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.