Month: January 2022

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New Balance 1080V11 Performance Review

For most experienced runners, it is nothing new that they wore out a dozen pairs of running shoes during the years of their running “journey”. In my case, it’s been seven years since I started running, and I’ve worn out thirteen pairs of running shoes, including those of ASICS, MIZUNO NIKE, ADDIDAS and SAUCONY, but New Balance has never been tried before. In 2021, the 1080 series has launched its 11th work, the New Balance 1080V11, from which we can get a glimpse of its significance in New Balance, and then with great expectation, I copped my first pair of New Balance. Here are some details about the shoes.

To begin with, the shoe’s size needs to be made particular mention of. Usually I wear size 41 by Asics, Metzinon, Adidas and Nike, but after putting on the 1080V11, I found it was somewhat bigger than my feet. Therefore, with respect to the size, it is recommended to choose a bigger one.

From my point of view, its white vamp matches very well with the red logo at the side, and the the shoes as a whole, because of its simple appearance, matches my daily outfits fantastically as well.

The Fresh Foam and 1080 on the tongue clearly indicates its identity and help distinguish it from the various shoes on the market.

As is obviously shown in the picture, there are a large area of holes that ensure excellent air permeability. For runners who are afraid of stuffiness under their feet, the shoes would be a good choice.

At the outer side of the heel, the “Fresh Foam” printed clearly shows the material that composes the outsole.

The appearance of the outsole at the side is comprised of irregular polygon concave and convex, seemingly advanced and embodying the ingenuity of the designer.

The heel part also adopts concave and convex irregular design whereas the left and right shoes are symmetrically patterned.

When I first saw the outsole, I was somewhat shocked by its appearance for there are actually very few irregular block design as this. Therefore, the design, from my perspective, is quite novel.

The entire insole is red, which is becoming with the red logo and the red outsole.

I usually run 10 or 5 kilometers at a time, and up to now I’ve run 305 kilometers in the shoes. Here is my personal experience. My first feeling of the shoes was that it felt super soft and was quite bouncy, offering sufficient feedback for me. It seems that the shoes are to help push me forward, which does improve my pace.

However, I’m not used to running long distances in these shoes because the longer I run the more indisposed I felt under my feet. But anyway, the situation is not for everyone.

For the wrapping, it is overall good, but the heel wrapping is a bit poor. After I put on the shoes, there is some extra room in the heel.

As for the shoes’ breathability, I have to own that it is inferior, not least in summer. I bought the shoes when it was still hot, and every time I ran I felt burning hot under my feet. Later when it turned colder, the problem was naturally solved.

Overall:

To sum up, 1080V11 is still a relatively good running shoe for me. Although it is not without shortcomings, I think it is very cost-effective with nice performances. Therefore, you may as well have a try if you are interested in it.

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Brooks ADRENALINE GTS 22 Performance Review

Brooks is renowned as an American sports brand, being more famous for its products for running. However, when initially I had little knowledge of the brand I had never thought of buying its running shoes. Ever since my friend who is an experienced runner recommended me the ADRENALINE GTS series, my love for the brand has grown “out of control”. Brooks is now committed to the research and development of professional sports shoes and is the first professional brand to use EVA midsole material essential for sports shoes among the various sports brands.

Adrenaline GTS series is one of the best-selling professional running shoes on the market. It has been the “true love” of many runners around the world ever since it was born in 1999. Runner’s World says that the perfect design of the shoe type is the secret to its popularity. Therefore, when the series released this ADRENALINE GTS 22, there among the fans was great feedback.

The most glaring upgrade lies in the cushion. In fact, it is safe to say that this technology upgrade is the strongest among the ADRENALINE GTS series. The cushion is purely made of DNA LOFT that is both comfortable and exactly soft. Apart from this, it is elastic enough so that you’ll feel like stepping on a large foam, offering you quite a fantastic experience.

