Clothes and Sneaker Reviews 2017~2018

Beauty is only skin deep..that’s a good thing to remember about this shoe but also life in general. Pros: traction, excellent fit, low to the ground yet balanced cushioning, fantastic stability, containment, lightweight Cons: no heel counter so support relies almost solely on fit and stability of shoe (which is excellent), unnecessarily ugly Sizing Advice: true to size Best for: guards who want full range of motion yet stable shoe Buying advice: wait for a MyFitnessPal coupon or just wait and let me know when you see someone with these on. Guaranteed to hit discounts and outlets $60 is fair (what I paid) but should push $35-45 as bottom prices Weight 12.5 ounces which is very lightweight for a mid and one ounce lighter than the HOVR Havoc Low (review coming for those as well trying to work through some issues with them mainly heel slip) Traction Yes This traction pattern is great and works well on all surfaces. Not the strongest bite but the trade off is infrequent wiping (insert poo joke) Call me a creature of habit but I still think the Curry 5 traction is a little better due to a better bite and even less frequent wiping. However these are no slouch at all and are definitely one of the better patterns this year. Well done UA! Cushioning Charged in the heel and Micro G? Sounds like a good retro UA mix and it is pretty decent but it doesn’t feel anything like Clutchfit drive 1 or older Micro G. It feels mostly like a thinned out Curry 3 but with less feedback since it rides lower (less cushioning). It rides around 20-22 mm in the forefoot like the Curry 4. If you want low to the ground but more than adequate impact protection, you’ll really like these. It is a very well balanced combo of court feel with a touch of bounce so I think a lot of players will enjoy the set up even if it isn’t Boosty or Zoom Air like. Could UA do better? Yep they have in the past but these do a good job overall. Just wish these had a little more fun factor but you get what you pay for. For what it’s worth I like this set up much better than the Havoc so far. Fit True to size so simple people!! No dead space in the forefoot at all shoe just slips on and fits like a glove or sock or whatever you want to put on your feet. It’s essentially a one piece upper with a slightly separated tongue but hugs the foot very nicely right out of the box. This is one of the best aspects of the 3Zero II Well done UA! Materials Molded maxprene upper with zonal restriction engineered from within for maximum comfort & breathability -UA Translation: Maxprene and mesh but mostly Maxprene. Maxprene feels like a stronger less stretchy version of neoprene and is very comfortable. If you could synthetic and neoprene had a baby together you’d probably get something like this. No issues here Support and stability Support relies on the fit and the stability of the the shoe because there isn’t a heel counter at all. However, stability is OUTSTANDING for a number of reasons First off the outsole is very wide and features a modified outriggerNo tippiness in the heel and it very wide heel to toe. It’s one of those shoes that feels like it’s split right in half to keep the lateral side down and flat no matter what you do. Other shoes that felt this stable to me include the Air Jordan 1 and Curry 2. Despite no heel counter I just felt safe playing in these. Whatever UA did, exceptional job making these feel so stable! Containment Nice raised mdisole It is more flexible than I prefer but with the synthetic upper it does a good job on hard cuts Conclusion I had no intention of buying the 3Zero 2 mainly because I threw up on the screen when I saw it and couldn’t hit the add to cart button. However, after a few different colorways came out and another MyFitnessPal coupon popped into my email, I was like ok for $60 I’ll give it a shot and I’m glad I did. For $100 I wouldn’t buy it and neither would the rest of the world but for $60 . Life tip: retail price is what companies wants you to pay, it isn’t the price you should pay. #crazyrichasians If you can’t get a MFP coupon don’t fret because I can guarantee you THESE WILL SIT and go to major discounts and discount outlets. No games by Steph in the 3Zero II, no major xafsing and most of all they are fugly for no reason will allow everyone to cop a shoe that does almost everything exceptionally well with traction, fit and stability being the very high highlights. If Basketball Shoes really wants to survive in the shoe business, it really needs to work on blending looks with performance. Only 10%-20% of buyers actually buy shoes for their intended purpose so to target just this small percentage of customers is not the right strategy especially when UA basketball lives and dies by one player. I wrote this years back and sure enough the 2016 3-1 lead disappeared and UA tanked (and is still recovering but getting better..UA you should really visit my blog more often). Seriously though a few tweaks here and there would have made the 3Zero 2 much better looking without sacrificing any of the performance aspects. And knowing how my readers think, I’ll say this ahead of time, I’d take the 3Zero2 over the Havoc all day no questions asked, no refunds, thank you come again. It does EVERYTHING better than the Havoc except maybe support but the stability of the 3Zero2 makes up for it. HOVR might be the newer cushioning but I’m comfortable saying it doesn’t feel much better than Charged especially how it’s implemented in the Havoc and it certainly doesn’t give me any additional energy return. I’m trying to work through heel slip and breaking in the cushioning more before a final assessment of the Havoc. In the meantime these get a first team rating

Almost one year ago, Under Armour unleashed HOVR cushioning on the world and for a company that was desperately in need of a top-flight signature cushioning system HOVR was magical. It only took nine months to get HOVR in basketball, and here it is: the HOVR Havoc Low. Does the Havoc live up to the promise of the Phantom and Sonic runners? Let’s go… One thing you can (almost) never say about Under Armour basketball shoes is that the traction sucks. The HOVR Havoc Low is no different. There’s herringbone from heel to toe, at least where the shoe touches the court, with horizontal lines breaking up the pattern for flexibility in the forefoot. This is basically the same pattern as what the Drive 4 used and it works on any surface, even outdoors. Dust is no issue because the grooves are wide and deep and push away any debris you may pick up. It isn’t the squeakiest, but we know that means nothing — you are stopping when you want. Don’t worry about the missing areas because if you need traction in those areas you are already lost. It says HOVR, but it ain’t the same. First of all, part of the magic of the HOVR system is it can be tuned differently for specific uses. The KD 11 is soft, really soft, and is a more cushioned, relaxed ride for long running days or when you need a little more protection. The HOVR Sonic was tuned tighter and stiffer for fast, racing-style training and runs. The HOVR Havoc is more to the Sonic, but even tighter. Honestly, there isn’t much HOVR feel at all — no cushy step-in, no bounce-back response. The reason? The