Jordan Jumpman Hustle PF Performance Review

 Every day I’m Hustlin’! Jordan Brand has brought some nostalgia back bringing back a team shoe, for this case, the Jordan Jumpman Hustle PF. This particular Asia release model adds the sticker of PF (Performance Fit) and XDR rubber traction outsole. Is it a massive change compared to the US release? Well, we’re about to find out…

The only difference between this model and the US release is mainly the XDR rubber solid rubber outsole. Traditional herringbone traction is used and sometimes it’s the simple things are what work best. I’m very glad it’s used here. On clean courts, the traction was awesome, but once you get those pesky dust particles roaming about then the shoe needed more wipes than a baby’s behind (but that generally goes for most shoes).

Again, as long as you’re on nice, clean courts, you’ll be game ready no matter if you’re indoor or outdoor. I find that the XDR version seemed to grab the ground a lot more on outdoor courts, so that definitely says a lot about the compound used on the shoe. Although the rubber still felt a bit soft. No matter what I threw at it, this shoe traction really held it’s own.

The Nike pg 5 features forefoot Zoom Air along with a very lightweight Phylon midsole. For a big buy like myself, that needs that extra impact protection, these felt really good. Really, really good. For a shoe that has such a soft and lightweight Phylon midsole, I really felt the feedback under foot. This is most likely because I’m heavy footed. However, as much as I dislike comparisons, the shoe plays similar to the PG2, just with a bit more responsiveness upon impact. So for those that land heavy on rebounds, or those that require a little more impact protection, the Jumpma Hustle has you covered no matter what position you play. For the price, the shoe is one of the most comfortable currently on the market.

The Jumpman hustle utilizes Synthetic and fabric textile upper — this is the other aspect that differs from the U.S. version that utilized a vinyl enclosure. Nylon lace loops can be found under the shroud as well as patent leather-like material surrounding the midfoot and around the toe. While the material combination is nice, I do wish there was a little bit more strength behind the materials/build. I found the shoe to have some minor stretching depending upon my movements — especially with hard cuts. I didn’t find this to be a major issue, however, you can feel when it stretches which would cause me to second guess some of movements.

True to size, even for a wide-footer like myself. This is likely due to the this being the overseas release version. The PF models tend to be built on a slightly wider last to accommodate the Asian market. I don’t see it as an issue overall with anyone else because the lockdown of the shoe is nice, however, lateral containment might cause minor instability due to the lack of structure backing the materials on certain parts of the shoe. If you’re a wide footer and prefer to not size up then it’s best grab an overseas edition of Nike/Jordan models.

Support was good, not great, but good. Lateral support from the materials are slightly lacking which is what I felt was the biggest downside. It wasn’t a deal breaker as I love playing in the shoe, but if you wanted more strength within the upper then this might not be for you.

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Overall, the Jordan Jumpman Hustle was a delight to play in. And the price point is perfect as well. They have almost everything you can want in a basketball shoe without breaking the bank. They’re super comfortable (even for a big man like myself), very lightweight, yet plays really well on the court (even outdoors). For those looking for a soft ride, that looks nice on court, and caters to your fast pace up and down game, then this shoe will fit your needs.

It’s definitely nice that Jordans 2021 brought back a team shoe not only for the nostalgic purpose but it gives consumers options. Not saying that we don’t want to play in signature models, but it’s nice to have a choice to pick any shoe given, and not have to worry if it will perform on the court or not, because these shoes, they perform well. This is it chief.

I look forward to seeing if there are future generations of the Jumpman Hustle because if the designers can continue to create shoes like this, at these prices, then it’s definitely something I’ll be looking forward to in the future.

Nike Lebron VII 7 P.S. Post Season Performance Review

 I personally find this to be one of the sexiest Lebron shoes of all time, but it’s probably because it looks like the AJ 1 mid 

 

I do not remember a time, other than the lebron shoes, that I was dying to have a Lebron shoe because of the looks.. and both times they looked similar to the AJ XI and not so Lebronish.

