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Jordan Jumpman 2020 Performance Review

Today I am gonna talk about the Jumpman 2020. Fairly speaking, this Jumpman 2020 is one of the most cost-effective one among my many shoes. A bit similar to Air Jordan XXXIV in the appearance though, Jumpman 2020 is different from Air Jordan XXXIV in that the former is made for stability whereas the latter is made for breakthrough.

There doesn’t seem to have many highlights of the shoes. Jumpman 2020, in fact, is not that impressive at the first sight. However, it is the “modest” style that Jumpman 2020 wants to maintain. Without any outstanding tech and impressiveness, this is what Jumpman 2020 is. But with its simple appearance, with a big Zoom Air in the fore part, it will be a highly practical basketball shoe and you are sure to have its performance in your brain.

In a new era like this, it is absolutely not surprising that almost any brand has its masterpiece and I am sure every brand can make an excellent shoe out of the previous moderate ones as long as it puts efforts into it. But the fact is you can hardly find a more cost-effective one than Jumpman 2020 which not only has a reasonable price but also a nice performance.

The designer of Jumpman 2020 did not purposely reduce its weight when choosing the materials. He simply used the net vamp with artificial leather which is quite enough to deal with most of the situations met with by players. However, there is a problem: the support of the vamp is not enough, for which the vamp is to blame  .

The fishbone pattern adopted by the shoe is simple and above all,  practical. Whatever kind of courts, indoors or outdoors, the sole can handle it easily. More importantly, for those liking a long-term wearing experience, it is good news because the sole has not been abraded even after many hours of fierce combat and running.

Some may consider the shoe as a very moderate one after knowing those details I’ve mentioned so far. Well, it is true that this Jordan Jumpman 2020 is no match for those superb ones and there isn’t seem any quite impressive feature, if anything, that must be the cushioning. This is quite a commendable part of Jumpman 2020. The Phylon in midsole plus the addition of the Zoom in fore part seem ordinary though, the combination of the two is  nice, offering a kind of feedback most people are familiar with. In short, my experience was nice for the Jumpman 2020 midsole wears more comfortable over time, as if it were tailored to me.

IN spite of the insufficient support of the upper, the wrapping is still enough. With the addition of the laces, the shoes still wrap well. As for the size, you can go to have a try; after all, the market supply should be sufficient for a cost-effective shoe.

The overall performance, though not match for other shoes in terms of setups, was quite satisfactory, not to mention the fairly reasonable price which makes the shoe all the more compelling.

 

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Kobe AD NXT FF Perfoamance Review

After Kobe retired the Kobe shoes are still being loved by NBA players either the AD series or the Protro series. Earlier report from an official media has shown that Kobe series was worn most frequently during the 18 to 19 season by most NBA players. And I wanna say that besides the charm of Kobe himself the Kobe series also beckons a lot of people by its nice appearance, it comfortable wearing  experience and above all its excellent performance. And for me, I’ve been benefiting from Kobe series for years and I am quite grateful for that. As a senior fan of Kobe I consider it necessary to own a pair of Kobe shoes and luckily I got another Kobe AD NXT FF with the  exception of those I’ve already had.

Today I am gonna talk about this Kobe AD NXT FF. As regards its performance, keep on reading then. This Kobe AD NXT FF is the third pair of AD NXT shoes and the “FF” represents the Fast Fit system which as well can be found in Air Jordan 33. The shoes named with the so-called “NXT” are those that adopt some latest tech. Take the Kobe AD NXT 360, it uses the React + Lunarlon double density insole and the new Fiyknit technology. As for Kobe AD NXT FF, it can’t be bad either. The NXT FF also equips with the double density insole which is made of React + Cushlon foam though. For the vamp it is made of plastic-like woven materials.

The information of these high tech alone made me rather thrilled before it was officially launched. Then in terms of the performance, I really got shocked for it performed that nicely that I can not praise it enough. The first impression it gave me was its super lightness though a bit heavier than NXT 360. Then after I tried it on, it just turned out to fit my feet perfectly. After pulling the Fastfit ring, I felt my feet locked immediately. And if you ask about the Velcro, I should say it is anything but a trouble and it is never just a decoration. It helps wrap and lock my feet but never will it stress my feet.

In the shoe body there is a word Quadfit, it extending outward. Due to the materials used the shoes wear very nicely and are easy for me to put on and take off.

