

I think it’s a killer performer, no doubt about it in fact. The Curry 7 will get the job done pretty much perfectly if you’re a lighter/lower profile guard, you need all the court feel you can get, and having firm & responsive cushion is your preference.

If you can get past the basic material combo, it won’t bother you playing – it’s just that coming with premium expectations while buying a signature shoe could likely leave some people disappointed.

But hey, the shoe is a beast and there’s no denying it, plus $140 is not a bad price compared to some $170-$200+ releases this past couple of years.