words_Nick DePaula

images_Zac Dubasik

For the third year in a row, Nike Basketball has introduced a shoe secondary to LeBron James’ annual signature edition, and unfortunately for the Zoom Soldier II, it appears as though its performance abilities fall into the category of just above average. LeBron James? Not so average I’d argue. The dude has been absolutely dominating teams so far this season and throughout his career, and it’s easy to argue that he should deserve the absolute best in terms of fit, support and cushioning that Nike can put together. It’s hard to call out precisely one glaring flaw with the Zoom Soldier II right off the bat, as there’s such an intuitive and functional design approach taken by Ken Link, Design Director of Nike Basketball, and the shoe does feature a few bright spots, but, when a shoe dons the King James name, shouldn’t it perform to the highest of standards across the board?

At first glance, you’ll notice that the upper of the Zoom Soldier II has a straightforward and sloping overlay that dominates most of the shoe. It’s this panel that aims to offer up enough support for guards on up to those of LeBron’s stature. (Not that anyone out there measures up in frame to LeBron of course, and if so, your agent is severely slacking.) Rather than an inspiration born from a singular object, or a design language carried over from a blazingly quick car, the Soldier II came to be simply from the movements of the game of basketball. “Most good designs base a lot about just function, right? So, the idea is just to create a seatbelt for the foot and keep the foot on the footbed,” describes Link. “That’s why you’ll see some common DNA in a basketball product that’s good, because, what happens is, you’re naturally drawn to a functional thought to get somewhere.” That function is the way in which the overlay hugs the heel to try and provide some lockdown and also extends around the forefoot to allow for lateral support. It’s basically all you’d need in a shoe, if not for the sake of being a bit plain. The shoe comes in a few variations, as the upper’s overlay is either made of perforated synthetic leather or a Tough-Tek abrasion resistant material, helping the shoe stay long-lasting and sturdy enough for any setting. “It’s indestructible,” says Link. I found the perforated synthetic leather overlay of the White/Black/Varsity Crimson/Metallic Gold colorway that I played in to be extremely supportive and durable, and along the team based ‘Elite’ colorways, the Hickory Street pattern is even more durable, a worthy material selection for a shoe that High School squads might be depending on all season long.

Above: In this profile shot, the shoe’s overlay support rand makes up most of the upper.

As the support panel is surely just that, the upper of the shoe can also feel a bit bulky at times. On the Black-based colorway I played in, the perforated white leather support rand has a layer of silver film just below for some visual effect, but it also gave off a crunching sound at times at the toe. It’s made up of multiple layers, and while its durability can be attributed to the thickness of the shoe’s paneling, it’s also at the expense of some added weight and clunkiness. The Soldier II weighed in at 21.6 ounces in my size 13. That’s five ounces heavier than the insanely light Hyperdunk and generally two to three ounces heavier than most other shoes on the market. For someone of a larger frame, the difference in weight might not be that noticeable, but for a guard or slashing small forward, the shoe’s lack of out-of-box transition and weighty feel may definitely deter you.

Like both the Soldier I and Zoom 20.5.5 before it, the Soldier II is also double-lasted, allowing for the shoe to sit lower to the ground for greater court feel. The main overlay hugs the foot over the footbed in this lower ride, and a definite bright spot of the Zoom Soldier II is its court feel. Because of the shoe’s double-lasted construction, though, the molded upper takes a good two or three wearings to break in and is stiff to start, and by that time, you’ll have already become fairly frustrated with the shoe’s marginal fit and breathability.

Above: Durability is one bright spot with the Zoom Soldier II, as it features double and quadruple row stitching.

The Nike Basketball team built this shoe around LeBron’s unique needs and the desire to simplify things a bit along the upper, and most noticeable in this year’s Soldier interpretation is the departure from the dual-strapped lockdown found in both the Zoom 20.5.5 and Soldier I before it. This time around, simply lace ‘em up and hit the hardwood, blacktop or wherever your game may take you with a five grommet rounded lace set-up. “We felt like we could be bulletproof and at the same time, be really simple,” says Link. In keeping with the goal of simplicity, the lacing set-up is entirely straightforward. For those who instantly worry about the lace-shredding metal eyelets found on the Zoom LeBron III, don’t fret this time around, as the molded TPU eyelets are more gentle and have undergone several weartests to make sure the laces can stay intact. The idea is because it’s a round lace, it moves easier through the eyelets; the geometries line up,” explains Link. “The lace eyelets are obviously kind of industrious and still really utilitarian.”

You’re probably thinking, ‘Only five grommets though?’ Sure enough, the lacing set-up feels a bit short-changed, as you can pull snugly along what’s provided and the shoe still feels as though there’s some coverage along the eyestay that’s missing. While us mere mortals must live with the five eyelets, it was pretty easy to notice that LeBron James was immediately playing in a modified version of the Zoom Soldier II, featuring – you guessed it – an extra eyelet along the collar. Being that I always beat the hell out of my basketball sneakers and relegate them to a huge growing pile hidden away in my basement, it took me all of one wearing to get my O.J. on and knife up an extra eyelet in four spots. These are only hitting the hardwood for me anyways, so why not see what all the fuss with King James’ pair is about? Sure enough, it’s not only the extra added lockdown and ability for a snug fit that comes with those extra carved out eyelets, but the laces also are more likely to stay in place, as they can otherwise easily slide through the rounded grommets and loosen up during play. To Nike’s credit, they noticed the problem after the first few colorways had already dropped (sucks for me), and they modified the pairs that LeBron was wearing and made a running change in production and added an extra eyelet to the Team Bank colorways now available on Eastbay.

Above: Aha, Nike made the quick switch and added an eyelet for the King.

By removing the strap system from the previous two shoes and making for a more basic upper design, the Soldier II doesn’t really boast innovation, but thankfully the team also carried over what keeps Nike Basketball at the forefront of performance cushioning: Zoom Air. The Soldier II incorporates the exact same cushioning arrangement as the Soldier I, relying on responsive, large volume 12mm heel and 8mm forefoot Zoom Air units. “We wanted to take our success and our learnings that we had with the Soldier I and really just kind of translate the same under the hood properties and technical items we had and translate it right to the II,” says Aaron Petrella, Nike Baskeball Developer. If you’re at all remotely familiar with the concept of Zoom Air, you’re fully aware that it just doesn’t get much better than a low profile bag of tensely packed reactive fibers. To Nike’s credit, they’re continually offering heel and forefoot Zoom Air at a lower price of $110 and below, as evidenced by the Zoom BB line as well as the Zoom 20.5.5, Soldier I and now, Soldier II. When you take a look at the Soldier II holistically, it doesn’t scream out or evoke any one reaction like the LeBron II and IV may have, but the sum of its parts makes for an easy-going shoe that does offer some nice responsive cushioning.

Just below the outsole is the biggest shift in the Zoom Soldier line, as the Soldier II ditches the tried and true herringbone pattern from before and marks the debut of what Nike Basketball has coined “Milk Crate Technology.” Now, of course, the outsole’s design isn’t much of a technology by anyone’s definition and is rather just a simple graphic design element, and it also will take quite a few wearings before you’ll get any stickiness out of the traction pattern. Link was inspired by the fact that growing up, LeBron played hoops with a milk crate as a goal, and the design is definitely a nice touch to the King’s earliest days of basketball. While the coverage and contact point of the pattern don’t seem to be the problem, a splash of herringbone in between the “Milk Crate” design would’ve made a world of difference. It seems as though the Soldier II is better suited for the blacktop, as the upper is incredibly durable and the traction pattern would work better on asphalt. If you’re an indoor player, on the cleanest of courts the Soldier II’s traction holds up quite well, but on an even marginal hardwood surface you’ll find yourself hoping for more bite out of the pattern. One bright spot of the outsole is the TPU midfoot shank that creeps up along the medial side, as arch support or longevity is never a worry in the Zoom Soldier II.

Above: The Zoom Soldier II’s outsole features “Milk Crate Technology,” a grid-like traction pattern that also includes a series of flex grooves.

As the upper takes a no-frills approach with an overlay rand that screams out targeted support and cushioning is just right thanks to Zoom Air, another bright spot of the Soldier II is the practical mesh lining. The lining takes its patterning from – you guessed it – a milk crate, and is soft to the touch and never causes any irritation. The shoe’s full leather upper doesn’t help much in terms of breathabilility, and if bulkiness, poor airflow and marginal transition are high on your list of concerns, you can probably rule out the Soldier II altogether. Rooted in simplicity, the Link-created shoe aims for support where you need it, and it’ll be a sign of things to come, as the Soldier II and Zoom BB line will serve to foreshadow a familiar look going forward for Nike Basketball. “For the LeBron VI, we’re gonna get even more simpler. The idea is that we want to take basketball, all of basketball within the category, and our new thing is: Be modern; be simple; be innovative,” reveals Link. “Get after the things that you need and everything else can float away. Just make beautiful shoes, things that are wearable, things that are adoptable. The BB2 is not exactly a groundbreaking, new innovation, but it plays really well and it looks really beautiful, and that’s good enough, right? It has just enough of a twist in it that it doesn’t feel like an adidas shoe; it feels like a Nike shoe. It feels like it has some soul.”

Unfortunately for this first wave of “modern and simple,” the Zoom Soldier II is basically the definition of “above average” in the form of leather, rubber and air. I’m still tremendously drawn to the ‘Dunkman’ colorway, and while the LJ23 logo feels a bit slapped on, there’s something about the basic appearance that I really like, and it’s definitely my favorite Zoom Soldier sneaker from a looks standpoint. But, no shoe will ever get an A from me for being a nice looking sneaker, and the Soldier II’s performance is undoubtedly average. Problem is, LeBron James is hardly so, or at least that’s what I’ve gathered over the past five years during my hoops viewing. The man is a beast, a legend-to-happen, and it’s for that reason alone that he deserves better and the Soldier II falls short. Where buttery transition would be fitting for a King who so swiftly moves through traffic on-court and has Steve Nash calling him the fastest man in the game, the Soldier II is unfortunately as smooth as Big Z in the post. And where you’d demand the best fit and support, the shoe also offers up only slight assurance around the ankle and collar. Court feel is the single greatest flaw of the Zoom LeBron VI (Review coming soon!), and if it’s high on your list of priorities, I’d give the edge to the Zoom Soldier II this fall, as it does have a nice feel underfoot thanks to its double-lasted construction and Zoom Air cushioning.