Not much is written on this shoe for some reason so what the hell right?

Pros: traction, Zooooom, containment, interior materials and patent leather are high quality

Cons: early generation Flywire is literally plastic and not really conforming, lots of weird flexing and popping, too much Zoom and rounded outsole causes instability in the heel.

Sizing: half size down

Best for: Zoom lovers

Weight

15.5 oz so pretty average for today’s shoes

Traction 

Pretty much full length herringbone..

I found this traction to be one of the best of all the Lebrons. Not much wiping needed at all even in dusty floors and it bites well. The herringbone doesn’t reach the edges of the outsole but it still works well.

Simplicity pays off doesn’t it Nike?

Cushioning 

Big ol’ Zoom in the heel and a nice fat Zoom bag in the forefoot that feels like Zoom. What the hell happened Nike?

Look how big and wide this Zoom bag is, it basically covers the entire heel

I love the impact protection of the Lebron VII PS especially in the heel. However it is a bit overdone and makes the heel unstable (will cover later). This much Zoom also makes the shoe play “laggy” as the Zoom doesn’t rebound as fast as I’d like as I always felt half a step behind. A little more Phylon or firmness around the outer edges would have made these perfect. But man it feels great.

Fit

In general, I’ve found patent leather shoes run bigger than normal because they can’t really hug the foot due to the stiffness of the leather.  I went down half a size to a 10.5 and these fit me perfectly length wise and width wise. There is no heel slip either however there is a bit of deadspace along the sides due to the plasticky Flywire and patent leather.  Not a big deal but feels odd after coming off leather uppers.

Despite the locked in heel, I never felt a one to one fit because the plasticky upper couldn’t hug my foot correctly; It felt like a shell of a shoe.

Overall, this fit sounds fine on paper but during play, it’s a little cold and sloppy.

Materials 
Flywire in its infancy was a joke. It was mainly plastic with a few strands of Flywire to make it look fancier. I think my shower curtain could have doubled as Flywire.

If you like breakdancing, you’ll love this upper because it pops like nobody’s business. It doesn’t really go away but you get used to it. Kind of how Nike did away with leather and we just all got used to it.

The patent leather is great although a little thin but it is durable and fairly resistant to wrinkling (this is my second pair of 7 PS) and the lining of the ankle collar looks and feels well made.

Support and Stability

Support comes mainly from the fit and the heel counter and does a decent job but nothing extraordinary.

Midfoot support is nice thanks to a real carbon fiber shank

Stability is good at the forefoot due to the outrigger but stability at the heel is too tippy.

It is contoured at the heel and the  Zoom compresses too much on outward landings.

It’s almost like stepping on the edge of a mattress. I tweaked my ankle in these but nothing serious because I didn’t really like the shoe as a whole so these didn’t get a ton of serious runs in these.

Containment 
Containment is solid as always with Lebrons and the the 7 PS is no different due to the patent leather. It does not stretch at all on hard cuts.

Conclusion 

The Lebron VII PS will be remembered as a new jordans 2021 wannabe but it was actually a decent effort by Nike to incorporate new technologies into the Lebron line.  It could have easily been a beast on court if it had a few tweaks here and there to make it an all around performer like Lebron himself. I’ve thought about selling these many times because I never wear them but they are just so pretty that I can’t get myself to. If Nike could learn to merge beauty and performance together again, the Lebron line could be even bigger than it is already is.

Air Jordan XX8 (28) Pt. 2 Performance Teaser

 Consumers begged for change… and we got it. Funny thing is, every time Jordan Brand gives us what we ask for, the majority then complain about it…

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The last time we were given something different – something outside the box – from Nike KD 14 Ky-D was back in 2009. Sure, the modular cushion systems were different and cool for a moment but they don’t work as well as a well put together setup. Technology can forever evolve and change but the basics and fundamentals must remain the same in order to make it work.

