Review Request: Nike Zoom BB

12
10
Joined
Nov 18, 2002
Now that these are out, anyone play in them yet? They definitely look good on paper but I'd like to hear how they actually perform. Looking at the pics of the soles, Im pretty concerned about traction.
 
ive only tried them on and walked around in them a little bit....but to me, they feel similar to the 2k4's....i think they will perform well....as far as the traction, i can be of no assistance.
 
The traction is fantastic(on a fairly clean court at least)
They do feel similar to the 2K4's although the ankle support is better and the cushioning is also an improvement over the 2K4's
I've played in 2K4's,2K5's,LBJIV's,ZKII's and AJXXII's and the BB's are the best of the bunch as far as I'm concerned.
 
There ya go SknyDnkr. thats a pretty elite class of shoes to be with....and reggie is right...they feel really nice
 
reggie, wow!

the BB's to you are the best in that class???? that says ALOT (i mean A WHOLE LOT) about this shoe!

if it were anything like the 2k4s, i might cop a pair
but you said it is an improvement over the 2k4s, so it is a MUST HAVE!!!
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I've played in these twice so far...
my impression
cushioning 9
I love the cushioning!! But I don't love it as much as the kb2's
comfort 9
It's actually remarkably comfortable, great cut , actually maybe a new cut that feels supportive but comfortable almost like lows
traction 9
on a clean indoor court not a slip to be had
weight 9
super light but not as light as the Hyperflights which is one of my all time favorites to play in
feel 9
awesome feel, it's low to the ground, it's light, it looks good in one out of 4 colorways and it's soft out of the box.
overall 9
Other than the kb2's they are the best guard shoe you can buy right now
 
compared to the kb2s which feel more ... "substantial"

I remember someone said it was a high/mid meant to play like a low.

Does this statement hold any weight at all ? I was giong to buy the kobe2s but when I saw these,I had to have 'em.
formerly shoeWUfreak
 
Quote:
It's actually remarkably comfortable, great cut , actually maybe a new cut that feels supportive but comfortable almost like lows


thats basically what the person who posted right before you said.
 
i love the shoes. light and yes supportive. traction is pretty good. waiting to build up some cash to get another pair, but i dont know if i want to save for another mid top or lows... lows coming out in october.
 
awesome shoes. great for lightning quick players. they just took over as the 'top' shoe in my rotation. i'm pretty superstitious so i wear them in 'big' games.
------------

We only have one heart, but there are so many ways of breaking it.
 
true to size.
FS: DS Lebron IV Gold/White size 10. Send me a PM if interested.

love is taking the air less travelled.
 
Nike Zoom BB

Zooming Forward

Zoom Air technology has been around longer than Nike Talk. Zoom Air was first introduced in 1995 in the Air Penny One and was called Tensile-Air. Thetechnology itself has changed very little since, but its implementations and improvements have been impressive to say the least. There was Vis-Zoom Air,Full-Length Zoom Air, Zoom Air Sockliners, Double-Stacked Zoom Air, Articulated Zoom Air and so on. Designer Andreas Harlow introduces the latest iteration ofZoom Air and it comes in the Zoom BB, a pure performance, racing inspired, lightweight and supportive basketball shoe.

Racing is a sport of milliseconds, where a slip of the pedal, a tap too much on the gas or brake, a turn too much of the wheel could be the difference betweenthe chequered flag and being out of the podium. The same can be applied to basketball. One slip of the foot and your defender could get right by you. Onehesitation or one step too far either way can be the difference between a score and a stop. Nike created the Zoom BB to help you respond quicker and give youconfidence to make the plays that the quickest players on the court make.


03.jpg


The upper of the Zoom BB is very reminiscent of a racing boot. High cut, low profile, double lasted and minimal. The most unique feature about the full-grainleather upper is probably its cut. The ankle support offered is not that of your traditional, almost too low-cut point guard shoe. The ankle is molded andperforated on the lateral side and bulges right where your anklebone is. Not only does that help give the Zoom BB a nice snug fit, but it also helps in theoverall agile feel of the shoe considering its high cut. The inner is also nicely padded with a smooth fabric all the way around and an inner bootie with amesh top provides a seamless and snug feel while doing its job ventilating heat out of the shoe. On the medial side there is another set of perforations thatvisually look very similar to the ones at the ankle and at the toecap, a good job by Nike to use some visual themes throughout the shoe.


01.jpg


It seems like the only seam on the whole upper is the one that splits the upper from the toecap. The seam is butted also to give a clean look. The toecap isalso perforated to help disperse heat from the toes. On the lateral side of the upper, there is a pad of leather stitched into the toecap area right where thepinkie toe would be. That half circle leather pad coincides with the lateral outrigger and really helps give the feeling of a bit more support on the side ofthe foot. Nike went with a tradition lacing system that does a great job of keeping your feet locked in.


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There are a set of 3 eyelets at the uppermost part of the ankle that give the wearer a custom fit at the ankle. The eyelets are coated on the inner part tohelp prevent against stretch when lacing the shoe tight. For guards who dont need the extra support, go down one set of eyelets to the TPU eyelet. The TPUeyelet is great because the TPU allows it to cover a large area and it is placed in such a way to allow the wearer to use it as their last eyelet while stillproviding a great, supportive, locked-down feel. The shoe is a bit tough to get on at first but unlace the shoe all the way down and get a finger in the backof the heel to help get your foot in. I found the pull tab at the back of the shoe to be a bit too far down to actually be of any use. The upper is detailedwith contrast double stitching around the laces and around the top and back of the shoe. There is also an external TPU heel counter which augments the internalheel counter and helps keep the heel stable and locked in. There is a bit of a sharp or rough edge where the Achilles tendon sits. Although I havent had anyproblems with chafing or blistering, I would suggest wearing socks that cover at least to the back part of the shoe.

