UA Project Rock BSR 3 Performance Review

 The UA Project Rock BSR 3 (Blood, Sweat & Respect, named after Dwayne Johnson’s famous training mantra) represents a shoe line in the Project Rock segment that we haven’t tested yet. The BSR is Under Armour’s Project Rock budget trainer. We’ve increasingly seen it on the feet of UFC fighters thanks to the fighting league’s footwear deal with UA.

We’ve been reviewing Under Armour’s Project Rock line of training shoes consistently since it’s launch all the way through the sixth iteration, finding ourselves generally interested in the line and feeling that it’s always just one change away from feeling like a real player in the training shoe market (though we did love the PR5).

With the return of The Rock to WWE programming recently and seemingly on a course to open a can of whoopass on his cousin Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 40, we thought it was a great time to correct our oversight and see if we can smell what the Rock is cooking on an affordable budget (Editor’s Note: by now you know that an Arune review means abundant bad puns).

While Under Armour did send us pairs of the Project Rock BSR 3 to facilitate this review, they had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and have not attempted to influence it.

UA Project Rock BSR 3

Price: $100

How do the Authors Train?

Arune Singh (age 41, 5’11”, 215lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming provided by Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

Drew Whitcomb (age 42, 6’6″ 195lbs): Trains daily with a focus on running, strength training, and mobility. He writes the majority of our running shoe reviews and runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and his growing affinity for long-distance races. He regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races. His strength training and mobility regimen center around maintaining flexibility and lifting heavy to build power as a counterbalance to all the running he’s doing. His number one focus is staying injury-free so he can keep up the sweet gig of air jordan for a living.

What is the UA Project Rock BSR 3?

Under Armour describes it as:

These shoes were built for explosive movement and dynamic training, day in and day out. You never let up, neither do these—stability for strength training, flexibility for HIIT, and cushioning for mobility.

Training

Arune: I should probably admit my bias up front – I am a giant Dwyane Johnson fanboy when it comes to the fitness side of things.

Drew: You’re also the only human being who watched Black Adam eight times in one week.

Arune: It was NINE times, boss. And twenty-three times total since release.

Drew: That’s 23 times more than me. Also, you may need a hobby.

Arune: Well, like I was saying, I really love the Project Rock line of gear – I’ve been there since the initial Delta shoe drop all those years ago and the Project Rock shoe is the training shoe I look forward to each year (even if the PR6 was one of the worst shoes I reviewed in 2023).

So, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a budget version of the Project Rock line and, well…

I LOVE IT.

We’ll discuss the fit and comfort later on, but one thing that I’ve always believed is that the Project Rock shoes are the kind of shoes that The Rock would use in his training – these aren’t shoes I’d recommend for Crossfit or HIIT (despite UA’s claim otherwise) because these are made for Rock’s “clanging and banging.”

In that context, I found these shoes to be an absolute beast with all my lifts – the TriBase tech functions just as well in the premium Project Rock shoes, giving me great ground feel even with that chunky Charged Cushion midsole (which happens to be super comfortable). Interestingly enough, the lack of ground feel was a major complaint both Drew and I had about the PR6 but here in the budget version it’s excellently addressed.

Combining TriBase with a grippy outsole means that heavy squats, deadlifts or lunges all feel incredibly stable, allowing you to focus on your work instead of worrying you’re going to tip over. I set some PRs with RFESSs (Editor’s Note: Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats) and kettlebell step ups in these shoes, so these really addressed all my stability needs,

While I’m not sure it would be a top choice for a HIIT shoe, I did find it was really solid with a variety of bodyweight training movements including jump squats, burpees, skaters, and pushups. The TriBase tech and full rubber outsole really perform well with quick movements in all directions, so you can throw your body with reckless abandon as you please,

I honestly have no complaints. Drew, how’d these work out for you?

Drew: While the BSR 3’s Charged cushion is uninspiring, Arune’s right, this is a great shoe for “banging and clanging” in the weight room. Stability, per usual with TriBase, was top notch and lifting heavy weight overhead or elsewhere always felt secure.

I do differ with Arune on the bodyweight movements. I found the lack of cushion annoying when doing plyometrics, jump rope, or skaters. I just need a little more cushion on those movements and found myself avoiding those type of exercises while training in the Dunk. While that won’t be the case for everyone, keep that in mind depending on your preferences.