HOVR is supremely caged by both a stiff foam midsole on the perimeter and underneath by an almost-full-length TPU shank plate. Honestly, this is good; I couldn’t imagine trying to play ball in a shoe as cushioned but unstable (for lateral movements) as the Phantom. It’s not all bad though: there is a quickness to the midsole that only comes from a lack of compression. Your steps happen quickly, and your movements are not slowed down waiting for the midsole to respond. The HOVR is thin and doesn’t beef up the midsole at all so court feel is fantastic. And if you absolutely, positively need to feel some sort of bounce give it time. Once that foam midsole starts breaking in a little, you will notice a more HOVR-y feel. Best of all, while you are playing, impact protection is no issue — which is especially surprising given the thin midsole. You may not be able to feel the bounce, but when you are done playing in the HOVR Havoc Low you won’t feel the pain either. Mesh and fuse. Fuse and mesh. We’ve all heard the story before, so what else is new? Well, really, nothing — but it’s all about the usage of the fuse and mesh, and the HOVR Havoc Low uses the materials well. With a full-mesh one-piece upper, fuse overlaid on the toebox and lateral forefoot, and backing by a super-comfortable foam liner, the curry 5 is a supremely comfy sneaker. While fuse does sometimes make a shoe stiff and inflexible, the toebox of the Havoc breaks in within minutes of wearing and flexes like a second, rubbery skin. Soft padding is found along the heel, helping lock in and cut down on the heel slip, but honestly, that needed to be more like a memory foam or at least a little denser. The only other thing to mention is the TPU heel counter, and that is what it is. Simple, but effective. Through the forefoot and midfoot, fit is really, really close to 1:1. Like, really close. There is a little bit of dead space over the top that you don’t find until you pull the laces up and the one-piece upper pulls in a little, but around the toebox and midfoot you are completely blanketed. I almost went up half a size but I wanted to see how well the shoe felt after a couple of wearings and the HOVR Havoc Low didn’t disappoint; it broke in perfectly and began flexing and moving right with me. The forefoot laces run through the fuse/synthetic side panels and do a serious job of pulling the upper around your foot as well as pulling your foot down into the midsole. So many shoes just want no extra room instead of actually making the shoe a piece of the athlete, but not the HOVR Havoc Low. The lacing system does sit back and high on the ankle area, which helps lock the heel into the heel counter, and it does a good job. However, for my desired level of cinch-down, I did get some lace pressure along the top set of laces. Nothing to cry about, but I did have to loosen them up every now and then to keep from chafing and blistering. When I did loosen up, there was a sensation of heel slip, but not real slip. What I’m saying is this: when the heel doesn’t feel locked in I couldn’t feel anything around my heel at all, but I didn’t have any serious slipping. This is where the denser foam in the heel area would have helped. If the foam was a little stronger, the heel would feel secure. It isn’t a safety issue, but if you need that Aunt Mabel hug around your foot to feel safe and warm, you may want to look at the high version. This HOVR Havoc is a low-lowtop, possibly the lowest I’ve worn since the Kobe 8, and it feels like it. That isn’t to say the shoe isn’t supportive or safe, because, as you loyal WearTesters readers and watchers know, it ain’t the height of the collar that helps. The HOVR Havoc Low has a super-wide fat-booty heel that rides flat on the floor. All those heel-strikers and big-man post moves are stable and supported perfectly — especially with the HOVR foam not being mushy. The forefoot is more of the same, wide and balanced with a stable midsole. The foot doesn’t sit inside the midsole — no raised areas on either side — but the synthetic lace system works the same and keeps the foot snug over the footbed on lateral movements. The midfoot is solid thanks to the huge TPU plate under the HOVR and above the outsole rubber. The plate runs completely across and from heel to nearly the toes so there is no twisting or turning underfoot while playing. This should make the HOVR Havoc Low stiff but the shoe just flows. When I first tried on HOVR in November of 2017 I was immediately hit with the thought, “I wonder when this will hit basketball?” Since I was with Under Armour reps at the time, I was told not until August. Since that day, I have been anticipating this shoe like no other. HOVR in running is magical. In basketball, well, it needs a little tuning, but the concept and vision is there. No, it isn’t bouncy like Boost, or responsive like Zoom, but it does absorb and rebound on impact and is stable on any and all movements. If you need that cushy cushioning you will have to drop some dollars on another brand. If you are looking for a seriously quick, responsive, biting-traction shoe, the HOVR Havoc Low will more than satisfy. Coming in an abundance of team colorways (can’t wait for all the Dallas Mavericks/Dennis Smith Jr. colors to pop), the  UA Curry is a shoe that works and works well in any environment. Now, let’s make sure HOVR doesn’t end up being Micro G’s new neighbor in Florida (#retired).

Virgil Abloh’s latest Off-White x Nike Blazer Mid release consists of two Halloween inspired color options dubbed, “Grim Reaper” and “All Hallows Eve” as part of Spooky Pack. After dominating headlines last month with his “Queen” collection for Serena Williams — complete with a brand-new Air Max 97 — Virgil Abloh is back in the public eye again, as official images of his two new Off-White Nike Blazers have been unveiled. Abloh’s remarkable propensity for never straying far from the limelight has continued ever since the release of his original “The Ten” collection in September 2017, and now his highly-anticipated seasonal takes on a beloved silhouette will ensure he stays there long into the fall and winter. Entitled the “All Hallow’s Eve” and the “Grim Reaper” the two seasonal Blazers feature a deconstructed aesthetic, two-tone color palates and Abloh’s instantly recognizable bold branding. The “All Hallow’s Eve” offers a halloween-ready combination of cream and orange, while the “Grim Reaper” opts for a spooky black and white. The former is notable for utilizing a retro color scheme not seen before on Off-White releases, while the latter’s translucent midfoot stands out even more than usual due to its dark black base. Both shoes also feature Virgil’s Helvetica branding on the medial midfoot, and are completed with a signature zip tie Inspired by the dark look of the infamous grim reaper, the shoe features a Black upper with an oversized White Swoosh, Orange detailing and signature Off-White zip-tie in Light Blue. The “All Hallows Eve” comes in a ghostly Cream colored upper with a Orange Swoosh logo, Abloh’s signature bold branding text and Light Blue zip ties to compete the Halloween theme. Comparing both shoes, which would you consider the better release? Cast your vote below, and leave your reasonings in the comments section.