The racing inspiration is evident in the midsole and outsole of the Zoom BB. Zoom BB features top-loaded full-length Zoom Air in a 6mm bag, which provides avery low to the ground ride and unmatched court feel. Instead of lasting the upper to a hard material, Nike lasted the Zoom BB directly to a soft layer ofpolyester (or nylon) and the Zoom Air bag sits directly underneath it. It gives the wearer a sensation that the Zoom Air is directly underneath the foot. Byusing this configuration of Zoom Air, Nike managed to make the Zoom BB VERY responsive. Impact protection is surprisingly good considering the thinness of thecushioning platform. The sockliner is beefed up with Poron inserts at the heel and forefoot and does a great job of adding to the overall cushioning feel. Nikealso uses a layer of TPU or Pebax to anchor the shoe. The TPU or Pebax is visible on the lateral side directly on top of the outsole and also on the medialside only under the arch area. Im not too sure what the purpose of the layer of TPU or Pebax is, but I think it helps in the torsional rigidity of the shoewhile helping to maintain the overall flexibility of the shoe.


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Although there is a lack of any sort of Free technology or even flex grooves cut into the outsole and midsole, the shoe has a very natural feel and does notseem restrictive at all. The responsiveness and low profile feel would all be a waste without great traction. Nike uses a high-abrasion rubber compound with anexaggerated herringbone traction pattern. There is a small pivot circle at the forefoot that uses a traditional herringbone pattern for increased grip at thatkey area. The outsole is beautifully engineered to give the shoe a natural but stable feel as the medial side (inside part) of the shoe is rounded along theedge even at the heel. While the lateral side (outside part) of the shoe features a large forefoot outrigger for increased stability and even the heel isslightly flared for a more stable ride. This shoe is definitely stable enough for the big fellas, but I would worry about the cushioning bottoming out forplayers that are VERY heavy for their size. Keep that in mind when buying or trying the shoe on.


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Like a good racing shoe would help the driver to heel-toe seamlessly through corners, the Nike Zoom BB helps you get around defenders, or lock your man down. Ithink the calling card of a good shoe, is one that you dont have to think about. The Zoom BB does just that, the Zoom BB allows you to just play. Itsfull-grain leather upper provides amazing fit, while the molded ankle and relatively high cut give the wearer a lot of comfort and as much support or as muchfreedom they need. The cushioning of the shoe is really the highlight of the shoe. I cant remember when I ever wore a shoe that was so low to the ground butspringy and cushioned at the same time. To top it all off, the outsole grips very aggressively and gives a surefooted, stable yet natural feel with itsperfectly placed lateral outrigger, and its curves along the medial side of the shoe. The shoe reminds me of a combination of the Air Jordan XIV and the ZoomKobe 1 but with more ankle support. Just as low to the ground as the XIV and grips just as well too but doesnt have the amount of interior padding or lateralsupport as the Kobe 1 but has better ankle support and feels just as springy and responsive.

Instead of going over-the-top with straps or visual technology, Nike simply tweaked what they had already. With the Zoom BB, Andreas Harlow and Nike created agreat platform and a shoe that could be one of the greatest performance shoes yet.

Colorway Tested:Dark Obsidian/Pimento-Ink Blue
Grading:
Cushioning- 10/10
Ankle Support- 9.5/10
Traction- 10/10
Fit/Comfort- 9.5/10
Lateral Support- 9/10

Overall: 48/50 (96%) = A+

Player Profile:
Height: 63
Weight: 210 lbs
Position: 3-5

*All pictures from eBay member: kixpress*
 
Andreas Harlow needs to be their #1 designer now after this one. But whoever picked the colors to be G released needs to be fired. Now the shoe just sits on shelves, looking at people with the stupid face.

This is a good shoe, one of the better hoop shoes that Nike has put in a looooooong time, but as usual, Nike messed it up.
BASKETBALL IS A BROTHERHOOD

"but alot of the things Kobe does I would never have done."

MJ in GQ
 
Hey StormRyder, you're 210lbs, play the 3-5. Maybe I missed it, but what size do you wear? And you say it had plenty of cushioning for you right?
 
I'm a sz 12 in most nike, jordan product. But for adidas I need 13's usually

Yea the shoe definately had adequete cushioning. Its not going to give you the maximum impact protection like the air max 360 its not even as cushioned as thezoom kobe 1 or 2, but it felt good, better than the jordan XIV and XX1's in terms of impact protection. The sockliner of the BB's feature poron insertsso they help the overall cushioning as well.

I loved the feel of this shoe but if impact protection is on the top of your list, then maybe go in a different direction.
 
Cool, I'm a 12 also, 210lbs, and a lot of "guard" shoes don't have enough cushioning for me. Like the XIV, glad you mentioned it. I REALLYlike the Air Max Finisher the best of all shoes that I've had cushioning wise. But I'm gonna pick up a pair strickely for playing in soon. Thanks forthe help!
 
another good shoe that will provide good cushioning with great performance is the penny iv.The only problem with that shoe is the strap is a pain sometimes.
 
the zoom bbs r sick
ive had them for a couple months now n there excellent for cutting n really light for jumping
im 6'3 f so i like traction on cute, the traction is better indoor than outdoor but r really bad if the floors dusty
traction-7/10
comfort-8/10-the zoom pocket at the ball of the foot thins out real quick, but its still a comfortable ride, the inner material is really comfortable
construction-10/10-heel counter is excellent for ankle support n good ventilation, zoom technology is also pretty sufficient
ankle support-9/10
overall- 8.5/10-solid shoe definately one of the best out right now n at a pretty good price, even though they said its fro guards, light bigs might like thesebecause of the responsivness n court feel for footwork
 
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