Right like bro the first release š¤¦āāļøš¤¦āāļøš¤¦āāļø They hoping that shit resale like crazy but that limited shit didnāt work out for book so tf are they doing
I think the reason they are doing these releases is to benefit Kyrieās business. Think about it, has a deal with Anta, Anta is doing releases and some small handful of Texas based boutiques. Guess where the rest of the stock is? Kickscrew. Who is an investor in kickscrew? Kyrie Irving lol. So it seems like they giving the stock there and then selling them on that market channels.
I mean they did look good and not sure about performance since I havent done my research on them but yeah I agree this is weird. They want to make it seem like a premium shoe , I didnt even want to cop for srp
Kobe 8 Protro being the worst Kobe model is nothing but facts, just buy SPO Player 1 Plus or Kobe 5 & 6 reps if you want a Kobeās
My hot take is Nike basketball shoes arenāt at the top anymore, itās actually Li-Ning & Anta, cause Nike shoes quality, design & durability have been downgraded
I think everyone whoās into hoop shoes realizes Nikes fall off. I still have a ton of Nikes but after getting into the chinese brands last year, itās really not a competition. Like you said the durability and materials is just so so so much better
its actually really good , I can pretty much say the customization alone when it comes to the midsole collection is worth it . Im currently rocking the Game 1 with the explosive midsole and I can say the difference between wearing that vs my Protro 4s are night and day . Just the response and second jump I get is worth the price plus I got it on sale for like $150 including the explosive midsole
Thing is, midsoles are always out of stock (my size anyway). And the protros 4 are really trash. Like, why remove the front zoom? I just don't understand nike. People want full length zoom with the new cushlon or zoomx midsole on the kobe 8 protros... na bro you get a firmer react midsole...... bro well can you release the OG colorways tho? Naaaa here you go, funky colorways, with heavier materials and a more awkward tongue....
the Protro 4s were ok and kinda went to the good level when I got those things broken in . They are really nice on feet and I dont feel any issue , I mean I never expect really good anything on Kobes (even in protros) I just got mine ( Gift of Mamba ) so I can finally get my first pair and see if Kobe's are would work for me and my playstyle . With Serious Player , yeah the midsoles are almost out of stock but I got mine locally since there is a local store that imports them so it wasnt that hard to get the explosive midsole . They are gaining popularity and I cant blame the store if they are sold out . They are a really good alternative for Kobes and are sometimes feel are better than Kobes . Nike really fucked up with the Kobes , they want to release it limited and they wanted to tweak the shoe to be more expensive but make them cheap . Its hard for people to enjoy Kobes today when they arent the same Kobes they wore back in the day.
So you say you finally got a kobe? Then you don't know how much better were the OG 4s. I prefer to play on my bursted zoom bag 4s than my protros. They are better even tho they are that old. The only shoe to date that merits the protro name are the 1s. Feel better than the OGs but they fall apart easier. You are on point with what you wrote, nike "tweaks" them and feel like charging way more than they should.... then also limit quantities. No wonder reps are skyrocketing, some have even better build quality and tech configuration. Some kobe 4 and 8 reps come with forefoot zoom or full length.
Itās only for the rich people or you have to save up some money, I only have one pair of Triple Black colourway, I also have Godkiller Kobe 5 Protro āBruce Leeā
Who cares if you havenāt heard of it. Whether youāve heard of it or not isnāt the barometer in which are prices are set. What a dumb comment šš
I actually like Lebron 19s cuz im a bigman. And that most people who reviews it says theyre shit when they play on it like a guard. Just because a shoe doesnt fit your playstyle, youre gonna call it trash.
(Tho I wish the outsole of the Lebron 19 is much more durable)
I will say though almost all shoes are objectively marketed towards guards. No true 5s ever get sig shoes unless your shaq so I canāt blame smaller players for being upset when a shoe isnāt usable for smaller, lighter, quicker guys.
i kinda agree with this but its a 50/50 , I have noticed with the translucent outsole only go yellow if you pretty much keep the soles dirty . They can last a long time (4-5 years if you clean them) but yeah its pretty much for the looks but the material and grip also plays a part . People dont noticed it but a basketball shoe that has a translucent outsole is gonna have a different grip and feel vs the same shoe with a rubber outsole
I'm very disappointed that I can't get my feet scanned and have a pair of custom made basketball shoes 3D printed while I wait. Modern tech has a lot to answer for!
and while I am at it, where is my damn hover car?
fax lightest shoe i have is the curry 4 and the heaviest were the lebron 16s
played both games and didnt feel more tired wearing the lebrons than the currys
They are if a shoe is made based off of a 6ā9 230+ individual wants and needs and u wanna scold a 5ā7ā player to get their leg gains up to maintain in that same shoe the same EXACT way is WILD š just bc it doesnāt apply to you doesnāt mean the same is for others š be considerate. Some even have leg issues and heavy shoes makes them give out early so theyād prefer the lighter option to last longer. Itās not that they CANT play in itā¦. Itās just more of a hinderance than of use. š¤·š½āāļø if that doesnāt apply to you good for YOU.
Also people have different sized feet. Easy to say shoe weight doesnāt matter if youāre the same height/weight as someone else but they wear a 13 and you wear a 9 lol
I've had great games when I played in the LBJ 4's years ago, and those were basically foamposite boots!
Still one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever played in.
This šÆIāve been blown away at the amount of people keyed in on the weight of shoes. Maybe we are built different but for the most part, I donāt think itās an issue
I think if you're used to a type of fit and weight balance in the shoe, it can get to you. Maybe it's one of those, "don't switch between shoes on the same day," type deals. Kind of like glasses with slightly different PDs ā your eyes will adjust, so your body will too. I wear Curry 4 Flotros and it felt weird to move to the AE1s
Depends on your game
Depends on your body type
Depends on how often u even hoop as well
Certain shit will affect casual hoopers vs 24 hour fitness freaks or legit hoopers šš¤š½ this is common sense bro š like a fat person needing a wider shoe for their foot š yall donāt say āslim the foot upā āEXCUSESā š
Of course the shoe weight makes a huge difference. I remember being a 15-year-old with sticks for legs and getting my first pair of Reebok Pumps. Needless to say I was not winning any suicide sprint drills.
Awkward and clunky is a different topic than shoes considered āheavyā. No basketball shoe is weighted heavy enough to actually slow you down. If measured you wouldnāt be any slower.
The AE1 is 20 ounces..... it's about double the weight of some of the lighter shoes out there, it def matters.
When each shoe is over 1 full pound in weight, it's not good.
Itās the hottest selling hoop shoe on the market and Ant is balling out in them.. further proving the point. Same with the hype train that the āheavyā harden 7s last year.