With its excellent cushion that won’t cause pressure to your feet owing to sudden changes of road conditions, you can still enjoy the comfort and softness under foot even in long distance training. For long distance runners, from my point of view, excellent cushion is of great importance and can be greatly beneficial for their performance for it helps them focus on stabilizing speed.

According to some reviewer’s explanation, DNA LOFT, consisting of a balanced mix of foam, bubbles and rubber, disperses the shock to the knees and ankles so that it is made the most of and provides a comfortable running process for runners.

Adopting GuideRails’ support technology, Brooks, attaching great importance to the relationship between the foot and joints, has the shoes provide strong support and maximum comfort during running.

Brooks’ vamps are all printed by 3D FIT PRINT and this ADRENALINE GTS 22 is very eye-pleasing and three-dimensional in the pictures. Judging from my tests of the shoes, ADRENALINE GTS 22’s vamp not only wraps well, but also has good air permeability that ensures a dry and comfortable environment for the feet.

When it comes to the HPR outsole, it performs just as well on dry ground as it does on wet ground. Because of its outsole design, the shoes are suitable for the majority of people with various foot types. Not requiring extra efforts of the forefoot, ADRENALINE GTS 22 helps runners save unnecessary energy to the greatest extent.

Overall:

ADRENALINE GTS 22’s biggest highlight is its cushion tech that helps runners reap the benefits of their efforts. On top of that, its supporting is not bad, performing like “a champion”, as is called by many reviewers. To sum up, its overall performances, not perfect though, are still more outstanding than its predecessors. As it is now being put on the spotlight, maybe we can still expect some undetected potentials of it.

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Brooks Hyperion Tempo Performance Review

Brooks, one of the four major brands of running shoes and also a century-old brand, was the first to use EVA midsole material in its works. Over the years Brooks sells very well in more than 80 countries and regions and has made some remarkable achievements in the circle. In the field dominated by carbon-plate running shoes, Brooks’ non-carbon Hyperion Tempo, however, has an important place and impresses people by its performances.

Judging from the shoes’ appearance we can know that it is a pair of shoes that aims to improve the wearer’s pace. Its simple yet “spell able” structure and streamlined appearance seem to motivate us and give us the impulse to exercise right away.

After putting on the shoes, the first feeling that pops into my mind was that they were super lightweight. A single shoe of size 9 weighs less than 206 grams, which, arguably, makes the shoes one of the most outstanding in this respect. From the perspective of personal preference, a running shoe weighing about 200 grams is the most suitable and favorable.

The vamp adopts only a layer of mesh that is very thin and there are quite a few “holes” in the fore part, ensuring excellent air permeability. To those people who can’t bear the heat under their feet, Hyperion Tempo may be a nice choice.

In terms of the shoe tongue, it is also made lightweight, with merely a single suede layer that fits perfectly with the wearer’s instep. To avoid the tongue from skewing, there in the middle is a perforation. However, from the practical point of view, the tongue tends to shift toward the outer side, and the perforation therefore may not be as effective as it should be.

The upper is not filled with too many foams, yet it is very compact and wears comfortable. With the exact amount of filling, the overall wrapping of the shoes is certainly satisfying for the majority of people. On top of that, the built-in hard TPU ensures the badly needed stability.

A midsole drop of 8mm and a moderate upturn at the front and back ends make the shoes generally suitable for speed running required by the natural transition of gait.

The midsole requires to be made particular mention of. Brooks adpots DNA FLASH technology which is Brooks’ first innovative technology that infuses nitrogen into the midsole, stably transforming liquid nitrogen into gaseous one and then evenly forming numerous closed airbag-like structure. Judging from my several running tests of the shoes, I can see that the overall energy feedback of its midsole is quite sufficient. The cushioning is exactly right for me who weighs about 75 kg, neither too soft nor too hard.

Nevertheless, there is still something that I quite expect of the shoes. Now that it is in winter, most shoes’ midsole somewhat become harder than they usually are, and their cushioning, rebound and feedback are remarkably reduced. But this is not true for Brooks Hyperion Tempo, which helps reduce the risk of injury. Therefore, based on the excellent performance of Brooks Hyperion Tempo, I wonder if its energy feedback can be further improved in summer when the temperature is high. This actually leaves me with great expectation.

