Relentless..
Most players work on their games during the off season.Most players peak at a certain point and that's about it.Kobe Bryant is certainly not one of those players,even at the age of 32, it seems like he comes back with something new every off season.Watching the progression of Kobe's signature line has also been another example of Kobe coming back with something new and improved every year.In the Zoom Kobe IV,we got a low top that did not sacrifice support despite it's height and light weight.In the Zoom Kobe V we now get even lighter and add zoom air to the forefoot replacing the Lunar foam.The addition of Zoom Air to the forefoot alone should be enough to push the shoe into greatness but the designers continued to evolve the use of Flywire and take yet another step closer to the ultimate goal-The perfect lightweight performance shoe..will the Kobe V continue to improve on the signature line's greatness or will the new additions just hide that the line has gone as far as it can.
figure1note the skin like upper with molded overlays for support
I really don't want to come out and say that the Kobe V is the lightest Kobe signature shoe.Not that it isn't..it really is, but Ive been saying that since the Zoom Kobe III,and frankly I cant really express how light the shoe has gotten every year.The Zoom Kobe V continues to drop weight via losing much of the material overlays that were present in the Kobe IV.The Kobe V now sports an synthetic upper with thin,rigid molded overlays to add support to the shoe.The continued evolution of Flywire now extends from the ankle bone to the forefoot.The shoe cuts the weight and material to fit more sock like without sacrificing support.More material was taken from the tongue and replaced with a super thin layer of Sphere Dri Fit material for excellent breathability.In an effort to increase breathability,perforations on the medial side of the shoe and the toe box help the primarily synthetic upper breathe.Even the TPU heel counter was reduced to drop weight and the Kobe V compensates with the phylon midsole adding additional support and cradling the heel providing excellent support.The Dynamic fit tongue provides a snug fit over the top of the forefoot and wicking moisture off of the top of the foot.Those with wide feet may want to try on the shoe prior to purchase.Normally I can go up half a size on a shoe if it runs a bit narrow.The Kobe V gives no relief when going up in size for width.That being said I have wider feet and while extremely snug straight out of the box,I found the synthetic upper broke in after about 4-5 hours of wear.That being said,not really a shoe I would take right out of the box and play in right away.
figure2note the reduced TPU heel counter and the sculpted phylon to cradle the wearer's foot
The Kobe V does away with the Lunar foam in the forefoot and adds forefoot Zoom air.Over time I have come to appreciate Lunar foam and I rotate my shoes enough to keep the foam from bottoming out from extended play.That being said,the addition of the responsive Zoom air in the forefoot adds another dimension to the shoe.Where the Lunar foam was excellent at absorbing impact,it's responsiveness left a little bit to be desired.Now on hard cuts the shoe gives a bit of bounce back pushing you into your next motion.Zoom air is also in the heel providing good impact protection.
figure3note the ECG heart rate inspired outsole
The Kobe V changed the traction from the old reliable herringbone traction to an ECG heart rate inspired pattern.While I cant really say it is the pattern that effected the traction or the softness of the rubber used on the outsole that takes a step back from the Kobe IV.While by no means bad..it just isn't great..which is what we have come to expect out of Kobe's signature shoes.Traction also varied on the different types of outsoles played on.The clear outsoles seemed to not perform as good as the solid rubber compound outsoles.The pronounced outrigger once again returns to add lateral stability.The phylon midsole on the forefoot is elevated to add support and keep the foot from pushing off of the footbed on lateral cuts.A carbon fiber midsole shank adds lightweight stability and keeps the foot from twisting on harsh cuts.
figure4note the pronounced outrigger
My appreciation for the Kobe V was not as instant as it was for the Kobe IV.Mostly due to the initial break in period that I experienced.A coworker of mine swore up and down by the Kobe V's and stated he wasn't a fan of the Kobe IV's..I was pretty much on the other side of the spectrum.I like the IV's fit out of the box and not so much of a fan of the V's fairly narrow fit.As I continued to break in the shoe I really started to enjoy playing in the Kobe V more and more.The addition of the Zoom air over the Lunar foam did not completely blow me out of the water.You can definitely tell the difference when coming from the IV to the V,but the addition did not completely push the shoe over into G.O.A.T. status like most people were hoping it would.The traction issue I think was more attributed to the different outsoles used.The clear rubber outsoles again did not perform as well as the standard rubber outsoles I think due to the stiffness of the rubber compound used to make the clear soles a little more durable.
Comfort and Fit-4/5
Cushioning-4/5
Ankle Support-0/5
Traction-4/5
Overall-4/5
figure5
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