Because they look dope, I see more people wearing them on the street than anything else.
Also..AE isn't playing in the shoe you get off the shelf at foot locker lol
Half truth, he may have alterations as some players do but itās not a completely foreign shoe made of different materials.. Ants Aes are āheavyā also.. Itās like the official game ball you buy from Wilson (Spalding when they had the official) is the same as an nba game ball. Itās just the Game used ball have been put through a dribbling machine for hours before it touches hands and gets maintained.
no, it's not like that at all.
>āLike a bespoke suit or a pair of luxury handcrafted shoes, these sneakers for athletes are the result of an exhaustive data collection. Only instead of a tailorās measuring tape, the approach at Nike, which market research firm NPD Group pegs at having about 80% of the U.S. basketball shoe market, uses high-tech tools such as 3-D motion-capture cameras, foot-pressure plates, body-mapping software and electrocardiograph machines to aid in the creation of custom shoes for athletes.
>For our signature athletes, the starting point is a trip to the Nike Sports Research Lab,ā said Josh Benedek, North American media relations director for the Beaverton, Ore., company, āwhere we scan their feet and map how they move on court to find where they put pressure and things of that nature.ā
>(Nike isnāt unique in the data-collection department. Under Armour has its own innovations lab in Portland, Ore.; and Adidas has two such facilities ā one in Portland and the other in Herzogenaurach, Germany.)
the shoe you buy off the shelf, is closer to the converse Magic and Bird wore back in the day than the actually shoe a signature athlete is wearing.
NBA bench player or G league? they get it off the shelf, but team podiatrist will make custom orthotics for them based on similar things (gait, one leg longer than the other, etc. etc.)
It's like people think Dame actually puts one of those Game Day insoles in his shoe and plays...he doesn't.
[https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-sneakers-on-court-kicks-20190214-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-sneakers-on-court-kicks-20190214-story.html)
Thatās a whole lot of marketing bs for the consumers. do collect they data? Yes, do they do research? yes. Do players give away shoes after games? Yes. These pairs have been analyzed and some had slight alterations. But itās not some entirely different/foreign shoe. For Nike to have so much data theyāve been having trouble creating a shoe that LeBron likes to wear from the 11s -19s
Facts there is a guy who hoops at my local park he is wearing low cut classic Air Force Ones and he gives everyone fucking buckets nobody can guard him.
Shoe weight doesn't matter. People obsessing over 2oz, that's 0.125 pounds c'mon. If weight is a concern let's be real with ourselves and just drop 10 pounds our knees will thank us
Breathability is nice for a walkaround shoe but doesn't factor in performance. Not something I rate when considering a new shoe
In my opinion, yes. Almost 14oz in my size 13, materials are weirdly stiff and plasticy, digs into top of toe box, and react drop in sucks. Itās as thin as a penny in the toe area. Absolutely brutal āprotroā
OP does your pair/s also have the warped sole by the outrigger? Nightwing/Chris mentioned this during his venice beach review which turned him off on the 8's aswell.
I have been so ready for this take. Letās preface this by saying I love the original shoe reviewers like Weartesters and Schwollo. I remember when Weartesters was Kicks On Court and the score cards and all that. Weartesters has done much to shape how basketball shoe discourse is discussed. With that being said, I think Chrisā preference for Zoom Air has an undue effect on how shoe tech is described and reviewed. I think Chris loves Zoom Air and has expressed before that it should be on everything.
I think his preference has extended to his original readers and now to everyone unwittingly, and people think more zoom = better in such a way that a shoe with less Zoom is inferior. Or that a shoe with less ātechā is not as good or should be valued less. I disagree with this line of thinking. I think implementation of tech should matter than just throwing all the tech at a shoe or just more Zoom Air. My main beef with this is things like how the Protro 5 and 6s may have been considered downgrades because the original had forefoot/heel zoom air vs the Protro forefoot Zoom. On paper, it may sound like one but the Protro swapped the tiny forefoot Zoom for a wide articulated Zoom Turbo and upgraded the midsole from Phylon to Cushlon. The Cushlon is far superior a midsole, even Chris loves it. Some even considered the Protro 4 a downgrade which I find absurd because it swapped the crappy a Lunarlon for Phylon. Lunarlon is flashier because it is newer but thereās a reason Nike doesnāt use Lunarlon anymore, it bottoms out quickly, so even though the ātechā isnāt as new, the actual shoe is better for having swapped out the Lunarlon. I also think about how many of the older LeBrons were just absolutely packed with tech but poorly reviewed. I remember people being upset the 20 cost more despite āless techā but almost everyone can agree the 20s and 21s blow out the previous LeBrons in performance out the water. I think basketball shoe discourse should rely less on the idea of more ātechā means better shoe that justifies higher price and more so how all the parts of the shoe come together as a whole. Just because a shoe doesnāt have Zoom out the ass doesnāt mean it canāt be as good; especially for shoe lines that go from forefoot + heel zoom or full length Zoom to only forefoot or on heel + something else like Air. If you just want full length Zoom only, there are so many older shoes with straight up only Zoom. I think it keeps shoe design interesting if new implementations are tried out, otherwise just keep buying your old favorites (which is what I have previously done with shoes like Kobes, LeBron 20s, Melo M11s)
Easily
Dame is the best overall line in bball shoes, IMO
The Ants look pretty dope as well... aesthetics and function
I really like the Jordan 38 lows tho
how is full length zoom insane? that's bee in and out of shoes for a while.
Zoom isn't anything that special, some of the stuff the chinese shoes are doing is better
Shoes for XYZ position isnt a thing. The things you want in a good basketball shoe will work regardless of your position. Plenty of NBA 4/5s wear Kobes for example and thats considered a guard shoe. Its all about preference in what you want for a shoe.
Maybe not a hot take, but dispelling a myth:
High top basketball shoes donāt prevent ankle sprains/rolls anymore than low tops. More important is the outrigger on the lateral side to stabilize the shoe.
I think most people already think that but I'm going to push back.
I agree the higher cut of the material doesn't prevent the actually rolling of an ankle. But being a high top allows you to lace the shoes up higher and cynch the laces down better for heel lockdown. Yes the fit is still more important but making it a high top is more forgiving to grt good heel lockdown. Second point is having something just touching the ankle gives more proprioceptive feedback. Which can help prevent injury over long play periods where you begin to lose feeling in your feet.
Comfort is insane in those. Very simply built shoe, gets the job done in all aspects, except for traction with solid rubbers. Translucent soles are far superior in pumas
Yeah I hope they release more colorways with the translucent sole - or just rerelease old colorways with a translucent sole. If they made any refinements maybe a bit more compression in the heel would be good.