This new Proplate Zoom, Unlocked Zoom or whatever you’d like to call it is insane. Much like the Propulsion Tech that was featured in the Air Jordan 2009, this is really something new. Whats interesting is that they used an older piece of tech and made it function differently. I don’t know about you but when I watched the video featuring Tinker Hatfield & Josh Heard speaking on the “Unlocked Zoom” I sort of rolled my eyes a little… in theory it sounded cool but Zoom is Zoom; right?

Wrong.

I’ll be honest… walking and running around on a miniaturized butt crack isn’t easy and takes some time getting used to. It may just be my small stature and lack of weight – as we all know… I’m not exactly an NBA sized player – but once you get used to it you will appreciate its presence.

If you remember the concept behind I.P.S. – Air Jordan XX through XX3 – it shares a similar trait in terms of compression and reaction upon impact. The main difference is that I.P.S. utilized dual density foams which eventually lose their bounce… this is like having I.P.S. with Zoom… really big Zoom… or what I like to call… Plumbers Crack Zoom. All jokes aside, these offer you a Zoom Air experience that you’ve never felt before.

The re-engineered Zoom placement is really cool and all but the coolest part about the Nike PG 5 Clippers is the Flight Plate and support system. I believe there are five carbon Fiber plates within the shoes build. One you cannot see… the one you cannot see might not be Carbon Fiber but I think it is… I can’t really tell from this image. Either way, its a support feature.

This entire setup reminds me a little of the adidas SprintFrame but it works more efficiently. Because it’s broken up into targeted sections, you only receive restriction where you need it – primarily at the Arch for torsional support and rigidity. The rest of the sections are independent but function as one piece. It’s hard to explain and I’m beginning to confuse myself because it’s something you need to feel for yourself… it’s not exactly something someone like me can express but I know what I’m feeling.

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The bottom line is this… if you wish to have the same stuff given to you year after year then there are brands that will provide that for you. If you want design, innovation and most importantly, something new… then this is it.

It may not look like something you are used to seeing but that’s because this hasn’t been done before.

Everyone always says they enjoy the original Nike Kyrie Low 4 models so much because they are like pieces of functional art… what isn’t artistic about this?

Nike Kobe 11 EM Performance Review

 Man oh man… One aspect of the shoe can ruin the entire experience.

Traction

I had problems just about everywhere. I took the Kobe 11 to about 6 or 7 gyms and was slipping in almost all of them. There was only one instance where I didn’t have any issues and that was on a perfectly clean floor. They actually performed quite well when there was no dust present. Even if there was the slightest bit of dust, however, the traction pattern clogged up, causing me to wipe at every dead ball. The traction pattern is simply too tight. Whether translucent or solid rubber, dust will fill the grooves and cause issues.

 

Cushion

Nike, once again, utilized a drop-in Lunarlon midsole. This time they implemented a Zoom unit in the heel. Unlike the previous renditions of the Kobe series, the midsoles didn’t bottom out. In other words, they didn’t wear down like they did in the Kobe 8 and 9. I was actually very pleased with the cushion. Not only were they comfortable, but the Zoom unit also triggered a smooth heel to toe transition. In my opinion, the drop-in midsole offers a perfect balance between cushion and court feel. If you’re interested in more cushion, then you can NikeID a pair that has a full-length Lunar and Zoom midsole. You can also use full-length lunar (no Zoom) if you prefer more court feel.

 

Materials

Nike didn’t use glue to back the flyknit? These must be amazing! Wrong…sort of. Instead of using glue, they threaded TPU, or plastic, within the flyknit. From the moment that I tried on the shoe, I heard a voice in my head. It was DJ Khaled saying, “Congratulations, you played yourself.” In all seriousness though, there isn’t any upgrade from the Kobe 9 or 10 as far as materials are concerned. Nightwing’s review was spot on. He suggested that they use the TPU only in high-wear areas – I completely agree.

