Never Follow
Adidas decided to retro the Adidas The Kobe that originally released in 2000.The shoe was a departure from Adidas' normal designs and was actually inspired by the Audi TT.With it's simplistic yet performance driven design does it drive like a dream?Or is it junkyard bound.
figure1
note the Audi TT inspired design as well as the low profile heel counter
figure2
Visible is the low profile heel counter that provides excellent comfort for the Achilles tendon
Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-4/5
Traction-5/5
Overall-4/5
The shoe lost points for the discomfort felt during initial wearings.After that the fit was excellent and coupled with the traction and cushioning make it an excellent performer.Not bad for a shoe that was originally released 6 years ago.Although Kobe is no longer an Adidas endorser I'm glad Adidas saw it fit to give people a chance to try out this excellent shoe(even though it was at the same time as the release of the Nike Zoom Kobe 1).
Adidas decided to retro the Adidas The Kobe that originally released in 2000.The shoe was a departure from Adidas' normal designs and was actually inspired by the Audi TT.With it's simplistic yet performance driven design does it drive like a dream?Or is it junkyard bound.
figure1note the Audi TT inspired design as well as the low profile heel counter
When you first pick up the shoe the upper isn't made out of leather but rather a synthetic material.Under the synthetic upper is padding that conforms to your foot.On the first couple of wears the shoe can be a little uncomfortable in the forefoot area due to the padding and the shoe being cut a bit on the narrow side.After my 4th wearing much of the discomfort was gone and the shoe had a custom feel to it.There is plenty of padding on the ankle area for support and comfort.
figure2Visible is the low profile heel counter that provides excellent comfort for the Achilles tendon
Cushioning is provided by Adiprene+ which is more than adequate.Although not responsive like zoom air it provides good low profile cushioning.The overall feel of the shoe is fairly low to the ground.It also features Torsion technology which provides midfoot support.Traction is where the shoe really shines.Like it's Audi TT inspiration taking corners is no problem for this shoe with it's herringbone pattern and soft rubber compound.I don't think I can say enough about how great the traction is.When I took the shoe to the dirty tile floor, I had absolutely no problems on quick change of direction or speeds.
figure3
Here's a look at the outsole which provides excellent traction
figure3Here's a look at the outsole which provides excellent traction
Overall The Kobe is an excellent performance shoe.The combination of traction and support make it top of the line.It's low profile heel counter gives you a feeling of freedom while giving you ankle support.One problem that is purely cosmetic is how the synthetic material creases easily but that doesn't take away form the performance of the shoe.
figure4
figure4Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-4/5
Traction-5/5
Overall-4/5
The shoe lost points for the discomfort felt during initial wearings.After that the fit was excellent and coupled with the traction and cushioning make it an excellent performer.Not bad for a shoe that was originally released 6 years ago.Although Kobe is no longer an Adidas endorser I'm glad Adidas saw it fit to give people a chance to try out this excellent shoe(even though it was at the same time as the release of the Nike Zoom Kobe 1).
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