Improvements?

• Incorporate top eyelet similar to LeBron’s player exclusive pair (Fixed for TB Colorways)
• Perhaps include herringbone inset into Milk Crate traction pattern
• Lessen bulk and layers along toe cap overlay

Designer: Ken Link

Price: $110

Colorway tested: black/white/metallic gold/varsity red

Key Tech: combination synthetic leather, nubuck and abrasion resistant textile upper depending on colorway, 12mm heel and 8mm forefoot Zoom Air units, durable lacing grommet system, moisture wicking liner, Milk Crate “technology” traction pattern outsole, heel and forefoot TPU support framing, TPU midfoot stability shank

Use/Position: Forwards

Pros: One thing the LeBron line can boast is its durability, as the Zoom Soldier II breaks in nicely right around four wearings and will hold up for the duration of a High School season or over several months of pickup ball. With its quadruple and double stitched overlays, the shoe carries a nice build quality and has good value at $110. Heel and forefoot Zoom Air units are nicely responsive and shouldn’t bottom out during the life of the shoe.

Cons: If stiffness to start is a pet peeve of yours, then you’ll surely hate the first two or three wearings of the Zoom Soldier II. Coupled with the shoe’s clunkiness, it is also fairly weighty compared to other shoes on the market, making it a tough choice for guards. The lack of breathability becomes more noticeable into the second hour of play, and the laces on pairs without the added eyelet can become loose during play, which of course compromises fit.

Verdict: Simply by association, if LeBron James is to be touted as the future of the league and a one of a kid talent, then his footwear should live up to the same lofty expectations and demands that we hold of James. Unfortunately, the Zoom Soldier II isn’t quite the can’t-miss prospect that LeBron was during the summer of 2003. Clunky to start with a bit of a break-in period, the Soldier II never quite delivers on all that you’d expect from the regality of a shoe in the King James line, as it just misses in key areas of fit, traction, weight and breathability. Buy it if you need a shoe that can last for a 30-game season including daily practices, but for the same price if you’re looking for a more short-term hoopin’ shoe, I’d suggest a white-based Hyperdunk instead.

Who’s Wearing Them?

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Fairfax High School, Saint Vincent Saint Mary’s High School, Christ The King High School, Ohio State University, George Hill (San Antonio Spurs)

Contact:

Nike Inc.

One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005

To buy the Zoom LeBron Soldier II.

words & images_Nick DePaula

(As published in Issue 24: The 100 Greatest Kicks)

As the U.S. Men’s Senior Basketball team recaptured an Olympic gold medal this summer for the first time in eight years, it’s also the first time in eight years that Nike embarked on their latest, most talked-about and frenzied technological innovation since Nike Shox. It was in 2000 that Vince Carter leapfrogged a seven-footer in his white and navy Shox BB4s, sparking a retail rush when the BB4 conveniently released a few months later. Even before its initial worldwide launch, the Nike Hyperdunk has already been the beneficiary of Nike Basketball’s most integrated marketing campaign to date, which includes ESPY cameos, limited Marty McFly-inspired releases, countless print and television ads, and even a fictitious Hyperdunk Recovery Center website and hotline for victims to receive treatment. This time around, there’s no doubt that Nike’s corporate brass was hoping that Kobe Bryant and his Hyperdunk-wearing brethren could carry out the collective goal of collecting gold this summer in Beijing, helping to elevate the shoe into the upper echelon of Olympic footwear among the likes of the Air Jordan VII, Air More Uptempo and Shox BB4.

As Bryant and his Team USA teammates showcased the Hyperdunk this summer, they did so in a product offering from Nike Basketball that features two technologies in their infancy, each with equally bold top billing. The two most heralded innovations that Nike created specifically for the Olympics are Lunar Foam and Flywire technology—one a cushioning element; the other, an upper material. Developed in conjunction with NASA engineers over the past few years, Lunar Foam is a resilient, high rebound, spongy foam that is actually used in the seats of NASA’s space shuttles. While Kobe Bryant might demand a light shoe that allows him to explode 40 inches off the hardwood for a crowd-silencing dunk, NASA’s space shuttles must reduce weight wherever possible in order to leave earth’s orbit – quite a difference. So, to create Lunar Foam, Nike mixed Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA for short) with Nitrate rubber, allowing for a foam cushioning unit that Nike says is 30 percent lighter than Phylon, which Nike has been using over the past decade. Lunar Foam’s responsive properties stem from the rubber compound included in it, and the lower impact and cushioned ride along with a lighter weight are certainly a welcomed innovation, though I’d argue Zoom Air is still superior. (More on that later.) In the Hyperdunk, Lunar Foam is implemented in much the same way that Air-Sole and Zoom Air units have been in the past—as a sculpted unit embedded in the midsole just under the ball of the foot.

Flywire pertains specifically to the lightweight containment provided by the upper. No matter what sport an elite athlete is participating in, reaction time and the ability to change direction are crucially important, and basketball may arguably call for the most protection and support. After examining the history of bridge designs, Jay Meschter, Innovation Director of Nike’s Innovation Kitchen, noticed advancements in bridge construction that would go on to shape the development of Flywire. After studying everything from more traditional brick structures that didn’t age well, to our more modern cable suspended bridges that can support not only the weight of a bridge across vast distances like in San Francisco, but also the weight of massive daily traffic, he discovered that a shoe’s structure can become more supportive when it is designed with long strands for support along the side. Meschter realized that by creating a cradle for the foot in a similarly arranged alignment along the shoe’s lateral and medial sides, any given sport’s unique and unpredictable movements could be better supported for quicker reaction time. The result is Flywire.

With a thin film of Polyurethane providing the structure of each Flywire panel, the thin strands that provide the support are made of a material called Vectran. Over six years ago, Meschter first aligned strands of nylon along a shoe last as he conceptualized Flywire, and after much deliberation over several materials, Vectran proved to be the most supportive material to fit the project’s needs of support, light weight and flex resistance. It was actually down to Kevlar and Vectran as the strand material of choice to be used in Flywire since Nylon and several other fabric strands proved to be far too flimsy. In Vectran’s favor, when Kevlar is flexed, it can lose up to 25 percent of its strength, compared to zero percent strength loss in Vectran. In products like athletic footwear, any strength loss is crucial to athletes who depend on tenths and hundredths of seconds in competition.

Another major factor in deciding upon a material for the groundbreaking upper construction was also the measured breaking strength between the two. Vectran boasts a higher breaking strength than Kevlar, requiring more force to compromise the high-performance multifilament yarn. What is most clutch is also Vectran’s ability to not only allow for weight reduction in Nike’s products, but also the fact that the liquid polymer-based material is naturally very thermally stable. In an extreme climate like that of Beijing, which was being forecasted to host a sweltering summer nearing triple-digit temperatures with 70 percent humidity, it’s also very important that Vectran can perform in any environment. While it seems like lots of tech talk and the material to the naked eye may appear to be just a thin layer along the shoe with nicely placed weaves, there’s in fact quite a bit of technology and research that goes into constructing something as performance-fused as Flywire.

Deep in the Kitchen of the Mia Hamm Building, innovation never stops, and famed Hoops designer Eric Avar was hand-picked to design this latest, and perhaps greatest offering from Nike Basketball. Inspired by the classic Tinker Hatfield created Air Mag from the 1989 movie Back To The Future II, Avar began working on the Hyperdunk over two years ago. He set out to create a shoe that carried over similar ideas from the Huarache 2K series that he designed, and he also hoped to implement Flywire Technology in what would be the lightest, most supportive shoe designed for the Alpha Player. In this case, Nike was able to tap into the perfect subject – Kobe Bryant. “He is a very demanding athlete when it comes to his product,” explains Mark Parker, Nike’s CEO and President. Whether he’s fading away for another jumper or splitting a double-team and heading straight to the rim, there’s nobody quite as skilled and efficient on-court as Bryant, and there is also no one who places quite the amount of lateral forces and strain on his footwear.

The goal for Kobe is simple. “[That] I don’t lose seconds,” he says. “For me, it’s all about reaction time.” And so, Avar began designing the shoe while simultaneously working on the Zoom Kobe III, both with the aid of regular input from Bryant himself. “I want a shoe that’s light, helps my reaction time, and is comfortable,” Bryant definitively says. “It just better not be ugly.” It’s been no mystery that Kobe has long heralded the Zoom Huarache 2K4 as his favorite game shoe, and in the Hyperdunk you’ll notice a similar silhouette, down to the assuring collar height and pronounced lateral outrigger. His needs have varied annually, from the Zoom Kobe I that he wore after a summer filled with two-a-day strength workouts during which he gained 20 pounds of muscle, to his current need for a lighter shoe after weighing in at just 200 pounds, his lightest weight since 1998. “The Kobe I was a little heavier than the 2K4,” says Bryant comparatively. “That was done intentionally because I did a lot of running the summer before, and I wanted more cushioning that season at the expense, maybe, of some weight. It changes every year based on my needs.”

Where the Hyperdunk luckily excels is in its light weight and unparalleled amounts of lateral support, allowing for the re-sculpted Bryant to be more swift and nimble in a half-court set. It weighs in at just 13.0 ounces in a size nine, over a full ounce lighter than the Zoom Kobe III, which was already the lightest yet of the Zoom Kobe line. In my size 13, the Zoom Kobe III weighed 18.5 ounces, while the Hyperdunk weighs 15.6 ounces – obviously a noticeable difference on-court. Bryant, doing his best Gallagher impression, even joked that when he first saw the Hyperdunk in person, he naturally tossed it up into the air, uncertain if it would ever come back down. (Yes – the corniness of that joke was hilarious to the crowd of 300 media members.) While lighter usually can mean flimsy – dare I remind those of you who played in the Hyperflight – in this case, the Hyperdunk arguably offers more support and stability than ever before, thanks to Flywire technology. “Lightweight containment is something that people want to have,” says Yuron White, Nike Basketball Product Director. “You’re going to see [Flywire] continue in our stuff, and they are looking to use it in all the other categories.”