For the insole, though made of different materials, it is still nice and I do not feel anything different compared with the one made of React + Lunarlon . Because the  Fastfit System is placed inside the Cushion I don’t feel my toes stuck in the fore part. And I believe if you get a try you will be astonished at the delicate design by the designer.

Albeit the high-top design, the fact is that its protection is not that enough whereas the wrapping is the most satisfying one I’ve ever met hitherto. And this should be ascribed to mostly the Fastfit System.

The shoe not only provides sufficient wrapping; but in many cases it responds so quickly that it can withstand the impact of the actual shock when you are combating. The Fastfit inserted inside has also anti-twisting function and the Outrigger of the forehand offers enough stability. In the process of testing the shoe there was sometimes slipping phenomenon though, but the blame lies in my style of playing. Surely there is enough protection for the guard, but often for defenders this may be a little insufficient.

Seeing the outsole you’ll find scale granular pattern in it, which is similar to that of the NXT 360. NXT FF has a relatively dense pattern, so I had expected it to have a nice grip performance. On the court with less dust, the grip performance was an ideal one and there was no slippage in emergency stop or turning, but unfortunately, it was prone to sticky dust. However, from personal experience, the Nxt 360 performs better in terms of this respect.

But for some the Nxt 360 may be a nightmare because of its weak durability. The Nxt 360 grips nicely, but it wears out easily as well. But after several tests, Nxt FF still remains intact. So if you don’t want to change your partner frequently, Nxt FF  may be a good choice.

In the past years, as can be seen that Kobe series has always been coming up with comfortable, responsive shoes. And from my point of view, Kobe AD NXT FF is the result of its efforts. Based on the ground of my experience, you might as well have a try.

 

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Air Jordan 34 PF Blue Vuid Performance Review

As a senior fan of Jordan for many years I am always looking forward to new models to be released by Air Jordan. But the fact is that I will not rush to a decision to buy a new model, but after some time’s consideration I might “take a plunge” if the shoes are found to be suitable for me. I believe that only I myself know what really suits me most, so I won’t follow the trends blindly. As for the newly launched Air Jordan XXXIV PF, I am gonna to tell you that after some time “looking into” it, here are some details I found. Go on checking then.

The design inspiration of AJ 34 comes from racing cars. Those familiar with the F1 racing cars know that the cars tend to use less material to reduce the weight of the vehicle and it is the concept that Air Jordan also uses when designing the shoes. AJ 34 has been injected ECLIPSE PLATE tech to  replace the obsolete  FLIGHTSPEED. And the midsole also equips with separated ZOOM AIR in the fore and rear part whereas the upper is made of crack resistant, lightweight and translucent nylon material. All of these demonstrates that Air Jordan has tried its best to implement this concept. With the exception of implementing the concept you might also find some elements and details of the Air Jordan IV, which hands down the essence of Air Jordan. Here are some pictures of AJ 34 and AJ IV.

AJ 34 retains the classic elements of this series; that is keep the classic FLIGHT of AIR JORDAN IV on the original place.

The midsole is designed with the addition of an anti-rollover TPU. And you can also make a comparison of different outsole patterns between the two editions.

The void design in the sole, from my perspective, is quite a nice and necessary design of Air Jordan shoes because it reflects the other concept of this series.

The first released colorways, Blue Vuid/Wroop, might look somewhat weird at the first sight. But I think maybe the designer means to leave some more room for us to imagine. In the shoe tongue and at the heel there are corresponding themes of different colorways.

For the record, notwithstanding the different colorways of  AJ 34 shoes, the materials adupted for the vamp vary but the performance remains the same.

The “j4-34,2.89-2019” in the heel is in homage to the 30 years of development and growth of Air Jordan.

The pattern on the outside of the outsole reflects the “ECLIPSE PLATE”.

Chances are that you have found the small dots in the shoe laces, which are like screws on a racing car.

Apart from that, the outsole is worth our notice. You can see that the circles on the outsole range from small to big , which does correspond to the process of solar eclipse. And a ZOOM AIR is also written in each circle, indicating the area covered by ZOOM.

In terms of the external decoration, the shoe box, I am quite obsessed with it. The Air Jordan XXXIV PF elegant drawer-type pull box design coupled with the uniqueness of virtually every respect gives me quite a kind of anticipation.

