Air Jordan XX9 Performance Review

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Oct 10, 2014
Hey everyone, I didn't see a XX9 review posted so I figured I would go ahead and post my personal opinions on the latest shoe from Brand Jordan.

US retail: $225.00

Canadian retail: $259.99

My info:

Height : 6 foot 2 inches

Weight: 185 lbs

Position 2 or 3

Style: Shoot/Slasher

Hrs tested : 25-30 hours

Previous ball shoes : Nike Zoom BB, Jordan 28, Jordan 28 SE, Nike Zoom Kobe IV, Nike Zoom Kobe V.........I Love Zoom Air.

TRACTION - The traction on the Air Jordan 29 is simply amazing.  On clean surfaces these shoes stick like glue, front to back or side to side the wavy pattern used this year holds you down amazing.  On dusty surfaces as long as you wipe every few  minutes you won't have any problems.  Im not going to lie when I first laid eyes on the outsole I thought it would be average at best due to the pattern but to my surprise they played well above average....are they as good as the Jordan 28's traction no...is that a bad thing..not at all.  Whether your a slasher making hard cuts every time down the floor or a spot up shoot coming hard off screens you won't have an issue in the traction department because its very reliable.

RATING 9.5/10

CUSHION - This year the the newest addition to the Jordan line skipped out on the zoom unit in the heel so this is technically a downgrade from last years model, to be honest though while playing on court this wasn't something that I noticed.  In the forefoot they still utilized unlocked zoom except they switched the placement of the zoom bags to what has been said to prevent the popping of the bags.  With the 28 there was a small amount of getting used to a protruding forefoot zoom unit whereas with the 29s the unit was brought in a few millimetres to make for an overall smoother transition.   Did the no zoom in the heel initially bug me?....yes, but to my surprise while playing in these i still felt adequate compression due to the foam they used and a small cut out on the bottom to let the heel flex naturally.  I play off of my forefoot and and have a quick first step and the bouncy feeling while playing  in these is something else, this years set up is A1.  

Rating 9.5/10

VENTILATION - Ventilation on the Air Jordan XX9 is nothing to write home about.  My feet weren't soaking wet when finished playing but they weren't dry either.   The woven upper tends to restrict air flow from escaping which led to them heating up a little bit nothing that was uncomfortable and nothing that caused blisters.  If JB could some how incorporate Dry-Fit technology or have certain areas that were more open for air flow I believe this would be an improvement.  To be short and sweet this obviously wasn't a key focus point on the shoe due to the woven upper providing such a locked down fit yet sacrificing the shoes breathability.

Rating 5/10

SUPPORT/LOCKDOWN - To be completely honest when I held this shoe on launch day I really thought that this years flight plate was a draw back from last years but to my surprise I actually like this years rendition much better.  The shoe is not decoupled this year but instead connected by a small piece JB calls a tendril.  There is a TPU plate, outriggers and a heel counter making sure your every move has you covered.  The upper has give where needed and has tighter strands for key points where the foot needs more support.  I've used all leather, patent leather, fuse and fly wire uppers and non of this compare to what this feels like and believe me that is a good thing.  In my 25 + hrs in the gym with these there was no need to adjust the shoes after lacing them up, they were good to go with zero heel slip or dead areas.

Rating 9.5/10

FIT - These shoes fit true to size.  I wear a 10.5 in all my on court basketball shoes and these were no different.  No glue or fuse are used only an all woven fabric upper which is hard to believe but JB pulled it off.  Think of Flyknit but on steroids, I know it sounds crazy but the fit is just like a sock on these.  You honestly forget you have a shoe on while playing in these, they fit amazing and are the lightest AJ to date with the weight at just 12.7 OZ.

Rating 10/10

OVERALL - I would recommend these to anyone from the 1-4 positions and maybe even at 5.  If you can bite the bullet and pay $225 US (or $260 for us Canadians) then do it, the technology packed into this shoe is second to none.  I purchased these here in Canada on a friends discount for $205 after taxes but I can honestly say I will be picking up another pair down the road for retail easily.  With the fit and amazing forefoot zoom these are easily my go to shoe and have made me put down my 3 pairs of 28s and almost make me instantly forget they existed.  With the release of more colourways in the coming months these should be an easy grab if you run to your local shop, trust me you won't regret it.

Overall Rating 8.7/10

Any questions feel free to ask.
 
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