Cardio

Arune: My standard cardio testing for any training shoe is sprinting, light jogging, rowing, air bike training and even some shadow boxing if time allows.

As with the Training section, the Project Rock BSR 3 really performed well in this area but I want to offer a caveat:

If you’re looking to do some quick sprints as part of a metcon or your warm up, the BSR 3 is a sufficient though not outstanding performer, This shoe isn’t built to be a runner and so using it for sustained running just isn’t recommended – bring something else if you’re getting on a treadmill.

Otherwise this performs really well in all the other cardio sessions I mentioned above, with enough room in the toe box for the expected natural foot swelling during training. The shoe isn’t flexible like an old school Reebok Nano or a barefoot training shoe, but I felt like I could, for example, plant my feet when rowing and then seamlessly roll onto my toes without the same issues of the PR6.

I’m not usually succinct, but I really can’t think of any complaints.

Drew: Again the firm Charged cushion reared its ugly head midsole and made on feet cardio a chore. Running in these is not an option you want to explore.

However, rowing felt great. It was easy to transfer power and really feel myself pushing against the rower.

Comfort

Arune: When I think of “budget” shoes, I don’t normally think of comfort but the Project Rock BSR 3 really hits all the right notes.

The Charged Cushioning midsole has not only great step in feel but the energy return is fantastic without being so bouncy that it drives you onto your toes or causes other instability.

I mentioned earlier that the shape is very accommodating – I was concerned the bootie design would be an issue for my Hobbit feet but the two pull tabs make getting your foot into the shoe quite easily, The resultant fit is quite snug while leaving enough space for proper toe splay.

That all said, I did feel a bit of pressure on the medial side of my right foot so perhaps the shoe shape isn’t quite 100% right for my feet but it certainly isn’t any worse than other training shoes.

I went TTS (true to size) at my regular 9.5 and it was a perfect fit.

Man, it feels great to be this positive about a shoe once again.

Drew: I got the same right foot medial pressure as Arune. I can only imagine there was some issue with the last there that caused a slight deformity. It went away after breaking the BSR 3 so it didn’t stay a problem for long.

The only other fit based problem I experienced was the one piece ankle collar. I have a tall foot and getting the BSR 3 on my foot the first few times was a chore. About the third time wearing them, I was able to slip on the BSR 3 without an issue.

And luckily the build of the shoe is tall enough and wide enough to be quite accommodating when true to size. Once you’re in the shoe you’ve got plenty of room while still maintaining ample security for side to side motion.

Aesthetics

Arune: I’ve talked before about The Wife Test, which is when my wife either (a) says “I’m happy for you” or (b) effusively praises the look of a new training shoe I just put on.

And this Project Rock BSR 3 was solidly in the latter category.

My clean white pair with a gum sole is the definition of a classic colorway and it highlights the simplicity in the design. I can easily see myself wearing these in the gym, then to lunch here in Los Angeles and maybe even into the office with some jeans for a more casual workday.

Aesthetics aren’t the most important thing with a training shoe of course, but given the economy and the need of many folks to have a “do it all” shoe, it’s nice to see a budget model check this box too.

Drew: To me the aesthetics are kinda basic for a training shoe…which is to be expected at the $100 price point. My biggest issue is with the “Blood, Sweat, Repect” wordmark on the side of the shoe. The Rock may bleed for his gainz but I certainly don’t (Editor’s Note: tell me you’re a runner without telling me you’re a runner).

Price

Arune: The Project Rock BSR 3 is $100 and that might be the best value I’ve seen in a training shoe.

The median market price is $150 for the premium training shoes and the BSR 3 delivers performance on par with the flagship models for two-thirds of the price (and even less with current Under Armour and Kicks Crew sales).

No notes, Dwayne Johnson (Editor’s Note: Arune lives in LA, so occasionally he imagines himself as a movie producer. Just humor him. It’s easier that way.).

Drew: $100 is a solid price for what you’re getting with the BSR 3. The cushion’s a bit firm and there are a couple fit issues, but this shoe delivers high performance for weightlifting at a price that allows you to spend your greenbacks wherever else you so choose.

UA Project Rock BSR 3 Final Verdict

Arune: Surprising no one, I think the Project Rock BSR 3 is one of the best training shoes on the market and has become my go to training shoe next to my beloved Reebok Nano 2.0.

