Category: Nike

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Close look and opening: Nike Zoom Freak 2

MVP’s Freak 2 has received a lot of attention since its release. And for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the most valuable player in the league, the journey has not been very easy. You may be wondering what is the tie between Freak 2 and Giannis Antetokounmpo. And the answer is that the Freak 2 embraces Giannis Antetokounmpo’s story along the way and every detail of the shoe is worth your appreciation.

Nike Zoom Freak 2 is installed with full-foot Nike Phylon foam and Nike Air Zoom, both of which provide players with stable and effective protection and faster feedback. Nike Phylon foam offers a comfortable cushioning effect, while the Air Zoom provides players with forward propulsion during a match. But this one does not inherit the two Air Zoom cushion that is places at the back of the last signature shoe.

In the middle of the shoe a stability piece is embedded that provides stable support and balance in the process of changing direction and landing. The TPU outside the shoe and  the widened fore part of the outsole ensures a good anti-rolled-over performance. On top of that, the huge Nike Swoosh on the outside not only indicates Atetokoungawa’s characteristics; it also guarantees the vamp support.

The most compelling part of the shoes, for me, is that every detail of the shoe is infused with the designer’s ingenuity, making the Zoom Freak 2 not just a shoe, but also an expression of emotion. You can figure out that in the middle of the soles are the names of Antetokka’s father, Charles, and his mother, Veronica, which is to express his missing for his father who had passed away because of illness.

What’s more, the names of his two elder brothers, “Francis” and “Thanasis”, and two younger ones,  “Alexis”, and “Kostas”, along with his name “Giannis” are blended into the back of the outsole, demonstrating Antetokka’s close bond with his parents and four brothers. As a senior fan of Antetokka, I got moved deeply for such emotion.

This Nike Zoom Freak 2 goes on sale on July 25 for $130 and there are altogether 4 colorways available. And honestly, I was stunned at these nice colorways and I think they are much nicer than the first edition. They are more than suitable for daily outing and actual “combat”. For me, one pair of this Nike Zoom Freak 2 will suffice.

Overall

The upper design of Zoom Freak 1 reflects the bond between the Giannis brothers, which Nike also used as an inspiration in this design. In Giannis ‘s family, every individual has his/her own uniqueness. And we can see from the upper of Zoom Freak 2  that there are a lot of different materials, and the combination of these is like the family members supporting each other, which resulted in this excellent sneaker. And I am sure that this Zoom Freak 2 will be an excellent as well as reliable comrade for you.

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Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 Performance Review

I have long interested in Pegasus and enjoyed the experiences it brought me. So the minute I saw this Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37, I just couldn’t wait to take a shot and I felt quite honored to show you something regarding this shoe .

Over the past 4 years, I have worn out 10 running shoes, most of which are Nike shoes. Like many runners, I started with the Zoom fly though, it really does a help. It is safe to say that in the past 2 years, Nike has improved a lot and brought a brand-new trend for the running shoes in the market: both the technology of carbon board and the perfect combination of the thick sole and light weight are the highlights pursued by many fans.

For me who is a heavy runner, I feel it hard to manipulate Zoom fly and Next%. So I finally turned to Pegasus which turns out to be an excellent helper.

I can say without exaggeration that the first sight alone of this Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 makes me obsessed with it. And chances are that many of you will get impressed with the shoe as well. The overall shape is very smooth and all the details indicate the originality of the designer. Besides, I can tell from the shoes that Nike made great efforts in balancing the functions and the exterior design, making the shoes quite “clever”. But anyway, it is only in the eye of the beholder.

(the asymmetrical toe design is compelling)

(the Zoom and iconic logo in the insoles)

(again, the shoe tongue design is asymmetrical. It is light and wraps well.)

(the two-color midsole is a visual transition and also indicates different materials used in the front and rear parts.)

(the classic heel design)

The upper of Pegasus37 is made of double-density engineering mesh and the toe provides support in part. My feet are relatively wide and after trying the Vomero12 , I ditched the initial thought of buying it. Then I tried this Pegasus37. To be honest, I felt it did not fit my feet very well, neither. And disappointment ensued. But before long, the cloud of disappointment faded away after I started running because the wrapping in the vamp finally replaced the feeling of tightness. And the air permeability of the upper was also excellent, which made me like the shoes all the more.

