Jordan XII

Rising Sun

Originally released in 1996 it was Jordan's initial foray into establishing Brand Jordan as a separate entity from Nike basketball.It is the first Air Jordan that does not bear any Nike logo or Swoosh anywhere on the shoe although it still came in a Nike box.It's design was said to be inspired by the flag of the Japanese army with the sun and the rays during a sunset.The shoe was pretty basic considering all of the tech that's put into shoes now.Full grain leather,Carbon Fiber midsole wrap,heel and forefoot zoom air.

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you can see the inspiration of the shoe with the "rising sun" design with the ribbing.

As Jordan's first signature shoe for the fledgling Brand Jordan,it is fairly simple in it's design.No flashy patent leather or clear rubber outsoles.This shoe just looks like it means business.It is simple and rugged yet has a sleek performance look and feel to it.While simple,rugged and sleek are three words not normally associated together to describe one thing,this shoe delivers on all those fronts.At first glance the shoe looks like it might be on the heavy side but you will be surprised to see how relatively light the shoe is compared to it's looks.The carbon fiber wrap under the midsole takes away weight from the shoe by eliminating excess material from the outsole and midsole.When I first got the shoe,and tied the laces all the way to the top hole I felt some tightness around my ankle and feeling the laces through the tongue.After a while though I didn't notice the laces at all.The shoe is cut high enough to give you excellent ankle support but not restrict motion too much.The outsole also has ridges in the midfoot to help keep your foot stable on the footbed.There are also two plastic tabs above the ridges that promote support as well.While in no way would the tabs prevent one's ankle from rolling over it offers subtle support when going through one's natural motions during activity.The interior is great as well with padding for your ankles and Achilles tendon and mesh on the tongue for heat management.

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another look at the "rising sun" ribbing as well as the early Jordan Brand "logo"

I was surprised to find that the shoe is very stable.When I first looked at it I had my doubts with a lot of the rounded edges.The midfoot carbon fiber wrap adds midfoot support without sacrificing weight.I was also surprised that heel-toe transition was smoother than I thought it would be.The lacing system works well with the shoe locking down your foot when laced all the way to the top those with narrow feet and narrow heels might experience some slipping due to the shoe being a tad on the wide side but nothing major.Cushioning on the retros are better than the originals.Where the zoom air was fairly stiff on the original 1996 release,the 2004 retros' cushioning seems to be a bit softer and responsive.Traction was excellent with herringbone pattern on both the heel and forefoot area.Traction on the tiled floor was good as well.

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note the smooth lines of the shoe

Overall the shoe performed better than I expected.When talking to other people who have actually played in the shoe before me,the review was mixed.As with many of the shoes I have reviewed,the technology may be showing it's age a bit but it is still performs well.While the main complaint I heard about the shoe was that it was that it was on the bulky side,I really didn't find it to be too bulky.While I also wasn't a fan of the design when I first saw it,the Jordan XII has quickly become one of my favorites.

Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-4/5
Traction-4/5
Overall-4/5

Overall the shoe is solid all the way down the board.If comparing it to other shoes from that era there is no doubt the Jordan XII would have been top of the line.