- Feb 2, 2025
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The Chinese brands are doing things that Nike isn’t. That’s why. Nike is using zoom x now, they’ve been using tpu foams for a long time now. Also easier to get those shoes. Used to have to wait a month to get them in
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Case in point:
From just 3 weeks ago. Look through the replies and 95% of the shoes recommended are chinese brands - way of wades, jokers, anta, and the few Nikes mentioned either get trashed or barely upvoted. Even mentioning the Cut 1s and mentioning Kobes - those comments barely get upvotes.
But you got people in there talking about get Joker 1s and Klay Thompsons and 361s and Aaron Gordon 4s and 5s. The vast majority of people you hoop with - nobody wears these shoes. Nobody's wearing them in college that I see. Nobody's wearing them in the NBA except the guy whose shoe it is.
I suppose it's like a funhouse mirror for how people overseas experience culture around American sports like the NBA/NFL/MLB. Everything they see they can't get, or nobody around them is wearing it or playing in it.
Like I'm sure a bunch of people in that sub live in China or these other markets and see guys with these shoes on. But saying things like "I think any WOW shoe smokes most shoes on the market nowadays" is wild.
And then one guy lists shoes and it's literally every chinese brand out there, and new balance. Just like anything to avoid listing a Nike shoe (though in a later comment they do reference GT Jumps): "wow 10 mid, li ning gamma, 361 AG5 and AG4, KT 10, NB two wxy v2, v3, nb hesi low v2, kawhi 4, dame 9, eqlz 270, mbo1, mb02 Rick and morty."
, it doesn't let you use that word.The Chinese brands are doing things that Nike isn’t. That’s why. Nike is using zoom x now, they’ve been using tpu foams for a long time now. Also easier to get those shoes. Used to have to wait a month to get them in
All this because Nike wanted to remove availability from Kobe’s. People tried and found the reps to be better than the actual Kobe’s. I still like the stuff we got here but the Chinese stuff from colorway experimentation to tech per dollar is killing the stuff we have here.
To top it off, the Kobe setup is more than a decade old. The protros are kinda it and miss. Personally don’t like how the 8’s and 9’s feel. There are just too many quality options for Nike not to step it up. GT cut 1’s are maybe the best thing they have to offer imoAll this because Nike wanted to remove availability from Kobe’s. People tried and found the reps to be better than the actual Kobe’s. I still like the stuff we got here but the Chinese stuff from colorway experimentation to tech per dollar is killing the stuff we have here.
Nike GT Cut 1 is still kinda hard to find
2mos Max of Having “Kobe’s”(reps) vs being on SNKRS and not hitting launch after launch?I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s mainly bots from China encouraging those brands. Some report almost 40% of the discourse is bots on all of Reddit. Each sub-reddit is an echo chamber as mentioned above... if you aren't with it you get downvoted and basically discouraged to participate in discussion. Not that internet points mean anything but if you have an opinion and consistently get blasted for it why would you participate? Reddit encourages this behaviour and let's mods ban people for their opinion. You can't even call a shoe "trash" on r/bballshoes, it doesn't let you use that word.
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Chinese brands are good but IMO Nike tech is still elite level compared to them and no one can convince me otherwise.
I play in various gyms in my city and hoop sessions are basically this:
1. Guys that only wear Nike
2. Guys that only wear Adidas
3. Guys that mainly wear Nike as their go to but have a few other brands/Chinese brands in their rotation.
Chinese brands definitely have the edge when it comes to design but tech wise I'm still going to give the edge to Nike. Nothing beats good old zoom tech. Zoom X is nice but at the end of the day it's still a foam.
I know people that play in reps. They say they're good but durability is a concern. Reps cost almost the same price at retail (with shipping you're paying about $160USD) and they will last you a month MAYBE 2 months max.
Can you elaborate? Everything coming out of Nike right now is based off a past model or designed to be a Kobe except the gt cut/hustle, freaks?I’m saying no Nike tech isn’t elite. The competition has caught up, matched, or surpassed what Nike has to offer. I’m a “Nike guy”, but I’m not going to dance around the fact. Design is where I still have Nike on top, and to me, that means a lot
Only dropped on footlocker and SNKRSHaving a hard time finding an 11, footlocker/snkrs any other places?
Sure, of course preference plays a part, but there’s nothing Nike has got that other companies don’t minus zoom bags. Zoom is more than 20 years old. Midsole foams are great across all brands really. You can choose what you like best, but Nike isn’t offering “the best”. They had zoom x before other companies back in 2016-17 I think. Since then everyone else has their blend.Can you elaborate? Everything coming out of Nike right now is based off a past model or designed to be a Kobe except the gt cut/hustle, freaks?
Lol. Chinese brands aren't really inventing anything, foams on the market are thesame with different compositions. Boom is similar Boost, NitroEdge, etc. The Chinese propaganda err... marketing isngetting to youI’m saying Nike tech isn’t elite. The competition has caught up, matched, or surpassed what Nike has to offer. I’m a “Nike guy”, but I’m not going to dance around the fact. Design is where I still have Nike on top, and to me, that means a lot
Exactly what part propaganda are you alluding to? There’s zero marketing for them here in the state that I even know of. I also think you’re misconstruing what I’m saying. I’m not saying Nike makes trash. And saying all foams are going to be the same as the other, literally is not how it works. With that said, nothing you said is negating what I said. There are comparable or better options with different brands than Nike.Lol. Chinese brands aren't really inventing anything, foams on the market are thesame with different compositions. Boom is similar Boost, NitroEdge, etc. The Chinese propaganda err... marketing isngetting to you
Nike Book 2 “Black Tie”![]()
Now this I agree with, If Nike leaned into the Kobe craze from 2020 to like now and made releases heavily available I think that would’ve stopped a lot of consumers from wanting to venture out and try new things because they couldn’t get the Kobe they wanted. Nike can only blame themselves because they’ve had half a decade to see that the people want their favorite basketball shoes to be more accessible and they still do the opposite.All this because Nike wanted to remove availability from Kobe’s. People tried and found the reps to be better than the actual Kobe’s. I still like the stuff we got here but the Chinese stuff from colorway experimentation to tech per dollar is killing the stuff we have here.
I mean I get why, said numerous times, but before the accident they all at on sale. Nike doesn’t like that. For us it was great thoughNow this I agree with, If Nike leaned into the Kobe craze from 2020 to like now and made releases heavily available I think that would’ve stopped a lot of consumers from wanting to venture out and try new things because they couldn’t get the Kobe they wanted. Nike can only blame themselves because they’ve had half a decade to see that the people want their favorite basketball shoes to be more accessible and they still do the opposite.
Mine’s coming in this Thursday, but will be returning anyway.Has anyone gotten theirs shipped from Nike yet? Haven’t had to wait this long in a while.