Fit

First off, the shoes fit true to size. There is minimal volume in the toe, but that was easily resolved by wearing two socks. I was contained in the mid-foot area thanks to Nike’s flywire technology, which proves its worth time and time again. An external heel counter kept me secure in the rear of the shoe. A wide and stable base helps to prevent ankle rolls along with a natural, low to the ground ride caused by the cushion set-up.

Support

The support on the Nike dunk low  is solid and like most shoes, comes from the fit. Wide base, natural ride, external heel counter, and flywire. Same thing that was said in the fit section. Not to mention, the materials add even more support thanks to the TPU that is woven into the flyknit. The materials will be supportive for all types of guards and slashers. (The traction might not though.)

Overall

There are two things that could have been improved, traction and materials. It boggles my mind that Nike can release a shoe with such a high retail price ($200) and integrate such an awful traction pattern. Similar to the Kobe 9 and 10, the materials aren’t bad at all. They could (and should) be better, but they aren’t terrible. What do you think of the Nike Kobe 11? Let us know in the comment section below.

Brandblack Rare Metal 2 Performance Review

 Brandblack hasn’t released a basketball shoe since 2017. The Brandblack Rare Metal 2 was a nice way to re-introduce itself back into the basketball category.

Traction

Traction is grippy as all hell.

The Vibram rubber brings a bit of prestige to the shoe while also providing wearers with something familiar. Meanwhile, the X pattern is consistent throughout the entire outsole which does two things.

1. It grips really well.

2. It provides consistent coverage all the way around.

I was only able to test this shoe outdoors due to the pandemic, but they held up really well. Not much wear is visible — if any at all — and the grip is just great. I’ve seen some other reviews that focused on indoor testing and they all seem to agree that the traction is great.

Cushion

The cushion is what Brandblack is calling Supercritical Jetlon. It was first featured in the Tarantula running shoe, which was a bit lackluster, but the way it’s done in the Kyrie Low 4 feels much better.

This version of the Supercritical Jetlon feels much more in line with models that also use a similar foam midsole like the 361 AG1. With that, the midsole offers court feel and impact protect — all housed within the thin Vibram wrap-tech rubber outsole. The wrapped rubber does ensure stability while still allowing the foam to move a bit, but it would be interesting to see how this type of foam would do without being caged up so much. Every implementation of this style of foam I’ve personally used (for basketball) has been caged in some way so I do wonder what would happen if you let it loose.

Court feel and impact protection are a rare blend nowadays so getting them both in one shoe is definitely applauded.

Materials

Materials are a 4-layers system that blends a bit of TPU with a bit of textile. This allows the upper to remain extremely lightweight but also strong as hell. There is a break-in period so keep that in mind. It’s not horrible or painful, but the forefoot section of the upper does start out stiff.

I still prefer leathers over setups like this, but this works really well for what it was intended for so I can’t really complain. The new generation really enjoys their plastics and textiles so it looks like its here to stay. However, for those of you that are like me and still prefer raw materials on your performance shoes, there is a leather version coming so you may want to wait for those if the Rare Metal 2 is on your radar.

Fit

The Rare Metal 2 fits true to size. Lockdown was a bit inconsistent in the heel between my left and right foot. I tested two pairs in two colorways and I had the same left heel issue to start until the materials broke-in. I believe my feet are slightly different sizes, which is part of the problem, but the rear is also quite low so that probably made it so I noticed my sizing discrepancy more than I would in other shoes.

The midfoot and forefoot, on the other hand, were great. No issues at all.

Support

Support is deceptively good on the new jordans 2021. The wrap-tech outsole cups the foot well while the way its wrapped around the entire shoe provides more rigidity to the shoe in the way a shank plate would. Couple that with the 4-layered upper and the wide tooling base and you have something that is similar in feel to a Kyrie model but weighs in at only 11 ounces.