adidas Hoops has been pretty quiet in 2018. The brand hopes that will change with the introduction of the adidas Pro Bounce. This is one of the best outsoles we’ve gotten from adidas since the Harden Vol 1. Its rubber compound feels nearly identical to the kd 11 and it acts like it as well. Spiral patterns usually work well but the bite these offer is on another level. There were no issues no matter which court I played on. I just had solid traction from start to finish. It’s capable of handling outdoor use as well which is a big plus. If consistent and reliable traction is your thing then the adidas Pro Bounce should be on your list of options when shopping for a new pair of basketball shoes. Bounce cushion appears to be replacing Boost in most of adidas’ basketball models. It’s replaced Boost in adidas’ awful D Rose 9, and it looks like it’s completely replaced the Crazy Explosive line altogether. It’s almost like adidas is trying a little harder to distinguish the two cushions — which one is its premium offering and which one is its more affordable option. Now, if you’ve worn Bounce before then you won’t be disappointed. Bounce offers a slight bounce in terms of feedback underfoot while retaining a ton of court feel. It’s one of the most well-balanced rides from a foam currently available on the xafs. It did leave a bit to be desired when I took the Pro Bounce outdoors, so for that I’d rather grab my Harden Vol 2, but for indoor use I think it’s perfect for players from the 1 to 5 spot. adidas applied ForgeFiber, a lightweight mesh with additional stitching for reinforcement and strength, on the upper of the Pro Bounce which is similar to the Harden Vol 2’s build. And like the Harden Vol 2, it feels a little cheap in-hand and on-foot. However, ForgeFiber works just fine. It’s breathable. It’s lightweight. It moves with the foot rather than against it. It requires zero break-in time. But it still feels a little cheap — it’s something I’d be okay seeing on a $90 shoe instead of a $120 shoe. Is it a deal breaker? From a performance perspective, not at all. If you like to feel like you have something premium then it could be. Those preferring the lightest shoe available will enjoy the Pro Bounce more than those that prefer leathers. I’d suggest going true to size or down 1/2 size. My adidas Pro Bounce was my true size and I didn’t experience any issues with the fit or support. However, there was a little bit of dead space above the toe. I personally prefer my shoes to fit closer to the foot and going down 1/2 size would have given me the fit I prefer. However, it would haven also rammed my toes into the rubber outsole that wraps up the toe area so if you don’t mind having a tiny bit of dead space then TTS is the way to go. If you don’t mind your toes touching the tip of the shoe then going down 1/2 will suit you best. Wide footers, you’ll likely be okay going TTS with this type of material setup. Lockdown, despite my dead space issue, was solid. The lacing system is comprised of Flywire-like cables, something I don’t like, but they worked well once you adjust everything to your liking. Support was very good, even with the cheaper mesh build. Its lockdown and overall fit works well and keeps you on the footbed of the shoe. Torsional support comes in the form of two split TPU spring plates that run into the forefoot of the shoe, something I really enjoyed. The midsole is wide and flat while we have two large exaggerated outriggers — awesome. Support, despite how the overall package looks, is very much on-point. Do I recommend the adidas harden vol 3 ? Yes.

16? Sixteen! That’s right, Nike took a (not so big) gamble on a high school kid from Akron, Ohio, 16 years ago. And every year since, it seems like Nike has introduced a new technology for LeBron James, from Max Zoom to Hyperposite to Battleknit. Well, the LeBron 16 isn’t new, but it’s a whole lot of goodness. Read on… Oh my goodness, what is this? A true, gripping, thick traction that needs no wiping, no breaking in, and would work outdoors as well? Who’da thunk it? Based on the LeBron Soldier 12’s wave-herringbone pattern, the LeBron 16 uses basically straight lines with a slight angle to provide one of the best out-of-the-box grips in recent memory. The pattern is deep and spaced wide enough to push out most of the dirt the shoe encounters (even from casual wear, which these will see a lot of once the Lakers colorway hits). In two weeks of testing I believe I wiped once. Once — not once a day, or once a game — once. After the lateral disaster in the LeBron 15, this was a serious improvement. Again, as far as outdoors goes, you should actually be good for a few months. The rubber isn’t ’90s Nike hard but it is firmer than most on the shelf today and the pattern is deep. Just remember, once you wear it completely down, you’re skating on Max Air bubbles. It looks the same, but it doesn’t feel the same. By now you know about the Max Zoom in the LeBron 15 and how it’s bouncy and cushioned at the same time. You probably also know about the compression around the edges and how the midsole felt a little unstable on hard lateral movements. Well, that is no more. The LeBron 16 has a stiffer overall setup that still provides serious impact protection but feels quicker and smoother from the jump. I’m not sure if it is the actual bags that are tuned tighter or the foam is denser, but instead of sinking into the shoe you get immediate springback into your foot. What good is this? Well, when jumping on a mattress, or large trampoline, there is a sinking feeling that takes time to get back in the air. Now, on a smaller trampoline, with a higher tuned spring ratio, your body is immediately back into the air on impact. Make sense? Yeah, didn’t think so. Just know this: the LeBron 16 is quicker underfoot than the 15. The LeBron 16 uses nubuck and Battleknit 2.0. Sounds like the new evil cousin on Game of Thrones huh? Actually, it looks like a shoe fit for a Lannister, with a lion embossed on the heel and the glowing red eyes. We get a nubuck panel for the details on that area and the tongue. It isn’t the most premium of materials, but it’s nicer than we see on most 2018 basketball shoes. It does start off stiff in the heel, leading to some slight heel slip, but after a couple of day’s worth of games it tightened up. As for the new version of Battleknit, the worries of last year are gone here as well. While the midsole was a lateral movement away from rolling over, the knit upper wasn’t the strongest option for keeping your foot upright. However, the Battleknit 2.0 on the LeBron 16 is backed by a nylon sleeve for some non-stretch support that still flexes easily on normal forward motions but holds tight on lateral movements. You get the best of both worlds with the upper of the Lebron 16. Initially, I was not impressed. I felt the heel was slipping a little too much (back to the heel nubuck panel) and the forefoot was a little too roomy, especially over my toes. What a difference a few games makes; after my fourth night wearing them, the upper was flexing and softened up so I could get the shoe pulled tight on my forefoot. The heel, however, needed a little something extra. Enter the re-lacing adventure of the LeBron 16. For those of you who have this shoe already, you may already know what I’m about to tell you. If you don’t have the shoe, pay close attention. The LeBron 16 has variable-width lacing. There are extra holes, much like the Dame 3 or Harden Vol.2, that allow for a more customized fit. After wearing the shoe for a couple of days, I decided to go with the wider set of laces for a more secure lockdown. Bad choice. Pulling the laces from the shoe was hard enough, with the Flywire on the tongue being the main issue. Re-lacing back through the knit upper was a task for the jaws of life. The nylon backing is tight but the lace holes don’t run through it, they only run through the knit outer layer. This made getting the aglets back into the shoe a knuckle-scraping, finger-tip-almost-bleeding task that took 15 minutes per shoe. Doing this whole operation cut down on my heel slip issues completely, so I guess it was worth it. No matter, because after my fourth wear, everything about the shoe just formed around my foot when laced tight and there is now no movement at all. I would say go true to size (I went 10.5 in the LeBron 16 and the AD Exodus) and enjoy your runs. One thing the LeBron line has never lacked is support — the guy is 6’9″ and 270 pounds. Of course, the designers know he needs a combat boot for the court. That’s what makes Batteknit 2.0 so surprising; knit for this type of shoe seems a little risky, but the tightness of the threads and the no-stretch upper give serious lateral stability and containment. That’s good because the midsole stays in the middle and doesn’t come up the sides of the shoe at all. Again, the variable lacing helps keep your foot over the footbed on hard slides and the double-layered heel cup and the internal padding lock your rear foot in place — as long as you get he lacing dialed in and give it a little time. The biggest difference in the LeBron 16 is the midsole. As mentioned above, the Max Zoom combo feels like it is tuned tighter. That leads to stiffer Air bags and less compression. Along the edges, this means that when you’re leaning into a move or cutting harsh the bags won’t collapse and roll — they stay upright and springy. Then, Nike went and did for us what it did exclusively for LeBron last year: it added small outriggers on each Max Zoom bubble. They aren’t huge outriggers, but they are just enough to keep the shoe upright when playing on your toes. The base of the shoe also feels wider while playing, something that helps on quick jumpers for a stable base. After 16 models I can’t really say what my favorite LeBron shoe is because that’s a long time with a lot of change. I can say Nike fixed most of the issues found in the 15, and the 15 was an almost-great shoe. In the LeBron 15 we get better traction, a more stable midsole, more responsive cushioning, and a more contained upper that are all built for a King. If you are an all-around player, or just enjoy playing, the LeBron 16 will suit any play style or move — be it slashing, cutting, shooters, defense, rebounding. The shoe simply handles everything thrown at it and is one of the most fun shoes on the xafs today…unless you are a Cavaliers fan.