Overall:

In short, for those experienced runners, Brooks Hyperion Tempo can be used for training of improving speed. And for other types of runners, it is still more than suitable to be used for daily training or contests. Chances are that after trying, you may find more surprises in it than you had imagined.

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A Close Look at Nike Dunk Scrap

With my last pair of Nike shoes worn out and disappearing in my shoe cabinet two years ago, I gradually lost interest in Nike shoes. It was not until I saw the photos of this Nike Dunk Scrap several months ago and then put the shoes to test that I regained my faith in Nike. It seems that it is hard for me to resist the temptation of recommending good shoes. Therefore, here is the introduction of the setups of this Nike Dunk Scrap.

Nike Dunk Scrap is actually the modified version of Dunk. Despite that, during the dunk series’ general increase in price, the price of modified versions are also on the increase, which many Nike fans frown at.

Compared with Dunk, Dunk Scrap adopts the structural splice in its design. The colorway here is mainly light green that looks fresh and aesthetic. For the materials used in the vamp, it contains mesh material, making the shoes somewhat distinctive among the various shoes of today. In fact, it is safe to say that even put in the midst of so many shoes, Dunk Scrap will still stand out.

At the heel there is a embroidery logo. The design, among other things, is enough to highlight the shoes’ characteristics.

The grains of the outsole, at the first glance, are not so eye-catching. During my testing the shoes last week when I exercised on both smooth wooden floor and asphalt road, its grip performance, not remarkable though, was still impressive. As soon as I got the hang of it, I found the outsole all the more helpful so that I could work out to my heart’s content.

The materials that made of the midsole are very comfortable. The midsole is very bouncy, offering quite a lot of feedback that always keeps its wearer motivated.

Overall:

To sum up, Nike Dunk Scrap is very compelling not only in its appearance, but also in its setups. Whether you use the shoes for running, other exercises or daily wearing, the shoes are set to make you the center of attention.

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Asics GEL-NIMBUS17 Performance Review

Ever since I fell in love with running I’ve been keeping a close eye on Asics. After all, having good equipment is one of the keys to success. Just a few days ago, the NIMBUS 24 has become available in China while the NIMBUS 17 has become some kind of historical collection. Being my fifth Asics shoes, NIMBUS 17 has witnessed many great moments of my life and I felt it necessary to memorize the classical work of Asics.

I got NIMBUS 17 by chance for it was sent to me as a present from my friends. However, I had only a nodding acquaintance with NIMBUS at the time and had little awareness that the shoe’ cushion would be that wonderful. The first impression it gave me when I put it on was that it was so comfortable and elastic that I thought no CUMULUS was better than it.

The colorway of this NIMBUS 17 is gray and blue, making it more than suitable for both running and daily wearing. The vamp is made of engineering cloth and the surface is decorated with a logo and some decorative patterns, which has played its maximum function in offering support. Besides that, the patterns are reflective and the overall texture of the vamp is good, worthy of its title of being a top running shoe.

The midsole adopts the widely enjoyed FLUIDRIDE and GEL, aiming to offer the state-of-the-art comfort. However, it is a pity that the later works of NIMBUS series cannot be compared with NIMBUS 17 in this respect, whose midsoles have become harder and harder. It was not until in NIMBUS 23 that I found the similar comfort given by its midsole. NIMBUS 17 is also equipped with a counter at the heel with reflective material, which is hard enough to support its wearer. However, when it comes to the GEl, I’ve seen many complaints from buyers online that said they were displeased with its heavy weight. From my perspective, however, good cushioning is much more important than being lightweight for a pair of running shoes.