The Hyperdunk is full of its own thoughtful design cues from the legendary Avar. The boldly molded midfoot and heel counters offer stability and lock the foot down, and the shoe’s upper is purposefully designed with an abundance of Nike’s revolutionary Flywire technology. With precisely placed strands of Vectran aligned over the thin and breathable Polyurethane paneling, Flywire allows for the shoe to weigh in dangerously low, yet also offers enough support for even a brute’s frame. Carlos Boozer and several other bigs wore it throughout the Olympics. Another immediately noticeable difference in the Hyperdunk is its insistence on going strapless, unlike the Zoom Kobe II, Huarache 2K4 and 2K5 before it. To its credit, the lacing setup is linked by a hidden ghilley eyelet that helps marry the midfoot to the ankle, as compared to the Huarache 2K5, where the eyelets worked almost independently and at times created a sense of instability. Another sharp design touch from Avar is the eight dimples that can be found on the toe, midfoot and heel counter – an ode to the Beijing Opening Ceremonies held this summer on 08/08/08. Even the naming of the shoe appears straightforward, referencing the game’s single most exciting play. “The lighter the shoe, the higher you can get up. We thought the name played perfectly to that,” explains Archie McEachern, Nike Basketball Category Footwear Leader.

The Hyperdunk’s original outsole (pictured above) included solidly blocked channels, while the production version (pictured below) features recessed grooves and a herringbone pivot point in the forefoot for improved traction.

While the lightweight support story in the Hyperdunk is perhaps seemingly the shoe’s highlight, the cushioning embedded in the tooling is also a first in basketball, though a bit for the sake of marketing. At the heel is a standard eight millimeter, large volume Zoom Air unit, which offers an obscene level of responsiveness and impact protection. The forefoot debuts Nike’s new Lunar Foam cushioning, which can also be credited for helping with the shoe’s weight reduction. Lunar Foam is 30 percent lighter than Phylon, but provides a bounce-back cushioning feel almost comparable to Zoom Air. “I think it’s more spongy and soft,” says McEachern, when comparing the two. The outsole is comprised of a solid rubber traction pattern that underwent quite a few changes through the development process. What began as a solidly blocked outsole configuration was soon altered to include forefoot grooves for greater traction on the final production version, as well as a herringbone inset at the pivot point. There is also a radiused, decoupled heel for smooth transition upon impact. At the midfoot resides one of Nike’s most welcomed commodities: a nicely sculpted chunk of Carbon Fiber for added support. But, enough about what the shoe boasts…

So – Does It Perform?

After an initial run at the Bo Jackson Fitness Center’s courts on the Nike Campus with other members of the media last April, I had to endure a three-week wait to get my pair back. Right away, I had one goal in mind, and that was to beat the hell out of them. Never before have I seen such a widespread marketing campaign and so much faith behind a shoe that, in my opinion, has little casual appeal, and so I knew that this shoe deserved more than my standard 10 wearings before I could come to a verdict. By the end of my testing, I’d worn the Hyperdunk nearly 30 times, on both indoor hardwood as well as on the asphalt outdoors, in both the synthetic leather based White Olympic colorway as well as the nubuck-based Black/Anthracite general release colorway. Throughout the duration of the test, I was most comfortable lacing them up tightly one short of the top eyelet, and immediately while moving around for the first time, I could feel the shoe’s benefits come to life.

Along the upper, the first perceptible difference between the Hyperdunk and the three shoes in the Zoom Kobe line before it is the height. This shoe is certainly more of an extension of the Huarache 2K series than the Kobe line, taking on a sleekly defined collar and molded heel counter for maximum lockdown. For three years, the name Huarache consisted of strapped team shoes drafted off of the 2K4, aimed for every position in mind. This year, with the advent of the Hyperdunk and the Huarache 08, you can expect to see the lineage of the 2K series in the Hyperdunk line, and the minimal and lightweight sandal-inspired aesthetic live on through the Huarache name. In this first installment of the Hyperdunk, Nike is off to a great start, using their two-year advance product timeline to create a worthy premiere.

At its strongest points, the Hyperdunk blows past the competition, but when it strikes its low points, there’s definite room for improvement. In utilizing Flywire along the upper, Nike has found an excellent material that they can brand as their own and build off of well into the next decade. It’s what makes Nike … Nike. While adidas has taken on the adage of “Another year, another Pro Model” up until this year with the intriguing new Team Signature offerings and other performance brands have all but halted their innovation initiatives, I’ll commend Nike for at least trying new things and looking beyond their current product for solutions in footwear, especially when they’re already on top with little push from the competition outside of The Three Stripes.

After countless wearings, when the shoes are tied tightly, I can safely say that Flywire does keep you slightly locked in more than a rand of leather would, but it’s the difference in weight that makes me comfortable in calling Flywire an innovation. When wearing the shoe, I purposefully shot less 3-pointers than normal, hoping to attack the basket and place enough strain laterally on the shoe on each drive to get a good gauge on the claims of Flywire, and sure enough, there’s a noticeable difference. Your foot simply doesn’t budge from side-to-side, and I’ve never felt a shoe where the support was so firm, and yet there was absolutely zero inner discomfort. While the Air Jordan XX3 locks your foot in wonderfully, there admittedly are some inner chafing issues due to its harsh at-times midfoot chassis. With the Hyperdunk, you’re afforded great support, gleefully soft inner comfort, and most of all, insanely light weight. I wasn’t lying earlier, as my size 13 in the Zoom Kobe III, which everyone argued is the lightest shoe of the season, indeed clocked in at 18.5 ounces. In the White/Midnight Navy/Varsity Red Kobe Olympic colorway, the Hyperdunk was 15.6 ounces. That’s a ridiculous difference for a basketball shoe, especially when you consider the other shoes I’m playing in now for reviews are all in the 18.5-19.5 ounce range, with the Zoom Soldier II most heavily clunking in at 21.6 ounces. Where the Hyperflight, which weighs 16.0 ounces in a size 13, offered the lightest possible weight at the time of its 2001 debut, its lack of support was disastrous, offering perhaps the worst lateral fit I’ve ever experienced. Because Flywire is such a thin paneling and can offer the same, if not greater support than traditionally used materials, I’m excited to see Nike take the material even further and specifically aim to sculpt the upper more closely to the contours of your foot, just as the XX3 did.

Flywire obviously makes up most of the story along the upper, but the purposeful design and noted inspiration from the Air Mag of two decades ago allow it to be a great performer. The two most noticeable design cues on the shoe, aside from Flywire, are the molded heel and midfoot wedges that are drafted off of the Mag. While a piece of TPU has been sculpted around the heel in past 2K series shoes, the foam used on the Hyperdunk offers comparable support and lockdown, but at a lighter weight. You’ll begin to notice that every single panel and componentry involved in making the Hyperdunk is the lightest of its genre. The tongue is insanely thin, reducing weight at the slight expense of some lace pressure if you, like me, tie the laces overly tight. There’re also very few layers that make up the shoe, as the tongue extends into an inner sleeve, while the Flywire and toe overlays comprise the rest of the build. The ankle collar is equally thin, ditching previously used materials like Sphere Liner, memory foam and dual-density padding for the sake of keeping the lowest possible weight the focus.

For the most part, each component of the upper serves its purpose of being light without detracting from the overall performance of the shoe. I can’t say the same for Nike’s Lunar Foam cushioning, however, touted as a responsive and light cushioning system of the future. While Lunar Foam indeed helps reduce the overall weight of the shoe, it’s hard to confirm Nike’s claim of a 30 percent difference compared to Phylon, which can be a bit of a misleading statistic. The notion of a 30 percent difference assumes that the shoe you are playing in relies only on Phylon for its cushioning properties, which would never be the case in a $100-plus product like the Hyperdunk. If you’re going from a $65 Phylon-based option, to a shoe that incorporates Lunar Foam, you’ll certainly notice a difference in both responsiveness and weight, but if you’re a cushioning elitist like myself, you’ll also most likely be adamant about playing in Nike’s unparalleled Zoom Air. Zoom Air is already lighter and exponentially more responsive than Phylon, so the comparison to be made is truly between Zoom Air and Lunar Foam. I’d still stick with trusty Zoom Air if given the option. The heel Zoom Air unit in the Hyperdunk is almost to the point of arrogance, as during play you can notice how far apart in cushioning the two units are. There’s perceptibly something there with Lunar Foam, so I won’t go calling the technology an absolute gimmick in a basketball application yet (and I definitely rock a pair of LunaRacers for weeks at a time), but after the fourth wearing, you’ll have already bottomed out the forefoot cushioning in the Hyperdunk, resulting in a firm and stiff feel under the ball of your foot. By the tenth wearing, all feeling of cushion is gone, and while the court feel is certainly a positive in the Hyperdunk, the forefoot cushioning has all but vanished. Lunar Foam excels in being light, but it’s at the expense of comfort and longevity, which most ballers would obviously prefer. While it’s understandable that Nike is offering Lunar Foam as it was anchored by the task of creating a shoe that was part of huge marketing campaign and also mathematically clocked in at the lightest weight yet, it’s at the expense of the overall performance of the shoe, which strikes the need for change.

Another reason the Hyperdunk remains the lightest shoe we’ve seen in years is the no-frills outsole design that incorporates a low-to-the-ground, solid rubber grooved pattern with a herringbone pivot point inset. The decoupled, radiused heel allows for perfect heel-to-toe transition during play, and the Carbon Fiber spring plate at the midfoot provides a propelling sensation that everyone will appreciate, from guards, on up to the game’s agile big men of today. If you’re on a clean hardwood surface, the traction is perfect from the jump: both squeaky and efficient. It’s on a dusty court where you’ll notice a drop off in traction compared to other shoes with more deep channels, and you’ll be forced to swipe often to keep the outsole as clean as possible. The traction pattern isn’t average by any means, and it should offer up enough maneuverability to withstand the speed and directional shifts of even the most hurried guards.