The BSR 3 is a great choice for most folks hitting the gym and will work for most workouts, short of serious heavy lifting or CrossFit training.

Drew: I really can’t add much to what Arune said. The Project Rock BSR 3 is the best budget weightlifting shoe I’ve tried to date. If you prefer not to spend too much on your cross trainers but still want great performance when you sling heavy weights around, the BSR 3 is your best option.

Nike Alphafly 3 Performance Review: The Best Alphafly Yet

 The Nike Alphafly 3 is the latest iteration of Nike’s marathon racing shoe line that took marathon racing shoes to another level. The original upleveled both the cushioning and price (it launched at $275 and the Alphafly 3 ups the ante to $285) for the top end of running shoes. It also enhanced the fun factor.

Nike Alphafly 3

Release Date: January 4, 2024

Price: $285

Weight: Men’s 7.0 oz., Women’s 6.1 oz.

Drop: 8mm

Sizing: True to size

• Rundown: The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best version of the Alphafly yet. It captures the magic of the original Alphafly and gives Alphafly fans what they want.

Slipping on (ok yanking on…the collar wasn’t accommodating) the original Alphafly and taking that first run was magical. It was the beginning of something new. And its early pandemic release was a bright spot in what at the time was a confusing world. It wasn’t a perfect shoe but it felt so unique and different that it was easy to overlook the flaws. And it didn’t hurt that Eliud Kipchoge used the shoe to break the two hour marathon time barrier in a controlled time trial.

Because of all that, the Alphafly mystique reached a fever pitch that was eventually submarined by a solid if unspectacular second model. Soon enough, other companies caught up with shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Elite and air jordan 8 solefly leading many runners to turn away from the Alphafly.

But Nike, as Nike does, wasn’t standing still. Instead the Nike design team was cooking up a Return of the Jedi level third entry in this trilogy. The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best Alphafly to date and Nike’s return to the top tier of our best marathon running shoes list.

The Nike Alphafly 3 fits better, though wide footers are still out of luck (see below for more details). The upper feels less constrictive, softer, and offers the same airflow as the original. It’s much easier to get on than either of the previous Alphaflys. And even the lockdown is better with a quick lacing system allowing you to pull the laces from the top and cinch down the entire foot. It’s just as awkward walking around in the Alphafly 3 as previous versions but the on foot experience is much better.

The Alphafly 3 traction is also better, taking learnings from the Alphafly 2 and creating a similar but different pattern. The outsole isn’t as sticky as what Puma, adidas, and Saucony are doing but it’s come a long way from the original Vaporfly days. Stability is still treacherous around ninety degree corners, especially when taking them at 5k or 10k speeds. That’s something to be aware of if you haven’t yet had the Alphafly experience.

Most importantly, the signature bounce from the combined might of the Zoom Air pods and ZoomX foam is there and it’s glorious. I wore the Nike Alphafly 3 for a New Year’s Day 5k and enjoyed the extra “oomph” I felt with every step. The fun factor is high and makes the Alphafly 3 a shoe that could be the difference between getting out the door or sleeping in during dark early morning marathon training sessions as you prepare for that spring marathon.

Pros

• Super bouncy
• Easy to maintain marathon pace
• Most accommodating and comfortable Alphafly to date
• Arch is less pronounced and more comfortable
• Upper is less plasticky and uses a softer knit
• Lacing system is quick and easy
• 8 mm drop feels like 8 mm. The heel doesn’t squish more than the forefoot

Cons

• Heel strikers beware. Nike cut a ton of material from the bottom of the heel (like the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro) so it can be unstable for heel strikers and heavier runners.
• Not forgiving of running form weaknesses. It was built for pros with great form.
• The arch can still bother flat footers and cause blisters
• Running at slow easy run pace in the Alphafly 3 often feels clunky
• Super squishy midsole means below average ankle stability

Is the Nike Alphafly 3 wide foot friendly?

While the Nike Alphafly 3 is more accommodating than previous Alphaflys, it’s still too narrow through the midfoot and heel to be a great option for wide-footed runners.

Is the Nike Alphafly 3 worth $285?

$285 is A LOT. It’s close though. I think most serious runners will be ok paying $285 to access the bounce and Alphafly-inspired confidence boost. For more casual mid to late pack runners the value won’t be the same.

Nike Alphafly 3 Summary

The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best Alphafly yet. It evokes the magic of the original Alphafly and avoids the more pedestrian feel of the underwhelming second model.