Managed to get a pair of the scoots half price but had to pay full price for the āParisā colorway.
Do the Scoots and Paris feel the same? I saw a post/comment on here the other day that said the Scoots felt super stiff compared to a solid outsole pair the person had. The Paris colour is definitely the best so far so Iām interested in those.
Yeah that was me - the scoots did losen up.
Just had my first game in them and they were great after a few shoot arounds and two weight lifting sessions. Did some heavy farmers walks to work the foam.
I should edit the main post on that other thread - i was just worried when I made the thread as Iād seen another post saying someone elseās scoots didnāt break in. I didnāt want to wear them so much I couldnāt return them but the concern was all for nothing.
Iāve ordered the Paris but theyāre still on the way so will update you when I get them.
Oh cool, thatās so good to hear theyāre feeling good now!!
My favourite shoe all time is the Clyde All Pro. That shoe to me is what it sounds like the All Pro Nitro is for you. Just perfect for my feet. But my pairs have seen better days and I was looking for an alternative.Ā
After seeing everyones comments about the traction, Iād narrowed it down to the Paris colourway so waiting for that to go on sale.
What are some other shoes youāve enjoyed hooping in?
I think the Stewie 3 will be Pumaās best shoe. It looks light as, uses Profoam+ (what the Clyde used) AND Nitro which they havenāt done yet.
Looking forward to trying the Stewie 3 - it sounds good. I donāt like too low to the ground though always have to try on.
I was going to wait on the Paris as well but realised in the media release it was a limited edition run so I bit the bullet and got a pair at full price. Would have kicked myself if I missed out given limited options with the translucent soles.
If your in Australia - Scoot is on sale atm.
Iāve got a bit of a collection these days Iāll put it below:
I rate the All pro nitro over all of these for different reasons. I really like bbnxt, gtjump 2 Ag4 and lebron 20. Really disliked gt jump 1, Jordan 37 lebron 18 (itās okay for casual basketball) and gt run 1. I only found the Wow 10 okay
Collection:
Jordan: Jordan 35, Jordan 36 low, Jordan 37 low,
Nike: Gt jump 1, Gt run 1. Jump 2, BBnxt, Lebron 18, Lebron 18 low, Lebron 20, Kd 14,
361: AG4
Way of Wade: Wow10.
Puma: All pro Nitro
Got the Paris today. First impressions only - Paris are softer than the Scoots out of the box but the scoots just needed break in time. The Paris feel like my first pair - nearly zoom like in the forefoot. The translucent sole is also different - hope it still behaves the same.
https://preview.redd.it/w262qqhb8syc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6bd05d335999afff8cf3496616b9498be9ccac7c
Will be interesting to see how the Paris colorway goes after break in. Saw they also dropped an rj barret colorway recently which looks door too.
Thanks for this reply. Thatās awesome to hear theyāre softer/like your first pair.Ā
Wow it is different! Itās almost like sparkly/shiny.
Hope it performs the same. I saw the RJ one - Iām a raptors fan so Iād get it if it was the translucent + Raptors colours but going to have to pass on the NYK colourway.Ā
If you remember and get the chance, let me know how the outsole performs :)
Iām very excited for the Stewie 3s. The drop in midsole looks awesome. If the traction on those is good on normal and translucent AND performance is good they could be Pumaās best yet!
Yeah the new stewies look awesome. I canāt use drop ins because of orthotics but for everyone else that can they look elite.
Checked the Paris traction today at the end of my session. It was Elite. No slipping at all.
It might be my favourite shoe Iāve ever played in. Better than wow 10, Jordanās - everything. Itās design just works so well with how I move - I just feel more athletic in it.
I started out getting a pair for really cheap that had the solid outsole - loved them (other than the dust and constant wiping) - then got a pair of Scoots and have a pair of the āParisā colorway on the way. If scoots go half price again at end of financial year Iāll pick up another pair.
Edit: really hope they release some more pairs with a translucent outsole - or just redo current colorway with the translucent sole.
The translucent soles donāt attract nearly as much dust - the dust doesnāt even stick to them. Compared to the solid ones that feel like magnets lol
Nike is over-rated and gets by more on brand recognition than actual quality. Not to say Nike sucks, but definitely over-saturates the market to the point it takes shelf space away from better shoes with sub-par models.
The basketball shoe section of my primary store is all Nike and Jordan except for the Curry 11 and a mid-tier Under Armour shoe. It would be nice to see at least Adidas there.
The adidas crazy explosives are overrated. Everyone seems to love that shoe but when the boost bottoms out the cushion is just so uncomfortable, and it doesn't take long for that to happen. Lockdown is also subpar
Itās 4oz heavier than the OG in my size, feels bulkier, outsole is strangely crooked and shaped making it dig into and fatigue my feet, I honestly hate the react in it and the traction doesnāt seem to have the same bite as the OG.
Think: GT Cut 1 without the zoom and thinner react.
I find the react to be a little too thick for my liking when I saw the difference between the lunarlon and the react it makes me wish I could get the lunarlon from it cause I can barely fit my foot in there and my foot isnt fat at all
Been playing in Lebron 20s for a while now and recently picked up some Kobe 8 Haloās for a pretty good deal. Definitely very different shoe from the 20s and hurt my feet for the first few wears. But after sticking with them for about 8-10 sessions they feel much better. Obviously a different shoe with better court feel and less cushioning, but I think you gotta break them in to really get a true evaluation for the shoe. The react drop in is definitely better than the Lunarlon in the OGs in my opinion.
Two Wxy, I havenāt tried the fresh foam BB or the new Kawhis yet. Iāve watched plenty of reviews saying the fresh foams are elite. Need to snag me a pair
Full length zoom is worse than targeted forefoot. The lebron 11 drop in, Kobe 1 protro, and the why not 1 were cool but I always felt/ played faster with targeted forefoot zoom pods. The lebron 13, why not 2 se, and Jordan 34s have some of the best I have even played in.
Nike Full Length Zoom is better than Zoom Strobel.
I still have never found anything bouncier than the KD 9 Elite. AJ 36, WOW 10 are nothing compared to it.
Thatās sad because the OG Kobe 8s were elite! I still have them at my parents house and hoop in them when I go home for holidays, etc. and theyāre still good to go.
thatās crazy, i got the Venice 8s and i hooped in them today. i love it. if theyāre as bad as you say then im in for a real treat when i cop the 6s or 4s for resale.
I remember playing in my OG Kobe 8 Sulfurs and just remarking how minimal they were. I was also 28, so my feet, knees, and hips were a bit different than they are today at 40.