To the shoe’s credit, and of course a definite Avar touch, the Hyperdunk features a perfectly sculpted lateral outrigger. I specifically recall one half-court set where I became convinced of the Hyperdunk’s on-court stability merits. I caught the ball in my familiar right wing spot, and as I drove left past my defender towards the free throw line, I planted my left foot, dribbled left to right behind my back and finished with a right-handed layup. When planting, jab-stepping, or even while defensive sliding (I’d assume – I can’t promise I attempted this basketball maneuver), the Hyperdunk’s balance resulting from Flywire and the generous outrigger keeps your foot locked in over the footbed and allows for a great amount of control as you make your next step and take flight. Beforehand, I ranked the Zoom Kobe II as my favorite in terms of its awesomely low-to-the-ground feel and ability to change directions, but the Hyperdunk has surpassed that shoe, with an even more supportive upper thanks to Flywire, a more assuring outsole by way of the outrigger, as well as a more generous lining package compared to the harshly sculpted Kobe II.

Overall, the Hyperdunk is an excellent start to the Flywire era, promising lightweight containment and support at a relatively generous price of $110. Ten, maybe even five years ago, this shoe would have certainly retailed for $125, but our recession-crippled economy calls for even the biggest of global corporations to adjust to their consumer’s spending habits, which have been to buy remarkably less footwear than in the recent past. I definitely was impressed right out of the box with the overall comfort, fit, feel and support of the shoe. The weight is perceptibly light, traction sticky and reliable, and the cushioning added up to provide a solid combination of responsiveness and low-to-the-ground court feel for the active player, which on a good day I’d like to consider myself. Is Lunar Foam the most awesomely innovative cushioning system the industry has been waiting on after letdowns with React Juice, Tubular Air, Shox, A³ and 2A? Not remotely. This shoe is far from a HyperGimmick, but it seems as though there’s just something so superior about a low volume air bag full of tightly packed fibers ready and eager to respond against each other in an instant upon impact. Zoom Air, for now, will remain the industry benchmark, but luckily for Nike Basketball, it’s readily at their disposal. In the future, a Hyperdunk-like silhouette with ample Flywire, heel and forefoot Zoom Air, and more Herringbone coverage along the outsole would appear to be an untouchable performance masterpiece. Perhaps then, brands across the basketball landscape will step up and re-emerge on the innovation front for the first time in over a decade. Adidas is making some definite strides with the new TS Creator and Commander and the return of Formotion in the heel, but for now, the Hyperdunk is still the choice basketball shoe for next season. It makes for a great team buy for high schools and AAU teams alike, allowing for great control of your movements, sufficient cushioning, and of course, the lightest weight yet in a product of its kind. With Bryant and the “Redeem Team” recapturing the gold this summer in Beijing, it may also just be time to place the Hyperdunk alongside the greats of Olympics past.

Improvements:

• Replace forefoot Lunar Foam with Zoom Air for superior cushioning.

• Tongue is thinly padded; some lace pressure when shoe is tied tightly.

Designer: Eric Avar

Colorway tested: White/Midnight Navy/Varsity Red & Black/Anthracite/Black

Key Tech: heel 8mm Zoom Air unit, embedded forefoot Lunar Foam, Flywire paneling upper construction, solid rubber recessed groove traction pattern outsole with herringbone pivot point inset, foam-based lateral support wedge and heel counter, partial-length mesh inner sleeve

Use/Position: all positions

Pros: The Hyperdunk is the perfect balance of delightfully light weight and support that basketball companies have been aiming for over the past decade. Heel Zoom Air provides excellent cushion, court feel and heel-to-toe transition are also outstanding, and it has an easy and efficient lacing system.

Cons: Lunar Foam’s responsiveness begins to bottom out by fifth wear, becoming non-existent past 10th wearing; traction, while excellent on clean hardwood floor, can become slippery if on a less-than-stellar surface; tongue is relatively thin, resulting in some lace pressure when laces are tied tightly.

Verdict: It’s not the absolute best shoe of all time, as concerns about Lunar Foam’s effectiveness deservedly come into question, but the Hyperdunk is a step in the direction of greatness, as Flywire’s lightweight containment properties are a definite innovation and the support, transition and versatility of the shoe make it a can’t-miss prospect as your next playing shoe. It’s the perfect combination of lateral stability, heel cushioning, court feel and feathery weight that make the Hyperdunk a perfect playing option as a Team shoe or for the individual baller. Nike is also banking on the shoe so much that there’s surely an available colorway to fit your liking.

Who’s Wearing Them?

Kobe Bryant (USA), Pau Gasol (Spain), Andrei Kirilenko (Russia), Linas Kleiza (Lithuania), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Yi Jianlian (China), Andrew Bogut (Australia), Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

Contact:

Nike Basketball

One Bowerman Drive

Beaverton, OR 97005

NikeBasketball.com

]]> http://solecollector.com/shoes/nike-shoes/jordan-shoes/reviews/nike-hyperdunk-review-a-new-step-in-hyperformance/feed/ http://solecollector.com/shoes/nike-shoes/jordan-shoes/reviews/toe-to-toe-bape-socksta-vs-nike-sneakerboat/ http://solecollector.com/shoes/nike-shoes/jordan-shoes/reviews/toe-to-toe-bape-socksta-vs-nike-sneakerboat/#comments Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:47:54 +0000 Nick http://solecollector.com/?p=6238

words_Nick DePaula

As a break from my daily runs on the hardwood, where I’ve been beating down such gems and busts as the Nike Hyperdunk, Nike Max Bizness, Reebok Pump Omni Hexride, Reebok Talkin Krazy and the And1 ME8 lately, my good friend Cam and I decided to hit up the Clackamas River last weekend, a roughly 2-hour tubing trek that begins a little over twenty minutes away from my SE Portland crib. Being the ever-innovative sneaker connoisseurs that we are, we decided to rock some base layer footwear in the form of aqua socks, with a few Miller High Lifes added in to spruce up the day. (Note: Any sport that includes the phrase ‘Miller High Life’ during competition is perhaps not a sport.) Cam opted for his trusty Nike Sneakerboats, while I broke out my newly acquired Bape Sockstas. (Shout out to Sole Supreme for the shipping help!)

The plan of attack seemed fairly simple: Kick off the tubing adventure in the middle of a surprisingly sunny September Saturday afternoon, knock down a refreshing pack each, and switch shoes half way through after an hour for the sake of performance comparison. Surely Bape is a stranger to performance, as no one would readily call the Roadsta an innovative runner, and the brand is primarily based off of “inspired-by” footwear silhouettes anyways. Nike, as you all obviously know, can lay claim to industry leading innovations like Zoom Air, Foamposite and Flywire, while sweeping Interchangeable IPS, Tubular Air and the Air Pressure under the rug as forgotten but admitted gimmicks. But, at least they’re known for actually trying. From the outset, there’s an agreeable difference between the two companies. One is a performance based athletic provider renowned for its innovations, while the other is a trend-based clothing brand able to continually re-invent itself that also happens to make shoes and other styles of footwear. Quite a difference.

It goes without saying that this is an entirely ridiculous performance review, but should you be in the market for a comparable water sock for your rafting and river-based water sports (hey now!) needs, hopefully you’ll find the in depth review of (some) value. It’s also worth mentioning that each shoe was worn for a total of one hour, with the aid of the aforementioned Miller High Life (and perhaps some Bud Light…but who’s counting), as compared to my sneaker reviews normally conducted after at least ten wearings during high intensity competitive basketball down at the local 24 Hour Fitness. Again - quite a difference.

Round 1: Comfort & Fit

It’s in this category where there’s noticeably a world of difference between the capabilities of both companies. I’ve personally seen the extensive Nike Sports Research Lab in action, and whether they’re testing the pressures applied to the latest Zoom LeBron shoe with the help of countless high speed cameras or placing strains on rehabbing athletes with a one-of-a-kind anti-gravity running treadmill, I’m willing to bet another pack of High Life that there’s more performance and innovation resources in Beaverton than Bape has access to. Just a hunch. The difference in fit is most notable in the simple ease of entry of the Sneakerboat, as compared to the awkward fit of the Socksta. Both feature a neoprene based upper, but the Sneakerboat’s is slightly thicker, yet looser, allowing for the foot to slip right in, with the adjustable toggle lacing system handling the tightening duties. The Sneakerboat (man is that a terrible name) uses a simple four eyestay speed lacing system, and with one tug and toggle you’re good to go. The Socksta goes sans laces, and as a result the neoprene is more stingy and taught to start, providing a more restrained and less comfortable feel once you get the upper wrapped up around your feet.

Another drastic difference between the two can be found in the crucial category of overall comfort, as the Sneakerboat offers up exponentially more cushioning. The Sneakerboat is made with Nike’s Considered method of construction, and while that means more stitching and less glues on a fundamental level, it’s the way in which the Sneakerboat’s insole is stitched directly to the upper (think Zoom Kobe II) that offers up the most padding in such a thin product. In using a slab of foam underfoot, the Sneakerboat is able to maintain its low stance and give a soft feel and generous protection against the pesky rocks that can at times go unnoticed in a river’s murky water. The Socksta, by comparison, relies only on a slim layer of rubber that provides a more firm feel and allows the wearer to feel everything that comes into contact with the foot, not something you’re aiming for when tubing I’m told. The edge in Comfort & Fit undoubtedly goes to the Sneakerboat, as its full sleeve upper and toggle system work efficiently, while the Socksta gives a far too minimal feel and there are some chafing issues thanks to the nubuck backed heel tab, an entirely unneeded element.

