Category: Air Jordan

By far there are lots of excellent products in the AIR JORDAN series and from my point of view, the AIR JORDAN 20 is the best of the series that Nike has presented to its fans. In fact, the AIR JORDAN 20 is more than just a pair of basketball shoes. It’s also a piece of art as well as a database of all the JORDAN’s glory in the past.

So with great tribute for it, I bought the sneaker 2 months ago and right now I’ve got some knowledge of it. Hence presenting to you my AIR JORDAN 20 performance review which I hope may do some help for you when you are making decisions.

Let’s get started.

Fit and comfort

True to size or should you deviate from your usual choice? How comfy are these? Initially I did have concerns about the sizing problem, thinking that the wide last might not suit very well my relatively thin

Inside the shoe there’s the so-called one-bootie design, making the footbed not so wide as it looks. But could it be a bother for wide footers? Well, hardly the scenario! Because of the wide design of the shoe, it is more than suitable even for wearers with super wide feet. Simply put, the shoe is made to suit the great masses rather than the minority. So you can still find the right size for your feet even if you think you’ve got special foot type.

In a word, they look as well as feel very snug and compact. For those regular/narrow footers, going true to size will be fine and they can still expect a snug, near one-to-one fit. As for wide footers, going up half a size should be better, but how good or suitable it can be depends on how wide your feet are of course.

Over and above that, the eye-catching wide strip on the vamp is thought by some for improving wrapping, but surprisingly, it is less effective in practice. For the ankle straps, they make me feel uncomfortable and though I can leave them loose during daily wearings, they are a big bane for me when I am exercising. So I don’t actually like the setup.

Cushion

The working principle of I.P.S. seems to be similar to that of SHOX. Inside the midsole of AJ20, there are 20 elastic columns embedded which are placed according to ergonomic principles.　Sounds quite novel and a lot of people would even think it as a brilliant new tech.

For all that, its performance on court is what really matters. During my plays, the feelings offered to me by the I.P.S. was the kind between Zoom-Air and air-sole. And since I am not heavy, I feel very comfortable in it both during jumping and landing.

Unlike other cushion setups, there’s no need for me to take a couple of sessions to really feel the I.P.S.’s full potential. It seems things just get awesome at the very beginning. In short, this is a super well-balanced setup that are fantastic for just about anyone.

Thanks to the generous energy return from the setup, I can also enjoy the stellar impact protection and absorption. And since the forefoot area is lower to the ground, I think it would be very agreeable for players who seek to improve their pace on courts.

Protection

In the AJ20, JORDAN BRAND has used a technology called Ankle Strap, which is one of the distinctive features of the AJ20, but also a hassle in practice. At the beginning, I tied the strap directly to the ankle, which made me feel very uncomfortable and seemed to have no protection at all. But later, I learned the correct way to use the strap through the instructions on the shoe box and things improved a lot then.

The strap is connected to the body by a small sticky clasp on the tongue. After doing so, I could obviously feel the security offered by the shoes, though it has yet to be ideal. But it’s a bit frustrating that even when I’ve got it right, I still have to struggle to put on the shoes , and it takes several adjustments to get the straps in the right place. Besides, the straps also chafed the ankle a little bit during the initial wearings, but with longer socks I can easily get rid of the problem

While the I.P.S system itself provides good torsion resistance and support, the AJ20 has also a carbon plate in the midsole to enhance its torsion resistance, according to the detailed information on the shoe box.

As for the outsole, it feels good and its infield performance is very nice at the meantime, which actually surprises me a great deal. Nevertheless, it would be a bit unbearable to play in it on the outfield because you’ll find it wear away easily.

Court feel

The midsole of the shoe is thin, and the insole is right on top of the I.P.S system, so this gives me a nice sense of court. But compared with the zoom-air, the cushion system of this one feels a bit slower during forefoot startup, which may be attributed to I.P.S.’s similar working principle to that of SHOX and its being made too soft.

Traction

Based on my experience, I can ensure you that the grip of the AIR JORDAN 20 is very good. I usually play on indoor courts and even if the wooden floor is dirty, I don’t worry about grip at all.

Before I put on the shoes, I noticed that the AIR JORDAN 20 has 10 protruding dots on each outsole. When I wear the AIR JORDAN 20, I feel that both feet are stepping on these 10 dots, rather than the whole outsole. The floor was dirty that day, but that causes no barrier to the grip provided by the AIR JORDAN 20, and therefore I am able to stop wherever I wanted.

