Month: February 2022

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A Close Look at the Air Jordan 13 Series

Air Jordan 13 has always been a pair of shoes that are universally acclaimed, which is not only reflected in its historical significance in the sneaker circle, but also reflected in its outstanding combat performance. Among the early Air Jordans, the Air Jordan 13 is definitely one of the few models that is still widely enjoyed by many players today. Therefore, with its great popularity, we’ll then take a close look at the AJ 13 series and figure out what charm these shoes have.

Air Jordan 13 Balck Royal:

The colorway of black and dark blue is, from my perspective, not pretty enough to blow me away. Nonetheless, this has always been a matter of opinion, and it may be quite eye-catching in other people’s eyes.

The Jumpman Logo has replaced the personal logo in the tongue, adding weight to the texture of the overall shoes and echoing the setup of the original version of AJ 13. Besides that, the shoe body deserves to be mentioned. That is it is made of quite a variety of materials, including the litchi-rind-like leather, the mesh cloth and the suede, making the shoes quite dainty and sophisticated. In the vamp there are also hidden 3M reflective material to offer the badly needed protection for wearers, not least when they are exercising at night. In addition to the above, the upper is equipped with a “leopard eye” that is commonly seen and familiar to AJ 13 fans.

Air Jordan 13 Lucky Green:

The colorway of this Air Jordan 13 Lucky Green is much more eye-catching. From my point of view, it is pure, fresh and simple as well as delicate. For the vamp, the white part is made of large leather, which is most likely to result in stuffness when it is above 10 degrees Celsius. As for the tongue, it is embroidered with the green iconic Jumpman Logo.

The upper, decorated with a green “leopard eye “, matches very well with the black lining and the black outsole. With solid materials, it also offers hardcore protection for its owner.

Air Jordan 13 He Got Game :

The 3M reflective materials in the vamp, likewise,  provides wearers the essential protection while  the carbon plate in the midsole offers sufficient support. Over and above that, there is a built-in rear air cushion that will stun its owner by its excellent performance when he is landing. As for the outsole, it is the MD material that ensures nice durbility.

Air Jordan 13 Retro Starfish：

The bright orange Jumpman  logo in the tongue looks cool and “sunny” while the orange, black and white material stitched together with the suede leather give the shoes a layered look. For the vamp, it is designed with some starfish ornament, which makes the shoes less monotonous and have them put on some mysterious air.

Air Jordan 13 Retro GiGI:

The Air Jordan 13 Flint worn by Bryant and Drake is known as the GiGi colorway. But different from the previous several versions, this  Air Jordan 13 Retro GiGI has a much “soberer” appearance that might not be as inviting as the other ones. For the soles, they are supported by carbon plates. When it comes the midsole, there is a built-in air cushion for both comfort and protection. Like the other versions, this one is also equipped with 3D “holographic cat eye”.

Air Jordan 13 Retro Dark Powder Blue:

The vamp is mainly white while the midsole flocking and the heel are obsidian color. The tongue is still the Jumpman Logo, but for the outsole, it is also decorated with light blue for adding vigor and vitality for the shoes.

Air Jordan 13 Retro BIN3:

This  Air Jordan 13 Retro BIN3 seems to be more colorful than the above shoe versions and also possesses more wallop upon the eyes. However, on the other hand, for this colorway, it might not be easy to go well with our daily clothes. Except for this, it is quite similar to its fellows in the setups.

Overall:

To sum up, even after so many years, the Air Jordan 13 still remains to be one of the favorites for many fans because of its excellent performances, and surely, the AJ 13 series won’t be disappointing, either. Although the different colorways are not perfect and there is still room for improvement, they are very likely to be the insuperable classic version for a long time to go.

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Unboxing: Air Jordan 1 Mid “Paris”

If you happen to be an experienced Jordan Brand fan, you must have known, or at least, heard of the great popularity of Air Jordan1 in the sneaker circle. However, partly owing to this, its price is also very high, which have made many people deterred. In contrast, the Air Jordan 1 Mid version is not only more cost-effective, but also richer in colorways. And good news is that Jordan Brand is releasing a new version, the Air Jordan 1 Mid “Paris”, on February 28th, which is going to electrify many fans. Although it may not be as widely enjoyed as Air Jordan 1, there are  still quite a few aspects of the shoes that deserve looking at.

