Following the OMN1S, Leonard’s first truly signature shoe, the New Balance The Kawhi 1, has finally arrived at the appointed time. And the first-released colorway is the blue, black and gold one which is fantastically cool. And to share with you some more detailed information about the shoes, I’ve checked it carefully, and let’s get underway.
As a matter of fact, the New Balance 1 has been worn and attracted lots of attention at the All-Star Game earlier in 2020. Designed by Kawhi, this pair of New Balance Kawhi 1 is actually endowed with extraordinary significance.
For the shoebox, it is white with a simple design, a NB logo in the middle and the signature. And in terms of the shoes, it is mainly blue and black in the vamp with the gold part serving as a decoration which has become a classic mark of Leonard and is particularly bright.
As regards the name of the colorway, some of you might have learned about it previously. Actually, as the first-released colorway, the origin of its name is also widely talked about. It started with Kawhi Leonard’s game-winning shot at the end of the game on May 16, 2019. It was a legend in NBA history and was really amazing. Therefore, in order to mark the occasion, New Balance teamed up with Leonard to release this remarkable pair of signature basketball shoes.
Then for the materials used in the vamp, there are actually a variety of materials. But what is nicer is that while reducing the shoes’ weight, its wrapping and protection are further enhanced. Besides, the toe of the shoe has been added with 3M reflective material that is visually impactive.
In the upper there is also the grain of crocodile skin which matches the blue vamp so well that the whole shoe looks rather characteristic.
And in the shoe tongue there is also the iconic gold K logo of Leonard with a tiny “2” in the top right. Also, the gold leather in the middle of the vamp is printed with the number “2” and the leather is sewn with blue thread, which makes it conspicuous and delicate.
In fact, to ensure a comfortable wearing experience, the collar part of the shoes is filled with thick foams that is skin-friendly and soft. And at the heel, it is covered with a large area of TPU to provide adequate support and protection for our ankles and heels. But with the signature of Kawhi Leonard, the shoes are set to get a lot of attention before people knowing about its excellency.
In the midsole, the FuelCell technology used in OMN1S series is again used in this pair of shoes for the midsole cushioning. And objectively, speaking, the feedback is quite obvious and the setup can be of great help in start-up. So, in this aspect, I will give it a full mark.
When it comes to the outsole, its durability is absolutely not a desirable. It is true that the outsole grips nicely on indoor courts, but there is no denying that it also wear somewhat easily.
Overall:
Anyway, the above are my personal views based on my experience. But to get some more details about its overall performances, I have to test it more. And if you’ve already took a liking to it, you can also learn some more about it before taking a shot.