If you happen to have some NIMBUS shoes, you’ll feel that the setups in the outsole are quite familiar. In the fore part, it is the AHAR rubber that is soft, lightweight and offers good grip even if on wet roads. As for the rear part, it is the AHAR+ rubber which is surprisingly durable and suitable to most joggers who are used to landing on their heels. According to many reviewers, it is only the rubber of mizuno X10 that is comparable with AHAR+ rubber.

For a runner like me who weighs 90kg, a pair of shoes with nice cushion is a must and this NIMBUS17 appeared just in time. Last year when the shoes finally worn out, it dawned on me that it has accompanied me along the running “journey” of 1364 km. However, by around the 800-km mark, the shoe’s initial excellent rebound had all but disappeared. And by the 1000-km, the rubber of the fore part of the outsole had become as smooth as silk.

The super thick insoles have also done a great job. They contribute quite a lot to improving the comfortness of the shoes, which are barely seen in the market nowadays.

The shoes have also their disadvantages, not least the inner materials that wear out easily, which has little bearing on me though. Besides, the glue in the toe fails relatively easily, but this can also be fixed with glue, causing no inconvenience to running.

Overall:

As a pair of running shoes with top cushion , NIMBUS17 is a good choice for heavy runners for their daily training, jogging or daily wearing. In recent years, I have successively purchased some more works of NIMBUS series, but I must own that N17 is the best among them and deserves all the praise it has earned.

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Saucony Shadow 5000 Rain Pack and Asics GEL-Kinsei OG

As a running lover for over ten years, I’ve participated in all sorts of matches and worn out many running shoes. When I reflected on my running “journey” of the past ten years, I found there are also some outstanding running shoes that deserve sharing. Here are Saucony Shadow 5000 Rain Pack and Asics GEL-Kinsei OG, both of them having their own distinctive advantages.

Rain Pack is the only one of the Socony 5000 series in 2021. There are three colorways, respectively blue, green and white, which are available only in Europe. Here I’ve got the blue and green one to share my experience.

This blue one is a bit like one of New Balance’s shoes, but, despite that, there are quite a few differences between the two. In terms of this colorway, I believe it is inviting to many running lovers or fans. After all, it is not only stylish, but also adds weight to our daily outfits.

Regarding the vamp, it is made of at least five different materials that are combined to improve the durability and support of the shoes. As is presented in the picture, both the toe and the mesh of the vamp consist of dark blue materials whereas the logo is made of eye-pleasing lake blue, which together creates an aesthetic effect for our eyes. On the face of it, the heel part also seems to be spliced in three colors.

At the inner side of the shoes, the midsole is made in two colors, the white and light yellow. Besides that, the shoelaces, the lining and some parts of the tongue are all orange, adding some vivacity to the shoes. As for the tongue, the material there is the traditional mesh with sponge filled inside. The inner lining is made of fabric while the insole is lake blue, which is consonant with the logo.

When it comes to this green one, it is somewhat different from the blue one. The toe part of it is light green box leather and mesh. In the middle part, the upper vamp is dark green and the lower is light green whereas the logo is changed to white. Then at the inner side, the fore part of midsole is added with lack blue paint. As for the lining, it is the white fabric here, complementing the shoes’ overall dark hue.

For Asics GEL-Kinsei OG which I’ve wore for only several times though, I think it should be highly recommended. The shoe is overall black, but it is not in the least monotonous. It is very cool instead. The toe is made of artificial leather and the vamp is woven in a special way that makes it both distinctive and recognizable.

The “GEL-Kinsei” is printed in red on the heel so as to highlight its identity.

The lining is also made of fabric that is friendly to our skin. For its outsole, the various grains there makes me assured of its grip performance. Because of the various grains, the outsole can provide me with excellent grip in different directions depending on the complex road conditions.

Overall:

To sum up, both Saucony Shadow 5000 Rain Pack and Asics GEL-Kinsei OG can be listed as the outstanding running shoes, if not the best ones. Although they are not perfect, there are many aspects of the shoes that deserve recommending. Nevertheless, however good the shoes sound, you should still try the shoes in the flesh because it is only you who know if they are right for you.

