Seize The Day
Carpe Diem-Seize the day.So far all of Kobe Bryant's signature shoes from Nike have been solid on court performers.Will the Zoom Kobe 2 continue that tradition or fail to act.
figure1you can see that carpe diem is stitched onto the strap reminding you to seize the day
figure2
You can see the beautiful profile of the shoe The diamond shaped cutouts on the upper provide excellent breathability and is also a homage to Kobe's daughter Diamante.It also illustrates the construction of the shoe with the phylon footbucket and the upper being stitched together eliminating the midsole.
You can see the beautiful profile of the shoe The diamond shaped cutouts on the upper provide excellent breathability and is also a homage to Kobe's daughter Diamante.It also illustrates the construction of the shoe with the phylon footbucket and the upper being stitched together eliminating the midsole.
The Construction of the shoe is revolutionary where It pushes the limits of shoe design by applying new ways to construct a shoe and how it performs.The shoe uses Nike Free technology which simulates being barefoot and allowing the foot to flex and move naturally.The use of Nike Free results in an excellent heel toe transition as well as a more natural feel when changing directions.The shoe also features Nike considered which is a process that Nike uses to diminish waste and be eco friendly by using different process' to construct the shoe.The construction of the shoe itself is revolutionary by the way it is constructed.A shoe normally consists of three parts.An outsole,midsole and upper.With the Zoom Kobe 2 the upper is directly stitched into the zoom air footbed and combined with the phylon footbucket which had the outsole Incorporated into it eliminates the midsole.Creating an extremely responsive ride being milimeters from the ground.
figure3
figure3Illustrates the Nike Free properties by segmenting the outsole to maximize flexibility and allow the foot to act naturally as well as the phylon footbucket and outsole combined to form one piece.
Figure3 demonstrates the combination of the outsole and Phylon footbucket to form one piece.The shoe also features a carbon fiber midfoot shank that guides the foot through it's natural motions.The shoe performed well on a dirty tiled floor and is excellent in normal indoor courts.Traction is provided by traditional herringbone pattern placed in 12 outsole "pods".Quick cuts and picking your way through a congested lane on the way to the basket was no problem for this shoe.
figure4
provides a closer look at the upper as well as aTPU support that runs along the heel that features Kobe's logo-the shozoko
Figure4 provides an excellent look at the contrast stitching used to make the upper into one piece as well as the TPU support which provides stability and support but also contributes to the biggest flaw in the shoe.For those who wear "no show" socks will be sadly disappointed to hear that unless you value the skin on your Achilles tendon.You will have to wear quarter socks.For whatever reason The dynamic fit sleeve does not extend high enough and creates friction on the upper part of the heel wearing the skin away and leaving your skin extremely raw.It is easily remedied by simply wearing quarter socks. The Ankle strap also adds to the overall fit of the shoe by securing your foot in place and ankle support.For whatever reason it feels like the Zoom Kobe 2 (ultimate) supports your foot better than the Zoom Kobe 2 ST due to the rigid TPU support on the heel that is not present in the ST.While the ST features a forefoot strap with all the pieces put together it just feels like the ultimates provide more of that lockdown fit.On the flipside you don't have the TPU rubbing on your Achilles tendon with the ST's.
figure5
Another look at the Zoom Kobe II and it's beautiful lines note the crocodile material on the toes.
Figure3 demonstrates the combination of the outsole and Phylon footbucket to form one piece.The shoe also features a carbon fiber midfoot shank that guides the foot through it's natural motions.The shoe performed well on a dirty tiled floor and is excellent in normal indoor courts.Traction is provided by traditional herringbone pattern placed in 12 outsole "pods".Quick cuts and picking your way through a congested lane on the way to the basket was no problem for this shoe.
figure4provides a closer look at the upper as well as aTPU support that runs along the heel that features Kobe's logo-the shozoko
Figure4 provides an excellent look at the contrast stitching used to make the upper into one piece as well as the TPU support which provides stability and support but also contributes to the biggest flaw in the shoe.For those who wear "no show" socks will be sadly disappointed to hear that unless you value the skin on your Achilles tendon.You will have to wear quarter socks.For whatever reason The dynamic fit sleeve does not extend high enough and creates friction on the upper part of the heel wearing the skin away and leaving your skin extremely raw.It is easily remedied by simply wearing quarter socks. The Ankle strap also adds to the overall fit of the shoe by securing your foot in place and ankle support.For whatever reason it feels like the Zoom Kobe 2 (ultimate) supports your foot better than the Zoom Kobe 2 ST due to the rigid TPU support on the heel that is not present in the ST.While the ST features a forefoot strap with all the pieces put together it just feels like the ultimates provide more of that lockdown fit.On the flipside you don't have the TPU rubbing on your Achilles tendon with the ST's.
figure5Another look at the Zoom Kobe II and it's beautiful lines note the crocodile material on the toes.
Overall the shoe was built to perform and it does that beautifully.It keeps you low and an unprecedented court feel while providing excellent support.One can only be excited about what Nike rolls out for Kobe next year by improving what they learned from pushing the limits of shoe design this year.The shoe isn't perfect and has a number of flaws.The Achilles problem probably being the greatest.The ankle strap at times can feel tight at times but the discomfort went away for me after a number of wearings.Also if you have a narrow foot you may find your foot swimming around a bit but it should be minimal with the support given by the ankle strap to lockdown your foot.
Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-4.5/5
Traction-4.5/5
Overall-4.5/5
The shoe lost points for the Achilles problem but is an "ultimate" performance shoe.
Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-4.5/5
Traction-4.5/5
Overall-4.5/5
The shoe lost points for the Achilles problem but is an "ultimate" performance shoe.
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