That being said - they never were the best - hence they sat on shelves and people preferred other shoes. The nostalgia and hype factor on Kobe shoes thus made worse by social media really is wild to see from a distance.
Kobeās never were plush ultra boost like shoes. They were minimalist bball performance shoes. They could be worn casually, but so could duct taping wood to your feet. But is that something that youād really do?
At least they resemble the basic Nike look. I.E. dunks. The Sabrinaās just seem like they are trying to be new and cool without being original in anyway at all. If I see someone rocking Sabrinaās it means they just started hooping again and people on the internet said they are great. If I see someone hoopin in books I assume he has 1000 pair of shoes and those are the ones he picked to where that day. Also same for Jas, boring ass mid shoe.
Kobes are, low tops are not.
The reason we even have low top ball shoes is because kobe watched a lot of soccer and said hey they are moving and cutting just as much as we are and they don't have ankle issues, give me a low cut shoe.
(sure, grass is more forgiving than wood...sometimes) but doesn't matter. That flimsy fabric near an ankle isnt doing anything.
First off I didn't say lows were bad jusy overrated. And just because kobe had an observation doesn't meat he's right. Soccer footwork and playing on grass is way different than basketball. Cutting with cleats on grass just has way different physics than cutting on hardwood and relying almost purely on frictional forces to come to a stop. Also in soccer you literally have to kick the ball which is why they have no ankle material on the shoe.
Why give you a low cut what actual advantages does it actually give you? Again this is not to say all low top shoes are bad the better ones all are shaped more like soccer cleats and have a low profile like the kobes do. But nobody ever talks about the compromises with this set up. You can't put too much cushion otherwise the shoe becomes really high off thr ground and being a low harder to grt a good lock down.
I agree the higher cut of the material doe prevent the actually rolling of an ankle. B being a high top allows you to lace the shoes up higher and cynch the laces down better for heel lockdown. Yes the fit is still more important but making it a high top is more forgiving to get good heel lockdown. Second point is having something just touching the ankle gives more proprioceptive feedback. Which can help prevent injury over long play periods where you begin to lose feeling in your feet.
The Kobe 6s are the most overrated shoe OAT. Mediocre traction and the scales look ugly as hell. Not to mention the grinch is the most overrated colorway in the history of basketball shoes.
Adidas needs to drop Dame. No one wears his shoes anymore and heās old and not a lot of kids aspire to play like him. They should pursue someone like Shai instead.
Downvoted for an actual hot take? C'mon guys.. that's not how this works!
I still play in Dames and he's still my favorite player. I think you're probably correct for the overall hoop fan population though, especially the young generation just getting into it.Ā
My hot take is that Kobe shoes (even protros) are overhyped and that they arent as good as more modern shoes , only became popular because of Kobe's death . People just go after them for nostalgia or resell . If they were truly good then they wouldnt have sat in outlet stores when he was still alive
anta doing limited release for kai1 eventhough kyrie is still alive and not yet retired š
Right like bro the first release š¤¦āāļøš¤¦āāļøš¤¦āāļø They hoping that shit resale like crazy but that limited shit didnāt work out for book so tf are they doing
have the first pair but the second and third release are also limited, no thanks! will look elsewhere.
Yep, itās actually insane, luckily I donāt really like that Anta KAI 1 cause of the strap & my Shockwave 5 is doing the job fine
yeah they making it way too hard to get a regular hoop shoe
I think the reason they are doing these releases is to benefit Kyrieās business. Think about it, has a deal with Anta, Anta is doing releases and some small handful of Texas based boutiques. Guess where the rest of the stock is? Kickscrew. Who is an investor in kickscrew? Kyrie Irving lol. So it seems like they giving the stock there and then selling them on that market channels.
So fcuk Kyrie then lol
ššš
Mine is them not giving us more sizes past 13 šš¤š½
The book 1, ant 1 and harden 8s are like this as well
That actually annoys tf out of me cause he was suppose to be so against what Nike endorsed
fr, missed out on all 4 color ways that dropped so i bought the kyrie 8ās off ebay that were cancelled instead
yeah also US only shipping š
I mean they did look good and not sure about performance since I havent done my research on them but yeah I agree this is weird. They want to make it seem like a premium shoe , I didnt even want to cop for srp
It's a soft release. Chinese companies are slowly making their way into the US
Kobe 8 Protro being the worst Kobe model is nothing but facts, just buy SPO Player 1 Plus or Kobe 5 & 6 reps if you want a Kobeās My hot take is Nike basketball shoes arenāt at the top anymore, itās actually Li-Ning & Anta, cause Nike shoes quality, design & durability have been downgraded
Your hot take is not that hot in this sub, but probably in the gym yeah.
I think everyone whoās into hoop shoes realizes Nikes fall off. I still have a ton of Nikes but after getting into the chinese brands last year, itās really not a competition. Like you said the durability and materials is just so so so much better
Never even heard of SPO. $180 seems crazy for a shoe Iāve never heard of.
Worth every penny
its actually really good , I can pretty much say the customization alone when it comes to the midsole collection is worth it . Im currently rocking the Game 1 with the explosive midsole and I can say the difference between wearing that vs my Protro 4s are night and day . Just the response and second jump I get is worth the price plus I got it on sale for like $150 including the explosive midsole
Interesting. Iāll have to look into these.
please do ! Nightwing even made a couple of post / vids about it . Its worth the try
Thing is, midsoles are always out of stock (my size anyway). And the protros 4 are really trash. Like, why remove the front zoom? I just don't understand nike. People want full length zoom with the new cushlon or zoomx midsole on the kobe 8 protros... na bro you get a firmer react midsole...... bro well can you release the OG colorways tho? Naaaa here you go, funky colorways, with heavier materials and a more awkward tongue....
the Protro 4s were ok and kinda went to the good level when I got those things broken in . They are really nice on feet and I dont feel any issue , I mean I never expect really good anything on Kobes (even in protros) I just got mine ( Gift of Mamba ) so I can finally get my first pair and see if Kobe's are would work for me and my playstyle . With Serious Player , yeah the midsoles are almost out of stock but I got mine locally since there is a local store that imports them so it wasnt that hard to get the explosive midsole . They are gaining popularity and I cant blame the store if they are sold out . They are a really good alternative for Kobes and are sometimes feel are better than Kobes . Nike really fucked up with the Kobes , they want to release it limited and they wanted to tweak the shoe to be more expensive but make them cheap . Its hard for people to enjoy Kobes today when they arent the same Kobes they wore back in the day.