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Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra Performance Review

I’ve stuck to running for over five years, and what I benefited from the process is much more than I had expected. For instance, in addition to training my perseverance and stamina, I’ve also learned some knowledge about running shoes and how to choose the most suitable one for myself. This Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra, I should say, is in the list of the most suitable ones and here is its performance review which might do some help for you.

As regards the shoes’ appearance, I have to own that I am quite into it. Its simple but not monotonous black and white with a little pink at the inner side makes the shoes very inviting and unobtrusive. Over and above that, its simplicity makes it very easy to match our daily outfit. After all, not only are the shoes’ performances extremely important, but having eye-pleasing and compelling appearance also matters a great deal.

The Terrex Speed Ultra series is characterized with innovative designs aimed at assisting runners. As for this Terrex Speed Ultra, it is incorporated with innovative technology. For example, the outsole adopts three-dimensional grains, which is inspired by the design of gravel bike, with the purpose of providing convenience to runners. Made of the rubber of Continental, it will offer its owner a better grip than do the majority of shoes in the market right now.

The midsole is made of two unique materials and the height difference between the forefoot and the heel is 8mm, both of which facilitate easy start-up. The Lightstrike cushioning system is a truly excellent one that, combined with boost, provides superior rebound for the heel. During my running, the feedback under my feet seemed endless and I also seemed to be supported by the ceaseless “energy” underfoot.

The shoelace system is designed in a novel way so that the tongue is firmly fixed instead of sliding to the side, which, I think, is set to solve the problem that many people are troubled by. If you take a closer look at the tongue, you can find many holes in it that enhance the heat dissipation and prevent your feet from being bound by sweltering running shoes.

Over and above the aforementioned, there is a detail that should be made particular mention of. That is the number of holes on each of the three bars is different, showing the ingenuity of the shoe’s designer. And the laces are flat ones, which increases friction and prevents themselves from loosening during running.

Take my personal experience. One day last weekend I did a 15km workout, at the end of which I was tired, but I was still rather motivated and at ease, which I think should be credited to the lightness of the shoes.

Overall:

To sum up, the TERREX SPEED ULTRA is a well-designed, lightweight as well as well-constructed off-road shoe designed for improving and increasing comfortness. However, it’s fair to say that this isn’t a versatile off-road shoe and is not suitable for everyone. Despite that, if you are searching for a lightweight and fast running shoe that is designed for long distances and can provide plenty of cushion on tough, rugged roads, then Adidas TERREX SPEED ULTRA would be a great choice.

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Adidas TERREX AGRAVIC ULTRA Performance Review

For a runner to do his level best during cross-country races, a pair of good cross-country shoes is essential. In my case, I will choose shoes according to the different road conditions; after all, the more you know about the “enemies”, the likelier you will win. Anyway, here I wanna recommend this Adidas TERREX AGRAVIC ULTRA which can save you much time in choosing shoes because it is both suitable and reliable for various kinds of roads.

My first impression of the shoes was that it looked simple yet quite inviting. It just turned out that the shoes can be matched with all manner of everyday clothes. With respect to the vamp, Adidas adopts some breathable material to improve comfortness. The mesh of the vamp is relatively hard though, it is easy to wash and quite durable. Besides that, the toe, as is shown in the picture, is designed in such a way that the protection there is splendid, which many brands have failed to do.

The upper is made of relatively hard material that is aimed at protecting the wearer’s ankles while offering support at the meantime. For the weight, a single shoe weighs 295 grams, which is at the average level.

In terms of the outsole, it is not widened because widening will only make the shoes bulky. During my matches and training, I can definitely feel the agility of the shoes. With the grains and materials of the outsole, I am further assured of its grip and durability.

Last week I put the shoes to a long-distance test. After the first test of around 15km, I didn’t feel any discomfort. When I was going downhill on gravel and dirt roads the shoes could provide me with good skid resistance. It was not that challenging for me to run uphill for it also offered perfect support for me even as I landed my forefeet first. In a nutshell, it can offer me excellent support on the uphill, and even after the downhill and the smooth flat road, I feel no aches or pains from the lactic acid buildup.

