We have MOOved!

You guys made it happen. I got enough response from you, the ballers/sneakerheads, to take this blog to the next level. My new and improved blog will hopefully be an even more useful and enjoyable experience.

So I'm gonna keep this short and just say thanks for your readership, encouraging emails, and input!

Without further ado... we've officially MOOved!
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Performance Review: Nike KD1

For me, there's nothing better than the smooth, responsive, springy, low profile ride of Nike's Zoom Air technology, especially if present in both the forefoot and heel. That said, Zoom Air isn't for everyone, so Nike doesn't put it in every shoe - and that's completely understandable. But explain to me why Nike likes to produce shoe after shoe with Zoom Air in the heel, but not in the forefoot?

Basketball is a sport that requires quick, drastic changes of direction at the blink of an eye. Anyone who has played any kind of sport knows that in order to make these kinds of movements, you need to stay on your toes. So if players are spending most of their court time on the balls of their feet, why do the Hyperize, Shark-A-Laid, Zoom Kobe IV, Zoom Flight Club, Zoom Phenom, Zoom FP, Hyperdunk, and Zoom Sharkley all contain Zoom Air in the heel but have nothing in the forefoot??

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the KD1 would be one of a rare breed that has Zoom Air in the forefoot but not in the heel. This attribute combined with the very affordable price tag (on sale at footlocker.com for $59.99 + Friends & Family = $53 shipped!) made it easy to grab a pair for testing.

I actually laced these up last week and warmed up in them, but they were much too stiff to play in straight out of the box. The midsole felt great (like a Huarache without Zoom Air in the heel) but the upper was very stiff and unforgiving (constructed with leather on the lateral side and a stiffer, patent leather-like material on the medial side). On top of that, the thin mesh tongue did nothing to improve comfort. So, I went back to the Soldier III for the day and spent a full week wrestling with the shoe, bending it and manually trying to wear down the upper by hand.


The thin mesh tongue helps breathability, but does nothing to cushion the tops of your feet from the thin uppers.


Stiff patent leather-like medial side (top shoe) vs the leather lateral side (bottom shoe)

Already knowing how thin and uncomfortable the uppers of these shoes are, I came prepared this week with a double layer of socks. This time around, they felt much better after they were laced up. The double socks provided the plushness that I craved, the uppers were considerably softer thanks to my manual labor, and the Zoom Air felt terrific under my forefoot.


The outsole pattern allows great flexibility while providing excellent traction.

The best way to describe the performance of the KD1 is that they're basically a poor man's Huarache 08. Midsole cushioning and flexibility was quite good, and ankle support was decent. I thought there was a slim chance that I would miss not having Zoom Air in the heel, but it never bothered me at all. Responsiveness was surprisingly good, as the traction actually felt slightly stickier than the Huarache 08. The footprint profile isn't narrow like the 2K4, but not super-wide like the 2K5, and with a listed weight of 15 ounces, the KD1's are a fairly nimble shoe. Lockdown could improve, as the upper isn't very sculpted and there are no straps to help the shoes hug the feet (early photos of the KD2 show a strap across the top of the foot).



The Bottom Line: The KD1 is a decent performing shoe for the price. For $88 (retail), you're getting a great midsole with Zoom Air cushioning, a very sticky outsole, and a clean looking signature shoe. However, the stiff and uncushioned upper makes the shoe uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. Its minimal construction leads me to believe that this shoe will take years of punishment without breaking down, but obviously it'll take much more testing for me to prove that. I plan to continue wearing these and will follow up with an update down the road.

Performance Review: Nike Zoom LeBron Soldier III

I already know you're thinking it. A review for a LeBron shoe? Another heavy, bulky, boot-like excuse for a basketball shoe that only LeBron James himself can wear and not become exhausted after running up and down the court once?

Well you may have heard that the Soldier III is unlike any other LeBron shoe ever released. I was very skeptical when I went to Eastbay.com and saw their listed weight of 13.4 oz. It couldn't be possible - that's damn-near Hyperdunk-light (13.2 oz)! The previous year's Soldier II's weigh in at 17.4 oz... four beefy ounces heavier.