Weight

The AIR JORDAN 20 is actually lightweight despite the chunky appearance. Although the thick outsole makes it look clunky, the AIR JORDAN 20 is fairly light and if you ever get a chance to play in it, you’ll know clearly what I am talking about.

Overall:

Two months are definitely not enough to get full knowledge of a sneaker. So more information and try-on would be best for you if you are right now considering buying the shoes.

To sum up, this review, hopefully, can be of some avail for you. As I mentioned earlier, the sneaker is not only a pair of sneaker, but also a work of art and a database of JORDAN’s past glory days. So, depending on what you want from it, be it the shoes’ commemorative property or their performances, you may decide whether it is your thing.

What’s the powerful and forceful “combat weapon” in your memory? Is it comfortable in all portions? Is it satisfying in all respects? Well, there must be at least one answer in your mind. And when asked to give my own answer, I’d say some models of the AJ series which, after all, basically offers the TOP sneakers of the year all the time. Then what about today’s protagonist, the Air Jordan 36? Well, buddy, I should say that it is a mixed blessing.

Frankly speaking, AJ36 is really a pair of shoes with disadvantages and obvious advantages. Why my saying so? Yep! While the advantages can be very obvious , the negative ones, however, are mainly some hidden safety problems and basically require further thinking and detection to be found. But let’s waste no more time and dive right into my long-term-based(about 10 months) Air Jordan 36 performance review.

Fit and comfort

Sizing guide

From the shoes’ sizes alone, you can feel their upgrades by the brand. These are actually a bit particular because they can offer you the best and comfortable experience only when you’ve picked up your most suitable size. Otherwise, you are most likely to run into a lot of discomfort. Unlike other AJ shoes I’ve worn before, even if I copped a bigger size, I could still make up for it by turning to thick socks or anything the like. For AJ 36, however, I couldn’t have enjoyed its super nice comfort had I not been to the stores and tried them on in the flesh.

For those with high insteps, wide feet and flat feet, they definitely cannot go true to size because their regular sizes here will only make them suffer a lot of discomfort. Therefore, it’s recommended here to actually try on and adjust their regular sizes to either bigger or smaller ones.

And for the normal footers, the pressure on their insteps will be very obvious. Without wearing thick socks, they’ll find their little toes hard pressed at the beginning. So, again, the suggestion is to have a try in person.

Nevertheless, for those of you with thin feet, you’re relieved of the hassle of trying on because you’ll find it more than suitable to go with your regular sizes, maybe even to the point of perfect. As for me who is a wide footer, now that I’ve picked up the right size, I haven’t had any slippage inside the shoes so far and length-wise, things were perfect, so we’re good there.

Comfort

As is mentioned above, whether the shoes are comfortable to wear depends on whether you’ve chosen the right sizes. From my perspective, things are solid comfort-wise. This is no exaggeration, buddy!

Inside the “walls”, there’s plenty of smooth and soft padding, not least around the ankle & heel areas. With the big heel pull tab there, they are made super easy to put on. Over and above that, with the shoe’s smooth finish, I am enabled to slide in nicely with all manner of performance socks.

In conclusion, AJ 36 is a package that’s compact and super comfortable providing that you’ve chosen the right size. Quite right to the point!

Wrapping

The vamp support and wrapping of the whole pair can surely be hailed as top-ranking. Although the vamp deforms obviously while I was making lateral movements, the awesome part here is that I could still feel my feet firmly locked inside. In other words, the vamp can hold my feet super well. Not a bit of slippage, I can assure you! Simply put, the extension and deformation of the vamp will not make you feel that your feet are out of control.

However, the vamp is not capable of controlling its own deformation, bringing on possible or hidden dangers that cannot be felt during plays. For players who are heavier&bigger, the weak strength in the legs or ankles will further result in increasing the risks of hidden dangers. Hence some necessary protection measures here.

Midsole

A Zoom sits in the forefoot area while the Zoom Stroble accompanies the whole soles. Sounds impressive and many people will even regard it as a hardcore setup. So what is the truth on earth? Let me share with you my detailed thoughts.