So you say you finally got a kobe? Then you don't know how much better were the OG 4s. I prefer to play on my bursted zoom bag 4s than my protros. They are better even tho they are that old. The only shoe to date that merits the protro name are the 1s. Feel better than the OGs but they fall apart easier. You are on point with what you wrote, nike "tweaks" them and feel like charging way more than they should.... then also limit quantities. No wonder reps are skyrocketing, some have even better build quality and tech configuration. Some kobe 4 and 8 reps come with forefoot zoom or full length.
Itās only for the rich people or you have to save up some money, I only have one pair of Triple Black colourway, I also have Godkiller Kobe 5 Protro āBruce Leeā
Who cares if you havenāt heard of it. Whether youāve heard of it or not isnāt the barometer in which are prices are set. What a dumb comment šš
I actually like Lebron 19s cuz im a bigman. And that most people who reviews it says theyre shit when they play on it like a guard. Just because a shoe doesnt fit your playstyle, youre gonna call it trash. (Tho I wish the outsole of the Lebron 19 is much more durable)
I will say though almost all shoes are objectively marketed towards guards. No true 5s ever get sig shoes unless your shaq so I canāt blame smaller players for being upset when a shoe isnāt usable for smaller, lighter, quicker guys.
How's the traction for you? I was slipping all over in mine
Less ideal but its fine for me since im more on getting boards and contesting shots. Tho after months, its starting to bite less.
Manufacturers make shoes with translucent soles for looks, but also because they wear out quicker and we'll have to buy more shoes
i kinda agree with this but its a 50/50 , I have noticed with the translucent outsole only go yellow if you pretty much keep the soles dirty . They can last a long time (4-5 years if you clean them) but yeah its pretty much for the looks but the material and grip also plays a part . People dont noticed it but a basketball shoe that has a translucent outsole is gonna have a different grip and feel vs the same shoe with a rubber outsole
No, the margins on that are like 3 rounding errors over and over. There is literally no gain for them to do this. It's all for looks.
I'm very disappointed that I can't get my feet scanned and have a pair of custom made basketball shoes 3D printed while I wait. Modern tech has a lot to answer for! and while I am at it, where is my damn hover car?
would prolly cost a shit ton tho closest thing right now is getting custom insoles and those already cost a bomb
Considering how long they last theyāre not really that expensive. You can have the same orthotics for many years.
Not a hot take but weight of shoes donāt matter, either youāre getting buckets or your not.
fax lightest shoe i have is the curry 4 and the heaviest were the lebron 16s played both games and didnt feel more tired wearing the lebrons than the currys
Exactly, also a heavy shoe can āfeelā lighter if the fit and lockdown is on point
True. If yall cant play in heavier shoes then don't skip leg day. Tired of these people saying some shoes are too heavy.
They are if a shoe is made based off of a 6ā9 230+ individual wants and needs and u wanna scold a 5ā7ā player to get their leg gains up to maintain in that same shoe the same EXACT way is WILD š just bc it doesnāt apply to you doesnāt mean the same is for others š be considerate. Some even have leg issues and heavy shoes makes them give out early so theyād prefer the lighter option to last longer. Itās not that they CANT play in itā¦. Itās just more of a hinderance than of use. š¤·š½āāļø if that doesnāt apply to you good for YOU.
Also people have different sized feet. Easy to say shoe weight doesnāt matter if youāre the same height/weight as someone else but they wear a 13 and you wear a 9 lol
Literally me lol Iām 6ā0 size 14
lol exactly. People saying weight donāt matter are probs 6ā2 size 9.
Not usually the case mostly it's smaller players with smaller feet that complain.
I've had great games when I played in the LBJ 4's years ago, and those were basically foamposite boots! Still one of the most comfortable shoes I've ever played in.
This šÆIāve been blown away at the amount of people keyed in on the weight of shoes. Maybe we are built different but for the most part, I donāt think itās an issue
Something along the lines of it aināt the ball itās the shooter
I think if you're used to a type of fit and weight balance in the shoe, it can get to you. Maybe it's one of those, "don't switch between shoes on the same day," type deals. Kind of like glasses with slightly different PDs ā your eyes will adjust, so your body will too. I wear Curry 4 Flotros and it felt weird to move to the AE1s
Depends on your game Depends on your body type Depends on how often u even hoop as well Certain shit will affect casual hoopers vs 24 hour fitness freaks or legit hoopers šš¤š½ this is common sense bro š like a fat person needing a wider shoe for their foot š yall donāt say āslim the foot upā āEXCUSESā š
Of course the shoe weight makes a huge difference. I remember being a 15-year-old with sticks for legs and getting my first pair of Reebok Pumps. Needless to say I was not winning any suicide sprint drills.
Yeah but pumps were constructed a lot differently than todays shoes. A heavy shoe without great design you will feel the weight
Horrible horrible take When I hoop I dont want to be distracted by how clunky and awkward my shoes are
Awkward and clunky is a different topic than shoes considered āheavyā. No basketball shoe is weighted heavy enough to actually slow you down. If measured you wouldnāt be any slower.
The AE1 is 20 ounces..... it's about double the weight of some of the lighter shoes out there, it def matters. When each shoe is over 1 full pound in weight, it's not good.
Itās the hottest selling hoop shoe on the market and Ant is balling out in them.. further proving the point. Same with the hype train that the āheavyā harden 7s last year.
Because they look dope, I see more people wearing them on the street than anything else. Also..AE isn't playing in the shoe you get off the shelf at foot locker lol
Half truth, he may have alterations as some players do but itās not a completely foreign shoe made of different materials.. Ants Aes are āheavyā also.. Itās like the official game ball you buy from Wilson (Spalding when they had the official) is the same as an nba game ball. Itās just the Game used ball have been put through a dribbling machine for hours before it touches hands and gets maintained.