With regard to the vamp, it is mainly white with gray upper, and the body is made of leather fabric for a more dainty and sophisticated look.

The dark blue suede Swoosh Logo at the sides, against the background of the white body, makes this AJ 1 Mid “Paris” all the more eye-catching and recognizable..

The iconic logo and the embellished words, “Paris” , once again highlight the shoes’ identity.

The “wings” at the sides are also retained and the outsole has continued that  classic design of Air Jordan 1. To tell the truth, the first glance of the outsole has made me impressed by the shoes. Not only is the shoe body inviting, but the outsole is also nice-looking, which, I think, may quite surprise us by offering an unexpected and outstanding grip performance with its well designed grains.

For the welt, there is filled with quite a lot of solid material to ensure comfort and sufficient protection for wearers.

In the fore part of the vamp, there are many air holes that ensure air permeability which is badly needed in the forthcoming summer. Therefore, for those who are fond of exercising in late spring or summer days, they can just work out without worrying stuffness underfoot.

Overall:

Now that this Air Jordan 1 Mid “Paris” will be available on February 28th, it is recommened to take action and have a try. After all, although it is not a perfect shoe version and doesn’t get as much attention as AJ1, there are still many merits in it that we can not ignore.

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Unboxing: Air Jordan 11 Jubilee and Air Jordan 11 Adapt

Air Jordan 11 Jubilee and Air Jordan 11 Adapt have been released to honor Jumpman’s past and look to the future, both of which are compelling to Jordan Brand fans. For those who are interested in the two shoes but have got neither, the detailed information of the shoes must have some reference value. Therefore, here we are going to take a close look at the two shoes and see whether they can live up to our expectations.

We’ll first look at Air Jordan 11 Jubilee. For the shoebox, it is a combination of black and silver, echoing the colorway of the shoes. Besides, the traditional drawer type design of the box has been put away, and its new design now can offer people more surprises about the shoes.

The theme of Jubilee is to “honor the past” and its design is inspired by original sketches of the Air Jordan XI, which looks very similar to the Air Jordan 11 72-10 released in 2015. Although Jubilee is certainly no match for the status and popularity of the Concord and Bred, its appearance and design, anyway, are still pretty eye-pleasing, if not eye-catching.

The AJ11 Jubilee also features a large patent-leather design in consistent with that of the original version, with silver ornament added to the pure black vamp for a more sophisticated look.

The shoelace hole is embellished with metal “JORDAN” which has only been seen on the AJ11 of the DMP suit, indicating AJ11 Jubilee’s uniqueness.

The Jumpman Logo on the outside of the heel is also of silver metal.

The number 23 on the heel is also silver, echoing the decoration on the vamp and symbolizing the special identity of the shoe’s 25th anniversary.

The insoles are  printed with the iconic logo and the number “25” to celebrate the 25 years’ success of the shoes and to pay tribute at the same time .

The midsole is white and the outsole is made of translucent opalescent crystal to highlight the “black and white” theme of the shoes, with the iconic logo visible on the sole.

As mentioned earlier, Jubilee’s appearance is eye-pleasing. As one of the most popular sneakers in the basketball field, AJ11 remains in the top three of all original sneakers due to its good looking. From my point of view, it is an all-match with our daily clothes and can stand careful appreciation.

When it comes to Air Jordan 11 Adapt , both its appearance and performance are comparable to the above one. The theme of the shoes is “Look to the future” which echoes that of Jubilee. Combined with a classic look and sate-of-the-art modern technology, Nike’s Adapt dynamic shoelace tech, AJ11 Adapt is very impressive to me while also maintains some of the AJ11’s original features. In a word, it is really a great surprise for Jordan shoe fans.

AJ11 Adapt retains the classic patent leather vamp, with white as the main hue. Besides, the original nylon part is changed to translucent material in order to highlight the shoes’ futuristic property and the tech integrated in them.

The tongue and the lining are also black while the midsole and outsole are decorated with bright orange material, making the shoes rater eye0catching.