Objectively speaking, it is actually a hardcore and fairly standard setup. The superposition of the air cushion in the forefoot can not only bring players a very good foot feel and court sense, but also offer wonderful energy return properties.

Nonetheless, it should be mentioned that the forefoot cushion is really that terrific for players with sufficient strength underfoot, but for those with relatively weak strength, they cannot fully experience the nice rebound from it but rather the slight rebound from the upper Zoom Stroble.

For heavier and bigger players, however, the energy return of the forefoot can also be inconsistent because the overall air pressure of Zoom Stroble is not as good as that of large Zoom. Of course, this has also something to do with the foams there. So how good the cushion is actually depends on what you want from it.

Someday I also found that after removing the insoles, the forefoot would become far tougher, which could be obviously felt. Therefore, such special insoles for the shoes are indeed very essential, from which I can get a glimpse of the originality of the brand.

The heel portion is a bit stiffer than the front since it only features a layer of cushion. For me who weighs 80kg, the heel cushion is a bit insufficient for court use while some of my friend who weighs 90kg can receive some feedback fro it. In spite of that, I cannot say the heel cushion falls short of impact protection or a proper heel-to-toe transition. Both are there. It’s just the actual feel is more subdued when compared to the forefoot.

Traction

As of today I don’t have any complaints about the shoes’ traction. The outsole, once again, features the herringbone grains that are basically reliable. In fact, the herringbone is an old hat because it is widely used in the AJ sneakers, from which we can tell that the pattern is really widely enjoyed and powerful.

 

For the traction of this one, based on my personal experiences, it is very nice and is never too much. Thanks to this, I never end up slightly slipping out on a stop, cut, or change of direction.

On indoor courts, I sometimes play on the smooth hardwood floor provided by some indoor stadium in my neighborhood. It is always clean though, it is not suitable for this one. Though the traction is basically fine there, it hasn’t reached the ideal level I want. The number of slight slip-outs, as I had expected, are occasional.

Personally, I prefer outdoor courts because the outfield offers broader vision. Although the outsole lacks a strong and ideal bite indoors, it makes up for that outdoors for the concrete surfaces definitely provide far more friction so that the bite is rather healthy and aggressive.

I deem that I cannot notice better traction on a concrete surface court in any other AJ sneakers released in 2021, though that doesn’t rule out my lack of experiencing enough number of sneakers. Despite that, I do read that people are having more consistent experiences with that shoe in terms of traction.

Overall

There are some amazing aspects on this AJ 36, such as the last, the vamp wrapping, the application of new vamp materials as well as the ultra-lightweight mid-sole technology which  means less energy expenditure.

The Air Jordan 36 is an ultimate low-profile shoe with both advantages and disadvantages. For the most of you, however, I deem that you might as well think twice before taking action. After all, in spite of the inviting advantages in the shoes, its shortcomings cannot be ignored. That is the security problems might result in possible injuries if there are not any precautions.

All in all, the best method to figure out whether this is your thing is to try them on in person. After all, my experience and thoughts here are only for your reference and the final decision is yours.

It’s high time that we talked about the Air Jordan 34 that has always been highly expected ever since it was available. It should be mentioned that it’s been quite a while since I’ve played in it. Maybe a season or two. Although it may sound not long enough to get intimate knowledge of every nook and cranny of the sneaker, I deem that I can still share with you my feelings and experiences in it. So let me present to you my Air Jordan 34 performance review.

The shoe, ostensibly, looks quite beckoning and is also a breath of fresh air. But it’s known that this is merely a part of the whole story. What really counts is its performances on court. So is it a HIT or MISS on earth? Well, let me share with you my opinions in this review in which I’ll break it down from the following perspectives.

1.Wrapping and Breathability

How does the vamp material perform? Is it a reliable one for summer day use?

The Air Jordan 34 utilizes light cotton cloth and cicadon all over the vamp such as on the midfoot, toebox, and heel. Therefore, the most intuitive feeling when I first wore the Air Jordan 34 was that I could hardly feel the existence of the vamp. Yes! You read that right! The vamp is so lightweight and fits my feet so well that I feel like I were merely wearing a pair of socks. Without any heel slippage or side-to-side movement, I can always play to my heart’s content.

When doing any breakthrough movement in actual plays, I feel as if my feet were integrated with the vamp whose response is particularly quick.  Though there’s barely any stretch, it can be a good thing security-wise. So you may just rest assured and trust the vamp material.

Based on what I’m feeling, the relatively lightweight cicadan vamp and inner padding make the Air Jordan 34 more breathable than the traditional leather or woven vamps. Even on indoor courts where the temperature is relatively high, I won’t be hassled by any stuffiness underfoot. All these, in my view, should be accredited to the lightness of the vamp.

2.Cushion

How does the cushion feel? What about the ride height? Can it offer comfort and stability? Here lie the answers!

According to the official, we know that a large Zoom Air sits in the forefoot of the Air Jordan 34 while a relatively small hexagonal Zoom Air accompanies the heel area. Sounds like a fairly standard setup for the price, no other way to put it.

But the biggest surprise of Air Jordan 34 is that the Eclipse Plate (commonly known as anti-torsion Plate) technology visible to the naked eye at the midsole also plays a role in improving the shoe’s overall cushioning, which is also the so-called “mysterious auxiliary cushioning” by many other reviewers.

With such a powerful setup, how does the AJ34’s cushioning performance feel like? Well, my experience told me that it is not so ideally soft but a bit hard underfoot, which, I think, is intentional by the designer.

Air Jordan 34 is, in fact, suitable for players who belong to the explosiveness style. For those speed-oriented players, the first step is very important whereas the over-soft midsole will weaken part of their performance. Therefore, the Air Jordan 34’s slightly hard midsole will give timely feedback to players so as not to weaken their strength in the first step of starting.

A bit hard as the midsole is, it never falls short of comfort and stability. Both the forefoot and heel cushions still offer stellar impact protection as well as comfort and stability. In terms of the  forefoot and midfoot areas, they feel a bit lower to the ground than does the heel. Because of this,  I can enjoy the ultra-smooth overall heel-to-toe stride.

3.Support

How much support does it provide then? Is it an all-round one?

As mentioned earlier, there is an Eclipse Plate in the midsole, with which I am rather secured during actual plays. From startup to takeoff, I can feel the arch support in every step, which should be credited the hollow structure of the Eclipse Plate.

Unlike the traditional single-layer TPU or carbon plates, the hollowed-out Eclipse Plate structure is divided into two layers, which also explains why the Air Jordan 34 provides extremely visible arch support.

As we all know, a good, supportive sneaker isn’t necessarily a high top or even a mid top one. If designed well, a low-top model can do an equally excellent job. And the AJ34 is just a case in point. While I am playing in the shoes, the vamp holds my foot in place nicely and there aren’t any apparent restrictions.

4.Stability and Anti-rollover

Though I’ve mentioned stability several times before, I think it deserves to be mentioned once again.

Over and above the advantages mentioned of the vamp, it has one more merit: the cicada vamp actually has stronger tear resistance than braided ones, thus providing excellent protection and improving stability for players. Although the shoe has accompanied me for quite a while, its vamp is just holding up well up to this moment.

The padding inside the sidewalls not only helps lock down the ankle & heel, but is just right there to keep the foot in place and stabilize you torsionally. So I deem that the shoe doesn’t need much hype because it just offers us what we need and keeps doing its stuff on the pitch.

Besides that, the the outer area of the toe uses the anti-rollover design which makes that performance of Air Jordan 34 significantly improved. Though not to the point of stunning, AJ rarely fails hoopers in this category.

5.Traction and Durability

How’s the grip of the traction? Can it stand the tests of various and challenging surfaces?

Firstly, let’s talk about the pattern. The AJ34 features a herringbone pattern throughout the outsole with some curved rubber strips in the forefoot, which laterally & medially accommodate quick changes of direction.

The pattern alone, from my perspective, looks quite reliable on court. The herringbone pattern and the rubber strips combined should, in theory, provide stellar traction. Then whether or not it actually behaves that way? Well, I should say that it’s almost as good as that but not yet ideal.

Indoor performance

Indoors, I am prone to play on wooden floors that are relatively smooth but with some dirt or dust. Based on my experiences of the past several months, the traction of this one is good, quite within my expectation. But there is one problem: the outsole can appeal to dust, which, in a sense, has some implications for the traction performance. In other words, when there are a lot of dust on the outsole, the traction will be greatly reduced, although not to a level where it’s unplayable.