Executive Summary: plays almost exactly the same as the Kyrie 2. Similar firm cushioning and very good traction. Shoe starts stiff but breaks in. No real reason to buy the 3 when the 2 does nearly everything the same or better though. Kyrie 2 Review Pros: traction, court feel, fit, support and stability, containment, very durable Cons: traction pods protrude and cause a little bit of inconsistent traction in the heel, needs periodic wiping on dusty floors on Non pod portions, cushioning needs break in and is very stiff and firm like the KD 11 , materials start stiff but break in, not the best value out there especially now that sale time is upon us. Sizing: true to size, very wide footers will probably want to go up half a size Best for: guards looking who value response and quickness; players who liked the Rose 4 Buying Advice: wait for sales, Nike made a lot. $90 is fair, $65 is near the bottom. Or just buy the Kyrie 2 Weight 14.5 oz which is pretty average Kyrie 2 is the exact same weight Traction If there is one thing you can say about the Kyrie line, it’s that it’s traction patterns look aggressive. The main attraction of the Kyrie 3 traction is the use of traction pods in the forefoot that ride up the sides. The rubber is softer and raised a millimeter or two from the rest of the shoe. The concept works and the pods do their job very well. The rest of the shoe is a blade pattern or modified herringbone and feels softer than the Clutchfit Drive herringbone but firmer than the Kyrie 2 rubber. I wish the entire outsole was made of the pods’ rubber or Nike put some of these pods throughout the entire outsole like the AJ XX because on a few occasions I’d spin out at the heel since the forefoot stuck better than the rest of the shoe. This occurred even on pristine floors. Nitpicky I know. One concern with the traction pods is durability and efficiency once they wear down. I think they will still work fine once they wear evenly with the rest of the outsole but expect more wear in that area due to the softness of the rubber. Overall traction is very good overall but I feel the Kyrie 2 provided better consistent traction overall especially on dirty floors since it is the same rubber, pattern, and depth throughout the outsole. Neither required too much wiping but the 3 needed a few more wipes per session. Not quite top tier stuff but still good overall. Cushioning Here is the tech highlight of the Kyrie 3. The rest of the shoe is Phylon just like last year’s. If you did not like the cushioning on the Kyrie 2, you will not like the cushioning on the Kyrie 3. Say with me again, if you did not like the cushioning on the Kyrie 2, you will not like the cushioning on the Kyrie 3. One last time.. Cushioning is very firm on the Kyrie 3 just like the 2. It starts off very very stiff but softens a little with break in. I could feel the Zoom a tiny bit just like on the 2. It is serviceable and responsive as Randy noted but I just prefer a little more softness in the forefoot because I have Morton’s neuroma in each foot. The good news is that the neuromas didn’t flare up badly but I could feel some buzzing after an hour just like the 2’s. I prefer a more balanced cushioning feel overall and these are just a little too hard for my tastes. The set up feels almost exactly the same as the Rose 4 except the Rose 4 has a thicker PU insole. Very low to the ground and quick feeling. *interstingly enough if you check out Fastpass see the Kyrie actually sits at nearly 18 mm which is higher off the ground than the Harden V1 or CLB. Of course that’s not accounting for the insole thickness which probably evens it out. Thanks reader Pflite* Although this didn’t really affect cushioning much, these two changes make the cushioning on the 3 feel a smidge firmer: Number 1 The Kyrie 2 featured Poron in the forefoot while this year’s does not. Hard to really tell a difference but to the touch Poron is softer. Number 2 The Kyrie 2 had an ortholite insole while this year’s doesn’t have the ortholite markings so in guessing it’s not ortholite. Anyways, the name doesn’t matter but the Kyrie 3 insole is very thin and flimsy like a limp noodle (it can barely hold its shape when I took the pic) plus it feels slightly thinner towards the middle than the Kyrie 2 insole. It’s as if someone wore down the insole of the Kyrie 2 and put it into the Kyrie 3. That’s how thin it feels to me. On Adidas Boost models, the thin insole is fine since it has all that Boost below it but with this firm set up, Nike really should have given us a thicker insole. If you’ve ever played in basketball ball in tennis shoes like the Adidas Barricade or even the Nike Zoom Vapor 9, that’s what the cushioning feels like. Actually the Zoom Vapor 9 has the exact same size Zoom and a similar if not thicker Phylon set up from heel to toe including the foam strobel. However, the Zoom Vapor feels better because the insole is thicker. If you want to improve the comfort level of the Kyrie 3, get a bigger size and put in a thicker insole to add a couple of millimeters more of cushioning. Keep in mind that it might feel better underfoot but one or two millemeters isn’t going to fix any knee issues you might have. Fit I bought my true to size 11 and initially thought I should have gone up half a size. However, after playing in them a few weeks, true to size was the way to go. Even though I’m a wide footer, these stretched out enough for me. If you’re Fred Flintstone, you should at least try half a size up before deciding on the correct width though. There is no movement in the forefoot, very little deadspace above the foot in the toe box and zero heel slip. Midfoot fit is still tight like the previous models but not deathly like the Kyrie 1. After a few hours of break in time, you almost forget they are on your feet as the upper softens up. Almost Even though the Kyrie 3 has a very good fit, the Kyrie 2 has an even better fit due to the strap that helped pull the ankle and heel back further. Materials In case you’re part of the Night’s Watch or need to defend Winterfell…. The materials start off stiff but soften up quickly. They don’t feel Flyknit soft or anything but they do soften up enough after a few hours of break in time. The spiked look doesn’t really convey a soft warm comfy feel does it? The lateral side of the upper is a similar fuse as last year’s model Not cracker crispy like the Kyrie 1 but not definitely not Snuggles soft. The medial side and toe box is mesh with a nylon backing and feels a lot softer than the lateral side. The front of the toe box does have a hard rand for durability as well. I’ve noticed this is a trend these days as shoe companies have added strength and stiffness to the lateral side for containment and support while leaving the medial side soft for flexibility. Hmmm, maybe I did make a difference .