To me, the button in the midsole that is used for manually adjusting the tightness of shoelaces is the most impressive. Over and above that, you can pair your shoes with your phone on the Nike Adapt app, through which you are allowed to freely adjust the tightness of your shoelaces so as to enjoy unmatched comfort.

Overall:

Both Air Jordan 11 Jubilee and Air Jordan 11 Adapt are available for a period of time, but it should be made particular mentioned of that it is difficult to cop the two pair of shoes because they are  limited. However, with their particular significance, it’s definitely worth a try.

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Air Jordan Melo M9 Performance Review

To tell the truth, I’ve been waiting for this Air Jordan Melo M9 to go on sale for a long time, and when it was finally available, I tried my best to cop one pair. Since then I wore the shoes on various occasions for it has won my favor. After it accompanied me for a period of time, I’ve got quite a good knowledge of the shoes and here are the performance review and my ratings of their various performances.

To being with, I want to talk about its ankle support. Actually, this Air Jordan Melo M9 belongs to the middle-top shoes. In conjunction with Melo’s powerful style of playing, the M9’s ankle protection is quite adequate. When the shoelaces are tightened, I can feel my ankle being tightly covered by the shoes’ vamp. However, the ankle support is, to my relief, not the stiff kind. In other words, the flexibility in the ankle part is still ample instead of being sacrificed for the sake of ankle protection.

(ankle support: 4.5/5)

With regard to the grip, honestly, I am not satisfactory with it. I once played basketball in the shoes on clean wood floor indoors. During the two hours of exercise, I found that the M9’s grip was not top notch as is expected. In many of the lateral movements, I suffered some slight slippery though it didn’t seriously affect my performance on the pitch. Nonetheless, it did cause a slight distraction for me because I prefer to play as a guard.

(grip:3.5/5）

Speaking of cushioning, this is really the trump of M9. Both in the front and rear parts are equipped with Zoom Air, with the rear one thickened. Therefore, with such excellent setups, M9 can offer me terrific comfort in the heel on every landing. But perhaps because the shoes are original designed for forwards, their cushioning is actually superfluous for me.

(cushioning: 5/5)

The most compelling part of M9 may be the dynamic Flywire that connects the midsole of the shoe to the ankle. Therefore, before testing the shoes, I was rather curious to see what this design would bring to me. But after two hours of tests, I was failed. After I tightened the shoelaces I could not in the least feel the effect of such Flywire without deliberately tightening it. Therefore, I tried to tightened the Flywire, but I found that this design would only cause great pressure on my insteps. While the M9’s inner design allows me to play basketball without wearing socks and worrying about rubbing of my feet, it still can’t compensate for the discomfort caused by its dynamic Flywire.

(comfort: 2.5/5)

As mentioned above, my personal style of play on the court is biased towards the guard. Therefore, the M9, designed for powerful small forwards, and the Zoom Air in the forefoot, for me, provide excellent cushioning, but I somehow feel like being stuck in mud with this design. Although I was well protected by Zoom Air on courts, at the same time it made me work harder to push myself forward. In a word, the responsiveness of M9 is far from what a guard needs.

(responsiveness : 2.5/5)

In terms of the weight,  it’s definitely too heavy for a guard, and I could clearly feel  it the moment I put it on. Therefore, those who have a distaste for heavy shoes had better think twice before purchasing.

(weight: 2.5/5)

Overall:

In summary, the M9 has excellent cushioning and a fairly comfortable interior design,, but in terms of its dynamic Flywire, responsiveness  and weight, it is not that satisfactory for me as a guard. Perhaps for power forwards and centers, it can be made the most of.

(overall: 3.5/5)

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Unboxing: Air Jordan 12 “Playoffs” Retro

When I reflect on the sneakers of the past two years, I found that many of them have something to do with “dream”, and both the retro versions of Air Jordan 11 and Air Jordan 4 are living proof of this. This year Jordan Brand also made quite a few retro shoes, among which a pair of playoff Air Jordan 12 released during the All-Star Game last weekend electrified many Jordan shoe fans. Now that it is available and I am lucky enough to have copped one pair, here we are going to take a close look at it.