Round 2: Drainage

Once again, it’s fairly apparent that Bape is taking its first swing into the water footwear category, as they’ve entirely forgotten about an important element that all aqua socks must provide — drainage. I’m not an avid water sports enthusiast by any means, but it’s no secret that a poorly drained shoe is the enemy of all who enter nature’s rivers and seas. The Sneakerboat fares well in this category, with the help of two holes along the medial heel and a very breathable, yet protective, upper made primarily of mesh, keeping water from overloading the shoe should you decide to hit the beach for a break. The Socksta’s neoprene upper would seemingly do the same, and yet it became filled with both sand and water quite often, unable to rid itself of excess water and taking on some added weight. (And yes, I actually weighed both aqua socks, with the Socksta coming in .3 ounces lighter at just 7.6 ounces. You should have seen the looks the lady behind me at the USPS Automated Shipping center was giving me.)

Another problem with the Socksta’s poor drainage was the way in which the sand overtook the neoprene upper, turning it an…ahem…oft-putting shade of brown. Let’s be honest, the only reason anyone would buy the Socksta — or any Bape item, for that matter — in the first place is to profess an inflated sense of self worth to all who care to notice, so I’ll admit that this added color tone put a damper on my swag. Though, I did get a nice compliment from a quite friendly tube-goer in the most straightforward form of “I like your shoes.” (It’s irrelevant that she had a 64 oz jug obviously not filled with a Slurpee) After just an hour of wearing, the Socksta looked like hell, with the upper taking on all kinds of brown tones and in need of a deep cleaning. The edge again goes to the Sneakerboat, unless for some reason you’re into that kind of discoloration.

Round 3: Durability

You’re probably noticing a trend here, as the Sneakerboat without question kills the Socksta in any form of discussion concerning durability. While I initially was impressed with the Socksta and figured the designer implemented the star logo in its wrap-around fashion along the forefoot as a lateral support structure element along the upper, it turned out I was giving Nigo’s brand 100% too much credit, as the shoe instead features a flimsy upper filled with poor fit and uncertain levels of longevity.

The star logo envelopes the forefoot and looks quite cool, certainly, but there’s barely anything remotely resembling protection along the thin neoprene upper, and I was often worried that the shoe would easily tear if it hit a rock or another firm object. The Sneakerboat’s lightweight yet sturdy mesh upper protects the foot from harm, and its anti abrasion rubber toe cap works the protection angle even more, shielding the foot from any potentially harmful rocks that I would commonly run into when the current decided to pick up its pace. Again — edge to Sneakerboat.

Round 4: Traction

Here’s where I thought the Socksta would finally redeem itself, as the star logo that dominates the outsole is actually comprised of sticky rubber herringbone grooves, a must in the slippery footed water sport world. Unfortunately, the rubber proved to provide a tad less grip than I’d hoped, and was under-assuring in its levels of stability, of course a must for low-impact tubing on a relaxing Saturday down a mostly calm river.

The Sneakerboat’s combination of sticky rubber nubs along most of its outsole with a herringbone rubber inset along the medial side of the forefoot proved to be an exacting duo, allowing for perfect traction and reliability, though not looking nearly as cool nor as branded as the Socksta. This one’s a toss-up, and I’ll throw out all performance advantages that the Sneakerboat without question holds and give a slight edge to the Socksta. That outsole is just too damn cool!

Verdict:

If you’re in the market for an aqua sock for all of your fun-filled water adventures ahead, whether you’re a lazy beer-crunching tubing bum or a high intensity participant of actual water sports, the Nike Sneakerboat is definitely the choice. That’s before taking into account that the Socksta is hard to locate to even purchase, and comes in a size range from M-XL, ideal for phone orders from a store that doesn’t allow returns. (As a size 13, the XL fit just fine length-wise) The Sneakerboat is available in the more accommodating whole sizes of 6-15, and is also $30 less than the Socksta, assuming of course that you live in either LA or New York near a Bape flagship store and can avoid shipping costs.

It’s the Sneakerboat’s combination of great fit, surprisingly padded comfort and awesome levels of protection, drainage and durability that make it the outright winner in this Toe To Toe. While the Socksta might earn more cool points (maybe up for discussion) and WDYWT glory when worn casually with camo shorts (don’t think I won’t!), Bape’s first attempt at aqua footwear is hardly a success. Hopefully they re-evaluate this first iteration and make the necessary improvements before releasing the second generation of Socksta next spring, which really can’t be that hard in a shoe with such a simple construction and such basic needs. I’m not calling for Nigo to kickstart an aqua sports wear testing program, but at least some effort in the functionality departments would be nice. Afterall, wouldn’t a full-zip Socksta be next level enough?

Improvements?

• None.

Colorway tested: Black/ Zest

Key Tech: combination partially recycled mesh and neoprene upper, toggle lacing system, anti abrasion toe cap, OS44 sticky rubber oustole with Nike Regrind, recycled foam sockliner with Nike Considered construction.

Use: Rafting, boating and other leisure friendly water sports.

Pros: Amazing out of box comfort and wearability. Great ease of entry and variable lacing thanks in part to easily adjustable toggle system. Excellent durability and traction due to combination sticky rubber nubs and forefoot medial herringbone inset. Also reasonably priced considering lasting durability and comfort provided.

Cons: None, though you’re not as next level as your friend in a pair of Sockstas. Don’t worry, you can laugh it up when you destroy them in every imaginable performance category.

Verdict: The Sneakerboat is certainly the choice in this Toe To Toe rivalry, outshining the Socksta in crucial categories of comfort, durability, fit and comfort. Despite its performance and construction merits helping its cause, the Sneakerboat is also close to half the cost of the exorbitantly priced Socksta.

Contact:

Nike Inc.

One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005

Improvements?

• Increase padding along insole for comfort
• Replace nubuck heel tab that causes awkward fit and some discomfort
• Um…pricing is ridiculous. But, that’s just Bape.
  

Colorway tested: Grey/ White/ Navy

Key Tech: Neoprene upper construction, rubberized forefoot support overlays, herringbone traction outsole

Use: Some leisure tubing. More for non-performance style. What that is, I’m not sure I want to know.

Pros: You just spent $70 and have the added aura of owning Bape aqua socks! What could be better!? The one redeeming non-material factor is the neoprene upper is fairly comfortable.

Cons: Fit is marginal, as heel tab can fit harshly and arch can be awkward if not uncomfortable. Shoe is too minimal for even the most minimal of footwear categories, offering up zero support and protection against the rocky and murky river waters.

Verdict: The Socksta should be avoided in nearly all high performance water sport needs. Perhaps relegating it to your friend’s pool party is your best bet, where you’ll undoubtedly be the freshest streetwearrior in attendance. Hey, I’ll gladly admit that’s why I bought them.

Contact:

A Bathing Ape

Mysterious Parts Unknown
Tokyo, Japan

(Black/ Zest Sneakerboat images courtesy Allegro. Socksta profile images courtesy Bape)

Jordan XV SE: From Geek To Chic

words_Nick DePaula

photography_Kerstin Carter

For as long as I can remember, the latest Air Jordan game shoe had always been considered the pinnacle of performance footwear, offering a stunning design along with the latest advancements in technology that the industry could offer. But if you ask anyone familiar with the line if they had a least favorite model, and more specifically, a least favorite performing model, it was no secret that the Air Jordan XV just didn’t live up to its ancestry on-court. It was the runt of the pack, the Billy of the Baldwins, the Roger of the Clintons, the George W. of the Bushes. So when it came time this past fall of 2007 for the XV to receive the mandatory retro treatment, after the XIII and XIV just before it, thankfully Jordan Brand had the humility to admit that from a playing standpoint, the original XV as it was designed simply wasn’t going to cut it for that shrinking percentage of consumers who were still buying Retro Jordans for their once intended purpose.

So, indeed, the powers that be at Jordan Brand called for an entire re-design, and Designer Octavio Lubrano set out to re-tool and re-shape Tinker Hatfield’s original XV. While the upper may carry with it a similar look, and, to the untrained eye, it definitely still appears similar to the XV, the most noticeable change was made to the tongue design as well as the heel. The original’s pointed tongue shape was the spark of many arguments, and it’s been one of the most hated design cues in any Jordan, right up there with Tech Flex and the XX’s ankle leash. While it’s that same creativity and desire to be different and daring that has made Tinker Hatfield’s design career so successful, from a business standpoint, it seems apparent that Jordan Brand realized the average consumer just wasn’t feeling the XV, and a change needed to be made. The tongue alteration was purely cosmetic and now fits perfectly fine during play, as did the original, but the more rounded outsole and radiused heel marks a great performance improvement in the way that the shoe feels underfoot. Gone is the stiff and clunky transition hated in the XV, as the SE flows effortlessly in the open court, smoothly rolling from heel to toe rather than slapping across the hardwood as violently as the original. The heel counter is also more generously sculpted, as the XV’s original design incorporated a rubberized counter that felt stern and stubborn, at times adding a bonus level of discomfort.

I think it goes without saying again, but I really am glad Jordan Brand decided to revamp the XV. It was seriously that bad on-court. The funny part is I actually like the look of the original XV better, as its more angular, sharp and jaggedly abstract upper admittedly took me about four years to grow onto, but I grew to love the Black/Varsity Red original colorway. But that’s the genius in a Hatfield design; it’s overbearing initially, all the while it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Unfortunately, it was the one shoe he designed in the Jordan line that sucked for its intended purpose. It’s also the one shoe Tinker designed that Michael never wore in an NBA game during his time as a Bull or Wizard. (For those keeping score at home: Medium Grey/White/Cool Grey Retro 9s were worn in Washington.)

For the most part, the upper of the SE generally looks the same otherwise, sans for a branding touch of ‘XV’ along the toe and an unneeded metallic venting clip along the midfoot. The woven paneling remains, and the large overlay underneath it swoops through the upper once again. While playing in the Black/White/Varsity Red colorway (c’mon, these Georgetown Braggin’ Rights are pretty sexy), I immediately noticed an added softness in the gentle nubuck material when flexed during play as compared to the seemingly stingy leather upper found on the original XV (and the even more suspicious “leather” found on the Retro 15). That’s not to say there won’t be flex pressure to be found in the synthetic leather or stylized patent variations of the SE, but, as I normally do, I’d best recommend the nubuck version of the shoe for play, as there’s a slightly lighter weight and softer flexing, all the while the upper holds the foot firmly over the footbed on the harshest of lateral cuts.

