Nike Air Max Penny IV

Penny for Your Thoughts

The Nike Air Penny IV was released in 1998.Unlike previous versions of the Penny series this version was relatively simple.No latest and greatest foamposite material or anything of the sort.This shoe was made for performance and protection.In 1997 Penny Hardaway suffered a nearly career ending knee injury and was sidelined for much of the year.Unlike some of the previous versions of the the Penny series,the Penny IV features the best support and cushioning of the series.Possibly needed due to the nature of Penny's knee injury and additional support and protection was needed.

figure1
visible is the heel air max unit as well a the fabric heel wrap which provides some additional support for a more lockdown feel in the heel.

The shoe features all the right ingredients to be excellent.Full grain leather,ankle strap,Forefoot zoom air and air max heel unit,carbon fiber midsole and speed lacing system.The shoe comes together well but it's not perfect.The full grain leather is very durable and is comfortable.The shoe features a dynamic fit sleeve for support and a semi-seamless fit.The ankle area is treated to padded and soft material and overall is very comfortable when on.Problem is putting the shoe on is a totally different story.

figure2
shows the elastic band that adds support for the ankle and the Velcro piece where the ankle strap is attached to.

One of the biggest upgrades the Penny IV has over the previous versions is an ankle strap for a true lockdown feel.The strap starts from the lateral side and wraps around the heel to the medial side where it is secured in place by a piece of Velcro as seen in figure2.From there the strap runs under a loop,through the buckle and back over to the medial side to be secured.Sound confusing?Wait till you try to put the shoe on.While the strap is excellent,it provides excellent ankle support and prevents the heel from sliding in the shoe,getting in and out of the shoe is a pain.To have to undo the strap,under the buckle and remove the strap from the velcro on the medial side of the shoe is irritating to say the least.Because you cant just undo the laces and move in and out of the shoe makes the whole process tedious.Overall the shoe offers great support.An elastic support connects both sides of the shoe in front of the tongue.This pulls the shoe together adding support.As previously stated the ankle strap really locks down your foot and with the strap wrapping around the heel area,it offers great stability and heel lockdown.Another major gripe I had was that the tongue would sometimes slip down and my ankle area would be rubbing onto the strap of the shoe.I normally wear quarter socks while playing anyways and that instantly negates that issue.Moisture management is great with the mesh tongue to help keep your foot fairly dry.I didn't feel any discomfort due to moisture or heat.

figure3
note the simple design but built to perform and incorporate all of Nike's top technology into one package.

As I stated above,putting the shoe on is perhaps the worst thing about the shoe.The best thing is probably wearing the shoe.Yes it sounds weird but honestly I loved wearing this shoe.The forefoot zoom air offers great low profile cushioning in the forefoot when cuts and change of direction are made.The heel air max unit offered great protection from hard landings.the dynamic fit sleeve with the material used for the interior of the shoes provided comfort.

figure4
note the solid rubber outsole that has been optimized from maximum traction and flexibility.

The solid rubber outsole offers good traction on most surfaces but didn't do so well on my dusty tile test.I feel the herringbone traction pods should have also been placed in the medial side of the forefoot as well to give the shoe greater surface area.The carbon fiber shank provides lightweight and excellent midfoot support.

figure5
Another look at the ankle strap and speed lacing system.

Overall the shoe is solid.The ankle support as well as overall support throughout the shoe was great.My main gripes would be getting in and out of the shoe effectively as well as some durability issues.the metal buttons on the straps tend to come off and I have had issues with the heel air max unit in previous pairs.Traction could have been better but was still decent.Overall the shoe is a great package and the designers did a great job making a wonderfully comfortable shoe.

Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle support-4.5/5
Traction-3.5/5
Overall-4/5

The shoe lost overall points due to the durability issues I had as well as getting in and out of the shoe.Otherwise an excellent signature shoe for one of the best players in the 90's.