(I’m kidding I don’t have that kind of pull) Of course we can’t forget the featured xafsing portion which is the forefoot flex area. Across the top of the foot, a long stretchy band flexes with your foot for support during quick cuts and sprints. Nike used a thinner mesh and Flywire to allow extra flexibility at the forefoot. I don’t it feel stretches at all but that thinner mesh allows for a more natural flex area. Plus it’s hard to quantify if it really works since the rest of the upper is so much stiffer than this little area. If you’re big on materials and have to have that pure Flyknit or Primeknit or mesh feel, you probably will want to steer clear of the Kyrie 3. I think the materials are fine and don’t affect playability but every person has different needs and wants. Support and Stability Support is good with the Kyrie 3 thanks to the fit, heel counter and stiffer fuse on the lateral side. Just plain and simple, solid support. As stiff as the upper starts off, it is plenty flexible like the Kyrie 2 and isn’t going to save any ankles Nike continued with the curved outsole but didn’t choose to xafs it this time around. It seems slightly less curved in the forefoot than the Kyrie 2. After not playing in the Kyrie 2 for a year you can feel a difference with the curved outsole but it doesn’t make a difference for me in terms of performance. Also helping with the stability was the firm, low to the ground cushioning. Overall just a solid supportive and stable shoe. Same as the Kyrie 2. Containment No surprises here as containment was excellent thanks to that stiffer lateral fuse upper as well as the raised midsole. Softer materials might be all the rage but there are benefits to using stiffer and stronger materials like Fuse. Conclusion Not the best value out there but a good performer overall. The Kyrie 3 has great traction, a good fit with solid support and stability and very firm cushioning. I had no issues with aches or pains but then again don’t have knee or back issues (knock on wood). The Kyrie 3 just feels like a quick high cut tennis shoe for players that value lateral quickness over everything else. Cushioning will come down to personal preference and if you didn’t like the 2 cushioning you will not like the 3. I’ll even qualify that statement with this; If you don’t like UA Charged you will not like cushioning on the Kyrie 3. Charged foam is easily thicker bouncier and softer. If you want to improve the comfort of the Kyrie 3, size up and swap out the cheapo insole. Is the Kyrie 3 an upgrade over the 2? No I don’t feel it did anything better than the Kyrie 2. Is it worth paying $120? No probably not. There are plenty of shoes out that at the $120-$130 range that do everything just as well or better than the Kyrie 3. Curry 2, 2.5, 3 all come to mind. Plus it’s almost mid season so there are plenty of sales on earlier launches. Do not buy these if you want a softer cushioning set up or if you want a Charmin soft upper material. I’m guessing Nike made a lot of these to capture the new Kyrie fans post championship. If Kyrie 2 sales are any indication, these should hit $90 under range soon and bottom out around $65. If you want a marginally better performing and cheaper shoe, stick to the Kyrie 2.

Nope, Nike and Kobe aren’t done. There is another AD in town. So how does the Kobe AD Exodus perform? Let’s go… What took so long for this review? Didn’t these get purchased on release day? Well, yes, but the traction held me up. On first wearing I was ready to sell the Kobe AD Exodus because I slipped and slid all over the court, falling twice on first steps from a standstill position while trying to drive. Of course, it was a dirty, bad 24-Hour Fitness court, but when I changed into the Jordan 32 I was good to go. Two days later, same court, same results. Someone was about to get a deal on these. Third wearing, I went to a local college court and played — better floor, better results. I was sticking and moving like Ali so these could work! I went back to the original court for my last wear, and lo and behold, the floor was clean and the results were serious stickiness. All that said, if you are playing on a fairly clean court, you will be good. I guarantee on dirty courts I wiped these every 4-5 trips down the floor and was still iffy. Once the floor was swept I no issues at all. The soles will suck up every particle of dust in a three mile area, so keep them clean. Outdoors? Next… Once again, we get a Kobe model with a dispute about the cushioning. We know the heel is Zoom Air, and after seeing the Kobe AD Exodus deconstructed we know it’s a huge heel unit. But what’s in the forefoot? Yeah, it’s foam. It’s basic injected Phylon. On a budget model (the under-$80 silhouettes) this might not be a bad thing. But on the Kobe AD it’s a little…underwhelming. The caged in forefoot, which uses the same outsole rubber, makes it stiff and dead-feeling. Not as dead as the Kyrie 3 but just a budget foam/forefoot feel. While playing, however, I had no complaints; the forefoot rode low and with very little compression of the midsole so the response was great. Once traction dialed in, change of direction was quick and landing on jumpers or drives was no issue. Not the best, but not a deal-breaker at all. The heel unit, as mentioned, covers the whole area and is thick (14mm). The only issue I had at all with the heel was coming off screens/curls and planting. I heel plant and turn into my shot to square up and the edges of the Zoom unit would compress under pressure, causing my foot to lean slightly as I planted. I gradually got used to this issue and after a couple of wears it wasn’t an issue. I would gladly trade that feeling for full-length Zoom for impact protection on those back-leaning landings. I’ve seen better, but the materials work. Yes, we get the felt/suede upper from the Kobe AD Mid, but luckily it isn’t the full upper, so that initial stiffness from the Mid is gone. It still doesn’t breathe, and after every run my shoes were soaked in that area. The tongue area is Nike Pro/Torch material, which is a padded mesh with holes strategically cut into the internal foam for ventilation. Doing this lets the tongue remove lace pressure with the foam but provides ventilation from the holes and mesh; it helps a little. The forefoot is a combination of two materials: composite mesh and Nike Basketball mesh. The composite is the band you see over the first lace loops, and it provides no-stretch, no-give stability for lateral movements and hard steps. The rest of the toe moving forward is thin mesh, like the PG 1, and it is so light and thin it almost isn’t there. There is a fused area over the big toe — we know why — and that’s it. Schnug. Not unbearable-in-true-to-size snug, but a really close, tight fit. The materials having little to no give laterally help with that, and honestly, it fits perfect for me. It feels too small until you play and realize the shoe just moves with you with no slow-down or issues. The one issue I can see some having is around the arch; it’s narrower than any Kobe I can remember in that area and some will want to go a half-size up when buying. I wouldn’t unless you are a wide-footer and can’t stand it. The feeling goes away and the fit will be appreciated later. The heel is completely locked in with a thick padding around the collar and Achilles. It is still amazing that a shoe with four lace holes can fit like this, but lockdown is complete and total. As for length, true to size should give you about a quarter-inch of extra space on your big toe, just enough to expand a little on those long days. For a lowtop that is meant to be light and fast, the Kobe AD Exodus is…light and fast. Support is okay, with a standard heel counter and a raised midsole in the heel and forefoot. There is no midfoot shank, but that isn’t always a deal breaker — the Kobe AD Exodus has a flat sole and serious internal arch structure so midfoot support is good. The forefoot is built without an outrigger, but the sole is rounded off and is slightly wider than the upper so there is no sense of rolling over while playing. Additionally, the composite mesh across the toebox does a fantastic job of holding your foot over the footbed with no give while the regular mesh is soft and feels free. The rest of the stability and support comes from the simple lacing system and the fit. The Kobe AD Exodus fits almost perfect, as stated above, and when the foot isn’t allowed to slide inside of the shoe it is amazing how support improves. Transition is another extremely strong point on the Kobe AD Exodus. Often, when a shoe has a flat bottom and different heel/forefoot cushioning, there can be a “slappy” feel when running, like you borrowed your big brother’s shoes or something. This Kobe is smooth in every motion, and that is credited to the fit and the materials being soft in the right places (toebox) and rigid in others (heel counter). Nope, the Kobe AD Exodus isn’t the best Kobe ever. It isn’t even the best Kobe on shelves right now (still the Protro I). It is, however, a really solid effort from the Swoosh. It does almost everything well on-court (especially clean courts) and is smooth on-foot. Yes, Zoom in the forefoot would have possibly been better (we never know — it may have made the ride stiff and clunky), but the foam does create a quick, low-riding shoe suitable for small guards and wings. If you are a quick, Kyrie-type, you will love the Kobe AD Exodus. If you are a Kobe-type bigger guard who can get up, you will love this Kobe. If you are a Spurs or Kings fan and still hold grudges about the last 10 years of Kobe’s career, you will probably still like the Kobe AD Exodus on-court. Just sweep it first, trust me.

In life, first impressions can often be dead wrong. I'll be honest -- I was 100% certain that the Converse Weapon EVO was going to absolutely suck the first time I saw it. It's clunky as hell, right? I figured there was no way this heritage-based model could actually feel modern on a basketball court today. While the Weapon might have been worn by the league's best over twenty years ago, there's no way anyone was ever going to confuse it as a sleek and ahead-of-it's-time silhouette. It debuted in 1986. And ever since, it's felt exactly like a shoe....from 1986. But that's what makes the Weapon EVO so great. Converse and Converse Basketball's Design Director Mike Ditullo pulled a fast one on us. The intent was to create a shoe that emphasized the brand's heritage, offer it at a nicely affordable price and debut the brand's new visible technology. And they've done just that. After initially being very skeptical, it took all of about five minutes on the court to realize that the Weapon EVO is a damn good basketball sneaker. Not without its faults, but for everyday hoopability and for being accessibly priced, it gets the job done. As Ditullo (seen below) explains by phone, remastering the Weapon has been a task he's been trying to get after for over two years now. "I had been toying with doing a Weapon-based shoe ever since I got to Converse," he says. "The thing is, the Weapon is pretty hard to draw. It doesn't really flow...and it doesn't really have many organic parts. When we really decided to do a new Weapon...I just drew it. My [first] sketch actually looks just like the original." As he'd come to find, evolving the shoe into its more modern state over the course of the development process would be the right move, as he wanted the EVO to be equal parts heritage and yet a marker for the future of the brand, all at the same time. "I think because the Weapon had kicked my ass for two years, I was really determined to do it," he laughs. "When you put this Weapon next to the original now, it really doesn't look like it. That's one of the things I'm most psyched about this shoe...when you work on these projects...you want to do something that pays tribute to the shoe but you don't want it to be a slave to it." As we've (with grinding teeth at times) come to find out in recent years with "tribute" shoes, there's something to be said for a designer who takes simple inspiration from classic models of the past, like the Nike Refresh program, as compared to simply slapping together parts and pieces and calling it a shoe, as the Jordan approach of late has proven to a fault. The "design" feels it. Sometimes harshly. What that means in terms of a performance feel, in this case, is that the Weapon EVO is surprisingly smooth. Surprisingly, I say, because of the original's slap-like and dated feel. While I normally tackle a review from an upper-midsole-tooling standpoint in bullet-point-like fashion, it's probably better to start off with the tooling this time around. There's BALLS Technology afterall, as Converse White has so boldly proclaimed it. While it might not look like something from 1986 or something from the future, and more likely somewhere in between, if you walk into any sporting goods store and try these on, you'll notice that unlike Shox, which take a few break-in wears before softening up, the Balls platform feels nicely cushioned and yet supportive right from the start. "We wanted to make sure we made a shoe that was for every type of player, get the technology right, and get it right for the consumer and contain the technology in a understandable way," outlines Ditullo. In my size 13, the TPU-encased cushioning unit is made of eleven, well, balls, that circle the perimeter of the heel, with more polyurethane balls filling in the inner chamber of the unit. The result is a low-to-the-ground, more bouncy than expected heel cushioning unit. "The more you compress the sphere, the more it wants to return to the shape of the sphere," Ditullo explains. "Just getting the technology right was tough...it's a combination of chemistry and geometry and you're playing with chemicals and urethane compounds. ...We wanted to make sure that that energy was constrained in a vertical XY axis." When you immediately lace the EVO up and hit the court, there's a nice softness in the heel that lies somewhere between a heel Air-Sole unit and the uber-responsive bar-setter that is Zoom Air. At just $80, the unit delivers great cushioning that we're all used to seeing for $10-$20 more. Above: A look at Ditullo's sketch of how the Balls could react, and a look at the unit on a final production model. Note the sipes through the TPU encasement, which took inspiration from the headlights of a Porsche. Historically, the Balls Technology set-up isn't the most ground-breaking advancement yet, and looks like a mysteriously similar re-working of the forgotten Sox Spotlight's heel unit (which Nike Basketball has coincidentally stopped using). The one thing that you'd expect the TPU window to provide is some firmness underfoot or maybe some pressure points in the heel because of the stiff plastic that it's made of. Luckily that was never the case. "It had to have the visual clearness that we were looking for, but also it had to keep the support and rigidity," Ditullo says. What I liked most about the Balls Technology is its reliability and longevity after several weeks of use. It won't ever deflate or lose pressure like Air. It provides far