So what gives? Was it a typo? Could a LeBron shoe actually be that light? And even if it really is, does the shoe even perform well on the court? As the performance reviews started appearing on the internet, I read as many as I could find. Most were surprisingly positive, and after reading Nick DePaula's gushing review on Sole Collector, I just had to lace up a pair and see for myself. When I walked into Champs and asked the sales rep for the Soldier III's, he asked, "You're going to ball in them??" As I explained that I had read positive reviews, another sales rep overheard and said, "You're actually gonna play in those boats? You're gonna have massive calves by the end of the night!"

After 2 outings, I'm happy to report that their assumptions were wrong.

Before I begin with performance, I'm compelled to comment on how great these shoes look. They don't look like big, heavy work boots like the other LeBron shoes; the shape is very practical and sensible, and no part of the design feels forced. The swooping, curved line from ankle to toebox combined with the two large velcro straps are dramatic, yet clean, and most of the colorways are very sharp (I could do without the black/camouflage).

Out of the box, the shoes feel amazingly light but solidly built. I contemplated cutting the straps off as Nick DePaula did, but I wanted to try the shoes out as Nike had engineered and intended them to be worn (and this particular colorway doesn't look right without the straps). After I had my feet in the shoes, I wrestled with the straps as they did indeed get in the way of lace tying, but that was easily remedied by simply stepping on the straps.

With the laces tied and straps in place, I noticed right away that the lockdown throughout the entire shoe was very good. Nike's use of a ballistic mesh upper was a great choice since it trims weight off the shoes while providing durable, consistent flexibility (leather continuously breaks in and eventually becomes too soft). I paid special attention to the upper strap, as I squeezed the area around the ankle part of the shoe before securing the strap; I found that extra step to provide amazing heel lockdown.

During play, the familiar forefoot and heel Zoom Air cushioning provided a great and responsive ride. Traction was terrific, and the straps really helped lock down the shoes. I thought the width of the straps might restrict bending of the feet, but it was never a problem. Lateral stability was very good with help from the straps and patent leather. The shoes were initially laced all the way to the top, but I found that it put unnecessary stress on the tongue, which in turn pressed on the top part of my ankle. Lacing them up to the second-to-last eyelets proved to e perfect.

These feathery-light shoes were true extensions of my feet as I never once noticed the "presence" of the shoes (except to think, "Damn, these are amazing shoes!"). Yes, I'm saying this about LeBron shoes!

The Bottom Line: The Zoom LeBron Soldier III really does prove doubters wrong with its amazing light weight, playability out of the box, forefoot and heel Zoom Air cushioning, and terrific foot lockdown. Not only did these immediately carve out a spot in my top 5 performers list, but they'll also turn heads whether worn casually or on the court. As the different colorways hit outlets and sale racks, I'll definitely be adding more pairs of the Soldier III's to my playing rotation.

Performance Review: Nike Flight Windmill

After reading many mixed reviews about the Nike Flight Windmill, I needed to find out for myself whether these shoes were as bad (or as good) as people claim. These beauties have been seen on many of the L's best swingmen such as Rashard Lewis, Shawn Marion, Andre Iguodala, Andrei Kirilenko, Vince Carter, Rudy Gay, and Jamario Moon to name a few, which would suggest that they're nothing short of spectacular. I was a big enough fan of the aesthetics of the Windmills to own 4 different colorways before ever setting foot on a court wearing a pair. So what happened when I finally took the floor?

Consumer complaints are aplenty: no ankle support, laces are too short, lace eyelets rip apart from the shoes, velcro strap doesn't stay on, and the list goes on. When I first put them on, I noticed right away that these don't have as much cushioning around the top of the foot as most other shoes. They feel kind of like an average And1 shoe, which usually have very thin uppers. I compensated by lacing the shoes very tightly... a mistake that will be realized later in the evening. The laces, in fact, are quite terrible; not only are they much too short, but they are stiff, round laces that are prone to coming loose even when double-knotted. I opted to play in the stock laces, but a quick and easy lace swap will solve this problem.

As I started shooting around, my previous concerns went away as I felt the Zoom Air units in the heel and forefoot cushioning every step and jump. There was some ankle support, but it wasn't spectacular due to the lack of cushioning in the upper. The shoe's weight falls in the very light category in the company of shoes like the Huarache 08 and 2K4.