Overall

Overall, the Brandblack Rare Metal 2 is a beast on-court once you get past its break-in period. The traction is incredible. The shoe has no business being as supportive as it is at its weight. Cushion is way more comfortable than you’d expect. And they don’t look like anything else on the market in the basketball category — if that matters to you at all.

If you were looking for something different then this might be the change you’ve been looking for.

Nike LeBron 18 Low Performance Review

 The Nike LeBron 18 Low comes after a good run by the Nike LeBron 18, its higher cut brother that’s actually the same collar height. The LeBron 18 was a good shoe with some obvious weaknesses that made it a bit too unstable for some. This time around, LeBron’s Nike design team made just the right tweaks to upgrade the original.

What upgrades did they make you ask? Read the article below to find out for yourself.

Cushion

This is the exact same setup as the Nike LeBron 17 Low, full-length Nike React with a heel Air Max unit. The air unit is similar to the one in the Nike KD 14, that runs basically half the shoe. The cushion was easily my favorite feature of the shoe.

Upon try-on, it was extremely plush, especially in the forefoot. We can thank the many outsole openings on the shoe for that. There’s a bunch on the bottom that weren’t there on the regular LeBron 18 along with a few on the lateral side. This allowed the foam to do what it’s supposed to do, expand. Back in the heel, impact protection was crazy as hell. Be careful, though, as it can be a little wobbly. Court feel is definitely not a strong suit, but I wouldn’t say it’s insanely high off the ground. There was some bounce, but nothing compared to the Zoom on the originals really. If you’re looking for a just-right plush, impact-protecting cushion, you’ll get it here. It’s both comfortable and a performance beast.

Traction

The traction is the same general design with the regular LeBron 18, though the implementation is slightly different. There’s a sectioned splatter pattern on the forefoot area and it honestly doesn’t make much sense to me. The only logical reason I could find for it is to enable better compression from the React midsole.

Performance wise, these were good enough. Take note of the court I played on. It’s insanely dusty and I didn’t have too many problems. It wasn’t noisy traction though, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t get it here. However, the traction was good on most days with only some minor slips that mostly happened when they were relatively new. So, give the LeBron 18 Low time and it should be just a tad below A1 traction. Durability also isn’t too bad. Just a few scoffs here and there, but nothing major. And that’s after playing exclusively on concrete.

Fit

Snug. In a damn good way. I never felt like I was swimming in the shoe, but I also never felt like my feet were in a straight jacket. If I were to compare it with another shoe, I’d say it feels similar to the forefoot of the Air Jordan 34 Low, but just a bit more comfortable. And that’s in large part because of the soft materials. My feet seldom felt cramped and I have flat feet. The LeBron 18 Low is one of the better fitting shoes I’ve tried. Ever. True to size for sure.

Support

They added what we all wished the regular Nike Kyrie Low 4 had: outriggers. And they’re not even huge. They’re literally the tiniest outriggers I’ve ever seen and it still made a world of a difference. If you can’t see them in the picture, let me explain. Those lines that come up the lateral side of the shoes act as outriggers. Whether that was intentional or not, I’ll take it. Extra fuse was also added on both sides of the forefoot so the foot doesn’t rollover and it did the job. For flat footers like me, the arch wasn’t terrible, though you can feel it the first few runs. As with the traction, give it some time. I think the only critique I have with the support would be the slight instability of the Air Max unit. Heel strikes should be rare, especially while on court, but be ready. Any heel strike will require extra care to maintain your balance. Overall, though, very good support for a high-off-the-ground shoe.

Materials

I hate to do this to a shoe I love, but I got to be honest. We really should have gotten better quality materials for a shoe that’s priced at $160. The shoe isn’t cheap by any means. The materials say otherwise.