If you loved the original or are looking to understand why the Alphafly series has earned its reputation, the Nike Alphafly 3 provides the exciting experience you’re looking for.

Jordan Zion 3 Performance Review

 Zion Williamson’s signature line has been very inconsistent up until now. The Zion 3 might be the best shoe in the line but it’s nothing like previous models.

Release Date: October 2023

Price: $140

6/10

Total Score

What is going on with Zion Williamson’s signature line? The Zion 1 was a light-weight, plastic-y, shoe with decent cushioning, but little else. The Zion 2 was a great performance model, it was a robust, grippy, well-cushioned tank of a shoe and seemed well-suited for a player as physical as Zion Williamson. If Jordan Brand had decided to build upon this design and maintain its focal performance features, that would have made sense for Zion’s playing style going forward.

Jordan Brand DID NOT do that.

Instead, they created a low-profile, lightweight, Kobe-adjacent hoop shoe. This is by no means a bad thing as far as the shoe’s on-court performance goes but it is odd. It breaks all ties with the Zion signature line-up to this point, and, simply put, this shoe doesn’t feel like it was built for a 6’6″, 284 lbs power player like Zion.

All this being said, it’s a shoe with a lot of interesting performance features, that should be more than enough for the rest of us. Let’s check it out:

Jordan Zion 3 Tech Specs:

Jordan Zion 3 Traction

The Jordan Zion 3 features a mix of translucent and solid rubber on the outsole, as well as a mix of radial and herringbone traction patterns. The solid portion of the sole is etched with a herringbone pattern and the translucent portion with a radial pattern. This setup should work great indoors, but on dusty surfaces especially, the jordan 8 solefly underperforms.

The rubber is grippy and there are no inconsistencies between the two rubber compounds, and the radial and herringbone patterns should offer great multidirectional coverage for any move you are going to make on court, but it never seems to kick in.

As far as outdoor use goes, the Zion 3 should hold up pretty well. The rubber is above average in terms of toughness and the pattern is pretty deep. To be clear, this doesn´t make them a great outdoor option, but if you take these out to the blacktop once in a while they should hold up just fine.

Jordan Zion 3 Cushion

One of the reasons why the Jordan Zion 3 is so reminiscent of a Kobe shoe is that it’s equipped with drop-in midsoles as the cushioning setup. In this case, the midsole features the most comfortable iteration of Formula 23 to date and a thick forefoot Zoom Air Unit. The Formula 23 feels like a dense version of Cushlon and combined with the Zoom air, it feels great underfoot.

The midsole is also equipped with a substantial, bottom-loaded TPU shank plate, similar to the ones we’ve seen on the drop-in midsole of the Serious Player Only Player 1.

This setup is more on the reactive side of the cushioning spectrum, but it does provide a good amount of impact protection and compression. Maybe a player as heavy as Zion needs a bit more cushioning in his shoes, but for the rest of the hoopers out there, this is more than enough.

Jordan Zion 3 Materials

The Jordan Zion 3 is constructed almost entirely with textiles and relies on overlays to give the shoe structure and containment. The mud splatter print on either side of the shoe is not only a design feature. It’s actually a haptic print that’s super thin and lightweight but adds a ton of structure and containment to the shoe. Enough to contain a guy like Zion? We’ll see.

Aside from that, we have some TPU portions along what would be the midsole of a more traditional shoe, that will help add torsional rigidity and lateral containment. Lastly, the tongue is decently padded which will help relieve lace pressure and the heel features some synthetic leather and some embroidered details.

Nothing on the shoe can be considered “premium” but the design is well thought out and will perform well on court. If you’re going to use textiles on a hoop shoe, this is the way to go.

Jordan Zion 3 Support

The support features implemented in the Zion 3 are very well thought out to be able to offer a safe and supportive ride on court while keeping the shoe as lightweight and low-profile as possible. As we mentioned, the drop-in midsoles come with a built-in TPU shank plate, and the rubber wrapping the outer shell of the shoe will offer containment and some torsional support as well.

This should prevent the shoe from over-twisting on more torque-heavy moves. Then we have that haptic printed upper, and the overlays we mentioned will help keep your foot on the footbed on hard stops and changes of direction. The heel of the shoe is very well padded, which again will help to keep your foot in place and help avoid heel slippage.