When the second 15km test was finished, I was somewhat taken aback by the cushion and feedback provided by the midsole. I felt like the shoes were my old friend for many years because they know me very well. The rear part of the sole is prominent in preventing slipping, and both the front and middle part of the outsole ensure cushioning and support that are badly needed for different road conditions, which sounds terrific and intelligent.

As time passed by, I felt a noticeable fatigue during the next 30 to 60km test. In the more rugged sections, the disadvantage of the hard upper is obviously felt. When I turned left or right downhill, the hard upper would produce pressure on my ankles, which requires some protection there rather than just wearing a pair of thin socks. To my relief, when the test was over, there was hardly any wear in the outsole.

Overall:

In short, this Adidas TERREX AGRAVIC ULTRA is certainly not perfect. Not only does it have advantages, but also shortcomings that cannot be ignored. Notwithstanding that, the advantages still outweigh the disadvantages, and the shoes are therefore generally satisfactory. But anyway, before purchasing, you’d better have a try in the flesh so that you may know whether it is suitable for you. After all, you won’t know if your shoes fit until you put them on.

 

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Skechers Speed Freek Performance Review

As a running lover, I was not endowed with much gift and I therefore make up for this with my passion and efforts. During the past seven years I’ve racked up over 15,000 miles of running, which to me was more than a reward, but more of a motivation. I enjoyed my running process very much, which should, to a certain extent, be attributed to my shoes despite that some of them are barely satisfactory. Here I wanna recommend Skechers Speed Freek which should be at the top of my 20 running shoes regarding their overall performances.

As soon as I got the shoes, I was informed from the shoe box the technologies adopted. First of all, there is the CARBON INUFSED in the forefoot. Secondly, the outsole is made of rubber of GOODYEAR. Over and above that, the midsole is hyperburst, much thicker than that of its predecessors. Finally, there is also the HYPER ARC that helps speeding up.

 

As regards its appearance, there is a combination of white, gray, black and bright red as that of a watermelon. Nevertheless, it is not so much the shoe’s appearance as its performance that impresses me deeply.

The big hollow logo “S” is printed on the outside of the heel, but it is not in the least eye-catching. At the height of highlighting one’s own brand by emphasizing its logo, Skechers, however, chooses a different but not showy way.

The midsole adopts the multi-layer structure with black on the upper and white on the lower, which is thickened to provide better cushioning and rebound. As for the vamp, it is made of mono, a kind of gauze widely enjoyed, to improve the shoes’ breathability and reduce their weight. Besides, seeing that there are people who stick to running on wet roads, the shoes’ vamp is made waterproof to provide them a better experience. This, by some estimate, has helped increase consumers by 5%.

The tongue of the shoe is perforated to improve the air permeability, with a V-shaped slit at the top and “Speed Freek” printed on it.

Hyperbust is Skechers’ strongest technology and has been used in skechers’ running shoes for a couple of years. But the midsole of this Speed Freek has been thickened with the fore part 32 mm thick and the heel 36 mm thick. Actually, the thickening of midsole is in great popularity in recent years and Speed Freek is just following suit. However, in spite of that, I must own that Speed Freek has done a better job. Thick as the midsole is, it is still superior in offering rebound.

The insoles are inseparable from the shoes for they are firmly attached to the midsoles so as to avoid its being pushed out during running.

However, the shoes are not without shortcomings. The heel is in fact very soft since it is not equipped with counter. From the perspective of my experience, this is the most glaring disadvantage of the shoes because it has gone so far as to reduce their weight by eliminating the counter.

The orange part of the outsole is covered with Goodyear wear adhesive, which, however, doesn’t seem to help improve durability of the outsole. I had even thought that it might only accompany me for 1000km.

The two hollows in the arch, the so-called HYPERARC, in addition to further reducing the weight of the shoe, can also help speed up runner’s pace.