The SE is by no means a perfect shoe, but at the same time it comes without any glaring flaws. At a $125 retail price (and much lower if you dig around online), it’s nice to see Jordan Brand not cut any corners by including the absolute best cushioning system available in Zoom Air. I’ve been critical in the past of their Air-selection methods, and there’s really no reason that any shoe over $100 from Jordan Brand shouldn’t feature Zoom Air in favor of dated Air-Sole cushioning. There’s heel and forefoot units embedded into the midsole of the shoe, and while not as responsive as a full-length unit found in the Air Jordan XX3, for example, the level of cushioning is perfectly sufficient for even the most demanding cushioning elitist. (I’ll admit to falling under that category from time to time.) Right out of the box the shoe feels broken in, and thankfully, after several weeks of strenuous two-hour sessions, the cushioning properties remained fully intact and equally as responsive as the first few wearings. I guess it’s just pretty tough to say anything bad about Zoom Air when it’s executed as such, and if you’re looking for a well-cushioned ride in a versatile shoe, it’s tough to pass the SE up.

Along the outsole was perhaps the safest aspect of the original XV’s design, as there resided two large insets of herringbone patterned rubber that were bridged at the midfoot by the torsional rigidity-aiding TPU plate. The SE’s outsole is actually an entire departure, as Designer Octavio Lubrano closely worked on finding an artistic blend between the traditional herringbone that borders Jordan Brand’s latest badge-themed traction pattern first introduced on the Jordan XX2. From a pro court, right on down to my dusty-as-hell 24Hour Fitness gym (seriously – they’ve gotta hire somebody to sweep the floors more than just every Monday) the traction pattern works perfectly well. After fumbling with several stylings and different looks of alternate traction patterns, we’ve now seen this traction configuration also used on the XX2, High Rise, Team 12.5 and other shoes. It works just fine, and while I’m never opposed for performance sake to just mailing it in from a design standpoint and slapping two huge allowances of herringbone onto the outsole, the badge pattern offers a nice visual point of difference.

The SE truly feels, plays and performs better than the original in literally every aspect. At $25 less, the SE still has a nice build quality compared to the more precisely configured parts of the XV, that at times can look spotty if not perfectly aligned. Far and away the most welcomed changes are the simple reshaping of the shoe’s stance and its resulting more natural heel-to-toe transition, along with the adjusted heel counter, which is less harsh than the original yet still shapely and allowing for a nice lockdown fit at all times during play. It’s perfect for swingmen and active forwards, but the SE’s combination of playability, durability and overall impressive comfort and fit also make it a versatile and generally accommodating shoe for big men on down to guards. Certainly it’s a worthy team shoe selection if you’re on a favorably larger budget. If the SE was an entirely new shoe devoid of its troubled past, it could definitely stand on its own as a solid performer rooted in tried and true technology. It’s hard to mess up heel and forefoot Zoom Air, herringbone traction and a full mesh innersleeve that also has the luxury of carrying the Jordan name. Then again, that’s the exact reason why this shoe was born, and perform it does.

Designer: Octavio Lubrano

Colorway tested: Black/White/Varsity Red

Key Tech: heel and forefoot Zoom Air cushioning units, synthetic, patent or full-grain leather depending on colorway, solid rubber outsole, partial-length mesh innersleeve, precisely cut and woven paneling, TPU midfoot shank

Use/Position: All positions

Pros: Everything the XV couldn’t achieve on the hardwood, fit is improved as well as thankfully a more gentle upper and heel counter, traction is outstanding, midfoot support, ease of entry and durability are all sufficient as well.

Cons: There’s no glaring shortcoming to the shoe, as the SE passes the test across all categories.

Verdict: The SE improves upon every lacking aspect found on-court in the original Air Jordan XV, and at $25 less, it doesn’t skimp on cushioning or performance. Zoom Air cushioning feels outstanding during play, heel-to-toe transition is finally found in a XV, and the versatility of the shoe should make for a worthy Team option and is suitable for players of all positions.

Improvements?

• None; the SE is perfectly capable across all categories.

Who’s Wearing Them?

Rip Hamilton (Detroit Pistons), Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks), Ray Allen (Boston Celtics), Josh Howard (Dallas Mavericks), Juwan Howard (Dallas Mavericks), Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats), Mike Finley (San Antonio Spurs)

SC 22

XX3 Review

The Tautology Of Beautiful Performance

words by Nick DePaula

photography by Steve Mullholand

NOTE: Due to the heightened security revolving around the XX3 prior to its official calendar release date, this performance review was conducted through countless wearings of a final production sample pair aimed to hold an under-cover appearance. The shoe’s tooling, upper materials, padding and build were all perfectly comparable to the model hitting retail.

Since its inception, the newest annual Air Jordan has represented the most technically advanced, most sophisticated and most venerated collective works of rubber, foam, Air, and more Air, that the footwear industry has ever seen. Whether it was the V introducing an asymmetrical collar to the line, a carbon fiber midfoot shank as first seen in the XI, or one-hit gems such as Tech Flex and elastic eyestay bands, the Air Jordan line has done nothing but further the most important area of need in shoes: performance. It’s not only the way in which the line has reached iconoclastic dominance over its competitors either, as each model carries with it an entirely unique aesthetic new to footwear. It’s also the elaborate stories behind the shoes, the memories Michael created in them on-court, and the lasting impression that only a Tinker Hatfield design can evoke. As we embark on the future of all that is Jordan Brand, what greater shoe than the XX3 to capture the moment. Like a Game 6 clinching jumper in Utah, or an elbow distance dagger on a Sunday in which the Mailman didn’t deliver, to even a do-it-all, 63-point performance against one of the game’s greatest teams ever, it’s the memories in these shoes that Michael created, and that we now create, that only adds to the honor of playing in the latest, and indeed greatest, Air Jordan model.

Jordan Brand prides itself on its rich lineage and the accomplishments of one Michael Jordan, and in this new year, together we will celebrate the footwear industry’s most highly regarded statement level product: the Air Jordan XX3. A design courtesy of living-legend Tinker Hatfield, with the graphic help of Mark Smith, the XX3 takes on an aesthetic never before experienced, whilst staying true to its Considered roots. As Nike’s Considered initiative places production strains never before tussled with, the result is a beautifully crafted, finely sculpted piece of footwear that performs just as graciously on court. Whereas previous Jordans have gone for clean, one-piece uppers and minimally seamed silhouettes, this multi-layered rendition puts its most intricate computerized stitch patterns more prominently on the marquee. At first glance, the shoe may seem busy, if not overly complex, but it’s the way in which the cohesive patterning works together during play that’s most rewarding. Simply look down over your feet and you can’t help but notice how the perfectly shaped quarter panels hug and slope along the contours of your foot. For the wearers with a more “normal” foot type, you’ll have never experienced a fit quite like the XX3. Conversely, if you fall under the wider, or more voluminous foot shape, this just might not be the shoe for you, as it’s not, by any means, as generally accommodating to our broader brethren. While the shape is remarkably perfect at first sight, there’s far more to the XX3 that will define it as another classic performer.

When the initial goal to tackle this most esteemed and pressure-filled project was laid out by Hatfield and his team, they simply wanted to make sure it was the greatest basketball shoe ever, in the spirit of the greatest basketball player ever. While that sounds like a problematic and difficult journey, it’s actually the simple innovations and reliable components in this shoe that make it such a joy on court. Thanks to a healthy chunk of carbon fiber sculpted along the midfoot, support and transition are top-notch. Traction is also sticky, squeaky and reliable, thanks to the stylized and modified thumbprint pattern along the outsole, with deep and raised grooves not apt to collect dust mid-game. The heel-to-toe transition is almost surprisingly effortless, as the shoe appears as though it may impart a stiff feeling. The smooth flow during play is only further enhanced by what is the perfect cushioning set-up. As the XX, XX1 and XX2 featured a progressively improving, targeted cushioning system known as Independent Podular Suspension, once again, we are treated to cylindrical columns of dual density, but this time around, the industry’s greatest, most responsive cushioning unit is also placed directly atop the articulated and re-engineered IPS. The 8mm, full-length Zoom Air bag is nothing short of perfect, allowing the shoe to give a low-to-the-ground feel while also delighting the wearer with a fully reactive ride. The midsole is generously jam-packed, but the footbed still stands just millimeters from the hardwood, allowing for great court feel and control of your motions.

As the cushioning, fit and upper support are all near perfect, there is certainly one shortcoming of the XX3, which can be found just along the lateral sides of the toe box. The shoe incorporates a full-length, TPU midfoot chassis, which helps with production responsibilities in keeping the shoe together and piecing its collective layers. Unfortunately, it’s in the forefoot lateral wrap where many players may experience some discomfort, irritation and firmness during play. As the TPU wrap sits just above my pinky toe on the lateral side of both shoes, often during harsh cuts to the basket, I could feel the underside rubbing roughly. Be sure to wear a padded sock to allow for a buffer zone of sorts against the wrap. Truly, that’s the only downside to the XX3. It doesn’t cause relentless throbbing pain, nor is it a nuisance often enough to rub your toes raw, but from time to time, you may indeed notice some irritation. While this was a concern, throughout the rest of the upper lies perhaps some of the most thoughtful and straightforward design cues in a shoe yet.