After being improved AJ 34 is significantly much easier than the previous version to put on and take off. For the particularly thin upper some may be suspicious of it and doubt whether it can wraps their feet. However, surprisingly thin as the vamp is, it wraps nicely and supports you perfectly.

Its translucent design can be seen through the heel and the thick foam adds a lot of support for the wearer. Personally, I myself prefer this part to others because I pay more attention to the thickness and stability of the heel of basketball shoes. The case  is that if something part of the shoe persuades me into buying it, it must be the excellent setup of the shoe’s support.

For wide footers and high instep ones and those fond of wearing thick socks, I recommend you pick a bigger size.

The AJ 34’s shoelaces is somewhat similar to that of KD 12 in design, but the former will loosen easier so that you have to tighten the shoelace from time to time, which is bothering.

Small details have also been added so as to increase the upper support and durability, say, the synthetic leather added to the inner seam of the shoe and the transparent fabrics added around the body especially the toe part.

The striking ECLIPSE PLATE tech in midsole consists of TPU and PEBEX. In addition to reducing the weight of the midsole, it brings good stability and torsion resistance. However, in the process of getting used to it you may feel pressed in the toe. But you will fare well with it some time later.

Before you begin your match the forefoot ZOOM AIR also needs warming up so that you get the resilience  of that setup.

The sole is designed with the traditional herringbone pattern, presenting an image that diffuses outwards. Made of XDR material you can expect something of it. This time I tested them on outdoor concrete and indoor wooden floors but the grip was no better than I had expected.  However, in most cases it performs not that bad and I think it is enough for most players.

If you are considering this Air Jordan XXXIV PF at the moment and still can not make up your mind, you may as well go for more details.  All in all, my experience with this one is not bad and above all, among my basketball shoes,  their supporting is just so so, none more so than that of AJ 34.

 

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New Balance Fresh Foam Zante Performance Review

As a well-known century-old international brand, of course New Balance has its own compelling features and has its own representative masterpiece among which the retro shoes should be said to be the most famous and popular ones. Notwithstanding the achievements already gained, New Balance is still striving hard to reach another peak; that is to make the brand a much more professional and influential one.

Concerning one of New Balance’s most professional running shoes, I’d like to talk about the one,  New Balance Fresh Foam Zante, released last year that beckons countless fans from all over the world.

Zante is one of the most popular and reputable one in Fresh foam series. With regard to the shoe box there is not much to talk about. It is an average box, nothing special. In terms of the appearance, as you can see, the most impressive part is the “N” logo. You must have found that the Fresh Foam Zante has a thinner overall shape and somewhat it looks a bit like a boat from the side, which is quite distinct from the traditional retro shoes. 

Being quite lucky to get the opportunity to try this Fresh Foam Zante, I feel rather astonished at the comfortable experience it brings to me because Fresh Foam Zante adopts the technology of flying knitting and mesh knitting vamp. Both of them, on the other hand, contribute to the exceptional wrapping at the heel. For me the shoe fits my feet perfectly from toe to heel, but it might not be that friendly to wide footers. So I suggest you have  a try on stores rather then rush to a decision.

You might find it hard to think it as a shoe of New Balance but for the “NB” logo. And if you happen to have one pair of this Fresh Foam Zante you’ll also find that the special printing and dyeing will not fall off or wear out due to long wear and use, which is another highlight of the shoe.

Besides the logo part, the materials adopted at the heel is also used to reduce friction so that you won’t feel pain when putting on the shoes.

In spite of the tightly knitted vamp which is elaborately designed, the shoe is still breathable and it warps your feet  superbly. And with respect to the remarkable breathability I deem that it should be ascribed to the countless holes in the surface. Even if you are exercising in hot summer days you simply have no need worrying about the bothering sweat for New Balance has made provision for you.

Moreover, due to the soft materials of the vamp the shoe is bent easily, from which you can elicit a conclusion that the comfort of the shoe is guaranteed.

For the supporting and cushioning  I just can’t praise it too much because the soles of the shoes are of moderate hardness, neither too hard nor too soft.

The extent of softness in the midsole varies a lot so that it not only ensures stable support, but also prevents too soft cushioning from causing the runner to slip. On the personal level, the cushioning is rather important for me because it reduces the impact of shock to my knees when I am running. And from the side the concave and convex pattern in the outsole is clearly seen. It is the pattern that does a nice job in enhancing traction and grip. For professional athletes this is of great help whereas for daily exercise its help may not be that transparent. 