With the above efforts, you may be wondering how much these shoes really weigh. Actually, a single Speed Freek I got here weighs only 202 grams while a shoe of other brands mostly weighs above 220 grams, from which we can get a glimpse of the excellence of the shoes.

Overall:

With this pair of running shoes, I am even more enthusiastic about running. After running ten kilometers for three days in a row last week, I didn’t feel any discomfort under my feet at all. To sum up, there do exist some disadvantages of the Speed Freek, it is overall terrific and a good choice for the majority of people.

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Curry Flow 9 Performance Review

For the Curry fans, he is the center of attention on the court and his performance tugs at millions of heartstrings. Outside the court, his basketball shoes are also widely enjoyed and attract the attention of many fans. Finally, he was in the media spotlight wearing his sneakers, so here we have the clearest picture of Curry Flow 9 ever.

It has always been said that what UA has been doing in recent years is helping its athletes improve their athletic performance on the court, and Curry Flow 9 is again living proof of this.

This Curry Flow 9 is a co-branded series with Sesame Street, but some reviewers said that there seemed no big difference between Curry 9 and its predecessor. If anything, it has become uglier. However, from the perspective of performance, being lighter, stronger and more durable is the most glaring improvement of Curry Flow 9.

The two colorways of Curry 9 are cartoonish, not least the yellow and pink one that looks quite like “a sweet strawberry ice cream”, as is called by some fans. In terms of the shoe’s weight, it has been made much lighter. For example, the Curry Flow 8 weighs 340 grams, which has been quite a tremendous job of UA. However, when I got Curry 9 in my hand, I was again astonished by its lightness.

Curry 9 is equipped with UA Wrap technology, which has been used in the previous Flow Velociti Wind. After adjustment, the vamp is more supportive and endowed with more excellent wrapping performance. Meanwhile, the vamp, after improvement, can be better attached to the wearer’s feet. Aside from that, the different colored lines on the vamp, as can be obviously seen, are like miniature safety belts, helping fix our feet inside the shoes.

Over and above that, the shoe tongue is different from the previous one. The integral tongue of Curry 8 is now converted into a traditional separated one in Curry 9, which is easy for adjustment so that even people with high instep will find the shoes agreeable.

The midsole is the Flow tech that has been seen in Curry 8. Although the tech has a good reputation, it is not without disadvantage. That is the tech is not durable enough so as to offer its owner a long-lasting experience. In the previous work, the outsole is eliminated to reduce the shoes’ weight. Similar trace can also be found in Curry 9 because the shoes, after all, are tailored to Curry. Although the shoes might not be suitable for the majority of people, I do believe that the shoes will still be the best choice for many fans.

With respect to the grip, just take my personal experience. Last week when I was playing basketball on clean wooden floor, the shoes were always offering me quiet yet outstanding grip. Therefore, I am rather satisfied with its grip. But if you are accustomed to outdoor courts, you’d better take care of the soles before and after your playing.

The midsole TPU has also been changed beyond all recognition. There are now two small visible TPU, which further reduces the overall weight of the shoes. The upturn of the toe is much more conspicuous, and the widening of the sole and the grains both inside and outside indicate that the shoes are positioned entirely for players like Curry.

For the cushioning, one friend of mine highly thought of it the other day when we were playing basketball. However, from my perspective, I don’t think there is much improvement if compared with Curry 8. As a matter of fact, I’d rather the Flow material can be changed to a more durable one. After all, my Curry 8 has accompanied me for only 10 months.

The inside of the heel is not overstuffed, but there is a very obvious concave and the counter is placed in a very high position. Yet I don’t think this a great bother.

Overall:

In a nutshell, this Curry 9 is an excellent sneaker. It seems like an upgraded version of Curry 8, with its vamp strengthened and its support, protection, wrapping and grip greatly improved, making itself more suitable for more people. It is most likely that we’ll see Curry repeat his feat this season, and Curry 9 will then be endowed with new meaning and values.