Pegasus37 is equipped with Zoom air cushion as well as the React foam, and according to official introduction, the thickness of the cushion has been increased and can meet the demand of different gender. During long runs, runners can feel the steady and powerful shock relief which should be credited to the nice setup.

Pegasus37 “succeeded” the classic outsole design of Pegasus series. The texture is clear and the fact is the grip is very nice and satisfying. It is the excellent grip that increases my confidence so that I can even keep on exercising even on wet and slippery roads.

A single shoe weighs 272.6 grams. It is amazing that Nike has done such a tremendous job in this aspect with the thick sole.

Overall

Again, subjectively, the Pegasus37 overwhelmed others in its appearance; it also wins a complete victory over Kinvara and Boston with its wrapping. And its cushion is nice though, it is not outstanding. In a nutshell, Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 37 is overall excellent. And I am expecting more surprises of it..

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Nike Paul George 4 Performance Review

When I was recalling the images that PG series projected to me, it first surged into my mind that the PG series’ wrapping was excellent and the front ZOOM AIR quick responsive. However, rumor has it that this Nike Paul George 4 is very unusual. So what on earth has happened to this model? Is there something new or anything amazing?

It occurred to me that the first version of PG has had the similar black box. But the two editions differs in that this Nike Paul George 4 has its own emblem this time.

The release of Nike PG 4 has arose a heated debate. Some criticized that it is just an ordinary running shoe whereas others observed that  it’s a homage to the classic shoes. But from my point of view, I myself like it very much and I can not praise it enough.  I am given into the vamp design and I would appreciate it much more if only the setups were upgraded a bit.

This time, the vamp is designed with asymmetrical vamp both inside and outside. The breathable material with large mesh holes of the inner layer is really nice and practical. And the contrast of the different colors, I think, is  conspicuous. There is PG mark on the tongue of the shoes which is thickened as well and so the wrapping is rather enough.

At the heel, there is also a collar along with the signature of PG. Added with some filling, the shoe is sure to perform nicely in the supporting respect.

On the surface of the midsole there is a  AIR cushion,  which represents the diagram of AIR STROBEL and indicates a full foot Air cushion.

Inside  the midsole, a number and some letters and several figures are printed , indicating some specail of meanings for PG.

There is no doubt whatsoever that the design of the sole is inviting and special and is a great highlight for this shoe. As can be seen that the hollow zone in the sole is a bit big and because of this, a fairly thick Phylon is obviously seen.

The indentation in the outsole continues the design of the pit indentation in PG 3, so there is simply no need worrying about grip. In addition, there are grooves in the forefoot that increase the flexibility of bending. After all, the  midsole of this PG 4 is thick enough. But the downside is that the relative reactivity is not nice. I should say this is one of the few defects of this pair of shoes.

At the toe, it is the social media account of PG,  @ygtrece, Young Trece, in which the Trece means 13 in Spanish.

In the midsole of PG 4, the AIR SOLE area is expanded into a full-sole cushion, which has been mentioned. In comparison with that of AJ 12 or AF 1, it is far larger.

Below shows you the structure of the PG 4 and you can check or do some research if you are interested in this picture. 

The shoe type of this shoe is a bit slender, so it is recommended that you choose a bigger size if you are to buy it. Using zipper vamp + sock cover type inside, the overall covering is quite good, but the vamp support is weak especially with the addition of the large mesh holes inside. And notwithstanding the large Phylon, the reactivity and stability are not the shoe’s strengths.

Overall；

The characteristic of this PG 4 always reminds me of KD11  which is very soft but does a bad job in stability. It is suitable for those who like shooting. It’s a completely different type of shoes compared with  the first several editions of PG shoes and  the grip is great and I am sure the future editions will continue these advantages. For those who love reactivity and stability, I think you might as well try other shoes;but overall it has done a nice job.

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Nike Adapt BB 2.0 Performance Review

I’ve just got this Nike Adapt BB 2.0 lately and after some testing, I think I have a say in talking about the shoes’  performances and it just turned out that the shoes have stood up to my intense tests. Here I am gonna to talk about it at large, so just keep on reading.

This is Nike Adapt BB 2.0 and its shoe box, having a different pattern on the surface,  is the same size as that of the Adapt Huarache.