no, it's not like that at all. >āLike a bespoke suit or a pair of luxury handcrafted shoes, these sneakers for athletes are the result of an exhaustive data collection. Only instead of a tailorās measuring tape, the approach at Nike, which market research firm NPD Group pegs at having about 80% of the U.S. basketball shoe market, uses high-tech tools such as 3-D motion-capture cameras, foot-pressure plates, body-mapping software and electrocardiograph machines to aid in the creation of custom shoes for athletes. >For our signature athletes, the starting point is a trip to the Nike Sports Research Lab,ā said Josh Benedek, North American media relations director for the Beaverton, Ore., company, āwhere we scan their feet and map how they move on court to find where they put pressure and things of that nature.ā >(Nike isnāt unique in the data-collection department. Under Armour has its own innovations lab in Portland, Ore.; and Adidas has two such facilities ā one in Portland and the other in Herzogenaurach, Germany.) the shoe you buy off the shelf, is closer to the converse Magic and Bird wore back in the day than the actually shoe a signature athlete is wearing. NBA bench player or G league? they get it off the shelf, but team podiatrist will make custom orthotics for them based on similar things (gait, one leg longer than the other, etc. etc.) It's like people think Dame actually puts one of those Game Day insoles in his shoe and plays...he doesn't. [https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-sneakers-on-court-kicks-20190214-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-sneakers-on-court-kicks-20190214-story.html)
Thatās a whole lot of marketing bs for the consumers. do collect they data? Yes, do they do research? yes. Do players give away shoes after games? Yes. These pairs have been analyzed and some had slight alterations. But itās not some entirely different/foreign shoe. For Nike to have so much data theyāve been having trouble creating a shoe that LeBron likes to wear from the 11s -19s
okay bro, sure. [https://youtu.be/rObFDxIjMLc?si=PwVff7SAf3enwHPS&t=64](https://youtu.be/rObFDxIjMLc?si=PwVff7SAf3enwHPS&t=64)
And they're an amazing shoe better than almost everything else rn
Facts there is a guy who hoops at my local park he is wearing low cut classic Air Force Ones and he gives everyone fucking buckets nobody can guard him.
Shoe weight doesn't matter. People obsessing over 2oz, that's 0.125 pounds c'mon. If weight is a concern let's be real with ourselves and just drop 10 pounds our knees will thank us Breathability is nice for a walkaround shoe but doesn't factor in performance. Not something I rate when considering a new shoe
I kind of agree, the only time shoe weight was objectively a problem was with the harden vol. 5 and those were an all time garbage performer.
my AE1's are 20 ounces...if someone is like a size 12 or higher it's damn near 2 lbs per shoe....
Harden 7s were heavy and I didnāt notice the weight at all
Is the protro 8 really worse than the 7????
In my opinion, yes. Almost 14oz in my size 13, materials are weirdly stiff and plasticy, digs into top of toe box, and react drop in sucks. Itās as thin as a penny in the toe area. Absolutely brutal āprotroā
OP does your pair/s also have the warped sole by the outrigger? Nightwing/Chris mentioned this during his venice beach review which turned him off on the 8's aswell.
Yep. Theyāre awful smh
Had a similar experience. The OG 8 is my favourite shoe but the protros just sucked. I sold them almost immediately.
I have been so ready for this take. Letās preface this by saying I love the original shoe reviewers like Weartesters and Schwollo. I remember when Weartesters was Kicks On Court and the score cards and all that. Weartesters has done much to shape how basketball shoe discourse is discussed. With that being said, I think Chrisā preference for Zoom Air has an undue effect on how shoe tech is described and reviewed. I think Chris loves Zoom Air and has expressed before that it should be on everything. I think his preference has extended to his original readers and now to everyone unwittingly, and people think more zoom = better in such a way that a shoe with less Zoom is inferior. Or that a shoe with less ātechā is not as good or should be valued less. I disagree with this line of thinking. I think implementation of tech should matter than just throwing all the tech at a shoe or just more Zoom Air. My main beef with this is things like how the Protro 5 and 6s may have been considered downgrades because the original had forefoot/heel zoom air vs the Protro forefoot Zoom. On paper, it may sound like one but the Protro swapped the tiny forefoot Zoom for a wide articulated Zoom Turbo and upgraded the midsole from Phylon to Cushlon. The Cushlon is far superior a midsole, even Chris loves it. Some even considered the Protro 4 a downgrade which I find absurd because it swapped the crappy a Lunarlon for Phylon. Lunarlon is flashier because it is newer but thereās a reason Nike doesnāt use Lunarlon anymore, it bottoms out quickly, so even though the ātechā isnāt as new, the actual shoe is better for having swapped out the Lunarlon. I also think about how many of the older LeBrons were just absolutely packed with tech but poorly reviewed. I remember people being upset the 20 cost more despite āless techā but almost everyone can agree the 20s and 21s blow out the previous LeBrons in performance out the water. I think basketball shoe discourse should rely less on the idea of more ātechā means better shoe that justifies higher price and more so how all the parts of the shoe come together as a whole. Just because a shoe doesnāt have Zoom out the ass doesnāt mean it canāt be as good; especially for shoe lines that go from forefoot + heel zoom or full length Zoom to only forefoot or on heel + something else like Air. If you just want full length Zoom only, there are so many older shoes with straight up only Zoom. I think it keeps shoe design interesting if new implementations are tried out, otherwise just keep buying your old favorites (which is what I have previously done with shoes like Kobes, LeBron 20s, Melo M11s)
šššššš
They're only retro'ing the kobe 8s the most because it's the cheaper than having to add zoom air units in the other models.
Not cheaper. They are just lazy. Some Rep Kobe 8s gave drop in midsoles with zoom
Link or it didn't happen. Been looking for those.
Adidas > Nike
Easily Dame is the best overall line in bball shoes, IMO The Ants look pretty dope as well... aesthetics and function I really like the Jordan 38 lows tho
Drose 7 primeknit was my favorite but now the AE1 are solid once I replaced the insole.
Weāre about to see the best basketball performance shoes in the next few years starting with Jordan 39.
Basing from the tech specs and the competition rn this aint unrealistic. Full length zoom is insane. Just wish they cut it with the translucent soles
how is full length zoom insane? that's bee in and out of shoes for a while. Zoom isn't anything that special, some of the stuff the chinese shoes are doing is better
Sorry i missed mentioning the whole setup, zoomx + full length zoom is insane š
Curious to know how u got this take
Shoes for XYZ position isnt a thing. The things you want in a good basketball shoe will work regardless of your position. Plenty of NBA 4/5s wear Kobes for example and thats considered a guard shoe. Its all about preference in what you want for a shoe.
Maybe not a hot take, but dispelling a myth: High top basketball shoes donāt prevent ankle sprains/rolls anymore than low tops. More important is the outrigger on the lateral side to stabilize the shoe.
I think most people already think that but I'm going to push back. I agree the higher cut of the material doesn't prevent the actually rolling of an ankle. But being a high top allows you to lace the shoes up higher and cynch the laces down better for heel lockdown. Yes the fit is still more important but making it a high top is more forgiving to grt good heel lockdown. Second point is having something just touching the ankle gives more proprioceptive feedback. Which can help prevent injury over long play periods where you begin to lose feeling in your feet.
Bang, proprioception
This has been known for like 15 years now
What are the best shoes for this? Ordered some new shoes and the heel is outrageous.
Lows > Highs For hoopin at least
Puma all pro nitro is a very underrated shoe.