The one issue the Zion 3 may have faced is stability. The shoe is very narrow which is not optimal for a basketball shoe. The way Jordan has tried to solve this issue is by equipping the shoe with a forefoot and midfoot outrigger. This should help to create a stable base for the shoe from which to make your moves while playing.

Jordan Zion 3 Fit

The Jordan Zion 3 technically fits true to size, but it’s a very snug 1 to 1 fit. This is what you want in terms of performance, but keep in mind that the shoe is built on a very narrow last, and this shoe fits like a glove. If you enjoy this type of fit, you’re in luck, but if you don’t like that fit or have a wide foot, then unfortunately, this is not the shoe for you.

Jordan Zion 3 Overall

Even though the Jordan Zion 3 does not feel like a Zion shoe, or even be enough to keep up with his playing style. The Zion 3 is more than enough shoe for us mere mortals and is actually an actually might have been an exciting performance model, especially if you are looking for an affordable Kobe substitute. Still, the fit and the traction make it hard to recommend.

With the Zion 3 you are getting…well…a Kobe with mediocre traction (at best), a very nice drop-in midsole cushioning system, encased in a light, sleek package all for $140. If you play exclusively on pristine surfaces, and you can get the traction to bite the court, then these might be worth a pick up, but if not, there are better options out there.

Nike Metcon 9 Performance Review

 Like its chief rival the Reebok Nano, the last nine years have seen some major changes to the Nike Metcon (with mixed reviews) culminating in the new Nike Metcon 9. Not only has the functional fitness shoe landscape changed but so has the audience – namely going from niche to mainstream.

I can remember the shockwaves felt across the functional fitness world when in 2015 Nike announced the Metcon, its first shoe aimed at the then-fledgling world of CrossFit. And remember the “Banned” colorway? It’s the one training shoe I wish I had never donated.

As the holiday season rolls around and more folks look to get a jump on those New Year’s resolutions, the WearTesters team brings you more training shoe reviews than ever – and none of that would be complete without the flagship training shoe from the biggest shoe company in the world.

Though Nike was kind enough to send us some pairs of the Nike Metcon 9, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence this review.

How do the Authors Train?

Arune Singh (age 41, 5’11”, 215lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming provided by Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

Drew Whitcomb (age 41, 6’6″ 195lbs): Trains daily with a focus on running, strength training, and mobility. He writes the majority of our running shoe reviews and runs a lot of miles both due to testing needs and his growing affinity for long-distance races. He recently completed the London Marathon. More marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races are in his future. His strength training and mobility regimen center around maintaining flexibility and lifting heavy to build power as a counterbalance to all the long-distance running he’s doing. His number one focus is staying injury-free so he can keep up the sweet gig of reviewing shoes for a living.

What is the Nike Metcon 9?

Nike describes it as:

Whatever your “why” is for working out, the Metcon 9 makes it all worth it. We improved on the 8 with a larger Hyperlift plate and added rubber rope wrap. Worn by some of the greatest athletes in the world, intended for lifters, trainers, go-getters, it’s still the gold standard that delivers day after day.

Training

Arune: I’ve owned a pair of every single Nike Metcon model since launch but I have kept very few after the Metcon 3, in large part due to my challenges with their performance – and other matters we’re going to discuss further in this review.

Unfortunately, I gotta be honest – training in the Nike Metcon 9 was an absolutely terrible experience.

We’re going to get into all the challenges with the fit and comfort later on, but I cannot overstate how uniquely this shoe failed me with nearly every lift.

Look, almost every lift requires you to plant your feet – even bench press – and the Nike Metcon 9 failed me because any press on the footbed caused the medial side of the shoe to completely collapse due to the rope guard construction,

Squats or lunges – even without weight – were a complete disaster as I lowered my body closer to the floor, a motion requiring much more stability. Unfortunately, that rope guard area of the shoe completely collapsed, like a deflated balloon, and I had to bail quickly on my lifts (aggravating a knee injury in the process).

I could keep going into more detail, but what are the upsides of a training shoe that completely failed me when I needed it most?

Well, I’ll say this – the outsole grips the floor like no one’s business, something that has always been a hallmark of the Metcon line. If you could marry this outsole with a stronger upper then I think we would have an exciting shoe.