As for the sole, it is made of a layer of material similar to silica gel and it feels very soft. Looking at the sole closer you’ll also find many small holes in it, thus add more breathability.

The sole is about 3 mm thick and it absorbs sweat nicely, so here I highly recommend it to those marathon participants and running enthusiasts. 

The first time I wore it out it gave me an illusion that I were just wearing a pair of socks.

For people who are used to running with their forefoot, they might feel they are stepping on a pillow for the fore part of the shoe is relatively soft.

A shoe of Fresh Foam Zante weighs about 245 grams in which I think New Balance does quite an excellent job. So you can imagine the fantastic feeling the lightness and comfort can bring to you.

Compared with some other running shoes that are characterized by exceptional cushioning, Fresh Foam Zante instead is featured with its moderate softness. Hence you can choose the one that suits you best according to the their different merits.

I do not contend that Fresh Foam Zante is suitable for everyone, but that it can live up to most expectations of yours. I even wore it out on rugged roads and it just turned out to be as satisfying as usual.

Here I suggest you might as well try this New Balance Fresh Foam Zante if you’d never experienced it; chances are that you may get astounded at its nice performance and more surprisingly it will become a companion that you can count upon.

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Decathlon KD Light Performance Review

I guess you’ve got a bit astounded at the colorway of this  Decathlon KD Light. It is bright and compelling, isn’t it? Well, honestly, I am rather surprised, but exultant at the same time purely at the glance of this Decathlon KD Light. Designed for female, this fluorescent green projects a very vibrant image.

As can be clearly seen  from the picture that the outside net is fluorescent green while the lining and the shoe laces both use coral pink to form a visual aesthetic effect. Besides, the coral pink is also used in connection with the large fluorescent green upper and the white midsole. From my point of view, the tow colors match nicely, which offers vitality for this running shoe.

I feel rather honored for I can have a pair of Decathlon KD Light of my own. KD Light is the first decathlon shoes I owned and before I got it I was looking forward to the so-called “fantastic experience” it was going to bring to me. So I wore it out as soon as I got it. Based on the ground of my experience, the shoes are satisfying. The heel part and the laces wrapped my feet tightly so that I felt like I was just wearing a pair of socks. The filling inside is also friendly to my feet, which won’t cause any bother.

In addition, the upper fits my feet nicely. For wide footers, it is good news because there is extra room in the forefoot. But for matters of the cushioning, maybe it needs some more testing for I’ve just tested it several times. But I still have to illustrate the details to you. The first wearing experience was that the sole was very hard and did not give me any feedback in the least. However, after some more testing, the cushion did start working and for average runners this cushion is more than enough in outside field. Therefore I don’t think it will become a deal breaker. As for those who needs a lot of cushioning feedback I think you might get failed because KD Light is still a far cry from those super excellent ones in this aspect.

A shoe weighs only 215 grams which is super excellent and bring no burden to the feet. As for the rubber ousole, it makes me feel very comfortable. Whatever kind of outdoor field I run on, the solid honeycomb outsole grabs nicely. It seems every time when I was in need it just showed up and saved me from danger. This is never exaggeration!

On top of that, those who worry about the life span of shoes can take KD Light into consideration this time for the thick rubber can extend the life of shoes.

In my first run I chose the rubber track and after running for several kilometers, the bouncy feedback from the the Kalensole sole became more conspicuous. Since the outside layer of the shoe is made of seamless single-piece fabric it brings quite a light and breathable foot feel. Even if it was 30 degrees celsius that day I was not in the least affected.

The most impressive feature of Decathlon KD Light is its traction which has been mentioned before. With a view to comprehensively testing the traction, I even tries it out on wet days and at corners. The fact is that I literally jumped of my skin actually because it did a tremendous job when I was out on wet grounds and at corners.

Overall:

Notwithstanding the first try of KD Light, I can not content myself with it enough. I dare not say this is a first-rate running shoe, but definitely it will suit most of your requirements. Besides, it is rue that it has a nice appearance, however, once you have a try you’ll know that it is the performance more than the appearance that satisfies you. Actually,  KD Light is a nice companion on which you can fall your back.