You must get surprised at its price if you go checking it on the Internet because you can not even imagine that figure. You are gonna to be shocked.

The very first feeling I got when I was holding it in my hand was “how could it be so heavy!” You couldn’t even imagine how disappointed I was at the moment. While the previous version of Adapt BB wasn’t that lightweight, this pair of Nike Adapt BB 2.0 in my hand is obviously much heavier.  And I think the heavy weight is largely due to the TPU on the midfoot and the heel part. However, after my testing the shoes, I felt relieved because I found that: be a shoe ever so heavy, it is performing nicely most of the time and in other respects and it lives up to the title of “good companion”.

Unlike the Flyknit 1.0, Nike Adapt BB 2.0  uses a rubber-mesh vamp that improves durability. It sounds nice, right? However, the there is a flaw: the texture does not feel very good and if you care little about this, I don’t think it will be a deal breaker.

As is shown in the picture that the two versions have a similar shoe type which is pleasing to the eye. However, since the picture is here, some will make comparisons between the two and that is what I am going to do as well. The price of 1.0 has been  somewhat shocking let alone that of the second edition. So we’ll feel it a matter of course that Nike Adapt BB 2.0  should at least improve the quality of its setups whereas the fact turns out to be the opposite. Instead of reducing the price, it has even increased its price by $50.

However, let’s look at it from a different perspective. The main reason I only wore this pair 1.0 for a short time is that its wrapping really bothered me greatly so that I had to put it in my shoe closet and seldom take it out. As for the Nike Adapt BB 2.0, it attracts me in that its  split tongue design as well as the tpu in the collar make it very easy for me to put the shoes on and take them off. And what’s more fascinating is it has much more fantastic wrapping than the first version. But this, I think, may not be preferred by everyone because some may not like the tight feeling.

Another point is the  Nike Adapt BB 2.0 is very soft, which can be obviously felt as soon as you  out it on. And here I recommend you this Nike Adapt BB 2.0 if you want to try the v series. But if you want a pair of top combat shoes on the market, then I think KD12 will be more suitable.

Overall:
One fatal problem of the shoe is there are many people consider it not cost-effective compared with oth shoes on the market. Anyway, whether a shoe suits you only you know, so do not go with the tide blindly. Maybe you will be given to it. To sum up, the above are all the feelings I had about this Nike Adapt BB 2.0 and if there appears to be more details not mentioned in the above, I shall share them with you as soon as possible.

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Nike Kyrie 5 VS Kyrie 6 Performance Review

If you are a fan of Nike Kyrie, you must be very familiar with the Kyrie 5 and even if you are not, you also might have learnt the popularity of Kyrie 5 because it had aroused  heated debates in  the society before it was launched. So when Kyrie 6 was released, people all had high expectation of it. Then how about its actual performance?

The heel, the velcro strap, the front part, the tongue and the upper are respectively made of 5 different materials, all of them much more solid than that of PG3 I wear oftenest. Besides, the texture of the shoe feels rather nice especially the heel part. What’s more, for my money, it is the plastic reinforcement of the fore part that attracts me most, bringing less pressure to my feet.

As regards the wrapping of Kyrie 6, it is excellent. Those having been used to the wrapping of Kyrie 5, certainly, will perfectly adapted to Kyrie 6’s wrapping. A highlight of the shoe is the asymmetric shoelaces which is designed to enhance wrapping.

For the cushioning, Air Zoom Turbo performs no worse than that of the Kyrie 5. Since I chanced to have both Kyrie 5 and Kyrie 6, I think I have a say in this respect. Based on the ground of my experience, the cushions of the two pair of shoes are fantastic and they are advantages of the shoes.

Kyrie 6 starts up very quickly, which is more than suitable for some players seeking speed. However, you had better choose a suitable size with some efforts because the size of Kyrie 6 tends to be a bit smaller than really is. And if you by mistake have bought a unsuitable size, you’ll feel the fore part somewhat spacious. So here I highly recommend you go and try the shoe on store.

It is widely said that Kyrie 6 continues to maintain the nice anti-rollover performance of previous versions. For this part, I haven’t come across any related problem but you can as well expect something of it. Some users comment that the shoe is very stable and the tusklike anti-rollover design is evidence. So whether on court or out of court, we can see that Nike has always been sparing no efforts in improving Kyrie series.