To avoid this problem, it requires to wipe the outsoles off, maybe every now and then. After all, one can not afford to stop and start scrubbing the soles off every few minutes while playing. So some preparation before playing is essential.

Outdoor performance

Though I am not a big advocate of hooping outdoors, I still prefer outdoor playing not least when it is sunny with warm breeze outside. So you could imagine how agreeable it would be on such days when the AJ34 got intimate contact with the outdoor courts.

On concrete floors, mostly, and sometimes rubber ones,I seldom had issues with the traction. For me, every time before playing, I would wipe the outsole off with great care, because of which, the outsole managed to bite healthily and I never slid all over the place. So in this perspective, I think the outsole can stand the tests of various and challenging surfaces without much efforts.

Durability

The thick herringbone can lasts for several months, maybe longer. That’s for sure. After all, my AJ34’s outsole is still relatively intact, except for some damages in the high-use areas. But probably some more seasons later, the outsole may change beyond all recognition.

Overall:

Rounding the AJ34 review up: does it deserve the dollar?

Of course, I dare not say it would satisfy everyone, but for me, it has truly delivered in almost everything I needed. It fits me surprisingly well while also sticking with my regular size even if I am a wide footer. And I think many of you should get satisfied with it too! So just go with your regular sizes as well and you’ll find that your dollars are not wasted!

Now that there leaves nothing more to talk about, I’ll just stop here and leave it for you to decide whether this is your thing.

 

 

 

Ever since the official released the Air Jordan 33, it has got a lot of attention. With its brand new technologies and various colorways available,  it has become one of the most tantalizing models for many sneaker enthusiasts. There are subversive modeling design and innovative FastFit system in the shoes. So how does it feel in them? What about their actual performances and how do they fit? Is it a versatile model or in the nature of the minority’s option only?

Now that I’ve got one pair and played in them for 4 months, let’s waste no time and dive right into the details. Here is my comprehensive review of Air Jordan 33 that may help answer your burning questions and in which I’ll break it down from the fullest possible perspectives.

1.Fit

Guide for wearing the shoes

Well, I know you may get bewildered that why should I talk about the guide for wearing the shoes, but this may be needed for some people. yes! I truly meant what I said because some may haven’t seen such innovative designs in a shoe before. So how to wear the shoes on earth and how to use the FastFit system ?

Step one: With the oversized mouth and the super soft space cotton, you just need to slip your feet into it.

Step two: Tighten the velcro on the inside of the sneaker to make the mouth fit better and lock your heel into the sneaker.

Step three: Adjust the FastFit system. By pulling the red strap you’ll hear the lovely clicking sound, and every time you hear the “click”, the vamp will get far more tightened as you’ve hung up a gear.

 

Sizing:

Personally speaking, I am not a wide footer and I tend to go up 1/2 a size myself for I usually wear two pairs of thick socks when hooping and shooting on outdoor courts. Nevertheless, I do think that the majority of people can go with their regular size when considering the AJ 33. But for wide footers, it is still recommended to go up 1/2 a size just as I do in case there should be any irritating toe bumps or rubbing.

After all, although this is an AJ shoe, it is not exclusive to the minority of people but suitable for the regular consumers. Like many other signature shoes, the brand must take into consideration both the needs of actual players and consumers. So for regular and narrow footers, the regular sizes should be fine, and for wide footers, stepping 1/2 size up should be suitable and comfortable.

2. Wrapping

As of today, I haven’t any complaints with regard to the shoes’ wrapping. This is certainly one of the shoes with the best wrapping I’ve ever worn. With this wrapping, I am in my element and you’ll feel so in them likewise.

Then how well does it work? I’ve mentioned earlier that the shoe has quite a unique and innovative modeling design. It is because of this that the shoe is capable of providing us with good wrapping. But do you remember the FastFit system? Well, you guessed it! With the tech, its wrapping is therefore further improved to a wonderful level. Let’s put it this way: without the FastFit, the wrapping is good in the first place; then with the tech, it does wonders for the wrapping so that you’ll feel like wearing a pair of tight socks and you barely need to stop for adjusting during the whole plays .

Nonetheless, after exercising for a period of time, you’ll feel a bit uncomfortable underfoot because the vamp is simply too tight. It is not the wrapping that is to blame, but this is quite a normal phenomenon. Under the circumstance all you need to do is to adjust the wrapping to a comfortable state by pulling the black and yellow strap.

