adidas Crazy BYW X Performance Review is here

You all asked and we delivered: the performance review on the $200 adidas Crazy BYW X is here.
Traction was amazing…to start. The very first day I played in the adidas Crazy BYW X was my best experience in the shoe overall.
Traction bit the floor, which had dust all over the damn place like nobody’s business. However, each time I wore the shoe after that initial day I became less and less impressed — it’s like the rubber decided to retire. For whatever reason its bite and tackiness wore out and I was left with a herringbone outsole that required me to wipe any chance I had nike air force 1 .
Even after taking the Crazy BYW X to cleaner courts I had to wipe every so often to maintain the level of grip that I’m comfortable with — which was a bit irritating. However, the traction never got to the point to where I thought it was downright bad, but it wasn’t that “Oh, hell yes!” type of grip I had on day one.
Then the rear section of the outsole blew out on me, literally. I remember the play when it happened. I rarely feel when traction peels, but this time I did as it was a few rows at once.
I was on a fast break and needed to slow down a bit so I could gather and lay the ball in. When I used my heel to slow myself down — the only time I really use my heels — I felt this weird jerk at the base of my heel. Luckily, my stride was already beginning to lead into the toe so I was able to continue the play and lay the ball in.
It wasn’t until I went to wipe my soles after the play was completed that I noticed the traction on my heel gave out and looked like strands of Play-Doh stuck in the spaghetti maker play-set. Thus, outdoor use is definitely not recommended.
While the Crazy BYW X doesn’t deserve the Benched badge, it doesn’t deserve the Starting 5 badge either. It’s good coverage that will take care of you, but you’ll need to maintain the outsole throughout your sessions.
The Feet You Wear concept implemented here isn’t like the original. While many applaud the original adidas harden vol 2 system, I was never a huge fan of it because sometimes it would aggravate my right foot. This version feels more neutral, like the original Pure Motion system, only with Boost in place instead of EVA and adiPrene.
Fluidity and transition were pretty smooth while court feel in the forefoot is abundant, without losing much impact protection. The closest thing I can compare it to is the Harden Vol 1. The main difference being the Boost is even more subdued in the forefoot of the Crazy BYW X than it was on the Harden Vol 1 since the Boost is completely encased.
The heel is really bouncy and at first and it was a bit of a distraction compared to the firmer forefoot. I felt like I was being propelled with a small spring under my heel until I got used to the setup. After, I began to adjust and feel more comfortable with the setup — that’s when the shoe really feels low, fast, responsive, and built for fluid mobility.
The only thing I can compare the feeling to is what I experienced with the Air Jordan XX8-30. That incredibly mobile and agile sensation that I felt makes this BYW setup a step up from the original FYW.
Materials featured are pretty average for a modern shoe; the Crazy BYW X uses textiles and a compression collar at the tongue and ankle areas.
For being a textile upper, it has been pretty durable thus far. There are no areas that pinch or hot spots along the main section of the build, but the heel’s rubber pull tab caused some chaffing at the back of my ankle — my quarter cut socks weren’t quite long enough to prevent this so that is an area to keep an eye on.
Interestingly, I had the same issue with the adidas Harden Vol 2 as well. I’d recommend that adidas stop stitching the rear pull tab into the main bootie section of the collar. Perhaps the brand could stitch it between the bootie and the outer material so it doesn’t rub on the heels of some wearers.
The shoe fits true to size, something rare for adidas. However, it’s that really snug and tight, nearly suffocating, type of fit that some — like myself — enjoy, but that others may not. Wide footers will want to go up 1/2 size, but that could cause some issues with the support as it relies on that one-to-one fit.
Lockdown as actually nice — like, really nice. I initially had my reservations with the lacing as the lateral side relies on those thin cables that are known to break. While those can and likely will break on someone, they did not break on me. The medial side has a much stronger nylon cable in place and both worked well to keep me sucked into the shoe and on the tooling.
All I can say is that if you try the shoe on, don’t be discouraged by the initial choke hold it will have on your feet. The materials will stretch around your foot once you break them in and you’ll end up with a form fitting shoe like nothing you’ve ever felt before.
Much like the lockdown, support was really surprising on the Crazy BYW X. The shoe is very minimalistic and doesn’t look like it’d support anyone.
However, the shoe uses all the standard support features, and they’re amplified to make up for the very minimal upper. It’s heel counter is strong and encompasses most of the rear while the chassis that the tooling sits on cradles your foot — much like the setup in the Air Jordan XX8-30.
The part that I felt really helped the Crazy BYW X was that you sit within the Boost midsole both in the heel and forefoot. You’re on a low-profile platform built to be anatomically correct and designed to really hug and hold onto your foot. If you’re a shoe nerd in addition to being a regular hooper then these will leave you wondering what else the future of performance footwear has to offer.
Will shoes get even more supportive with sock-like uppers? What will basketball shoes look like in 20 years? These are just a couple of questions this one shoe forces me to think about.
I think the Crazy BYW X is very good, but the traction definitely could be better. I think if adidas used a slightly stronger rubber compound and spaced the herringbone treads a little further apart then this would have been a shoe that I’d say you’d need to try.
As it is right now, sitting at that $200 price point, the Crazy BYW X is a shoe that you should try only if you have the means. If you don’t, don’t be discouraged because there are plenty of footwear options that offer great performance and won’t break the bank.
I am very curious to see where brands go from here because adidas really pushed the envelope with this one — adidas Originals no less. It’ll be very interesting to see what comes from the basketball shoes in the future.

Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Blue and Chicago and Blue in 2017~2018

1.The Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Dark Powder Blue is expected to release at select retailers during May 2018. Retail price is set at $190.
Jordan Brand and Virgil Abloh will have yet another strong year utilizing the Air Jordan 1. Recently launched was the ‘White’ edition and now we have the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 ‘Powder Blue’ coming in May.

This Air Jordan 1 will feature a White, Cone and Dark Powder Blue color combination. At the time of writing images have yet to leak, however they are expected to feature a UNC theme.
2.The Off-White Air Jordan 1 White will release exclusively in Europe on March 3rd, 2018 in limited quantities. Once available the retail price will be $190.
With the release of the Off-White x Air Jordan 1, Virgil Abloh along with Nike and Jordan Brand will expand on their collaborations. In 2018 there will be another Air Jordan 1 releasing.
While the first release featured the iconic Chicago theme, Virgil’s upcoming Air Jordan 1 collaboration will come dressed in White. In addition they have the unfinished – unconstructed look. Following is Black writing, Blue stitching on the Nike Swoosh and the standard Orange tab.
This won’t be the only collaboration releasing this year, also launching is the OFF-WHITE x Air Jordan 1 ‘University Blue’ edition.
3.Continue to scroll below to check out more images of the OFF-WHITE Air Jordan 1 Chicago collaboration which will give you a better look. At the time of writing, they will release during November 2017
Virgil Abloh who is the founder of OFF-WHITE appears to be working with Jordan Brand. Recently leaked is the OFF-WHITE x Air Jordan 1 collaboration.
This Air Jordan 1 by OFF-WHITE features a Chicago theme of Red, White and Black while having an inside out or unfinished theme. On the medial side we have ‘OFF WHITE for Nike branding while large AIR is seen on the midsole. Completing the look is a unique Nike Swoosh on the panels and ‘Shoelaces’ written on the laces. Each pair will also come with four colored laces while the box is also inside out. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

'Banned' Air Jordans have slightly different history than Nike's narrative

ike's story of the black-and-red Air Jordan 1 makes for sexy marketing: When then-NBA commissioner David Stern saw Michael Jordan wearing the shoes in a 1984 preseason game, he banned them.
Nike and Jordan Brand are pumping that story line as they prepare for the Saturday release of the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Banned, a throwback to the classic that sneaker heads have nicknamed the "Bred."
But the Bred was not the shoe that was banned. It was the Ship.
Let us explain.
Air Jordan sneaker design: A brief history
A brief history of the design inspiration behind Air Jordans.
As original Air Jordan logo designer Peter Moore recalls, Nike and Jordan's marketing team at ProServ met that August in Washington, D.C., and planned the launch of his first shoe, but it wouldn't be ready until November. Jordan needed something of Nike's to wear during training camp and preseason and the brain trust wanted it to be red and black, as they intended the first shoe's color scheme to be, to make him stand out from other players.
At the time, however, NBA shoes had to be mostly white, and Stern "banned the red and black because he proclaimed that the red and black were not the color of the Bulls — the shoes didn't meet the uniform standard," said Moore, who is now founder of What'a Ya Think, a Portland, Ore.-based. branding consulting company. "They were the colors of the Bulls, they just were lacking white, but you don't argue with David Stern at that point."
During the regular season, Jordan alternated between red-and-white Ships and Air Jordan 1 Retro Banned , nicknamed "Chicagos."
So how have the red-and-black Ships and Breds come to be confused?
"The Air Ship was basically colored up to look like the shoe that was coming," Moore said. "Those shoes were probably specially made for him to wear, and they were what his Air Jordans would look like once they came. Nobody would know the difference unless they had the shoes in front of them."