When lacing the XX3, you’ll notice two singular tabs near the top of the tongue, aligned perfectly to secure the laces through. As I’d soon find out, it was this trouble-free innovation alone that convinced me of the XX3’s validity. Seriously, I couldn’t stop talking about two freaking tabs for days at a time. “That was my little paper clip,” jokes Mark Smith about the simplicity behind the idea. Smith, the absolute genius responsible for the tabs, admits it took over 20 iterations of the tab concept before he and the team of developers got it right. But it paid off, because he has found a way to keep the laces and tongue in place at all times, and also help keep the laces from loosening up during strenuous play. I’ve joked with several designers over this subtle element of the shoe, and it’s still practically mind-boggling to everyone that throughout the history of shoe design, this naturally logical feature hasn’t been seen before. Another practicality along the upper that you’ll surely enjoy is the dual-density foam collar package that perfectly contours around your ankle, making for a great fit and even better heel lockdown once you’re all geared up and ready to go. Though it appears as though the multi-layered and complex construction of the shoe would only weigh it down further, the XX3 is actually somehow lightweight, coming in at just 18.4 ounces in my size 13. While these details can appear to be nothing but logical when building a great sneaker, it’s not often you see a shoe’s upper executed with so much thought, have such a great fit and such an easy entry.

Just as we thought we had seen Jordan Brand define, redefine and then improve performance even further through the years, once again, there are improvements made and innovations on hand, all under the guise of a restrictive production process. Because of the Considered approach, it is also feasibly the most durable and sturdy Jordan yet, despite its sleek and lightweight nature. The XX3 may not fit everyone perfectly, and it might not yet have grown onto those still leery of its daring appearance, but certainly, for those willing to make an investment, and for those guards and forwards who enjoy the luxuries in life, and on court, the XX3 is absolutely one of the most strikingly battle-ready basketball offerings from Jordan Brand ever. Look deeper into the shoe, and it’s the simple touches that define its excellence. It’s well-rounded, calculatingly technical, fundamentally tuned and polished enough to fittingly carry the name and further the legacy of Michael Jordan.

VITALS

Improvements? Provide more inner lining padding along forefoot underside of lateral TPU wrap to allow for less irritation and better inner comfort against toes.

Designers: Tinker Hatfield & Mark Smith

Colorway tested: White/White/Varsity Red (not scheduled for XX3 Solerelease)

Key Tech: Combination nubuck, patent leather or full-grain leather upper along toe, depending on colorway; rich, leather quarter panel featuring computerized stitch pattern; heel closure tab; multi-density Independent Podular Suspension; full-length, 8mm Zoom Air unit; individual lace tabs atop tongue; generously shaped, dual-density foam collar package; stylized thumbprint outsole traction pattern; full-length, TPU midfoot chassis; carbon fiber midfoot shank plate; ghilley lacing system; Nike Considered construction.
Use/Position: guards/forwards

Pros: Simply the greatest fitting shoe I have ever worn. The way in which the upper is contoured along the slopes and angles of the foot’s natural shape is entirely impressive. Cushioning is also second to none as large volume, full-length Zoom Air bag sits atop IPS for a perfect ride. Transition is effortlessly smooth by way of firm carbon fiber midfoot shank plate and flexible TPU midfoot chassis.

Cons: While the upper’s fit is as close to perfect as possible, the forefoot lateral TPU chassis wrap indeed may rub against your pinky toe, causing quite a bit of irritation in playing sessions longer than 90 minutes. Avoid thin socks and rely on more padding between your toes and the TPU structure. The upper can perhaps be narrow for some, as the shoe is so deeply sculpted. For those with wider feet, you’ll certainly experience some discomfort just under the TPU forefoot wrap. Of course, like most Air Jordans, the price may also deter potential buyers as well.

Verdict: Tinker Hatfield set out with one goal in mind when he began this project some 18 months ago: Make the best basketball shoe ever. Indeed, the cushioning, shape and inner lining comfort are nothing short of excellence. Swingmen with slashing games will love the transition, traction and support, and despite all of the shoe’s components and layers constructed in true Considered form, the XX3 is also surprisingly lightweight. Absolutely consider the XX3 as your next playing shoe if you’re willing to make the pricey investment. Also, be sure to wear a thicker, more padded sock to rid of any toe box discomfort. If your foot is of the wide variety, you might just be out of luck, as the overly sculpted upper might feel far too snug.

Contact:
Jordan Brand

One Bowerman Drive

Beaverton, OR 97005

jumpman23.com

SPACE
Key Tech: Quilted inner lining creates a Nike Sphere-like stand-off effect; multi-density Phylon midsole with Independent Podular Suspension (IPS) at the forefoot and interchangable Zoom Air + Phylon/encapsulated Air + polyurethane cuhshioning pods at heel

Use: Hoops, Indoor

Position: Active players at all positions

Colorway Tested: White/Varsity Red/Metallic Silver

Price: $100 for Retro + (the O.G. retailed for $65)

Pros: Provides locked down heel fit and exceptional ankle support; interchangable pod under heel allows for a degree of cushioning customizability; awesome traction and attention to detail

Cons: Starts out feeling stiff and somewhat bulky, lack of breathibility

SPACE

PACE

THE POWER OF 1

Has it really been 21 years? I know I’m dating myself here, but it seems like only yesterday that I first heard rumblings about a rookie named Jordan doing special things out in Chicago. Mind you, this was years before the World Wide Web’s invention (yes, as unbelievable as it may seem, humanity did manage for a time without the Web and email), a time when the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network was a little-watched novelty known more for its coverage of tractor pulls than its now colossally influential SportsCenter program. In short, the media hype machine was a mere shadow of the beast it’s grown into today and you could go for months without even hearing about a promising young talent who played outside of your home market.

And in any case, like most every New Yorker, I could care less about anything going down west of the Hudson. As far as I was concerned, if it didn’t involve the Mets, Jets, St. John’s or Knicks, it didn’t happen (I’ve since moved west-and I don’t mean the Upper West Side-which has greatly expanded my world view). But then I saw this Michael Jordan kid play and the script was irrevocably flipped.

It was a Sunday afternoon game on The NBA on CBS between the Bulls and Celtics at the old Boston Garden. Why I was even watching the game I don’t know, because I hated the Bird-led Celtics (they were always getting the better of my beloved Knicks) and could care less about Chicago. Maybe it was raining out … whatever the reason, I started watching and was immediately transfixed by number 23 in the red and black. The bits and pieces I had gathered about MJ up to that point painted a picture of a dynamic but one-dimensional dunker; what I saw instead that pivotal afternoon was an astonishingly complete player performing at a level beyond anything I had imagined possible. He was a fearsome defender and a seemingly unstoppable offensive force who, contrary to all reports, was devastatingly capable from the perimeter. This included a 3 at the end of regulation that replays showed should have given Chicago a one-point win, but was waved off as having come after the buzzer.

That was it-from that point on I was hooked like a bigmouth at Bassmasters. Jordan might not have been a Knickerbocker, but he was born in Brooklyn and that was good enough for me. Even through those awful years when MJ was Gotham’s nemesis-in-chief, I couldn’t help but admire the beauty of his game and the ferocity of his competitive spirit. And I know I wasn’t the only conflicted soul in the city-even at the height of the rivalry plenty of folks both inside the Garden and out could be seen mixing up Knicks paraphernalia with Air Jordan shoes.

And so I arrive at the shoes, which, for so many who experienced MJ’s playing days, provided the only material link to the Jordan mystique. Back in those days, buying the latest J meant owning a piece of the magic; it made recreating his latest act of gravity-defying, loss-denying wizardry feel that much more real. But perhaps even more compelling than this vicarious appeal for wannabe hoopstars was the shoes’ role as a running account of Jordan’s life and times-the line was a biography of sorts, only this story was written in the language of leather, rubber and foam. You didn’t have to be a baller to look at the Air Jordan III and see His Airness’ breathtaking foul-line jam in the ‘88 Dunk Contest come to life in your mind’s eye; or hold the IV and feel your heart skip a beat like it did after seeing MJ hit “The Shot” over a hapless Craig Ehlo in the first round of the ‘89 Eastern Conference Playoffs; or see the XII and sense the goose bumps forming like they did during Jordan’s epic ‘98 Finals performance against Utah in “The Flu Game” … the list goes on.

But what happens when your leading man-the personality around which your entire identity is based-departs the stage? And what do you do when a new generation of young people enters the arena with little to no recollection of his exploits? With last year’s wonderful Air Jordan XX the response from Jordan Brand seemed clear: re-introduce a new audience to those halcyon days by literally re-creating them in the form of tattoo-like icons etched into the shoe. But reliving old glories is an indulgence that can all too quickly lead down the path to mediocrity, as well-meaning respect becomes overweening reverence and overweening reverence, if left unchecked, cultivates the putrefying rot of indifference.

To their credit, the folks at Jordan seem to have recognized the dangers of coasting on the fumes of history, which shows a surprising level of foresight given that the brand is coming off a banner year sparked by strong sales of the largely retrospective XX (Nike, Inc. does not break out sales on a per-shoe basis, but the company has reported that Jordan Brand’s share of the U.S. athletic footwear market jumped by nearly two percentage points in 2005 to 6%, which would position the Jordan unit alone to within a hair’s-breadth of fourth place overall if it operated as an independent entity). Proof of this comes in the form of the Air Jordan XXI, which banishes any overt references to Js gone by and, in so doing, represents a turn away from the rosy glow of past successes and toward the uncertain dawn of a new era for both the line and the brand.

Yet one fundamental tenet of the Jordan legacy lives on: a dogged commitment to performance. As noted by a longtime NBA staffer with extensive footwear expertise who would speak only on condition of anonymity to avoid the appearance that a league official was personally endorsing a specific product, “Michael’s shoes were always the shit.” The reason, this source explained, is that “Jordan basically revolutionized shoes-Michael Jordan solely. By him having plantar fasciitis, by him having knee problems, by him having injuries … Nike and Jordan Brand responded to his needs.” And this direct line between MJ’s own stratospheric on-court requirements and the architecture of his signature shoes has not been broken simply because he no longer plays under the bright lights of the NBA’s grand arenas.

According to D’Wayne Edwards, Footwear Design Director for Jordan and the design lead on the XXI, “Even though he’s not on TV playing in it, he’s playing in Chicago in his rec league … he’s still playing ball, he’s still playing in his shoes and he’s still testing them.” So, from the perspective of Jordan being the ultimate arbiter of his namesake rides’ suitability for on-court abuse, “nothing’s changed, minus you don’t see him on TV anymore.”

