First impressions - after 3 games and lots of walking.
It's a solid shoe, no doubt about it. Some people might be turned off because of the looks, but it's a solid performer so far.
When you first try them on, your toes aren't really touching the ground. It's not a flat bottomed shoe, and when you step forward you'll feel aslight push towards the forefoot. I personally love shoes like this. And they hardly require any break in time. I played in mine pretty much right out of thebox, and they felt really good and comfy.
Traction is good, the outsole pattern is very non-traditional, but traction is very good. Not on the level of my XVIII Lows (the best I've everexperienced), but very good. I do play on a well-maintained gym floor though.
Very lightweight, one of the best characteristics. Feels pretty minimalistic too, a big plus for me.
Fit is really nice for me. I went half-size down, but I could see a lot of people getting their true size. I could have too, but I preferred a more snug fit atthe toe box.
I could also see a lot of people having comfort issues, but I liked them a lot. The laces might put a lot of pressure on top of the foot, I kind of felt thatat first, but it didn't really bother me, even after some serious tightening. The inner bootie/tongue is somewhat thin, but like I said, I didn't havea problem with it. And I was also wearing thick socks if that matters.
Comfort was great for me, no chafing, rubbing or soreness created anywhere within the shoe. It might be a concern because of the design of the bootie at theheel and the heel tab being completely inside the shoe, but it felt absolutely seamless for me.
They're pretty responsive, but in a firmer way. Not as hard as 2K4's for me, but definitely not soft like Lebron II's or IV's. I thinkthey're similar to the Soldiers in terms of firmess/cushioning.
The only thing that could be an issue, for me, is the stability. After I tightened them up a lot, they were fine, but ankle restriction might be an issue forsome. I love lows, and I liked playing in these, so that's saying something. They probably won't satisfy those looking for Lebron II or Kobe II anklerestriction, but if you like a little freedom along with the restriction they're pretty good at that.
