Nike Zoom Lebron VI

Return of the King

Over the years we have seen Nike try to harness the unusual combination of power and speed that comes in a 6'8 260 plus pound package that is Lebron James.Unfortunately one of the sacrifices designers have made in the name of performance was off-court appeal.Normally a little bit heavier and bulkier than many other signature shoes,a long time complaint has been "it doesn't look good with jeans.".Obviously the last thing I'm concerned about when it comes to a shoe is how it looks with jeans.A big focus in the Zoom Lebron 6 was to make it more "casual friendly" without losing performance.Full Length zoom air with an extra zoom air unit on top offers excellent impact protection.Heel cupsole to provide excellent heel support.Otherwise fairly simple.No foamposite or phyposite or support straps bells or whistles.Just simple go to work and come home in them shoes.Lets see if the Lebron 6 performs like a king or did making it look great with jeans make it perform more like a pauper.

figure1
note the laces on the top two laceholes and the padding underneath that sometimes create fit issues.

The shoe by no means is on a hyperdunk level in terms of weight.However,compared to previous Lebron signature shoes,the 6 is fairly light.The tongue and interior of the shoe is well padded.The problem is when lacing up the shoe and tightening the laces,the upper and padding are separate and does not really provide a snug fit around the ankle when laced up.A partial remedy is skipping the lace holes in the upper and only lacing through the padding on the top lace holes.While it helps the padding fit better,this method sacrificed some of the support that the upper provided especially on the upper part of the shoe where many people want a lock down feel in the ankle area.Thus making ankle support decent but not great.Something not characteristic of a Lebron signature shoe.The tongue is lined with mesh and provided decent breath ability but I still found some condensation in the foam.A large heel counter coupled with cupsole construction really locks down the heel during sharp cuts preventing the heel from rolling over.An extra fabric wrap in the forefoot gives extra support for the forefoot and keeps the foot on the foot bed.Unfortunately the fabric wrap in the forefoot is not adjustable so those with narrowish feet may still experience some forefoot movement.Again a full length fitsleeve would have helped here.

figure2
note the tpu wrap for extra heel support

Cushioning is top notch in the Lebron 6.A full length zoom air unit with an extra unit stacked in the heel for additional impact protection.Heavier players who need extra cushioning will really appreciate these shoes.Court feel was moderate at best.While not terrible,those used to having a bit more court feel might have a gripe with the 6.

figure3
note the large surface area for the outsole

Traction was strange for me.I had to bring the shoes out numerous times because traction seemed to be inconsistent for me.On clean hardwood at times I found the traction spotty.It could have been that the floor may have been dirty those days.On the concrete tile,Traction seemed to be a bit better than on hardwood.Again it may have been due to the condition of the court that day.While in both instances I was never ice skating or finding myself sliding on cuts,I just did not have the confidence in the traction.Again it could have been the condition of the court the days I brought out the Lebron 6 but if I had to average out my feelings on the traction based on the number of times and experience wearing the shoes I would have to call the traction mediocre.

figure 4
note the reflective material that wraps along the midsole

I really wanted to love the shoe.Not that I hate it.Possibly my biggest gripe was locking down the ankle with the lacing.The foam is soft and forms nicely around the ankle but getting a tight secure fit was a chore.Cushioning as usual was excellent and traction seemed to be a little inconstant.

Comfort and fit-3.5/5
Cushioning-4.5/5
Ankle Support-3.5/5
Traction-3/5
Overall-4/5

Overall the Lebron 6 was a good shoe.It had certain issues that prevented it from being great.The designers did a good job making it more "casual friendly" without sacrificing too much performance.Where the fit and sometimes inconsistant traction were probably the main issues with the shoe,the cushioning really shined.For the couple of minutes you do get when the shoe is tightened,the Lebron 6 feels great with all of the padding.It is just unfortunate that fit gradually loosens up during play.Active players that need a little bit more cushioning and still want a stable platform look nor further the King is here...