It is normal that many people will concern about the durability of the shoe and the outsole. After all, it is the sneaker that will accompany us on the “fierce” courts. So when it comes to the durability, I always attach great importance to it. The outsole is made of XDR and after 6 hours’ playing, it showed no scratches or wear. This is a reliable partner you can fall your back on.

To sum up, Kyrie 6 is a far cry from the previous editions. It has been upgraded greatly. The appearance is nice and there are some other colorways for you to pick up. Over time many people will ask me a question, “Is there any model that attracts you most?” My answer must be Kyrie 5 and Kyrie 6 because it is they that are the most reliable and helpful companions fore me.

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Nike Kyrie 6 Performance Review

On the basketball court, In addition to the fantastic dunk  that receives much popularity, the changeable Crossover is also a big point of interest that catches the audience’s eyes and can win their applause. At this point I guess you might have thought of Kyrie Irving. And in order to suit the style of Kyrie Irving, Nike has also released a brand-new pair of signature shoes: the Nike Kyrie 6.

As can be seen in the picture that Nike Kyrie 6’s  toe design is relatively flat, so I have to pick a bigger size and here I must suggest you all that you had better go to stores and have a try in case you buy a unsuitable size in one go and then you will get bothered.

The Kyrie 6 is overall a comfortable shoe. The interior part of the shoe is filled with foam lining and so is the case for the shoe tongue.

The upper is mainly divided into two parts by the mesh in the forefoot and the leather in the rear part. The mesh in the fore part is a bit hard though, it needs some time to be softened and as soon as you get used to it, it fares quite smoothly. In terms of the rear vamp with a padded collar, it is soft, improving comfort and support. With the enough thickness of the vamp and the shoelaces, the shoe offers a nice wrapping for wearers.

The back part is designed not only to provide support for the ankle but also flexibility, thus making it suitable for the majority of people who want some ankle protection but don’t want to feel restricted.

What has to be pointed out is that the velcro strap is a beloved setup for some while it can also be a hindrance for others. 

In this Nike Kyrie 6, the Velcro extends from the inside to outside, which as well provides some support on the inner arch of the foot. On the other hand, the Velcro strap is smooth and compatible, bringing no any discomfort. To sum up, the Velcro strap not only enhances wrapping of the overall shoe, but the overall support and stability.

Parts of the Kyrie 6 shoelace buckle have been modified: removing the Flywire design on either side of the toe. By the means will not the tight laces cause any discomfort as the previous Flywire designs have been known to make the toe too tight and uncomfortable.

The forefoot of the shoe adopts the same kind of design from the previous version, the Nike Air Zoom Turbo. But Kyrie 6 differs from Nike Air Zoom Turbo in that its  ZOOM TURBO in the midsole can bounce back significantly when pressed and it responds quickly as well in terms of emergency and start-ups.

However ,it is sad that Kyrie 6 does not improve much with respect to the cushioning in the rear midsole. Compared with the previous ones, the midsole foam will be a bit softer but when it comes to the cushioning performance, then it is not that satisfying.

Because Kyrie 6 is a signature shoe, it has its own features that can not be seen in other shoes, say, the grip system. The outsole pattern characterizes with an all-seeing eye and multi-angle flytrap leaf design to provide excellent and multi-angle grip. With the addition of XDR durable rubber, no matter in indoor or outdoor basketball court KYRIE 6 can rise to the occasion.

Well, some of you must have found a number of details that inherits from the previous editions, say, the Hamsa, All-seeing Eye and  his motto, Hungry and Humble, indicating his personal style and belief in his family.

Some people must feel the shoe rather familiar. Well, this is quite normal for the design of the Kyrie 6 was also inspired by and referenced in detail by the NIKE AIR YEEZY 2 which is also one of Kyrie Irving’s favorite shoe.

Overall

To sum up, the Kyrie 6 is a nice companion on court. It offers excellent grip, sufficient wrapping and support. The forefoot AIR ZOOM TURBO cushion responds nicely and the velcro strap to some extent increases the level of the appearance notwithstanding the midsole foam that requires more improving. You can just have a try or if you happen to be  a fan of KYRIE IRVING, then I am sure it will win over your love easily.