 

The True Story Behind the Banned Air Jordan

We've been led to believe that the black and red colorway of the Air Jordan 1 was banned 31 years ago. But was it really? The Air Jordan 1 is a mysterious shoe that originally released in all sorts of colorways, and in order to gather the history and evolution of the brand, we must first look back at its roots.
As the story goes, Michael Jordan was, or would be fined, $5,000 per game if he wore a certain pair of red and black Nike basketball shoes, as evidenced by 2011's "Banned" Air Jordan 1 High. Per the "uniformity of uniform rule" set by the NBA,
A player must wear shoes that not only matched their uniforms, but matched the shoes worn by their teammates."
At the time, red and black was much more rebellious than plain black and white shoes, and first-year NBA commissioner David Stern "threw them out of the game." Legend has it that MJ continued wearing the pair anyway, while Nike footed the bill. Does this story sound familiar to you? Let's take a look at an interview conducted by legendary late night talk show host, David Letterman. Fast forward to 4:48.
Here is a letter written by then-NBA Executive Vice President, Russ Granik, addressed to Nike Vice President, Rob Strasser. It states that Michael Jordan wore a certain pair of Nike basketball shoes that violated the league's rules and procedures on or around October 18, 1984.
There are so many questions to be asked. For one, how many games did MJ wear the Black/Red Air Jordan 1? And did Nike really pay said imposed fines? And here's the biggest question: Was the Black/Red Air Jordan 1 even the right sneaker that was first "banned" by the NBA?
No, and here's why.
I've had regular discussions with people on the matter. In particular, bigbostrong on Instagram, who has provided detailed pictures of Air Jordan history, as well as our friends from Australia, Adam Ryan and Aaron Stehn—both of whom who run a popular podcast on inallairness.com. A mutual colleague of theirs, Adam Howes, runs bullsonparade.me and does the same, but with all focus on the rich historical events of Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls history.
We have already scratched the surface as to what MJ first wore during his rookie campaign, which is identified as the Nike Air Ship—a mysterious shoe that has yet to be retroed. To my knowledge, Jordan wore three colorways of the Air Ship: White/Natural Grey, White/Red and Black/Red. And that Black/Red version of the Nike Air Ship is the actual sneaker that was banned, not the Air Jordan 1. Jordan did however had a PE edition of the Air Ship, which read "Air Jordan" on the heels.
Michael Jordan Air Ship
Close-up shot of the "Air Jordan" PE Air Ship - Image via Getty Bettmann / Contributor
Here is Michael in a 1984 preseason game against the New York Knicks wearing the Black/Red Nike Air Ship. The game was played on October 18, 1984 at Madison Square Garden. It was the 6th preseason game the Bulls had played, and they were going into the game with a 4-1 record. A few days earlier on October 15, 1984, the two teams played each other at Glens Falls, NY some 200 miles north of Madison Square Garden. The NBA notified Nike and/or the Bulls that the black and red sneaker from the October 18 game broke the "uniformity of uniform rule." He would immediately have to stop wearing the colorway on court.
In this YouTube video, you can see Michael wearing the Black/Red Nike Air Ship during practice at Madison Square Garden from a interview conducted on October 18, 1984. Fast forward to 0:26. The game following is the regular season debut at Madison Square Garden on November 8, 1984 with Michael wearing the White/Red Nike Air Ship.
There have been no pictures surfaced of Michael Jordan ever wearing the Black/Red Air Jordan 1 in an NBA game. I've been analyzing this mythical story for a some years now, and have even challenged our Jordan forum to provide a picture and/or video of Michael wearing the shoes. I've been presented with all sorts of unique attempts such as the 1985 NBA Slam Dunk competition, to Patrick Ewing in a one-on-one match up, to screenshots of Michael from the "Just For Kicks" documentary of 2005.
Let's break down each attempt. The 1985 NBA dunk contest doesn't count since it wasn't an NBA sanctioned game. It does however suggest that the NBA may have again warned the Bulls superstar and Nike for breaking the "uniformity of uniform rule." Referencing back to the letter, it was dated February 25, 1985. All Star festivities began on the weekend of the 10th. It may suggest that a second warning did take place, but no evidence has surfaced regarding any imposed fines the NBA may have issued—something we can perhaps research at a later time.
The matchup between Jordans for all and Ewing was for the cover of the November 1985 issue of Inside Sports magazine, and utilized for promotion of the 1985-86 NBA season. It simulated the matchup between the previous Rookie of the Year (Jordan) versus the potential (and eventual) Rookie of the Year (Ewing). Jordan continued to wear the White/Red Air Jordan 1 in the 1985-86 NBA season, before and after his foot injury.
The documentary Just For Kicks again attempted to align the notion that Jordan was fined for wearing the shoes. But there has yet to be evidence by Nike or the NBA that proves that the violation ever took place. These screen captures from the documentary were modified. Photos of the game were taken from the first round of the 1986 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics in which Michael scored a playoff record 63 points. It still stands as a record today.
Keep in mind that the uniform style worn during Michael's rookie season were different. The road jerseys consisted of black script lettering for Chicago along the chest and the home jerseys with the Bulls team name in red. After the 1984-85 NBA season, the Bulls sported a new uniform style which is similar to what Jordan wore throughout his illustrious career.
So there you have it—the true story behind of the actual "banned" sneaker. It was not the Air Jordan 1 banned , but indeed the Nike Air Ship in the Black/Red colorway. Perhaps someday we'll come to understand how Nike strategically rolled out the "banned" campaign. We can only wonder if we'll ever get a retro of the Nike Air Ship—which seems like a possiblity after it was finally offically acknowledged by Jordan Brand in 2014.
Whether or not the Air Jordan 1 was banned, the myth is most definitely a part of sneaker history, and the precursor to what Jordan Brand is today.