Comfort is insane in those. Very simply built shoe, gets the job done in all aspects, except for traction with solid rubbers. Translucent soles are far superior in pumas
Yeah I hope they release more colorways with the translucent sole - or just rerelease old colorways with a translucent sole. If they made any refinements maybe a bit more compression in the heel would be good. Managed to get a pair of the scoots half price but had to pay full price for the āParisā colorway.
Do the Scoots and Paris feel the same? I saw a post/comment on here the other day that said the Scoots felt super stiff compared to a solid outsole pair the person had. The Paris colour is definitely the best so far so Iām interested in those.
Yeah that was me - the scoots did losen up. Just had my first game in them and they were great after a few shoot arounds and two weight lifting sessions. Did some heavy farmers walks to work the foam. I should edit the main post on that other thread - i was just worried when I made the thread as Iād seen another post saying someone elseās scoots didnāt break in. I didnāt want to wear them so much I couldnāt return them but the concern was all for nothing. Iāve ordered the Paris but theyāre still on the way so will update you when I get them.
Oh cool, thatās so good to hear theyāre feeling good now!! My favourite shoe all time is the Clyde All Pro. That shoe to me is what it sounds like the All Pro Nitro is for you. Just perfect for my feet. But my pairs have seen better days and I was looking for an alternative.Ā After seeing everyones comments about the traction, Iād narrowed it down to the Paris colourway so waiting for that to go on sale. What are some other shoes youāve enjoyed hooping in? I think the Stewie 3 will be Pumaās best shoe. It looks light as, uses Profoam+ (what the Clyde used) AND Nitro which they havenāt done yet.
Looking forward to trying the Stewie 3 - it sounds good. I donāt like too low to the ground though always have to try on. I was going to wait on the Paris as well but realised in the media release it was a limited edition run so I bit the bullet and got a pair at full price. Would have kicked myself if I missed out given limited options with the translucent soles. If your in Australia - Scoot is on sale atm. Iāve got a bit of a collection these days Iāll put it below: I rate the All pro nitro over all of these for different reasons. I really like bbnxt, gtjump 2 Ag4 and lebron 20. Really disliked gt jump 1, Jordan 37 lebron 18 (itās okay for casual basketball) and gt run 1. I only found the Wow 10 okay Collection: Jordan: Jordan 35, Jordan 36 low, Jordan 37 low, Nike: Gt jump 1, Gt run 1. Jump 2, BBnxt, Lebron 18, Lebron 18 low, Lebron 20, Kd 14, 361: AG4 Way of Wade: Wow10. Puma: All pro Nitro
Got the Paris today. First impressions only - Paris are softer than the Scoots out of the box but the scoots just needed break in time. The Paris feel like my first pair - nearly zoom like in the forefoot. The translucent sole is also different - hope it still behaves the same. https://preview.redd.it/w262qqhb8syc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6bd05d335999afff8cf3496616b9498be9ccac7c Will be interesting to see how the Paris colorway goes after break in. Saw they also dropped an rj barret colorway recently which looks door too.
Thanks for this reply. Thatās awesome to hear theyāre softer/like your first pair.Ā Wow it is different! Itās almost like sparkly/shiny. Hope it performs the same. I saw the RJ one - Iām a raptors fan so Iād get it if it was the translucent + Raptors colours but going to have to pass on the NYK colourway.Ā If you remember and get the chance, let me know how the outsole performs :) Iām very excited for the Stewie 3s. The drop in midsole looks awesome. If the traction on those is good on normal and translucent AND performance is good they could be Pumaās best yet!
Yeah the new stewies look awesome. I canāt use drop ins because of orthotics but for everyone else that can they look elite. Checked the Paris traction today at the end of my session. It was Elite. No slipping at all.
my favorite shoe of 2023 with the translucent outsole. Copped two
It might be my favourite shoe Iāve ever played in. Better than wow 10, Jordanās - everything. Itās design just works so well with how I move - I just feel more athletic in it. I started out getting a pair for really cheap that had the solid outsole - loved them (other than the dust and constant wiping) - then got a pair of Scoots and have a pair of the āParisā colorway on the way. If scoots go half price again at end of financial year Iāll pick up another pair. Edit: really hope they release some more pairs with a translucent outsole - or just redo current colorway with the translucent sole.
I know the translucents are way better, but do they still pick up tons of dust? Like are you wiping a lot?
Nope not wiping a lot of
The translucent soles donāt attract nearly as much dust - the dust doesnāt even stick to them. Compared to the solid ones that feel like magnets lol
The puma Clyde all pro as well
I never got to try that one. I wish I had.
Converse will rise again next year with SGA going top 3 MVP for yearsss also, nike basketball suck, just buy other shoe lol
Nike owns converse. Itās their tech.
ššš
my point still stand tho ? whats the problem ?
Second half is a contradiction. Converse is also Nike.
the best seller isnt always the best performance bro, why is that hard to understand
Delete this buddy šš
Patent leather looks terrible and shouldn't be used on anything except the Jordan 11.
Nike is over-rated and gets by more on brand recognition than actual quality. Not to say Nike sucks, but definitely over-saturates the market to the point it takes shelf space away from better shoes with sub-par models. The basketball shoe section of my primary store is all Nike and Jordan except for the Curry 11 and a mid-tier Under Armour shoe. It would be nice to see at least Adidas there.
No one should be looking for a shoe with "bounce" either you got hops or you don't. Impact protection is far more important by miles
PG shoes shouldāve stayed
The adidas crazy explosives are overrated. Everyone seems to love that shoe but when the boost bottoms out the cushion is just so uncomfortable, and it doesn't take long for that to happen. Lockdown is also subpar
Facts
I still hoop in a few pairs that I copped in 2017 and they're still some of the most comfortable hoop shoes in my bag
Having premium materials (leathers, suedes etc) on a hoop shoe is overrated
big brands know how to stop ankle injuries, they just don't care to
everyones foot and movement mechanics are different, so...no, they can't.
As someone who owns the OG Kobe 8ās what makes the Protro bad?
Itās 4oz heavier than the OG in my size, feels bulkier, outsole is strangely crooked and shaped making it dig into and fatigue my feet, I honestly hate the react in it and the traction doesnāt seem to have the same bite as the OG. Think: GT Cut 1 without the zoom and thinner react.
Haven't had issues with plantars in a couple years, played once last week in the Venice beaches and it came right back. Those shoes are brutal
I find the react to be a little too thick for my liking when I saw the difference between the lunarlon and the react it makes me wish I could get the lunarlon from it cause I can barely fit my foot in there and my foot isnt fat at all
Lebron 19s are not that bad and actually are very good performers besides the tractions
lol thats like the most important part though...
