Nike Uptempo Motion Nash

Solar Flare

The Nike Uptempo Motion like the Nike Zoom Brave was another of Nike's limited releases.With the home white/orange/grey colorway being a Canada only release and the away black/white/purple release being Asia only.The Asia only colorway also received zoom air cushioning while the home colorway got heel and forefoot encapsulated air.It features Nike's chassis system for stability and support.Ill get into that more as the review progresses.I was disappointed that the shoe lacked zoom air especially since Nash's previous game shoe was the excellent Nike Zoom Drive.Lets see if the shoe continues to rain on my parade or if it shines bright enough to burn away those clouds of doubt.

figure1
A look at the Nike Chassis System.Also note how the collar slopes down from the top of the laces

When I first picked up the shoe I was surprised that it isn't the lightest shoe.Not that it is the Lebron IV, I was just surprised that it wasn't lighter especially since it looks light with it's high speed low drag design.The Uptempo Motion doesn't feature a dynamic fit sleeve but I didn't have any problems with seams or fit.The material used inside the shoe was very comfortable with plenty of padding around the collar.The collar slopes down from the top laces down to the Achilles tendon for maximum freedom nearly bringing the range of motion to that of a low top without sacrificing ankle support.The Nike Chassis System cradles your foot with TPU supports that cup the wearer's foot.Coupled with additional material stitched over the upper providing additional support that works in conjunction with the the rest of the upper and heel counter offering excellent support and stability.Overall ankle support is decent,due to the fairly low cut of the shoe.The Uptempo Motion's lacing system pulls the upper securely around the foot with a second lace hole at the top to really cinch in the ankle.The midsole is also internalized furthering the attempt to lower the profile of the shoe even without zoom air.

figure2
a look at the medial side and Chassis System

figure3
the shoe features Nash's #13 on the heel

As I stated at the beginning of the review,the home colorway didn't get the zoom air package the away colorway got.This was the shoe's biggest drawback where you have a shoe built to be low profile and perfect for the naturally low profile and responsive cushioning but instead was implemented with the standard Nike Air units.Asia seems to be getting many of the great exclusives in colorways and shoes lately with multiple colorways of the Nike Zoom Kobe 2 and Nike Zoom Brave.Fortunately the lack of Zoom Air didn't completely kill the shoe.I think it was one of those expectation type of deals where you know the shoe doesn't have Zoom Air but know it should.The cushioning performed well in terms of shock absorption but when making cuts and attacking the basket I was expecting the responsive cushioning I get from the Zoom Air.If it was a cost issue I would have paid another $10-15.00 to get zoom air in the shoe.

figure4
a look at the outsole

The outsole features multi-directional herringbone and a big ol' Swoosh right down the middle of the forefoot.Maybe if the Swoosh was in the midfoot where the outsole doesn't actually touch the playing surface rather than up in the forefoot area where traction and surface area is most needed for acceleration or quick change of direction.On clean hardwood I didn't have any problems,but naturally on the concrete tile I felt a bit of slippage in the forefoot area.I think another problem the shoe has in terms of traction is that the rubber compound used was fairly stiff.Perhaps a softer compound would have allowed the outsole to better grip and "bite" the playing surface batter.That being said the stiffer rubber compound should make the shoe an excellent performer on outdoor courts.

figure5
visible is the 2 additional layers of fabric stitched into the upper for additional support.

While the shoe was an above average performer I truly feel as if the lack of Zoom Air truly hurt the overall feel of the shoe.Maybe I'm just spoiled from playing in excellent Zoom Air based shoes and to have to transition back to a standard Air cushioning system kind of "buzz-killed" it for me.I love how the shoe gives plenty of freedom in the Achilles area simulating a low top shoe.And for whatever reason I really liked the material used inside the shoe making it perfect for no-show socks and a summer outdoor hoops shoe.

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

Overall nothing spectacular but it does get the job done.There are a number of other shoes I would probably bring out before these again.Maybe if I can track down a pair of the Zoom Air based Asia exclusives I will update the review and compare.But being that the shoe was a Canada/Asia exclusive,and fairly hard to get,look elsewhere unless you're a die hard Steve Nash fan.