more lateral support and stability than Shox. It won't go from harshly rigid to only less firm like Formotion. There's a consistency to the feel of Balls that never wavers from the first wearing on. It's not the most responsive in the world, but it's not particularly heavy or anchor-like either and is consistently cushioned. For the everyday baller looking for durable cushioning, that's a huge positive. For $80, you're hard-pressed to find great forefoot cushioning outside of foam and insole padding from any company, and it's no different with the EVO. During your first week of wearings, the forefoot is still nicely padded, and never over the course of my wearings did it feel firm or stiff. However, I wouldn't be doing the "Cushioning" category justice if I ranked the shoe too highly, as the forefoot cushioning is nothing that'll win anybody over. Despite the lack of forefoot responsiveness, one thing the EVO does do wonderfully well is excel in both transition and feel. You'll notice "FEEL" scribed into the heel cushioning unit, but it's at the forefoot where the shoe does a nice job of providing great court feel and smoothness. Along the outsole, there lies a sculpted forefoot flex groove, and it's perfectly executed. When running on the break and out in transition, the shoe moves flowingly to the next step. The smoothness is a great, and greatly needed, improvement over the original Weapon. "The simple thing of removing rubber for a flex groove...it's a simple groove but it moves with the foot all of a sudden," confirms Ditullo. While other shoes that rely on larger rubber allowances can feel stiff for a few wearings, the broken up tooling, that also benefits from the large midfoot cutaway, feels natural and ready to go from the first wearing. It had Kirk Hinrich immediately upon his first wearing telling Off White x Converse reps, "This shoe feels like it was broken in before I put it on." Or so the reps tell me. (Not that they'd have a personal interest in the matter, of course!!) Above: The EVO boasts a sculpted outsole with nice flex grooves and a heel window glance at the shoe's Balls Technology. While the shoe's tooling and midsole offer a solid blend of cushioning at the heel and flexibility and transition during play, a bright spot of the EVO is its biting traction and great support. The leather upper of the shoe is a bit stiff to start, but after a game or two it breaks in nicely, and offers a firmly supportive feel on all cuts. Part of the great support is also the squeaky traction, which even on a dusty court does a great job. "The herringbone on the bottom is the original herringbone from the original 86," says Ditullo. "By breaking that herringbone it actually helps you move a little better." Unlike traditional herringbone patterns, the EVO's configuration keeps with the original and is split by Chevron, adding some flexibility but also working great in terms of just raw traction. Another great factor in support is the shoe's use of an outrigger, seen on the forefoot lateral side and ever-so-slightly on the medial side as well. There's a nice balance to the shoe's stance, and never during play will you worry about tipping over or losing your footing, as you might in other visible heel cushioning shoes. Along the upper, the support overlay that wraps the toe, seen here in red patent, coupled with the added foam above the outrigger, does a nice job of keeping the foot over the footbed on lateral moves. [Though, it's worth mentioning, the toe rand does scuff quite easily. THIS was on just my first wearing.] If you lace the EVO up securely, your ankle, heel and forefoot are all locked in accordingly. An absolute must design cue when remastering the Weapon is the original's Y-Bar, which we've seen carried over to the EVO. The underside of the Y-Bar collar is stitched through as well, providing a nice notch to comfort your ankles. A three-way tie for best attribute can easily be handed to the support, traction and heel cushioning departments. While I've only seemingly covered the shoe's bright spots up to now, surely the EVO isn't without its faults. The forefoot cushioning wasn't great by any means, but at $80, it's hard to recommend an improvement. The shoe's breathability was tremendously poor, as the full leather upper and multi-layered construction did its best to keep all airflow entirely trapped. My socks were soaked at the end of every night's games. Perhaps the tongue doesn't need to be entirely leather-based, but either way, if heat build-up is a category you're not high on, that might be an issue. The other problem I noticed during several of my wearings was the lack of hold from the top two eyelets. The original punched holes work a ton better, while the EVO's rounded shape didn't secure the flat laces quite enough, and during play and after sudden movements, you might notice the laces can loosen up a bit. Double knot them for the most security. The Weapon EVO isn't a perfect shoe, but for $80, it offers a ton of positives and is also a great team option. It doesn't feel position-specific, and has needed attributes of affordability, great traction, support and durability that make it a worthy contender for teams. Everyone from points looking for support to big men who enjoy a sturdy build should like the EVO. The shoe weighed in at a flat 19 ounces, which is a bit on the heavy side for most, but because of the forefoot flex groove and the shoe's smooth transition, it actually plays lighter than you'd think. For Ditullo, accomplishing his goal of creating a shoe for today's game inspired by a classic from two decades ago made it all worth it. "When Kobe was in between contracts and wore the Weapon '86 on-court, he proved that a modern player could still wear the original shoe," he says. "It was really important that we kept the shoe flexible enough that somebody now could wear it." He and the team of developers, led by Alex Alpert, did just that, crafting a well made re-interpretation of the Weapon for today's level of technology and styling. There's cool details to be found throughout the shoe as well, like the Star pivot point along the outsole, and the shoe's tech specs just under the lateral outrigger, which read "Patent Pending >>> Patent Number 6568102." Only the truest of sneaker nerds like myself will take to those finer details, but when celebrating heritage, those are the small touches that count most. [See for yourself -- the patent number is a real thing.] "That patent number was actually the idea of [Developer] Chris Edington," reveals Ditullo. "That's a pretty sweet design detail. When Apple says, 'Designed in California,' that's a pretty cool thing that they celebrate that." While proudly showing off the shoe's technical merits, the EVO also serves as a great stepping point for the brand's new Wade-less direction, touching back on the brand's most iconic model. The Star Chevron logo is prominently displayed along the midfoot of the upper, and the heel Balls Technology offers a look at the future of Converse Basketball. It's a technology I'm excited to see evolve, and maybe even make its way to the forefoot, despite the brand's reluctance to hover much higher in retail price. Regardless, the first installment of Balls is well done, and the EVO's great price, traction, support and durability earn it a commendable B+.

