Anyone played in Zoom Soldiers yet?

[hardaway33]

I recently purchased them and only walked around my house in them, and let me tell you they are nothing like the 20.5.5. in my opinion! The Soldiers feel really stiff compaired to the bounch and responsiveness of the 20.5.5's. One positive about the Soldiers is that the single wider strap is a huge upgrade compaired to the 20.5.5. Do the Soldiers just need to be played in a couple of times to really feel the zoom like the LBIV's?
"The Way, the Truth and the Life"

--- Food for Thought ----

"A man without knowledge of his past is like a tree with no roots." - Marcus Garvey

 

[gggggas]

Yeah they need to be broken in before you can fell that bounciness!

 

[mt3130]

The Soldiers are not going to feel as bouncy as the ZL4 because of where the zoom units were placed. if a zoom unit is bottom loaded (like the ZL4), then the shoe will feel bouncy. If the zoom unit top loaded (like the heel unit in the Soldiers), then the shoe will feel less bouncy but is actually more responsive because the zoom unit is directly underneath your foot with no phylon in between.

 

[rapsa]

^nice explanation...

 

[mt3130]

lol thanks i tried to do as best i could

 

[robgotti]

they are a little stiff...feel a little closer to the the LBIII's than they do to the IV's

 

[hardaway33]

I returned the shoes and went a half size up and it made a world of difference! I normally wear a 10 but I had to go up to a 10.5 and the fit improved. Still don't feel that great just OK, not even in the same category as the 20.5.5's IMO.
"The Way, the Truth and the Life"

--- Food for Thought ----

"A man without knowledge of his past is like a tree with no roots." - Marcus Garvey

 

[mt3130]

its because the 20.5.5s had a full length zoom air and this one just has heel and forefoot units. most people think its the same, but its far different because of the placement zoom unit. full length zoom units are far more comfortable imo, but ironically the shoes i like to play in all have heel and forefoot zoom rather than the full length.

 

[deezyvsop]

I don't know how the 20.5.5 and Zoom Soldier comparisons started, but they make absolutely no sense.

The Soldiers are decent, got my first run in them yesterday. I changed into them after wearing AF25's all day and the characteristics of the shoe really jumped out. They're pretty lightweight, definitely in the lower weight range as opposed to some other kicks out, including the Lebron IV.

Fit is a huge issue for some, to me they feel like a glove on my foot, just snug all around and really tight in the the forefoot area. That feeling went away after walking in them and running, but they're still narrow. Court feel is pretty good and so is traction, the shoe looks sharp from certain angles and that appearance manifests itself on the court.

The Zoom Air units are pretty firm, but just like most forms of Zoom, they do the job right. I've only tried on the Kobe II's, but I think I prefer the fit and Zoom in those over the Soldiers. The price difference probably has something to do with that.