But the Nike Metcon 9 is NOT that shoe and, honestly, I’m not sure what this shoe is meant to be. Perhaps due to the rope guard, Hyperlift heel TPU unit, or likely both, this shoe feels like an absolute cement brick on my feet. If this was a shoe meant for the world of CrossFit, I cannot imagine how anyone feels comfortable with any Olympic lifts without the necessary support or how they knock out batches of burpees with these shoes weighing them down. If this is a shoe meant for a casual lifter, then there’s no need for the TPU unit or the rope guard, both of which are not needed by the majority of people.

Did you actually have a good time in these, Drew?

Drew: While Arune’s experience was downright bad, I’d have to say mine was more of a meh experience. The last Metcon I tested was the Air Jordan 1 . That shoe was solid up front but struggled in the back and just wasn’t built to handle the wide variety of exercises necessary to keep up in a normal CrossFit or Metcon environment.

Unfortunately, while the Nike Metcon 9 improves on some of those weak points, it’s still the same basic shoe.

I didn’t have the rope guard collapse issues that Arune did and the shoe was largely stable and reliable for deadlifts, squats, and other lifts that require planted feet. But at the same time, the stiff heel, partially due to the plastic Hyperlift piece and partially due to a dense heel counter, was a liability for any side-to-side exercise. Curtsy squats, skaters, and agility exercises were all varying degrees of uncomfortable.

It’s a great shoe for walking around the gym, getting compliments (more on that later), and doing exercises at a slow, methodical pace. But the moment you try to inject some speed into your workout, the Nike Metcon 9 just can’t keep up.

Cardio

Arune: From the minute I put the Nike Metcon 9 on my feet, one thing was clear:

This shoe was going to be terrible for my cardio needs.

While the upper does actually bend and breathe quite well, nothing about the construction of the shoe feels meant for the needs of a functional fitness athlete or even acting as the “one for everything” shoe that people will definitely expect given the price jump (oh yeah, I’ve got thoughts there too).

If you’re using the Nike Metcon 9 for CrossFit or the like, you’ll find a way to sprint 400m or a mile because you’re used to doing it with a variety of uncomfortable shoes from every brand. You might not even hate it on an air bike, even though I don’t think the heel unit does you any favors.

But the cardio in which this truly failed for me was rowing, something pretty fundamental to everything from Crossfit to Orange Theory, and something supremely uncomfortable in the Nike Metcon 9. There’s not enough flex in the midsole to get a natural rowing motion and the forefoot area was ill-equipped for the constant pressures unique to a rowing motion. I couldn’t even finish a single rowing session in these shoes because of the pain in my forefoot and found immediate relief by switching back to my go-to training shoes (aka the Reebok Nano 2.0 or Adidas Dropset 2 Trainer).

This is another area in which the shoe failed me, What about you, boss?

Drew: I just want to note that Arune is not usually a particularly harsh reviewer so seeing him highlight a shoe’s shortcomings so bluntly means the shoe really let him down.

And, I agree with him completely on cardio usage. Since the 7th edition, the Nike Metcon series hasn’t been built for running. Even my beloved lateral elliptical, which I use for warming up my dastardly hips, was a rough experience in the Dunk.

Forefoot flexibility and cushion are solid and the outsole’s grip won’t let you down, but the whole backend of the Nike Metcon 9 is a mess when it comes to running or any cardio activity where flexibility is required.

Arune and I experienced the discomfort of trying these for various cardio activities. If you buy them, I’d recommend bringing your running shoes with you in your gym bag for a quick switch.

Comfort

Arune: Wouldn’t it be amazing if I started this section of the review by finally, FINALLY praising the Nike Metcon 9?

To quote WWE Superstar Wade Barrett, “I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”

As I do with all new training shoes, I put them on and walked around my home with them to see if I could break them in a bit (which is about the only time I wear shoes indoors). What followed was a solid three hours of foot pain, even though Nike finally widened the toe box to accommodate wide footers like me. I thought some toe splay might mean I’d finally enjoy a Nike shoe like the rest of America.

Everything about the cushion set up here didn’t work for my foot, but I want to applaud the fact that Nike finally reversed their trend of seemingly narrowing the Metcon with each iteration.

If you’re looking at sizing, I recommend going TTS (true to size) with your regular Nike size.

Drew: True to size is correct but the width will be a problem for wide footers. The Nike Metcon 9 is not nearly as narrow as the Metcon 6 but it’s still too narrow for ample toe splay unless you have a narrow foot.

I found the front half of the upper to be fairly comfortable but the heel was stiff and unforgiving. And what’s worse, the heel (collar, counter, and underfoot) never seemed to break in, even after 4-5 hour-plus weightlifting sessions.

A little more width and a better heel structure will go a long way towards fixing what ails the Nike Metcon 9.

 

Aesthetics

Arune: Now this is where the Nike Metcon 9 reminds me of the iconic Batman villain Two-Face.

On one hand, I think the overall shape and silhouette look really, really great. As usual, Nike offers the best colorways and they’re rarely going to NOT be a standout in this category.

But then there’s the rope guard.

It doesn’t look that bad on the lateral side, but the medial side looks more messed up than Harvey Dent after getting that acid thrown on his face – it truly looks like a disfigured shoe that’s going to terrorize the innocent citizens of Gotham City.

In full transparency, I got a lot of compliments from people on the Nike Metcon 9 – most importantly from my wife, who is the toughest shoe critic I’ve ever met. So, maybe don’t listen to me at all here.

Drew: Arune may be letting performance influence his opinion here. The Nike Metcon 9 looks great. I got more compliments at the gym on these than any previous training shoe, even the super popular NoBull training shoes.

Nike knows how to make shoes look good and has amazing people working up drool-worthy colorways. But making a decision purely based on this shoe’s looks would be a mistake.

Price

Arune: On the surface, $150 feels like a fairly standard training shoe price these days and I can rail against that all I want, but it’s reality. Given the “Nike Tax” we see on so many shoes where it seems like we pay a bit more for the Swoosh, this time Nike is right in line with its competitors.

That said, the Nike Metcon 8 was just $130 a year ago, and that $20 increase is a bummer. I understand profit margins, competitive pricing, and that everyone at Nike needs to get paid, but these constantly escalating prices have an impact on customers.

I received these shoes for review and you’ve seen how harsh I’ve been in my critiques, but I would be livid about the myriad of performance issues if I had to pay a premium price.

Drew: Arune is right, the $20 price increase stings, mostly because the performance didn’t improve accordingly. $150 for a top-of-the-line cross training shoe is almost expected these days but not when it can’t match that price point in terms of performance.

And it’s easy to see the public agrees with our take. You can already find the Nike Metcon 9 on sale on Nike’s site and the shoe has only been out a month or two.

Nike Metcon 9 Final Verdict

Arune: There’s no chance that I will recommend the Nike Metcon 9 for anyone to purchase.

The shoe is not a high performer in any category for me, provides some real safety concerns with the medial side collapsing, and lacks the comfort to make this something I even recommend for casual usage.

Drew: The Nike Metcon 9 is a slight improvement from the Metcon 7 and 8 but it still has the same issues including the too-stiff, uncomfortable heel and a fit that’s not accommodating. Add the price increase on top of that and you’ve got a shoe that won’t make our list of best cross training shoes. There are a bunch of better options out there, just click through and read about them.

Personally, I’m hoping Nike goes all out for the Metcon’s 10th anniversary, fixes the problems, and once again establishes the Metcon as a shoe that can be used to tackle even the most cardio-intensive CrossFit/Metcon sessions while maintaining an ability to provide support on heavy olympic lifts. I like to dream that it’s possible…but we’ll have to wait till 2024 to find out.

Nike LeBron 21 Review

 The Nike LeBron 21 is damn near identical to last year’s model, which is actually a good thing. The main changes are aesthetic, so you’ll just have to decide which look you prefer.

Release Date: September 28, 2023

Price: $200

The Nike LeBron 20 was one of the best basketball shoes of 2023 and one of the best LeBron James shoes ever, which means the Nike LeBron 21 has a very good chance of being one of the best shoes of 2024. The fact of the matter is that both shoes are basically the same, which, in this particular case, is a good thing. The lack of innovation can be forgiven when we are talking about such a high-octane performance model.

There are, however, some changes that won’t affect performance per se, but they might affect the all-around experience on court which we’ll go over in this article.

Once on-court performance is out of the way, the big question is if you appreciate these aesthetically. Look good play good and all that. And here we do see some major changes when comparing them to last year’s model, so let’s dive in and see exactly what is different in the LeBron 21.

