- 452
- 241
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2017
Preface: I'm 5'11, 175 and play pretty shifty, relying on quickness and deceptiveness due to a bum knee. I put a decent amount of torque on my shoes and really prioritize traction, Fit (heel-to-toe transition), and cushion in that order.
Weight: 12.7oz (sz 8.5US)
Traction: This shoe has some of the worst traction I have ever worn. I don't know why brands insist on putting gimmicky traction patterns, but the narrow slits that sit on the grooves attract a good amount of dust. If you play on a rec court that gets a good amount of people on a daily basis, this shoe is not going to get the job done. Because of the ****ty traction, I always felt a step slow and paranoid of sliding out and ****ing up my knee.
Fit: I have a narrow ankle but a pretty wide forefoot (I wear 4e in Nike for reference). I had to size down to a 8.5US (normally wear a 9) because of how much extra toe space that there was. Once sizing was figured out however, my foot was really locked down and no break in time was needed. I pretty much forgot that the shoe was on because of how spot on the fit was.
Cushion: Full length Bounce felt great -- this cushion set up felt like an improved version of Nike React. Very responsive with exceptional impact protection and "bounce". I had no problems with my knees or shins after 4+ hours of runs.
Lockdown: Lockdown was very similar to the 2017 Crazy Explosive PK -- no heel slippage in the Dame 4. Very exceptional lockdown and heel-to-toe transition.
Materials: For $115 I was very pleasantly surprised at how soft and premium the materials felt. Right off the bat, the materials were non abrasive and needed zero break in time. Although the upper looks very breathable, the inner is lined with a neoprene like material that can get hot if you're wearing thick socks (ex. KD Nike Elites). I had zero problems with support or sliding out of the footbed during cuts, which were one of my biggest problems on the 2017 Hyperdunk Flyknits, due to the reinforced mesh.
Conclusion: For $115 you're getting a shoe that can rival the 2017 Hyperdunk FK/Crazy Explosive PK HAD THEY FIXED THE TRACTION. It's a damn shame because everything else was perfectly implemented. In the Dame 4s you are really low to the ground, responsive, and backed with great cushion, but because Adidas opted for a gimmick traction pattern, the shoe flopped performance wise (for me at least). There's a good chance that if you sand down the initial outsole layer with some sandpaper, traction can improve, but if I have to resort to that I'd rather just return the shoe altogether and get a better performer out the box. I would definitely rock casually for the price point, but better options at the $100 or lower pricepoint include: 2016 Hyperdunk Low, 2016 Hyperdunk Flyknits, Harden Vol1, 2016 Crazy Explosives, D Rose 7, Adidas Crazy Bounce.
Weight: 12.7oz (sz 8.5US)
Traction: This shoe has some of the worst traction I have ever worn. I don't know why brands insist on putting gimmicky traction patterns, but the narrow slits that sit on the grooves attract a good amount of dust. If you play on a rec court that gets a good amount of people on a daily basis, this shoe is not going to get the job done. Because of the ****ty traction, I always felt a step slow and paranoid of sliding out and ****ing up my knee.
Fit: I have a narrow ankle but a pretty wide forefoot (I wear 4e in Nike for reference). I had to size down to a 8.5US (normally wear a 9) because of how much extra toe space that there was. Once sizing was figured out however, my foot was really locked down and no break in time was needed. I pretty much forgot that the shoe was on because of how spot on the fit was.
Cushion: Full length Bounce felt great -- this cushion set up felt like an improved version of Nike React. Very responsive with exceptional impact protection and "bounce". I had no problems with my knees or shins after 4+ hours of runs.
Lockdown: Lockdown was very similar to the 2017 Crazy Explosive PK -- no heel slippage in the Dame 4. Very exceptional lockdown and heel-to-toe transition.
Materials: For $115 I was very pleasantly surprised at how soft and premium the materials felt. Right off the bat, the materials were non abrasive and needed zero break in time. Although the upper looks very breathable, the inner is lined with a neoprene like material that can get hot if you're wearing thick socks (ex. KD Nike Elites). I had zero problems with support or sliding out of the footbed during cuts, which were one of my biggest problems on the 2017 Hyperdunk Flyknits, due to the reinforced mesh.
Conclusion: For $115 you're getting a shoe that can rival the 2017 Hyperdunk FK/Crazy Explosive PK HAD THEY FIXED THE TRACTION. It's a damn shame because everything else was perfectly implemented. In the Dame 4s you are really low to the ground, responsive, and backed with great cushion, but because Adidas opted for a gimmick traction pattern, the shoe flopped performance wise (for me at least). There's a good chance that if you sand down the initial outsole layer with some sandpaper, traction can improve, but if I have to resort to that I'd rather just return the shoe altogether and get a better performer out the box. I would definitely rock casually for the price point, but better options at the $100 or lower pricepoint include: 2016 Hyperdunk Low, 2016 Hyperdunk Flyknits, Harden Vol1, 2016 Crazy Explosives, D Rose 7, Adidas Crazy Bounce.
Last edited:
