Jordan Zion 1

Materials: 

I can practically put my hand in a shoe, blow on it from a distance, and feel the air coming in (she said). So, sure, the ventilation on these is exceptional to begin with.

The form-fitting element is another advantage of having an extremely thin design, as the Zion 1 hit all the correct areas for me right away. Just so you know, the materials themselves aren't that pliable. 

In the end, we're looking at a lighter, less strengthened version of the AJ 34's tooling. The Zion 1's upper acts to your game with more ease in terms of weight reduction. Unfortunately, it has faults of its own, which I discuss in the FIT part.

Cushion: 

This is, without a question, the most intriguing aspect of the sneaker — a full-length Zoom Air Strobel with a touch of cloud-walking feeling emanating from a soft layer of foam.

In comparison to the Nike KD 14 or Cosmic Unity, it's like a large man's take on Zoom Air Strobel implementation. These two tough boys take advantage of Zoom Air's raw, immediate power increase while maintaining a low-profile design. While the Jordan Zion 1 is first and foremost about plushness, it quickly evolves into a Zoom Air explosion.

That didn't slow me down in the least because there was no sinking motion. It's more akin to cocking a rifle and shooting. Yes, the court feel suffers slightly, but your knees will thank you after each session.

Traction: 

The Zion 1's dust magnetism on indoor courts can be attributed to either a tight design, translucent rubber, or a mix of the two.

I was getting some major bite before the bottoms started collecting that awful material off the ground like a mop. But, unless you continually care after them, that doesn't take long.

Stepping on an outside surface exposed a different animal to the sun. My feet were always stuck to the ground with rage as they won my trust to simply let them do their thing while I focused on mine. But then another problem arose.

I'm referring to a rubber composite as delicate as exquisite porcelain. Listen, after a few shootarounds, without really playing competitive basketball, the Jordan emblem on the outsole began to chip away like a sticker. The grip itself wasn't as severe, but there were still some wear-off symptoms.

Fit: 

Because the upper lacks the capacity to adapt to your foot, choosing the proper size is a very serious task that may make or break a full shoe's experience.

As a result, I recommend going half a size down for standard footers and remaining true to size for wide footers.

If I had to sum up my on-foot experience with the Zion 1 in one statement, I'd say it's like walking on clouds in a pair of silk slippers. A quick, lightweight build with a pleasant airflow and well-rounded cushioning below.

A see-through material combination, on the other hand, is incompatible with a built-in strap system for lateral covering. Once the laces are broken, the four straps on the sides operate like four assassins on a mission to chop your feet off. The only way to avoid this is to wear well-cushioned performance socks. Even then, you'll have to dig every time you go heavy on the lateral side. But, hey, your feet won't be ruined.

Support: 

The Zion 1 should go down in history as the basketball shoe with the largest outrigger. This fat guy is 0.6 inches (1.5 cm.) broad according to my measurements, giving the Zion 1 the appearance of a wide body update.

Yes, Jordan Brand made sure this didn't happen with their footwear by armoring the forefoot of the Zion 1 with a huge outrigger and strong straps that hold your foot down tight on the footbed.