Nike Zoom Kobe III

Snake Eyes

The reoccurring theme with Kobe and his signature shoes with Nike seems to be that the shoes strikes on opposite sides of of the emotional spectrum,People either love them or hate them with very little middle ground.In the Nike Zoom Kobe 3,there is no compromising looks for performance.Top to bottom the Zoom Kobe 3 is a flat out performance shoe.Featuring heel and forefoot zoom air and a TPU mesh upper to make for an extremely lightweight shoe that doesn't sacrifice support.It also features Nike's Natural Motion midsole for improved court feel and heel/toe transition.The shoe has alot going for it lets see if the shoe is a contender or pretender.

figure1
note the TPU support to keep the heel from moving off of the footbed.

Honestly when I first saw the Zoom Kobe 3,I wasn't a fan of it's looks.I really liked how the Zoom Kobe 2 looked and was a little perplexed on why it seemed like Nike went in a completely different direction.The TPU upper is an interesting concept because we haven't seen anything like it before.One thing I like about Kobe's line is that they are constantly pushing boundaries.Not that the risks always work out but we can always appreciate the effort and keeps people thirsty to see what is next.Like the zoom Kobe 2,the Zoom Kobe 3 once again forces people to take a risk and move out of the "box" they are used to.If the shoe already didn't look different enough with the tpu upper,the outsole is curves where we are used to flat outsoles.When I first picked up the box I thought there was only one pair inside the box because it was so light.Putting on the shoe can be difficult when you first put on the shoe due to it's sock like construction.The padding inside the shoe is soft and lined with Nike sphere for moisture management.The shoe is cut fairly high extending past the ankle bone.While not overly constricting like the ankle strap on the Zoom Kobe 2,once again low cut socks are NOT recommended.When laced up the upper really hugs the foot like a sock.The interior is completely lined to it has a seamless fit.The Upper works well with the lacing system by really locking down the foot.An additional TPU support on the lateral side keeps the heel from sliding off of the footbed.

figure2
note the outrigger on the lateral side

Ankle support is lacking in terms of the upper being built to withstand an ankle rollover.However the The Kobe 3 has a large..actually HUGE outrigger on the lateral side to provide the wearer a stable platform when going to the basket.You can really feel the outrigger working when driving to the basket and hard cuts.Where the foot would probably have a slight roll with all of the body weight pushing off the forefoot,the outrigger keeps the foot and shoe stable.Again the lacing system works well with the upper by locking down the foot when laced all the way to the top.Where the shoe falls short in terms protective measures,it makes up for it in preventative measures.The shoe features Natural Motion Phylon midsole which allows for a smooth heel to toe transition when running.This shoe more than any other I've worn,has it been so easy and comfortable to run in.Midfoot support is provided by a carbon fiber shank which provides light weight support.

figure3
Note the Natural Motion midsole and the slight curve of the outsole

The zoom air stood up well to long periods of testing and on different playing surfaces.It responded well on cuts and changes of direction with the zoom air actually giving a propelling sensation after initial impact of my foot on a cut or sudden change of direction.The zoom air works well with the natural motion midsole by giving the wearer an extremely low to the ground feeling.Heavier players or those looking for a bit more impact protection might want to look elsewhere.While Ive worn other variations of Kobe's shoes that have had "better" cushioning,for what the shoe was made for,the responsive cushioning in the zoom kobe 3 has been the best yet in the line.

figure4
note the carbon fiber midfoot shank and the diamond shaped outsole pattern

The outsole has plenty of surface area for the shoe to come into contact with the playing surface.A soft rubber compound really bites into the playing surface but the modified herringbone pattern kind of throws off what made the Kobe line so great.While the traction is by no means bad...its just not great either.I had trouble trying to figure out why the shoe didn't perform great in terms of traction.The only thing I could come up with was that the diamond patterned parts of the outsole were too big and didn't provide the outsole with more ridges to grip into the playing surface rather than larger cut patterns if that makes any sense.That being said it wasn't terrible.Just not what I'm used to when I put on a Kobe signature shoe.

figure5
note the TPU /mesh upper

Overall the shoe is great.If you can get over how it looks.While not perfect,Ankle support is an issue for those wanting the peace of mind of a shoe being able to support them.Traction is only an issue because we've had better in other shoes in the line.Like I said above,if you're looking for support and cushioning,you might want to look elsewhere.For the picky people out there,The tpu/mesh upper scuffs fairly easily,while merely cosmetic,the shoe is already "different" looking a bunch of scuffs from people stepping on your foot doesn't help much.

Comfort and Fit-4.5/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-3/5
Traction-4/5
Overall-4/5

Yet another excellent shoe in a line that already features a number of great shoes.Hopefully Kobe and the designers will continue to keep pushing the envelope and continue to improve the line with great performance based shoes.