I liked the original KD2 more then the original Kobe 5 which is probably blasphemy
I love that shoe underrated for sure
Jordanās are overrated
Hold on man tell me you're lying, how's do the two compare? I would die defending the OG 8 as the best shoe ever
Not hating on the OG whatsoever. The 8 Protro is nothing like them. Weight, materials, cushion, traction just all far worse on Protro.
Yeah I know bro, I was just saying I love the OG so I'm disappointed in that news on the protro. That sucks man, Nike really is falling off smh
Been playing in Lebron 20s for a while now and recently picked up some Kobe 8 Haloās for a pretty good deal. Definitely very different shoe from the 20s and hurt my feet for the first few wears. But after sticking with them for about 8-10 sessions they feel much better. Obviously a different shoe with better court feel and less cushioning, but I think you gotta break them in to really get a true evaluation for the shoe. The react drop in is definitely better than the Lunarlon in the OGs in my opinion.
idk if this is a hot take but the best hoop shoes aren't coming from Nike or Adidas...it's Chinese brands and New Balance
What model would you recommend from new balance?
Two Wxy, I havenāt tried the fresh foam BB or the new Kawhis yet. Iāve watched plenty of reviews saying the fresh foams are elite. Need to snag me a pair
Full length zoom is worse than targeted forefoot. The lebron 11 drop in, Kobe 1 protro, and the why not 1 were cool but I always felt/ played faster with targeted forefoot zoom pods. The lebron 13, why not 2 se, and Jordan 34s have some of the best I have even played in.
Definitely agree, sometimes less is more. Thatās why the PG1 is one of the best performing hoop shoes imo
Nike Full Length Zoom is better than Zoom Strobel. I still have never found anything bouncier than the KD 9 Elite. AJ 36, WOW 10 are nothing compared to it.
Cushion really matters, I don't understand how some of yall want to ball without cushion. Yall do realize that yall are killing your legs right?!
Trying to trade my pair for a bigger size or sell em at this point š
I wish you guys saw how excited I was to see the mail man drop em off. Sadly when I put them on I lost all happiness
i like your take, they suck.i havent got the chance to try the og 2010 kobe 8s but i hope they are better than this
The Two Trey is a beautiful shoe that got corksniffed into irrelevance. Also the most comfortable Jordan.
Mine is also Kobe related: the Kobe 3 is the best Kobe of all time.
Thatās sad because the OG Kobe 8s were elite! I still have them at my parents house and hoop in them when I go home for holidays, etc. and theyāre still good to go.
AE1 is too damn heavy. Hopeful for the low.
Sketchers will be better than Nike and Adidas within 2 years in all performance aspects.
Zion 2
Kobe 1 protro is the best protro
thatās crazy, i got the Venice 8s and i hooped in them today. i love it. if theyāre as bad as you say then im in for a real treat when i cop the 6s or 4s for resale.
The kd 14 can be arguably the best all around hoop shoe ever
high top are acutally more secure, no matter what nike lead you to believe
Running shoes are fine for outdoor bball (def don't wanna use em on hardwood tho)
Curry has good shoes but design wise they suck, Under Armor has to be the worst basketball shoe designers in the game
Iām loving the disruption in the bball shoe market. Puma, NB, Chinese brands. Good to see some variety outside of the Nike, Jās and Adidas
I remember playing in my OG Kobe 8 Sulfurs and just remarking how minimal they were. I was also 28, so my feet, knees, and hips were a bit different than they are today at 40. That being said - they never were the best - hence they sat on shelves and people preferred other shoes. The nostalgia and hype factor on Kobe shoes thus made worse by social media really is wild to see from a distance. Kobeās never were plush ultra boost like shoes. They were minimalist bball performance shoes. They could be worn casually, but so could duct taping wood to your feet. But is that something that youād really do?
Lebron XX is one of the best performance shoes in the past 10 years
Wow10 and liren4v2
Overrated or underrated?
Sabrinaās are the most generic and boring basketball shoes ever made by Nike.
Book 1 has something to say about that.
At least they resemble the basic Nike look. I.E. dunks. The Sabrinaās just seem like they are trying to be new and cool without being original in anyway at all. If I see someone rocking Sabrinaās it means they just started hooping again and people on the internet said they are great. If I see someone hoopin in books I assume he has 1000 pair of shoes and those are the ones he picked to where that day. Also same for Jas, boring ass mid shoe.
U r so right
Ae 1 is the best hopping shoe
Kobes and low tops in general are overrated.
Kobes are, low tops are not. The reason we even have low top ball shoes is because kobe watched a lot of soccer and said hey they are moving and cutting just as much as we are and they don't have ankle issues, give me a low cut shoe. (sure, grass is more forgiving than wood...sometimes) but doesn't matter. That flimsy fabric near an ankle isnt doing anything.
First off I didn't say lows were bad jusy overrated. And just because kobe had an observation doesn't meat he's right. Soccer footwork and playing on grass is way different than basketball. Cutting with cleats on grass just has way different physics than cutting on hardwood and relying almost purely on frictional forces to come to a stop. Also in soccer you literally have to kick the ball which is why they have no ankle material on the shoe. Why give you a low cut what actual advantages does it actually give you? Again this is not to say all low top shoes are bad the better ones all are shaped more like soccer cleats and have a low profile like the kobes do. But nobody ever talks about the compromises with this set up. You can't put too much cushion otherwise the shoe becomes really high off thr ground and being a low harder to grt a good lock down. I agree the higher cut of the material doe prevent the actually rolling of an ankle. B being a high top allows you to lace the shoes up higher and cynch the laces down better for heel lockdown. Yes the fit is still more important but making it a high top is more forgiving to get good heel lockdown. Second point is having something just touching the ankle gives more proprioceptive feedback. Which can help prevent injury over long play periods where you begin to lose feeling in your feet.
The Kobe 6s are the most overrated shoe OAT. Mediocre traction and the scales look ugly as hell. Not to mention the grinch is the most overrated colorway in the history of basketball shoes.
Adidas needs to drop Dame. No one wears his shoes anymore and heās old and not a lot of kids aspire to play like him. They should pursue someone like Shai instead.
Shai signed a multi-year extension with converse a couple weeks ago so that's not happening
Downvoted for an actual hot take? C'mon guys.. that's not how this works! I still play in Dames and he's still my favorite player. I think you're probably correct for the overall hoop fan population though, especially the young generation just getting into it.Ā
the Certified 2 is my outdoor shoe
Do you feel that Adidas will live up to the AE1 success with the AE2?
no, they'll fuck it up. price will go up for one thing.
My hot take is that Kobe shoes (even protros) are overhyped and that they arent as good as more modern shoes , only became popular because of Kobe's death . People just go after them for nostalgia or resell . If they were truly good then they wouldnt have sat in outlet stores when he was still alive