Let’s talk all about Nike basketball shoe technology. A confusing topic for some, familiar for others, and even completely redundant for a good portion as they’re simply shopping for a good sneaker and not exactly interested in the nooks n’ crannies of shoe technology.
Take it easy – I’ve got something for all.
THE PREMISE
I always wanted to allocate a good portion of time and put together a guide like this simply because there’s barely anything similar out there online that’s practical, well-constructed, and regularly updated.
That’s right, even Nikey doesn’t really keep a hold of something like that for the masses. It’s been a while since I’ve been thinking about it and we’re finally here!
Let’s set it straight from a practical, easy-to-understand way that could potentially help you out when you venture out and buy your next pair of hoop shoes with a Swoosh on them.
Why start with Nikey? Pretty obvious.
It’s single-handedly the biggest sneaker brand in the world right now and 95% (I made that number up but it’s probably not far from reality) of everyday consumers lean towards what’s most popular and more respected.
HOWEVER, be on the lookout for similar breakdowns across many other sneaker brands – those are coming soon!
Sneaker connoisseurs – this will be a good one.
I. WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW YOUR TECH
Don’t let the brands sell you their shiny objects – know what MATTERS
During my years of playing sports (mainly basketball but also running, boxing & training to stay in shape), I see a plethora of different ways Nikey, adidas, Under Armour, and the rest are constantly trying to market their used technology to help their sales and also appeal to mass audiences that might not know a lot about shoe design.
And a good portion of this audience isn’t even interested in learning that stuff, to begin with.
I have to be honest, I still don’t think our favorite brands don’t do a good & honest enough job to present the tools that literally propelled them to the top numbers and authority-wise.
But why’s that even important, you ask?
Becoming an informed consumer that knows what he’s getting is far better than your regular buyer that gets hyped over a fancy new name that our friends at the Swoosh facility put out and markets as the “new THING”.
In result, that person then falls for the claims and spends more $$$ than he/she probably should’ve.
While alternatively, that buyer could’ve done just a little bit of research of what “Zoom Air” or “a hexagon Zoom unit in the forefoot” actually is, and found out that the shoe might not have even met one’s original desires beforehand.
What happens now is he/she is essentially buying a re-skin of the same shoe that launched a year ago but this one’s just marketed better. This happens all the time.
EXAMPLE: THE SELF-LACING PROPAGANDA
Let’s give an example that happened not long ago. The Nike Adapt BB 2.0.
Launched in 2020, Nikey claimed it’s the next best thing and the foundation of advanced basketball shoe technology to come. The main selling point is the laceless design which makes use of the FitAdapt technology that locks down your foot with a push of a button.
No hand interference needed and you can even customize the fit via a smartphone app.
Sounds really damn cool, doesn’t it?
Well, I happened to play in the shoe for a few months and I wrote a full review on it. I wasn’t a big fan of the automatic “lacing” system, the fit felt off at times, and the shoe is definitely hefty-feeling since a motor needs to be in place to control the fit.
Not to mention the app you customize your fit through is severely limited and only lets you choose between a handful of presets, while these kicks will run you a whopping $350 at retail.
I don’t think I need to tell you there are far better-performing basketball shoes on the market for literally a third of this price tag. Just without the fancy motors and “next-gen” tech.
And where are we now with the whole “next generation of basketball shoes”? Same where we were a few years ago. Just two Adapt shoes from Nikey that are both subpar. That’s it.
WATCH OUT FOR FANCY DESCRIPTIONS
Now, of course, a lot of people are careful, and will likely do some research/digging online to see what others think of a new product and the reliability behind the technology.
But a lot of them simply won’t.
All Nikey needs to do is put the word “explosive” or “springy” cushioning onto their shoe description and a good portion of folks will fall for it. We have to know the tech, at least on a basic level, to have a grasp of what’s being thrown at us.
A thin drop-in of Lunarlon can never be explosive. It just can’t. A 6 mm hexagon Zoom unit in the forefoot will never feel “bouncy”. If you know those things – good for you.
If you don’t – you’ll likely get excited more than you should and end up purchasing something that won’t meet your expectations.
Once you get a grasp of today’s shoe technology, you will:
- know the key differences between Nike’s used tech
- be able to better tailor a setup that you personally prefer
- future purchases will become more seamless & won’t require as much research
- end up saving a lot of $$$ since you’ll know what you’re getting (for the most part)
However, there’s one more CRITICAL factor you should know before getting deep into the tech.
II. IMPLEMENTATION. IT MATTERS.
It’s not all about the names and numbers
You might know all the tech names and have an idea of how they differ – that’s not all you should be aware of.
Implementation is key. Every single time.
Shoe A can feel very different from shoe B, while both have the “same” tech specs, based on what the manufacturers’ descriptions tell us.
But they’re not essentially the same, at least most of the time. I’m no shoe engineer/designer by any means, so getting deep into the specifics of crafting a shoe from zero is probably not the best idea both for you and me.
HOWEVER, hear me out.
FACTORS THAT GO INTO ALTERING YOUR EXPERIENCE
Speaking from personal experience and a bit of knowledge, there are a lot of other components inside the shoe that alter the way the presented technology feels and plays.
Nike’s Zoom Air cushion pods, for example, are never identical for each shoe, despite each of the shoes’ spec sheets indicates it’s just Zoom Air.
Nikey uses these Zoom Air units in various diameters, both length-wise, and height-wise, and that can greatly alter how springy the unit feels underfoot.
In addition, the actual build of the shoe always varies, so the same Zoom Air can never feel the same between the two shoes, as they’re utilizing different stiffness carriers, different sculpting for the midsole, etc.
Take the adidas Ultraboost, a runner sneaker, and the Crazylight Boost 2016, a basketball sneaker. The two clearly use adidas’s Boost foam for cushioning, but I’d be lying if I said the ride of the midsole feels identical for both.