When referring Air Jordan 12, many sneaker enthusiasts and basketball lovers must be very familiar with it, or at least have heard of it. Its outstanding appearance and comfort once made the shoes a cult at the time and favored by lots of people. When it comes to the retro versions, besides the many classic colorways, this layoff Air Jordan 12 retro is also a preference in the eyes of sneaker lovers.

The Air Jordan 12 made its debut at the 1997 All-Star Game in which it witnessed Jordan’s fifth championship, which also won itself a lot of prestige. Previously this playoff Air Jordan 12 has embraced its retro versions respectively in 2004, 2012 and 2017, all of which were widely enjoyed.

 

Air Jordan 12 Low “Playoffs”（2012)

The shoe body of this retro version is made of black leather material, continuing the high specification texture as always, and with divergent stitching in the upper, the shoes look simple yet impressive.

The white area at the side is similar to the look of lizard skin, enriching the texture of the shoe, and the silver buckle also gives weight to the luxurious property of it.

The red embroidered Jumpman Logo on the tongue is very eye-catching in the black leather upper.

The full-foot Zoom Air in the midsole plus a large carbon plate enable this playoff Air Jordan 12 to be both practical and comfortable.

The carbon plate is black, and with grains on it, it is quite different from the black and gray carbon plate in 2012 and more similar to the original version.

Air Jordan 12 OG “Playoffs” (1997)▼ 

This playoff Air Jordan 12 is, from my perspective, an all-match with my everyday dressings, and only when I put on the shoes  can I  get the charm of it.

Overall:

Objectively speaking, the playoff Air Jordan 12  of this year has largely  restored the orginal version, which has been better made than the other three playoff Air Jordan 12 retro.  If you still want to experience the classic playoff Air Jordan 12 , it would be a great chance now.

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Unboxing: AIR JORDAN 5 Retro

The last time Nike made the Air Jordan 5 retro shoes was in 2013 and several years later, it again made another Air Jordan 5 retro version to satiate the needs of its fans. So here is the unboxing of the AIR JORDAN 5 Retro.

Upon opening the package, I was surprised to find that there were two boxes to protect the shoes, from which we can see the sincerity of the brand.

In terms of the inner box, it consists of the classic marbling in the lower part with the red JUMPMAN logo on a black background in the upper, which is impressive as a whole.

There is also a Nike logo at the side.

There aren’t any accessories in the shoe box, but only a paper that is made of garbage-bag-like material which I’ve also seen in the box of the retro version of AIR JORDAN 11 black and Red.

As soon as I opened the shoebox, I was quite electrified by its fresh appearance that goes very well with our daily dressing.

In spite of that, it looks rather bulky from the heel, which might dissuade those previously beckoned by its looking from buying.

When it comes to outsole, it is still the classic crystal one, with the iconic JUMPMAN LOGO in the forefoot.

The breathable mesh in the middle of the vamp is made of soft plastic, which feels super comfortable.

The transparent air cushion in the outsole is very obvious from this perspective.

As can be seen in the picture, there in the vamp are three different fine leather texture that is nicely designed and feel very comfortable.

The material in the middle of the iconic 3M reflective shoe tongue is also made of comfortable plastic.

The crystal shoelace buckle and the red part are both eye-catching.

In the inner side of the tongue is the classic inverted “AIR JORDAN”, and in the heel there are quite a lot of foams that are good for keeping warm in winter but can be incredibly hot in summer.

As for the insoles, they are of average quality, but their reverse sides are quite smooth, which is rarely seen.

Overall:

To tell the truth, I had no expectations for the shoes at first, but when I got them in my hands, I was amazed for it has restored the classic version quite well. With its good material, excellent workmanship, and the blessing of a dunker and “the god of basketball”(shown in the pictures before), it has already become one of my favorites to wear in winter. If you happen to be interested in the shoes, it’s a good time to have a try.