Three-fourths of the shoe is made out of a double-layered ripstop. There’s also a lot of fuse, so much so that the whole heel portion is a neoprene-backed fuse. The only “okay” materials we get are on the eye stays. The eye stays have synthetic suede (felt) on them and there’s a tiny (I mean the tiniest) leather overlay on the tongue. Speaking of which, the tongue was a not-so-loved aspect of the regular 18. The LeBron 18 Lows upgraded the tongue immensely. It’s made of ripstop, but it has foam inside for padding and comfort. However, I still wouldn’t wear thin and/or low socks with these as the thick stitching around the whole shoe might cause irritation. Overall, the materials didn’t impress. They didn’t match the price quality-wise.

Overall

The LeBron 18 Low isn’t a bang-for-your-buck shoe, but it isn’t an overpriced one either. Though the materials could be a TON better, in my opinion, everything else makes up for it. Whether you’re a LeBron fan, a person who likes impact protection, or a newbie looking for a shoe that’ll get you started, I can definitely recommend these. Nothing was overwhelming but everything was just right for the majority of players and foot shapes.

Nike KD 14 Performance Review

 The performance review for one of the best basketball shoes of 2021, the Nike KD 14, has arrived.

Traction

Traction for the KD 14 has been fantastic. I’ve been fortunate enough to test the shoe indoors and outdoors and they performed exceptionally well in every setting. I found the grip to be so reliable that I consider them my current go-to shoe — at least until my new pair of the Puma Clyde All Pro arrives.

While they might not be quite at that Air Jordan 1, Nike Kobe 9, or Air Jordan XX8 level of bite — the KD 14 is as reliable as any of the models on that list.

Cushion

Cushion featured on the Nike KD 14 includes a full-length Zoom Air strobel and a Cushlon midsole.

The Cushlon is soft, bouncy and fairly responsive for being as soft as they are. It’s Zoom Air unit keeps the shoe feeling snappy under-foot rather than sluggish and the midsole isn’t too thick (you sit inside most of it despite how thick they look) so you end up with a plush ride that offers a spring-like effect with every stride.

This is one of those shoes that you can have a great time in indoors and outdoors. I never felt the concrete or blacktop when outdoors. Just a comfortable ride that felt like it cradled my feet in comfort.

Materials

Materials aren’t really my personal cup of tea, but from a performance standpoint they work and they work really well.

The build is much more supportive than last years KD 13 while still maintaining a lightweight feel. Break-in time is quick and the shoe just ended up feeling made for my foot after a short time. Again, these are a current go-to for me. I love everything about them.

Fit

The fit is a bit tricky. I was able to recently (after filming the video review) try on a pair of my usual size 9 and I wound up buying a brand new pair in a size 9.5, the same size as the pair I tested. When the KD 14 initially released, size 9 was nowhere to be found so size 9.5 was all that was available to me unless I wanted to go down 1/2 size. Most KDs fit snug so I didn’t want to risk it. I won’t definitively say that going true to size is best, even though the size 9 fit as snug as I typically prefer, but the size 9.5 just felt perfect all around so that’s what I ended up with. I would highly recommend trying them on in-store if possible to avoid any potential issues.

Lockdown was fantastic. The build doesn’t stretch at all so I was secure from the ankle to the forefoot. The strap doesn’t really stay strapped all the time so that aspect was a bit useless, but it also didn’t bother me enough to stop playing in the shoe.

Support

Support is pretty standard as far as modern Balenciaga Triple S are concerned.

A standard shank is in place along with an internal heel counter. As mentioned above, the strap is pretty useless, but the fit plays more of a role in the shoes support and in that sense they were great. The TPU sidewall helps keep you on the footbed which helps reinforce the soft Cushlon. Finally, the base of the shoe is wide and cradles the foot nicely.

Overall

The Nike KD 14 is one of my favorite basketball shoes of 2021 so far. Will they remain on top? Who knows. It’s only June so there’s still plenty of shoes yet to release. All I know is that the KD 14 provided me with great traction, great cushion, decent materials, solid fit and decent support. It’s a well-rounded all-around performer.