Nike LeBron 21 Tech Specs:

Nike LeBron 21 Traction

Traction on the Nike LeBron 21 should be superb as long as you keep them on a (preferably clean) indoor surface. The shoe features a translucent rubber outsole with a unique traction pattern that is somewhat similar to what we saw on the LeBron 20. It definitely feels very similar after our initial testing.

The rubber compound is on the softer side, which is great for indoor use, but not so much so for outdoor use. On top of that, the traction pattern isn’t very deep so you won’t have much traction pattern to wear down if you do choose to take these outside.

Lastly, there isn’t much space between the lines of the traction pattern which will mean that the LeBron 21 will have a tendency to pick up dust on dirtier courts. This wasn’t a huge issue with the 20, so we doubt it will be in the 21, but just keep it in mind.

Nike LeBron 21 Cushion

In terms of cushioning, we have the exact same setup as in the Nike LeBron 20, which was one of the most comfortable basketball shoes of 2022-23. What we have is a Cushlon midsole which houses a Zoom Turbo unit in the forefoot and a large volume (13 mm thick) bottom-loaded Zoom Air unit in the heel. This is an almost perfect mix of cushioning elements.

The Nike LeBron 21 will offer a very well-balanced experience on court. This setup is light and responsive while still offering a ton of impact protection and step-in comfort. It’s also one of the most versatile configurations you can find, meaning, it will work well for the majority of players and playing styles out there. In terms of cushioning, this will be one of the safest bets this year.

Nike LeBron 21 Materials

Here we have the biggest difference in regards to the Nike LeBron 20. The shoe is built with 3 distinct layers. The first is a fully textile layer which is covered in a second layer of flywire, which is then covered with a relatively high-quality leather shroud. You can see all 3 layers poking through the swoosh logo on the medial side of the shoe.

Finally a high-performance signature shoe with premium materials! Now, it isn’t the most performance-driven design we have ever seen but, as they say, “never look a gift horse in the mouth”. This leather covering will add a ton of support and containment but will require a bit more break-in.

We also have Nike Sphere in the heel which will mold to your foot and improve support the more you play in it. The tongue is very reminiscent of Nike’s Torch technology, which we’ve seen a lot on past Kobe models, and in this case, it’s also quilted on the side that’s in contact with your foot.

Lastly, we have to mention the laces on the LeBron 21. They are thick, and fit the luxurious look and feel of the shoe, but these type of laces does have a tendency to come undone as you play. More on this once we have completed our in-depth testing of the shoe.

This is the aspect of the shoe that has suffered the most if we compare it to last year’s model. Perhaps in an effort to cut costs, Nike decided to switch out the carbon fiber shank plate for a TPU shank plate. The leather they have used on the upper isn’t cheap and Nike’s design team most likely had to sacrifice the carbon fiber to build the upper the way they wanted.

By no means does this mean that support and containment will be bad on the LeBron 21, it’s just interesting to see. The shoe is equipped with a very wide base, a stable cushioning system, a substantial heel counter wrapped in Nike Sphere, that ultra-supportive upper, and then we have that TPU shank. This will be more than enough for the immense majority of players out there.

Oddly enough, one of the few players that this setup may not be enough for is LeBron James himself. But maybe Nike will keep the carbon fiber shank in his personal pairs. Once the season starts we should be able to see what he’s playing in.

Nike LeBron 21 Fit

The Nike LeBron 21 fits true to size and offers a very similar fit to the Nike LeBron 20, so if you played in that shoe you know what to expect. If you didn’t, go with whatever size you typically use for Nike basketball, and you’ll be getting a great 1 to 1 fit, which is exactly what you want in terms of performance.

Nike LeBron 21 Overall

The Nike LeBron 21 promises to be a beast on court. It can be described as a remix of the Kobe 4 black, and, again, that shoe was amazing. Barring any unfortunate surprises, this will be one of the top models this year, one of the most versatile, and one of the most comfortable on court, as well as an attainable Kobe substitute.

Last year we saw LeBron reaching frequently for the all-leather versions of the LeBron 20, as well as the Nike LeBron 2. Maybe he was looking for extra containment. That would explain the upper updates and the all-round design. If the assignment LeBron issued to Nike was to create a LeBron 20 with insane lockdown, then he must be thrilled with the Nike LeBron 21.

If Nike had been able to innovate a bit more, to push the envelope in terms of design, then we might have had an all-time great on our hands, but that’s a lot to ask for. And in all fairness, there’s little to complain about in the Nike LeBron 21.