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Air Jordan 4 Retro-Mars Performance Review

When the Air Jordan 4 was first released, many Air Jordan fans, including me, had not yet had much knowledge about sneakers. Therefore, we can only rely on Nike’s making retro versions in order to encounter those excellent works. Among those retro versions, this Air Jordan 4 Retro-Mars is one of my favorites and also preferred by many people. With the white-black-red colorway and the Spike Lee pattern that was added in the retro, I just can’t resist the charm it radiates. Therefore, to help those interested in the shoes get some more knowledge of it, here is its performance review.

When I put on the shoes, the upper can cover about half of my ankles. The filling inside the part is not so much but is very solid, and with the TPU on the side, I can clearly feel my feet being fixed when I tie the shoelace to the top hole.

After numerous tests of Jordan 4 Mars, its performance can be said to be above the average. When I was wearing it on courts, I could feel its excellent wrapping, yet I still felt kind of slipping inside the shoes when making lateral movements. Despite that, its performance has surpassed many of the low-top shoes, and I am therefore assured to wear it to play basketball.

The outsole is mainly patterned with fishbone, with quite deep grooves in the front and without concentric circles in the toe part. As for its grip, it is actually super nice when it meets indoor wooden floors that are kept clean. However, its grip performance slumps when there are dusts either on the soles or on the courts, causing the wearer to react relatively slowly. Nonetheless, the outsole performs astonishingly well on outdoor PU floors, which may be credited to their rough surfaces.

Jordan 4 adopts the front and rear Air-Sole, which was one of the top setups at that time. But when it comes to this Jordan 4 Mars that is equipped with the same setups, whether its cushioning can still live up to our expectations? Actually, when I first wore the shoes, the front Air-Sole did provide me with good cushioning. However, after wearing Jordan 4 Mars for a long time, it seemed to be gradually flattened and therefore its performance has gone from bad to worse. But different from the front cushion, the rear Air-Sole is much more commendable. After several months of testing the shoes, I think the rear cushions are comfortable as always despite that it is relatively hard.

Being very comfortable is definitely a selling point for the Jordan 4 Retro. It is made of terry cloth which even allows me not to wear socks. But it is a pity that my little toe can be easily oppressed by the TPU on the outside of the forefoot, which may bring on discomfort. But objectively speaking, Jordan 4 Mars is, as a whole, pretty comfortable.

As mentioned earlier, the Jordan 4 Retro forefoot is a bit hard, which makes it more responsive than the Jordan 3 that quite fits Jordan’s style of playing at that time. But compared to what the Zoom Air can offer today, the Air-Sole in the front is still a little inferior.

The shoes are not without shortcomings and the biggest one is the poor durability that is commonplace of the recent Air Jordan retro shoes. In terms of my shoes, the midsole has born the brunt.

Notwithstanding that, what impresses me most is the durability of the outsole which is amazingly good. Different from the midsole that is on the verge of wearing out, the outsole remains almost intact.

Overall:

To sum up, this Jordan 4 Retro-Mars offers super nice comfort, above-average ankle protection and brilliant outsole durability, except the relatively poor cushioning and unsatisfactory grip. By today’s standards, it is a pair of incompetent sneaker; but if you want it for everyday wear, the Air Jordan 4 Retro is your go-to shoes that are not only comfortable, but also eye-catching and compelling.

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Unboxing: Air Jordan 1 Elevated Low

The black and red Air Jordan 1 may be quite different from what we have thought before and it is no exaggeration to hail it as “the most unique Air Jordan 1 in history”. Actually, in the past two years, the brand has created quite a number of different versions of black and red Air Jordan 1 on the basis of this classic colorway. Earlier this year, the Air Jordan 1 “Bred Patent” was released to embrace the new year. But shortly after the new shoes, the Air Jordan 1 Elevated Low was also launched. Now that it is available, it is a must to take a close look at it so that those who are interested in it may make better decisions.

As one of the first colorways of Air Jordan 1, it is needless to say that this black and red is widely enjoyed. The first colorway of this Air Jordan 1 Elevated Low is just the black and red, providing a variety of choices for girls who are crazy for Air Jordan.

The new design has added weight to the popularity of the colorway. Compared with Air Jordan 1 Low, the design of this Air Jordan 1 Elevated Low is a big stride ahead. The most recognizable feature is the super thick sole, which is about 4 cm and is full of temptation for many girls.