3.Cushion

The feelings in the shoes is one of the main concerns of most people. Besides that, can it offer the essential impact protection? Is it stable enough? What about the energy return or feedback from the cushion?

In the forefoot there’s a large zoom cushion and in the rear a hexagonal super thick Zoom air cushion. Sounds like a super hardcore setup on paper, right?

Well, when I first put them on, I could only feel the obvious bounce from the cushions. But when I got used to them , after around 30m’s warm-up, things got different. Everything seemed to start off quite smooth and then I was able to make the most of the zooms. Whether you are a speed-oriented guard or a powerful forward, you are most likely to get infatuated with its strong energy return and the propulsion forward.

In terms of my experiences, with the zooms in the AJ 33, every time I seemed to punch above my weight on court. So simply put, the cushion is a stellar job.

4. Traction

Can the brand new grains of the outsole bring good traction? Like many of you, I had the same worry before I actually played in them. Here is the answer to the question.

The AJ33’s outsole actually bites aggressively and offers enough security. On outdoor concrete courts, the traction is fine, though not the best. The edge of the outsole extends upward and the toe is partly covered by the outsole rubber, which not only enhances wrapping but also strengthens the stability and anti-rollover of the toe. So it offers you enough security when you are moving in all directions.

If you’ve ever experienced AJ 28, you must have been impressed by its super nice forefoot performance. Good news is that the AJ 33 will bring you the same enjoyable experience. The Flight Speed tech with the Zoom VaporFly 4% together increases the responsive speed of the forefoot.

5.Weight

Get ready to accept the AJ 33’s weight if you’ve decided to pick it. The Air Jordan 33 weighs almost as much as the Air Jordan 32, and if you’re looking for ultra-lightweight sneakers, the Air Jordan 33 will definitely fall short of what you expect.

6.Durability

According to the feedback from consumers, the durability is a bit controversial. Some said that theirs just wore out very quick and everytime they played in them, there were deformation or damage in the toe or te outsole. Others observed that their  remained relatively intact though there did exist some damage in the high-use areas.

Regarding this phenomenon, I think it has something to do with the personal way of playing. At first, I had guessed that the outsle and the toe might wear out first while the vamp would be as good as it initially was. However, my conjecture has been quite off the mark. After several months of play on both indoor and outdoor courts, mainly the latter ones, my AJ 33 has, compared with those consumers, remained relatively good, though damages are inevitable. So, in a word, I’m very satisfied with the way it has behaved.

Other colorways available:

Over and above the Air Jordan 33 “Tech Pack”, there are also Air Jordan 33 “Future Flight”, Air Jordan 33 “Blackout”and the Air Jordan 33 “Jade”. But bear in mind that the last one is exclusively available in China.

Overall:

Is AJ 33 versatile and suitable for everyone? Is it a good deal and does it deserve the price? Well, so far I still regard it as a good model, if not a perfect or an ideal one. AJ 33 is not versatile, nor is it suitable for everyone, but, objectively speaking, it is a good deal and definitely deserves the price.

The shoe takes wrapping, cushion and traction to another level, but there’s still room for improvement. As I said earlier, the shoe is a bit heavy, and is therefore not a good one if you are seeking lightweight models. Nevertheless, I don’t think its advantages can be blotted out simply because of its being relatively heavy.

Anyway, if you’ve always liked AJ shoes, you are still likely to love it and find it wonderful. After all, it is overall excellent and its little defects cannot belittle its virtues. Last but not the least, the price is not a bad one for an AJ sneaker and the tech it offers. So with my comprehensive review here, you can decide if it is your thing.

I don’t usually have a high regard for any shoe version simply because it is at the cutting edge of fashion or nice-looking. But as a sneaker enthusiast who has experienced quite a few famous shoes, I think there do exist some nearly perfect models in my shoe cabinet, among which this Air Jordan 11 is a good example.

Although I usually take good care of my shoes and value them a lot, I do think that they should be tested on courts time and again however they are priced, and this AJ 11 is no exception. Regarding the shoe’s performance, it is actually a bit controversial. Many may be wondering “Whether it can live up to its being an AJ model?”, or “Can it stand the test of both time and actual outdoor play?” So in this article lies the answer and I am gonna talk about the performances of this AJ 11 for your reference, attaching my rating of its various respects.