I found the foot lockdown to be quite good during play, as I never noticed any foot slippage. The stiff panels that form a triangle on the sides of the shoe provide a lot of lateral support; the shoes don't seem to warp much during quick cuts and lateral movements, and I'm sure the black perforated patent leather contributed to this as well. Traction was never a problem with the Windmills during play. For a while, I actually felt that these shoes had become one with my feet, in the way that a Z-rated low-profile tire performs on an 18" rim. It's a very quick and nimble shoe.



However, after a few games and about 1.5 hours of play, I began noticing some pain in both pinky toes, as if the sides of the shoes were rubbing my feet raw. Sure enough, that was indeed the case; a big chunk skin was missing from each pinky toe. I'm not sure if I laced them up too tightly or if the shoe's profile is slimmer than average, but I had to switch back to my trusty 2K3's for the rest of the night. People suggest doubling up on socks whenever this kind of problem presents itself (as I've read with the Jordan XX3), but I haven't had the opportunity to try it. For reference, I always wear Nike quarter socks during testing.

I didn't experience any problems with the velcro strap and ripping lace eyelets, but consumers seemed to make these complaints after several outings; I was only able to play in these for a couple of hours. Judging by the flimsiness of the straps, cheap velcro that doesn't have as much "grip" as normal velcro, and eyelets that are merely sewn onto the shoe (instead of holes in the upper), I can definitely see durability becoming a problem in the long run.


Detail of laces and eyelets


The paper-thin straps are already beginning to warp

The Bottom Line: The Flight Windmill is a terrific looking shoe that immediately turns heads on the basketball court. It comes in great colorways, and the PE versions are simply amazing. There are a few shortcomings such as terrible laces, sub-par cushioning in the upper, and lockdown so good it'll rub your feet raw, but its great performance makes up for it. Long-term durability is definitely an issue. It's a good shoe for a quick game (or a dunk contest), but if you're looking for the one-and-only, play-all-day shoe, you may want to look elsewhere.





Collection of Windmills (front to back) - black/light blue, Shawn Marion PE (Suns), Rashard Lewis PE (Magic), black/white/purple


PE detail

Performance Review: Nike Huarache 08

It's only appropriate that the first post on this blog is about one of the great basketball shoes of all time. I'm not biased in any way; as a connoisseur of basketball shoes, I've played in Reebok, Adidas, and Nike, and I can say with confidence that the Huarache line is the most consistent-performing line of ball kicks I've ever hooped in.

The Huarache 08 brings a fresh new look from the previous years' Huarache Elites I and II (unless you were fortunate enough to have your own PE straight from Nike). Along with the drastic aesthetic upgrades come a very familiar performance and feel... Zoom Air in the forefoot and heel provide a very responsive spring in your step, and the flexible midsole and leather upper ensures playability right out of the box. Traction was never a problem during play, and the feathery weight is a delight.

The only gripe is that the 08 model runs a tad bigger than past models, so the foot tends to slide around a bit more than desired. Naturally, I laced the shoes up more tightly, but then found that there was a lot of extra room in the toebox, rendering the shoe a little clumsy on quick cuts. I went with a half-size down on my next pair and found the length to be perfect, but they were slightly too narrow. (By comparison, I wear a 12 in the Huarache 2K4 and it fits perfectly; I would elect to play in an 11.5 in the Huarache 08 and let the laces out a little.)

The Bottom Line: The Huarache 08 is a great basketball shoe that doesn't fall short of the Huarache line's standards and expectations. It plays well right out of the box, and if you've balled in Huarache's before, this shoe will feel completely familiar. It comes in terrific colorways, and I find myself wanting to collect them all. Performance-wise, I'd rank the 08 just behind the 2K4, but just ahead of the 2K5. The 2K4 tops my Huarache list with its superior foot lockdown and more nimble forefoot silhouette, and the Zoom Air cushioning of the 08 somehow feels more responsive than that of the 2K5, especially in the forefoot (and the 08 is a more durable shoe).

note: I haven't tested the Huarache 09

Evolution (2K4, 2K5, 08)

Huarache 2K4

Huarache 2K5 Rashard Lewis PE (Seattle Sonics)

Huarache Elite II Rashard Lewis PE (Orlando Magic)

Huarache 08 Deron Williams PE