Far be it from me to second-guess His Airness’ personal stamp of approval, but the fact that a given shoe meets the needs of a certain 6-6 superhero who still handily whups elite players half his age by no means guarantees that it’ll meet yours. After all, it’s a good bet neither your body nor your game bears much resemblance to His. And besides, I need some way to justify the paycheck I draw as Sole Collector’s reviewer in residence, so here’s my take on the Air Jordan XXI (and, no, I’m not a chiseled six-foot, six-inch 220-pound picture of basketball dominance either, but my ‘do is a pretty close match for MJ’s).

ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS
What struck me most about the shoe on first viewing was its cut-it’s actually a hair shorter than the XX before it, but with a more conventional design to its ankle collar (as opposed to the funky but functional ankle leash that defined the XX), the XXI looks downright skyscraper-like. Looks can be deceiving, however, and in the case of the XXI, little is as it seems. For one thing, though the XXI is tall enough along both sides of the ankle to be considered a high, you’d swear it was a lower-cut mid from just playing in it. Chalk this up to the flex grooves formed into the front of the ankle collar and the ultra-deep Achilles notch at its rear. The net result is a shoe that feels as supportive and secure as an old-school high-top, but allows for the mobility and range-of-motion of a new-school mid. The eyelet configuration along the XXI’s ankle also adds a measure of tunability to the shoe’s fit and feel: lace through all three rows for maximum protection or mix-and-match between any two to lock in your preferred blend of support, flexibility and comfort (my preferred configuration was to use only the two innermost rows of laces).

And fit isn’t the only aspect of the Air Jordan XXI that can be tuned to suit your needs: For the first time in a Jordan and, to the best of my knowledge, the first time in a hoops shoe from any marque, the XXI allows for user-customizable cushioning (adidas pioneered the concept of tunable cushioning way back in 1980 with a shoe called the LA Trainer, but never applied it to their basketball line). An interchangeable pod sits directly beneath your heel-to remove it, simply peel away the sockliner to reveal the pod then push up on the outsole from below to dislodge the puck-like unit from its form-fitting socket. Swapping in a different pod is just as easy and the whole exchange, for both your left and right shoe, can be completed in well under a minute. Two sets of heel pods are included with each pair of Air Jordan XXIs: a Phylon-based set (the red pods), in which each pod incorporates a low-profile Zoom Air unit, and a firmer polyurethane set (the black pods), in which encapsulated-style air bags augment the PU pucks.

All this begs the obvious question: Why would you want to customize your cushioning? The answer proffered by Jordan on the handsome sticker gracing the interior of the XXI’s box is that the Zoom-based pods are a better match for guards seeking “lateral, low-profile responsiveness,” while the encapsulated Air-based pods provide “maximum cushioning” for forwards and centers. I’m not quite sure how one set of pods can provide superior low-profile responsiveness when both sets share the same total thickness, but, marketing-ese aside, there is a perceptible difference in feel between the two-and you may be surprised by the set you prefer. In my case, as a light guard who craves the sort of court hugging agility promised by the Phylon + Zoom configuration, I assumed that they would be my pods of choice. But after rigorously testing both setups I found my feet preferring the purportedly big-man oriented PU + encapsulated Air pairing by a wide margin. The Zoom pods did provide a bit more cushioning response, but the encap. units allowed me to play with greater confidence thanks to their more supportive, more stable feel.

The ability to tune the XXI’s under-heel cushioning is a nice feature, but, ultimately, I think its inclusion has more to do with promotion than performance. It doesn’t impair playability in any way, but the time, effort and development dollars invested into the realization of the concept could undoubtedly have been applied towards other, more meaningful innovations or avoided entirely, with the savings softening the XXI’s wallet-crushing price (more on that later).

Moving beyond the heel, overall cushioning performance is excellent, with the XXI’s second-generation implementation of Independent Podular Suspension (IPS) delivering the same unique mix of impact protection, responsiveness and court feel that made last year’s Air Jordan XX such a joy to play in. Where the implementations of IPS in the XX and XXI diverge is under the midfoot-unlike the XX, which featured cushioning pods along the full length of its midsole, the XXI features pods under only the key impact zones of the forefoot and heel. Replacing the pods under the midfoot is a very large, beautifully molded carbon fiber shank. In addition to eliminating a fair amount of foam from the midsole and thereby reducing the shoe’s overall weight, the shank boosts support underfoot and, perhaps most importantly, prevents the XXI from flexing under the midfoot. Why is this important? According to Dr. James Losito, former president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine and currently team podiatrist for the Miami Heat, “Whenever the shoe bends where the foot doesn’t, you’re going to have a problem,” usually in the form of an injury to the plantar fascia.

The plantar fascia is a tendon-like band that runs along the bottom of the foot, linking the heel bone (i.e. the calcaneus) to the bones at the base of the toes (i.e. the metatarsals). This link is absolutely crucial to proper function of the foot, both as an effective shock-attenuating structure on impact and as a fantastically powerful lever on toe-off, but the stress the plantar fascia is subjected to with every step makes it highly susceptible to injury-particularly among those who regularly engage in activities that involve lots of running and jumping. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that injury to the plantar fascia in the form of a condition called plantar fasciitis is very common among basketball players (by my informal count, plantar fasciitis is second only to ankle sprains as the cause for games missed due to injury among NBA players).

A variety of factors can lead to the onset of plantar fasciitis, from inherent biomechanical abnormalities to over-training, but poorly designed shoes can also play a role. In terms of hoops, if a shoe is overly flexible under the midfoot, each and every landing and toe-off has the potential to overstretch the plantar fascia. This is why nearly all modern basketball shoes include some sort of rigid shank under the midfoot. The role of the device is to both keep the midsole from collapsing under the arch on impact and to prevent the shoe from flexing under the midfoot on toe-off. Or, put more succinctly (and paraphrasing Dr. Losito), to keep the shoe from bending where the foot doesn’t.

Usually, molded plastic is used to form the shank, but, as noted above, the XXI employs a much stronger and much more expensive composite material called carbon fiber. While the use of carbon fiber doesn’t guarantee that a shoe will provide adequate protection underfoot, the material is particularly well suited to the task because, as Dr. Losito explained, it “is light, it provides stability and it can be manufactured in varying durometers [i.e. degrees of hardness] and thicknesses.” In the case of the XXI, the shank is expertly formed and, in my experience, does a great job preventing the bends.

There is, however, one negative associated with the XXI’s carbon fiber shank: Because it has a very hard, sharp edge, a semi-rigid strip of material had to be added along its medial perimeter to keep the structure from literally cutting into your foot. That’s a good thing, but this “safety strip” creates a bit of a hump within the shoe that may chafe against your arch-particularly if you have flat feet. As an arch-challenged individual myself, I can report that after my first two test wearings of the Air Jordan XXI the skin along the medial side of both of my dogs was rubbed pretty raw; there was no blistering, but the experience wasn’t pleasant. From my third wearing on, however, the chafing subsided, most likely because the material of the safety strip (along with the whole of the upper and midsole) softened up with wear.

UPS AND DOWNS
It wasn’t only comfort along the arch that improved with wear; I was pleasantly surprised to find that the XXI’s all-around fit and feel improved over the course of my testing as well. What started out as a stiff and, for lack of a better word, flabby feeling SUV of a shoe progressively evolved into a ride capable of delivering the sort of control and agility you’d expect from a shoe inspired by the wickedly capable Bentley Continental GT (a favorite of MJ’s, the Continental GT heavily influenced the design of the Air Jordan XXI-see Retrokid’s Sneakerphile starting on page 22 for more on the design and development of the XXI). By the end of my first week of testing the shoe felt like an extension of my foot and this sensation, I’m glad to report, did not subside through the remainder of my month-long test. The shoe’s fully double-lasted construction allowed for a modicum of side-to-side movement at the toebox and a hint of bulkiness at the heel, but, on the whole, the XXI provided the sort of fit and feel that allowed me focus on my game instead of my shoe.

The only lasting chink in the Air Jordan XXI’s armor is its heat and moisture management, or near complete lack thereof. Though the XXI’s sumptuously quilted inner lining provides something of a Nike Sphere-like stand-off effect and its full-grain leather upper affords a measure of inherent breathability, the shoe’s complex, multi-layered construction traps heat and moisture like a sauna. For the first hour or so of each of my test wearings this wasn’t a big issue, but once I got into my second hour of on-court action the moisture build up in my socks really became noticeable (this even though I always wear synthetic, moisture-wicking socks). At the two-hour mark my feet were downright adamant about being let out for a breath of fresh air and, by that point, my socks were consistently drenched with sweat.

Of course, it’s not at all unusual for your feet to sweat. In fact, your dogs are host to more sweat glands per square inch than any other part of your body, with the average pair exuding about a cup of perspiration per day. It’s no wonder, then, that many experts consider effective heat and moisture management to be a critically important facet of athletic shoe design. For starters, if the bulk of the sweat from your feet remains trapped in your shoes, you’re much more likely to develop a bacterial or fungal infection (think athlete’s foot-and I don’t mean the footwear chain), not to mention a raunchy odor that’s guaranteed to keep people out of your personal space. But on top of the potential damage to your social standing, a poorly vented shoe can lead to more concrete problems; once again quoting Dr. Losito, “With increased moisture, you have an increased potential for injury.” That’s because a sweat-logged shoe allows for more movement of the foot within the inner, which can lead to blisters (this may have contributed to the chafing I experienced along my arches), callus formation and runner’s toe, a painful condition that’s also known by the much more descriptive label of black toe.

So, if you hoop for hours at a time on the regular, the Air Jordan XXI is not going to be a good match for your needs. If, however, you’re a hoops-a-holic who absolutely has to have the XXI, a tactic that can help mitigate the shoe’s lack of breathability is changing to a fresh pair of quality, moisture wicking soc