1. Appearance: 9/10

Upon opening the shoe box, I was delighted to find that the shoes look nicer in real life than in photos, and I always thought so since then. But, buddy, this is a merely a matter of opinion, and you may keep your own viewpoints about the shoes’ appearance. After all, one friend of mine would rather pay 10 times the price of this AJ 11 to buy other shoes than buy this AJ model, and he even kept calling it ugly.

For the details of the shoes, the metallic logo of the heel is a highlight, and the real leather upper makes the whole pair of shoes much more delicate. You may also have found that the patent-leather in the vamp is a little different from those of the usual ones, but much like a layer of thick plastic. As for its durability, I will make particular mention of it later.

2. Cushion: 7.5/10

I never like to wear indoor shoes for commuting or for strolling casually, and this time I even directly walked to the indoor wooden court with my new AJ 11 still unpacked. Without some time getting along with the shoes, it was natural that I felt unaccustomed in them.

 

At the beginning, it was inevitable to feel stiffness underfoot, but after a period of time, I seemed to get the hang of it and was able to feel the feedback of the rear cushion obviously. In fact, if you’ve played in AJ shoes before, this kind of cushion should be nothing new for you. Despite that, I have to admit that the Air Sole, together with the shoe’s wrapping, has a nice cushioning effect, which is no exaggeration.

3.Wrapping: 9/10

Before purchasing this AJ 11, I had doubted whether it would satiate my needs cause’ the vamp looked a bit too thin to offer solid support and to keep warm in this freezing cold winter. But, man,  you know what? After the first round of play in it, I surprisingly found that the inner lining of the shoes was super comfortable, and coupled with the excellent vamp support (although it seems not so thick) and the shoelaces, my feet were tightly fixed inside the shoes.

Therefore, my worry turned out to be nonsense, and it is no wonder that the brand chose to release the shoes in winter for many of you will get infatuated with its comfortable wrapping just as I do.

4. Traction: 8.5/10

Most of time I was only able to play in outdoor courts, so I had thought “can it stand the test of high-intensity play and the rough courts?” Also with that comes my concerns about its durability and effectiveness. But, now that I’ve played in the shoes for 6 months+, I was again relieved of those worries.

Like the outsoles of other AJ 11, that of this one is dandy. In last time’s play, I made some breakthroughs at the beginning. In the second half of the play, however,I almost couldn’t keep a wary eye on the court as my physical power gradually declines and so I didn’t make emergency stops or startup. But recalling the past experiences, I deem that this traction of AJ 11 is still good in startup and stops.

Although I don’t very much like low-top models, my AJ 11 is an exception cause’ its traction has made up for this. I don’t know much about the details of its outsole material, but I do know that the outsole bite aggressively so that it seems it can let you fall down if you suddenly halt at a high pace.

5. Breathability: 4/10

As it is a pair of sneaker, any scores over 4 might be too much and inconsistent with the actual situation. The real leather and fur-like materials of the vamp, as you can expect, won’t be breathable, and with the tongue that is even leather-made, you may feel like wearing a pair of cotton-padded shoes. So, once again, it is wise of the brand to release the shoes in winter.

6.Durability: 7/10

So far the shoes are holding up well, which is even beyond my wildest dreams. But without any wear and tear after 6months+ play is nigh impossible. In the forefoot, not least the high-use areas, there are conspicuous damages. Besides that, the Jordan logo of the insoles have also fade away. After all, I often play high-intensity plays on the rough outdoor courts and so the damages have been expected.

But, man, you are sure to get surprised by finding that the outsole has remained in a relatively intact state and may probably outlive other setups of the shoes. Although it is the crystal one, it feels hard and is wear-resisting enough. For the patent leather, as I have said, it is different from the usual ones. There is also a transparent rubber covering on the leather, making it much more durable than the average leather.

Overall:

This AJ 11 is mad comfortable though there do exist some problems, but luckily for me, I am not in the least affected by them. So does it live up to its reputation or its being an AJ model? Depending on what you expect of it, the answers may vary greatly.

 

Nevertheless, I think it is a near-perfect model for me who play as an advance guard, though I am not sure how long it will last. But judging from my past 6 months play, you can also take them outdoors for rough court play. While I am not able to reach every aspect of the shoes’ performances, I’ll stop here and leave it for you to decide if it is the suitable one for you.