The vamp is made of soft high-quality leather material whose outstanding texture can be felt through vision alone, which has successfully retained the essence of the original version and restored the charm of black and red Air Jordan 1 as much as possible.

The heel of the original Wings logo has now been changed to a simple version, with only stitches to outline the silhouette.

As for the built-in Air-Sole, not only has it increases comfortness, but to a large extent enhances the shoes’ cushioning.

The shoes are also characterized with cork insoles, with only black and red featuring the pattern of MJ dunk. On top of that, the black and red also comes with a gold Jumpman metal chain, which adds the air of luxury to it.

Over and above this black and red, there are another two colorways that are euqally inviting. Although they are different in style, they can match very well with our various daily dressings.

For instance, when our clothes are relatively drab, this black and red can be the finishing touch for us, and when we are wearing bright clothes, it can still be icing on the cake.

Warm colors have always been favored by many girls, and the yellow colorway just complied with the trend. From my perspective, Air Jordan 1 Elevate Low to a certain degree resembles to Air Jordan 1 Low, but it is also endowed with more fashionable elements.

Overall:

Having been released on February 19th, the Air Jordan 1 Elevate Low is and will be the source of heated discussion and tantalizing for many AJ fans. Although the shoes have quite a nice looking and attract even a lot of boys, it is, however, specifically designed for girls. Therefore, those interested in the shoes had better act now.

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Jordan Ultra Fly2 low Performance Review

Like many of you, I’ve also got a deep love for basketball. It is because of this passion, I’ve invested a lot in it and learned how important a good pair of equipment is to play basketball well. Therefore, when asked what kind of good shoes do I have, I would probably say, “Jordan Ultra Fly2 low”, which is a low-top version of the shoes employed by BTL.

As a matter of fact, this Ultra Fly2 low has been getting good reviews ever since it was released. Nonetheless, because of little publicity, the shoes are not so well-known for many people. In spite of that, its performances, as is said by some consumers, are far from what it looks like and can live up to their expectations.

In terms of the vamp, it is some kind of ordinary fabric, quite different from that of the high-top version and also being more excellent in air permeability. As for the hardness of the vamp, it belongs to the mediocre level, which may bring on a poorer protection than does the high-top one.

Notwithstanding that, for this pair of sneaker, the small flaw can still be made up for by other advantages. With regard to the shoes’ overall appearance, the brand has put away the eversion design of the high-top shoes for it leads to a poor wrapping performance in the ankle part. Because of this, Ultra Fly2 low has a much nicer wrapping performance than its high-top “fellow”.

However, different people have different views. From the perspective of some customers, its wrapping may have been too much for them and the shoelace system does little help in adjusting the degree of tightness so that it even causes pressure on their insteps.

As for the size, it is highly recommended to choose a bigger one because the sizes of the shoes are not quite accurate. To tell the truth, I am living proof of this. My feet are the lanky type, but the shoes are still too tight for me and therefore I had to go through a lot of trouble changing them. To avoid such a hassle, you’d better choose a larger size when purchasing.

When it comes to the support, it is safe to say that it won’t fail you. As is mentioned earlier, the wrapping of the not-so-soft vamp is excellent. And along with the heel TPU, the vamp support of the shoes are quite qualified. After wearing my Ultra Fly2 low for over half a year, I can say that my feet never slipped inside it, and as of today, there aren’t signs of serious deformation of it, either.

It can be seen in the midsole that there are anti-torsion devices, which, however, can not stand the test of high intensity exercises. Maybe it is because the midsole materials aren’t hard enough that the anti-torsion devices alone are simply insufficient for long and high-intensity exercises.

Regarding the cushioning, it is performs as well as the high-top one. In the front part of the outsole, there is a fan-shaped ZOOM and in the rear part, there is also a Hex zoom, which can be said to be a terrific setup among the recent Nike shoes. The two zooms together create superior rebound and feedback, which makes it easy for the guards and frontlines to harness. According to my friends who happen to have a pair of Ultra Fly2 low, the zooms, not least the one in the front, do play a significant role in propelling them forward. Nonetheless, because of the super excellent performance of the rear cushion, this Ultra Fly2 low is not recommended to those people who weighs over 180 kg.