adidas harden vol 2 red white performance review

The Harden Vol 2 is a nice basketball shoe off the court, but it did not impress me on the court.
Let’s cut straight to the chase: the traction on the Harden Vol 2 let your boy down something fierce. The traction performed well right out of the box…for about two days.
After the rubber breaks in the traction will decline full speed ahead. On dirty courts, I was wiping more than I like to, and these things pick up dust like nobody’s business. The traction had me out there like I was competing in the Winter Olympics – figure skating style.
On a clean court, the traction was solid. As long as the court conditions are good you will be fine.
I’m sure you guys already know what I’m about to say right? You guessed it: Booost is life…well, a different life, because this setup is a bit different from other Boost basketball shoes.
This year, a much thicker piece of Boost is implemented in the Harden Vol 2. However, don’t expect this thicker boost to be as bouncy as other performance models that we’ve dealt with before. I am not saying the Boost isn’t good, it is, I’m just that it seems like adidas went with a more impact protection focused setup this year. It was great for impact protection and I’d like to see this setup on more releases in the future.
Materials are pretty basic on the Harden Vol 2. ForgeFiber, a reinforced textile mesh is used at the forefoot while synthetic paneling makes up the rear. The mesh gets its strength from TPU-coated fibers, and they add support to the mesh — it does a great job at containing the foot. While the materials are pretty basic — it’s all synthetic here — they keep the weight of the upper down.
The fit on the Harden Vol 2 is true to size. Wide-footers may be able to go true to size but I would try on in-store. The shoe fits pretty snug and at the midfoot there’s an elastic-like band that may cause discomfort for some people. It is also an ounce heavier than the Harden Vol 1 (just a note for people that prefer lightweight
Support on James Harden’s second signature was pretty good. With an outrigger that is as wide and as thick as the one used here you’re bound to get good support. The wide base here is like standing on a plank of Boost foam.
The one-piece bootie does a great job at containing the foot while providing you with a compression-like feel — I love how these felt on-foot. The mesh was strong enough to support every move I made on the court and keep me atop the footbed with no issues.
I did have a bit of an issue with the heel lockdown, but once I customized the lacing system to my liking — those holes aren’t for decoration — I was able to get my heel locked into the back of the shoe.
Unless you play on crispy clean courts the Harden Vol 2 Red White isn’t a shoe that I would recommend people buy because there are a bunch of better options on the market. The traction was just too inconsistent for me to enjoy in these.
However, I do recommend this Harden if you want to rock something swaggy with tons of Boost. I think it looks incredible worn casually.