Since the Curry 5 review is just around the corner, I thought I’d step back and review the AJ XX2 since the Curry 5 took a huge bite out of the AJ XX2 back story. I’m disappointed that UA went there but if the Curry 3 performs, nobody will care. I guess since the XX2 was such a sales dud maybe UA thought they could pull it off without anyone noticing? I don’t know … Pros: traction, fit, support, materials Cons: pod cushioning is too targeted and feels unnatural, tippy in the heel, pricey at $175 especially in 2007. Sizing: half size down Best for: guards Weight 16.5 oz so just a half ounce more than the Crazylight Boost 2016. Traction Jordan Brand usually does a good job with traction and this was the highlight of the XX2 for me. Stuck extremely well on clean floors and needed minimal wiping on dusty floors. Probably would have been better if the entire outsole was the same depth but then the IPS system wouldn’t “work” as well Cushioning IPS is back again for the third straight model starting with the XX. Hurray? I couldn’t tell a difference in density in any of the aforementioned models and this was no different. The IPS foam feels great overall at least with a nice bit of springiness. As for the heel, Jordan Brand brought back the modularity idea allowing the player to swap between Max Air and Double Stacked Zoom. Now that sounds great in theory but the Max and Zoom don’t cover much surface area And the double stacked Zoom is nearly as thin as a quarter (I mean two quarters since its double stacked). Maybe this was the beginning of the end for real Zoom You can feel the cushioning if you like quarter size set ups. It literally feels like a quarter size lump of cushioning is under your heel. Having the logo raised in the insole doesn’t help either. Which feels better between the two ? Zoom pod for sure. It just has a more even feeling than the Max set up. Overall cushioning is decent but far from ideal. A simple forefoot zoom and regular heel that covers the entire heel like the Kobe VI would have been great. Fit The XX2 came out before Nike and JB went to a more narrow last and fit so 10.5 fit me perfectly. Finger width of space at the toe, no heel slip and no space side to side. The upper starts a little stiff since it is real leather but it breaks in nicely and gives a decent almost one to one fit. Not quite perfect but still good overall. I really liked the simple lacing set up with the lace lock because it just works. Materials What is this foreign space age material ? Oh it’s real leather. Good luck ever seeing leather again from any company. JB and Nike were really pushing the quilted interior back in 2007. Personally I like the look and feel but it doesn’t make a difference performance wise. Nice materials and build quality, may leather Rest In Peace Support and Stability Ah, when a higher cut shoe didn’t fold like a bad hand in Texas Hold em. I really liked the combo of the firmer mid cut with a stiff heel counter JB also says the XX2 features a titanium coated midfoot shank plate Errr, just because it is painted silver doesn’t mean it’s titanium Jordan Brand. Clearly plastic with silver paint. It does its job just fine but don’t hype a piece a plastic as something it isn’t. The XX2 is stable in the forefoot even without an outrigger but the heel is a little tippier than I prefer. The protruding outsole under the modular unit doesn’t help either. Overall support is good but the tippy heel isn’t trustworthy. Containment Clean simple lines with no major physical barriers would be worrisome with today’s knits and woven uppers but leather is strong and doesn’t have that stretch on hard cuts. Also this extra leather rand helps in containing the foot. Similar idea to the kd 11 multicolor . Conclusion Every sneaker has a snorey..I mean story. Out of ideas, let’s say make up one about fighter planes! Zooooom fast powerful stealthy (is that a word? ). It’s everything an Air Jordan should be! Whoever was running Jordan Brand back then needs to be destroyed like Cyberdyne in Terminator 2 to prevent the proliferation of story telling these days. Unnecessary and adds no value to sneakers; let the players wearing them write the story. Inspiration aside, the shoe itself is a good overall performer but the ultratargeted tiny heel cushion really ruins the shoe. Let’s see how UA does with the same inspiration.

In 1997, everything about the Nike Air Foamposite One screamed future. 20 years later, it’s still screaming. Eric Avar, the mind behind the Foamposite and Kobe Bryant’s partner in crime at Nike a few year later, had an interesting inspiration for the shoe – a beetle. Or to be more specific, the skeleton of a beetle. Usually when you hear about stories behind the design, it’s man-made stuff like cars, planes, etc. Nope, the Foams were inspired by a beetle. The shoe was the result of Avar being ahead of the curve. The actual making of the Foamposite forced Nike to look outside of the box. Because the material that was to be used on the shoe was unlike anything Nike had worked on before, it required a wholly different method than ever before, so they tapped car manufacturer Daewoo to help devise a method in making it a reality. You’ve no doubt heard the story of the $750,000 mold that was created just to build the Foams, but let that sink in for a second. Nike spent $750,000 – not including all the money burned on research and development – just to create something that was at the time yet to be proven to work. The process – which took two years to go from concept to reality – was not only out of this world, but it could have been out of reach if Nike hadn’t taken that gamble. To get to the future, you need to take some risks sometimes. For such a revolutionary and highly experimental shoe, Nike needed an athlete who represented not where the game was but where it was going. So it made sense that they were going to have Scottie Pippen launch the Foams. That’s right, one of the great sneaker “what ifs” is who Foams should have gone to. According to legend, Avar wanted Pippen to wear the Foams but Penny wanted them for himself when he caught a peek of them in a design meeting. Penny had the foresight and Nike let him have it, breaking from his own signature shoe line to rock them. Penny wasn’t the only the player of the future that would earn the distinction of debuting the Foams to the world. The 1997 Arizona Wildcats all received pairs of the Royal Blue Foams during their run to the National Championship, but Mike Bibby was the only star who actually put them to use on the court. At the time, many believed Bibby to be the next superstar point guard. So the shoe of the future was being worn by the point guard of the future. Makes sense, right? The Shoe Game It wasn’t always easy for the Foamposite, of course, as while it might have been futuristic, it was maybe too futuristic for many. With a premium price point and a look that nobody was feeling, there was a time when you could find them at Nike outlets in the middle of the 2000s. It would take a mix of nostalgia, Wale, hip-hop, and the DMV to bring the shoes back to the forefront. A new and futuristic colorway, the Eggplant, might have also helped matters too. In 2012, the sneaker world was shaken up when graphics appeared on the Foamposite for the first time with the release of the Galaxy during NBA All-Star Weekend. It set the stage for the future of the Foams, as many more colorful takes on the shoe would follow. It was impossible to follow up the Galaxy, but Nike tried their damnedest to hope lightning would strike twice. Now we see Foams of all kinds sit in stores once again, much like we did before it’s late 2000s revival. This time around, they’re sitting because sneakerheads have shifted in favor of sneakers with minimalist design and maximum comfort, whether it be adidas NMDs, Nike Lunarcharges or even New Balance 247s. But don’t count the Foams out as we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Royal colorway this past weekend. Between the expected rollout of new Foams in 2017 and kids once again looking for what’s new and fresh, we could be at the cusp of the cycle starting once again for the shoe. And if not, then 20 years as the sneaker of the future is not a bad title to have, right?