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ASICS KAYANO 26 Performance Review

To tell the truth, I am something of an avid runner and for years I have collected lots of shoes among which I can never like ASICS KAYANO series enough. Well, you might have guessed it: today I am going to talk about ASICS KAYANO 26. For sure, it will be loved by most people. And for an enthusiastic runner like me, a pair of good shoes is to me what water is to fish, so from my perspective, it is no wonder that ASICS KAYANO 26 is a necessity for both daily wearing and combating. But let’s check its performance first and then you know whether it is the one you are looking for.

If you are a fan of ASICS KAYANO series, you must be quite familiar with most of its shoes that gather a great deal of advanced technology and this ASICS KAYANO 26 definitely won’t fail you;  rather, it may stun you in some way.

I am a “face-judger” and so are many sneaker fans whereas there are still a lot of others who indicate that the appearances of shoes mean very little to them; it is the performance that really counts. So with regards ASICS KAYANO 26 ‘s appearance, different people hold different views. But it is certain that this is a first choice for many trendsetters. As for me, the first impression plays a vital role. For one thing, the shoes’ appearance is rather compelling the first time I met with it; for another, it is dirt-proof, which saves me much time.

The good news is that this time it released a total of 5 colorways of ASICS KAYANO 26 in order to suit the requirements of various consumers. So if you are not into this one, there are still some other colorways for you to pick up.

With respect to supporting, KAYANO can be said to be on top of other series of ASICS. And among my shoes, ASICS KAYANO 26 alone is much  superior to others not only in terms of supporting, but also in other respects. Of course, the supporting is the core technology of this shoe, which is also a trump.

The supporting tech mainly lies in the midsole: the DUOMAX dual-density anti-tilt device along with the fantastic elasticity and durability of FlyteFoam Propel technology makes the supporting stand out. Wherever and whenever you run, the shoe is there to offer you the most and best supporting. And at he heel, the upgraded MERACLUTCH heel stabilizer can better wrap the wearer’s heels and improve the stability. On the ground of my experience, I can feel the propulsion of the tech which create a nice wearing experience for me. But having said that, the words, after all, are not that persuasive to some extent. Only by having a try by yourself can you know the real power of it.

Another core tech is the cushioning which is also an integrated part of the shoe. But for this tech, the shoe would have been reduced to nothing otherwise. Looking at the sole you will find that the GEL adopts some kind of “geometric cutting”, which deforms much more easily, bringing nice shock absorption.

The sole adopts AHAR+ and durable rubber to ensure a long-lasting wearing. The sole has also been integrated with the lightweight stabilizer which brings a good running experience for runners and further guarantees the durability of the shoes.

Here is a simple comparison of KAYANO 26 and the previous versions. In the picture above (they are 26, 25 and 24) 25 is rather simple in its colorway whereas 26 and 24 feel much nicer and softer. Because I chance to have these three versions, from my point of view, I prefer 26 for 24 and 25 are not so friendly to my feet. And the 23 (the green one below) has the same problem as 25 whose texture is not nice enough.

You must have found that the fore part of 26 is wider than 23, so it leaves extra room and should be friendly to wide footers.

As is clear in the picture, the heel stabilizer of K 26 has improved greatly than that of K 23. The 26 also prevails over 23 in that supporting and wrapping are essentially enhanced.

Sometimes words seem very weak. So you might as well have a look and check in the picture below by yourself.

The insole of K26 is made of EVA foam lightweight cushion while that of 23 is made of breathable and sweating-absorbing cushion. But in terms of the foot feeling 23 is much nicer because the insole of 26 is relatively thinner, lighter and stiffer.

When it comes to the overall performance then I will choose 26 in view of the nice experiences it brings to me.

The shoe’s overall performance is rather satisfying; there isn’t any bothering issue, if anything, it should be the cushion. This isn’t contradictory to what I have mentioned above. The fact is that the cushion is a core tech of K 26, but the first time you try it on you may feel cheated because it doesn’t fit my description. However, just be patient! It certainly won’t fail you: the more you wear it, the more comfortable and bouncy it will become.

Having said that, I am sure most of you will get fascinated with the shoes. Before the launching, I said to myself that “I will have a try without fail” and it turns out to be quite nice. I am a “face-judger” though, it is not so much the shoe’s appearance as its performance that makes me totally fall in love with it. So you may as well have a try.