The Nike PG 2 is the latest to be deconstructed

The Nike PG 2 is the latest to be deconstructed by the good folks over at 2018jordans.com.
Yes, it pains us to look at images such as these as well. The fact that these shoes could have gone to someone in need of a new pair of sneakers makes images like this hard to see. However, chopping them up is for educational purposes and taking apart the shoes long after they’ve been used doesn’t do anyone any good as this type of information should be available as soon as possible.
With so many product descriptions being wrong or outdated nowadays, we feel this type of thing is important — which is why we support the folks over at 2018jordans.com. So, we feel your pain. Just know that we’re at least learning something.
The profile shot is a simple one; it shows us everything without saying anything at all — where the cushion is located, and how thick/thin it is. You’re also able to see how padded the interior of the shoe is, whether there is a heel to toe drop, which there almost always is, and how significant it is. Beautiful. Isn’t it?
Layers. So many wonderful layers. Here you can see the partial internal bootie, which makes it much easier to get the shoe on and off, and the upper’s build and external Adaptive Fit forefoot straps. The heel padding sticks out to us the most; that area of the shoe was really well done and features lots of nicely sculpted padding for comfort and proper fit.
Reinforcing soft textiles when they’re placed in stress zones is essential, not only for the longevity of the material but also for the safety of the player wearing the shoe — no matter the player’s skill level.
In my performance review I had stated that this Zoom Air setup felt as close to being Unlocked Zoom as possible without it actually being Unlocked Zoom. What this image shows is that it’s exactly like Unlocked Zoom Air with the exception of a moderator plate.
You can also see one of the reasons why the heel portion of the foam midsole is more comfortable than that of the Nike PG 1. This heel section of the midsole is cored out around the impact zone which allows for the foam to compress a lot more. This, coupled with a slightly altered foam density, made for a very comfortable and well balanced ride during our testing.
Don’t get too excited regarding cushioning; the forefoot Zoom Air unit is 10mm thick according to Nike. Yes, this one is over 11mm, which makes us think that quality control isn’t perfect and there will be variations and/or defects within production runs of footwear. This isn’t a Nike problem though, it’s normal for any company manufacturing something at such a high volume.
Torsional support comes in the form of this tiny TPU bar, which is now the norm for most models. It works just fine, but definitely could be better or more substantial.
There looks to be an 8mm drop from the heel to toe. Some don’t mind the drop while others loath it. Below is a side by side comparison of the PG 1 and PG 2. The Nike PG 2 is definitely an upgrade in the cushion department. Nothing about how the shoe feels on-foot and on-court makes you feel as if you’re wearing a budget model — despite its $110 price tag.
We hope you enjoyed the detailed look and breakdown of the Nike PG 2 deconstructed. Feel free to share your thoughts on the dissection below in the comment section.

A Detailed Look at The Upcoming Air Jordan 32 UNC and NRG

So far, we’ve reported on the Air Jordan 32 ‘UNC’ and Air Jordan 32 Low ‘Michigan’ PEs. It should only be a matter of time before more Nike/Jordan Brand NCAA programs unveil their PEs.
Like the Air Jordan 32 ‘UNC’ , this Air Jordan 32 Low rides atop a marbled outsole and flaunts its program’s logo on the tongues. That huge M is set off with a strong heel counter pattern, a “Go Blue” patch behind the tongue, and bright yellow threads in the College Navy upper. “Go Blue” is also featured beneath the Amarillo semi-translucent rubber outsole.
Dressed in the usual University Blue, hits of College Navy break up the familiar hue. Finally, we’ve got something besides a white midsole, and while the marbling may not be for everyone, it is certainly a new look. The shoe features several unique details like aggressive heel panels, six rings for each of the Tar Heels’ championships, and “TAR” under the heels (ha ha).
Jordan Brand released the super-limited lifestyle Air Jordan 32 ‘NRG’ model. While the shoe has already sold out — and popped up on eBay for $1,000 and up — we’ve got you covered with a detailed look at this gem.
The Air Jordan 32 ‘NRG’ is limited to just 323 pairs and ditches the performance-based Flyknit upper for rich, premium leather. The shoe also flaunts raised alligator detailing along the wrap-around panels that provides a more luxurious look — and you’re paying for premium aesthetics (the shoe retails for $200).
Staying true to its inspiration, the Air Jordan 2 — which was made in Italy — the Air Jordan 32 ‘NRG’ pays tribute to the Italian flag with red and green hits, as well as supple leathers. Even the Air Jordan 2 eyelets have made an appearance on this lifestyle model.
The Air Jordan 32 Low ‘Michigan’ will release at 2018jordans.com in limited numbers for $160 on March 9. It will release alongside the Air Jordan 32 ‘UNC’.