Adidas GCS Decade

Combat Evolved

The Adidas Decade has been a mainstay in Adidas' line of shoes.Even as the company has evolved and advances in technology are made classic shoes like the Adidas Superstar,Decade and Forum are all updated year after year with new tech while keeping with the design of the classic.The Adidas GCS Decade has been updated with Adidas' latest tech-GCS standing for Ground Control System.GCS was first introduced in running shoes,it works much like a car's suspension does promoting stability and conforms to changes in terrain reducing stress on the body keeping the wearer's foot stable.Ill go more into detail about the tech as I progress through the review.

figure1
some examples of how the Decade has evolved

The Decade was a shoe I was excited to try out because of the new tech.GCS works by creating a ground leveling effect with the midfoot and heel being supported by a tpu shank working independently from the midsole and outsole.In this case three columns that run along the medial side of the shoe providing excellent support when moving laterally and on hard cuts by moving independent from the rest of the outsole/midsole preventing overpronation.Ankle support is definitely a plus on this shoe.Dense foam padding inside the shoe provides comfort and support.A CMEVA foam wing runs through the lateral side of the shoe providing support keeping the foot in place making sure the foot doesn't slide off of the footbed on hard cuts.

figure2
a look at the GCS tech with the 3 column setup as well as a look at the multi-directional traction pattern

figure3
a look at the medial side of the shoe with the TPU shank and GCS

I initially found the shoe to be a little bit on the stiff side during the initial break in period.Definitely not a shoe you want to pull out of the box and go with right away.After about 2-3 days of working out and light running in the shoe broke them in nicely.Heat and moisture management is good with a vent on the medial side as well as the tpu shank being perforated.There is additional padding for Achilles support and comfort.Unfortunately wearing no show socks might cause skin to be chafed from the seams on the support.Cushioning was a bit on the stiff side.With heel and forefoot Adiprene,cushioning was decent but not spectacular.Compared to the cushioning provided in the Adidas Crazy 1 the Decade feels like it took a step backwards in the cushioning department.Traction was decent.I actually expected the shoe to perform better in the traction department when looking at the outsole pattern.There is plenty of surface area for the shoe to come into contact with the playing surface but I continually experienced sliding during play on both hardwood and naturally dirty tile.After examining the shoe I'm guessing the rubber compound used for the outsole is a bit on the hard side and doesn't really grip the floor very well.

figure4
a look at the CMEVA foam wing

Overall the shoe excels stability and ankle support but was only mediocre in all other performance aspects.I was initially excited to try out the new GCS tech but was kind of turned off by how the rest of the shoe performed.Good thing the series continues to evolve.

Comfort and Fit-3/5
Cushioning-2.5/5
Ankle Support-4.5/5
Traction-3/5
Overall-3/5

Fit was excellent but comfort was not so much.Overall the concept shows promise but execution was lacking on this one.

Nike Zoom BB

The Quick and the Dead

"Quick is Deadly" is the slogan used to describe Nike's latest guard oriented shoe.The Nike Zoom BB is a no frills straight up performance shoe.The kind of shoe I love but unfortunately I've been burned by that type of description in the past.Beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to the shoe.At first glance it looks like a glorified Nike Blazer but it is much more than that.Coming with a 6 mm full length Zoom Air unit to put you closer to the ground than ever before all inside of a light weight supportive package.Lets find out if the shoe is throwing 7 different kinds of smoke or just a flash in the pan.

figure1
Note the high cut of the shoe but also how the collar slopes allowing flexibility for the Achilles

My initial impression of the shoe was eh...After reading the description of the shoe it managed to make a blip on my radar of shoes that I HAVE to pick up.A guard oriented basketball shoe that puts emphasis on speed and performance is all the way down my neck of the woods.When you first pick up the shoe you ll notice how light it is.However putting the shoe on is when you will truly appreciate the shoe.A full length dynamic fit sleeve cradles your foot and offers a seamless fit while providing heat and moisture management.The shoe is also cut fairly high but slopes down for maximum lateral support and flexibility for active players with minimal restriction similar to the Jordan XXI.The interior is lined with soft dense padding for comfort and support.However near the top of the shoe is a set of 3 lace holes that are coated and causes discomfort when wearing no show socks and laced all the way to the top.I really don't wear no show socks when playing anymore but I picked up on the problem right away when trying on the shoe.I didn't have problems with fit.I thought I might be too wide for the shoe but did not experience any discomfort.The lacing system really pulls the shoe around your foot and provides a great fit.

figure2
note the TPU heel support and difference in height from the top of the collar to the bottom.

I thought ankle support might be an issue due to the minimal use of material used throughout the shoe.The designers thought it out well when deciding where to add materials for increased support to keep the overall design minimal.The injected TPU heel support adds stability and support.The cut of the shoe and the way it seems to provide a locked down feeling of a boot without being restrictive also adds to the excellent ankle support.Alot of times ankle support is sacrificed to reduce weight or add to flexibility but the Nike Zoom BB manages to keep a high level of ankle support without adding to the weight or taking away from the flexibility.

figure3
note the forefoot outrigger for stability and the simple profile of the shoe.