The grip of Ultra Fly2 low is also stunning. The spiral grooves in the outsole provides all-directional grip so that whether you remain static or dynamic, it is always prepared to help you.

Overall:

To sum up, this Ultra Fly2 low is a highly cost-effective work, despite that it does have some disadvantages which, I think, will not lead to much bother to the overall performances of the shoes. Therefore, if you are somewhat interested in the shoes, you might as well take a shot.

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Saucony Endorphin Shift Performance Review

The three products of Saucony Endorphin series have been available for a long time. Actually, they have also been the source of heat discussion for some time. Besides the Endorphin Pro and Endorphin Speed, I’ve copped the third one, the Endorphin Shift, and here is the performance review of the shoes.

The Endorphin Shift, according to the official account, is more compatible with runners’ daily jogging. Like the Endorphin Speed, Endorphin Shift is equipped with an engineered mesh vamp, but unlike Speed, its vamp is much thicker so as to ensure necessary support and superior wrapping.

The vamp of Endorphin Speed is also thicker than that of Endorphin Pro. It can be seen that when designing the Endorphin series, Saucony actually take into account the specific requirements of running shoes.

When it comes to the midsole material, that of Endorphin Shift is also different from those of the other two, the former being the PWRRUN whereas the latter the PWRRUNPB.

The PWRRUN, based on EVA, greatly improves its performance of energy feedback and durability through adjusting and the manufacturing process.

As for the PWRRUNPB, it is based on the PEBA material and through new foaming and manufacturing process, it has quite a nice cushioning and better rebound. In other words, PWRRUN can be thought to be inferior to PWRRUNPB, which is why the Endorphin Shift is bulkier than the first two shoes.

The Endorphin Shift has no built-in plates, but it also uses the SPEEDROLL in the midsole to help improve speed, as is the same design that can be seen in Endorphin Pro and Endorphin Speed.

Seeing that both Endorphin Pro and Endorphin Speed are super durable in their outsoles, which is the feedback from consumers, the brand also applies this idea in Endorphin Shift. In the easy-to-wear areas of the outsole, XT-900 carbon rubber is adopted to extend the life of the shoes, despite that the area covered by XT-900 is less than that of the other two products.

The much thicker vamp, the FORMFIT technology along with the heel TPU have coordinated perfectly with each other, creating a super nice wrapping and receiving many rave reviews from buyers. In a word, you can feel the shoes fit comfortably with your feet as you are running or walking.

In spite of that, however, the thick vamp is a mixed blessing. There are also disadvantages of it. On the negative side, its thickness is a kind of trouble for many people in hot weathers. Take my own experience. I felt rather sweltering under my feet even in early spring, and as it gets warmer, the situation will only go from bad to worse. Therefore, regarding this respect, the shoes are not recommendable for those who have particular distaste for heat under their feet.

Although PWRRUN is inferior to PWRRUNPB, as has been mentioned earlier, Endorphin Shift provides the best cushioning experience among the three models. However, its chunky midsole in turn makes the rebound of the shoes unimpressive. The SPEEDROLL, though provides a smoother transition, still lacks the necessary midsole rebound, which can be easily exposed when some fast-paced training in underway.

The Endorphin Shift has also a large TPU embedded at its heel that extends to the midsole for support. Besides, the carbon rubber of the outsole also extends to the midsole so as to enhance the shoes’ overall support.

As a pair of training shoes, the support of Endorphin Shift is definitely enough, but it doesn’t equal perfectness. When the wearer is training at a fast pace, the midsole, being too soft and thick, may result in unstability when he is landing on his heels.

The US size 9 of Endorphin Shift weighs 294g officially, but the actual weight of the one I got here is 290g. It seems the shoes are not so satisfactory in this aspect, not least with its bulky appearance.

Overall:

Endorphin Shift resembles a lot to Endorphin Speed, as is observed by some reviewers, but there are in fact a lot of differences between the two shoes. Endorphin Shift is more than suitable for daily training, and if you are seeking one pair of shoes for jogging, Endorphin Shift is definitely a good jogging partner.