Cushioning comes from a 6mm full length zoom air unit.One of my biggest concerns with the shoe was that I would be too heavy for the shoe for it to properly support and cushion me during active play.The shoe performed very well and I would have said excellent except I came down awkwardly landing on my heel and I really felt that impact.I could attribute the discomfort to the awkward landing but I feel it isn't a stretch to say this shoe wasn't designed for the big guys in the paint.The zoom air is responsive and propels me into my next step during play.Court feel is right up there with the Zoom Kobe 2.I felt the shoe working with my foot rather than resisting it when making hard cuts or change of direction.While not Nike Free technology the minimal design allows the shoe to work like an extension of the wearer's foot.

figure4
note the modified herringbone pattern and forefoot pivot point

Traction was excellent on hardwood.With plenty of surface area and soft rubber compound to grip the floor.It also features a forefoot pivot point for maximum traction on those Tony Parker like spin moves in the lane.Performance on the dirty tile was also great.I had minimal slippage and didn't have any problems making any moves on the dirty floor.

figure5
note the perforated medial side for moisture and heat management

Overall the shoe is right up there for best performance shoe this year.It's biggest drawback is that it isn't made for everyone.While support is excellent,and cushioning is great it isn't enough for the big guys who pound the paint.Guards and slashers however should rejoice that their shoe has arrived.

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

While I loved the shoe,those who like to play in no show socks may experience discomfort from the coating used to protect the top 3 lace holes.Comfort and Fitness and Cushioning lost points from the awkward landing and that those liking their shoes cut a bit lower might find the shoe a tad restrictive.Otherwise if you're an active guard who like to attack the basket looking for a lightweight and supportive performance shoe,get out there quick and pick these up.

Nike Zoom Brave

Fearless

Looks can be deceiving.At first glance there is really nothing spectacular about the Nike Zoom Brave.Initially released as Yuta Tabuse's signature shoe,Tabuse was the first Japanese player to make the NBA.The Zoom Brave was also worn by Jason Kidd and Kevin Martin.The shoe features a dynamic fit sleeve,full length zoom air and combination herringbone pattern/concentric circle outsole.It took me nearly 5 months to track down the shoe and get it imported from Asia.

figure1
note the mesh vents on the forefoot between the black and silver lace loops

When you first pick up the zoom brave you'll notice how light it is.It is actually lighter than the Nike Zoom BB which is slated to be the newest top of the line guard oriented shoe that Nike produces.While researching information about the shoe it was heavily advertised of having "advanced fitting" made specifically for "Japanese feet".I didn't have any problems with the fitting of the shoe with my moderately wide and flat feet.The shoe actually rivals the Nike Zoom Kobe 1 in terms of comfort.Its full length dynamic fit sleeve allows for a totally seamless fit.It features a mesh tongue and vents on the forefoot for heat and moisture management.It is well padded inside the shoe and I didn't experience any foot movement during play.One downside however is the shoe is cut fairly low and offers hardly any ankle support.The lacing system really locks down the players foot and midfoot support is excellent but all that does little to offset the shoe's biggest weakness in the ankle support department.

figure2
note the combination herringbone/concentric circle outsole

The outsole really helps make the shoe special.It features a combination herringbone/concentric circle pattern.Coupled with plenty of surface area for the outsole to contact the playing surface,I can't name many shoes off the top of my head that beat this one in the traction department.It performed exceptionally well on hardwood and didn't slip once on the dirt tile surface after a day's worth of mud and dirt was tracked through the gym.

figure3
note the midfoot lace loops which add mid-foot support

Cushioning is excellent,it features a full length zoom air unit that is responsive and low to the ground.I didn't experience any soreness or excessive leg fatigue on concrete tile.With a wide foot base and phylon support in the forefoot to keep the foot from moving.The midsole is actually internal in the heel of the shoe,with a perforated and raised patterned leather covering it.While the pattern isn't lasered on,it adds an extra dimension to the shoe.

figure4
note the low profile design that emphasizes speed

Overall the effort that went into tracking down the shoe was well worth it.If you are an active guard looking for a lightweight shoe,this could be the one for you...If you can find it.

Comfort and Fit-4.5/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-2/5
Traction-5/5
Overall-4.5/5

I absolutely loved the shoe.It is stable,excellent cushioning,comfortable and provides top of the line traction.It's biggest downfall is it's lack of ankle support and difficulty to obtain.It also isn't the prettiest shoe but we're concerned with performance not looks on this site.If you can find it and like shoes like the Nike Zoom Turbine and Nike Zoom Flight 2k3 you will definitely love this one.