i said i would do a follow up review after a couple times playing in these, so here it is.
sizing: i went into finish line and measured a size 13.5 (my normal size). i saw that these didn't come in size 13.5 so i ordered a 13 because i knew thata 14 would be too big. well after getting the 13, they fit about a half size big because these did not feel small at all. as a matter of fact, i have about thesame amount of space in them as the 13.5s i have in the jordan esternos and nike hyperdunks. duke said he went true to size, but i went a half size down andhad plenty of room to spare.
ankle support: the commanders have an awesome balance of ankle support and flexibility. they dont lace up incredibly high, but my ankle felt like it wassecured in place even without using the strap. once i fastened down the strap, the ankle support on these provide top notch lockdown. the stripes on theoutside really hug your foot to give a secure feeling. nothing fancy, an old school style strap, well placed eyelets, and a good fit all help with thestability of this shoe.
traction: while adidas is famous for poor traction, they went with the tried and true modified herringbone pattern on these, much like what you see on mostnike shoes that makes their traction so good. i played indoors on a dusty court the first time i played in these and outdoors the second time i played inthese, and both times these didn't let me down. i have yet to slip or lose footing, so i'm definitely impressed with adidas implementation of theherringbone, a softer rubber, and a deeper cut traction pattern that help make this shoe grip the court as well as it does.
support: as duke previously said, the insoles are flat, but the midsole has good support built-in so the insole doesnt have to pick up the slack.
cushioning: this shoe implements the select system where you choose between a PU midsole that is very soft and an adiprene insole that is much thicker anddenser. i initially liked the PU insole but i gave the adiprene one a shot just to see how they were. after playing in the adiprene one my legs felt beat up asif the cushioning was way too firm for my body. then i switched to the PU insole and immediately noticed a much softer, more plush ride. it was crazy to me howmuch different the shoe feels when you change the insoles. the midsole has cutouts under the heel and forefoot to help disperse the impact throughout a largerarea of the foot and protect the heel and forefoot which often take a beating because of a lack of fat to protect the bone and reduce shock.
another noteworthy aspect of this shoe is the transition. i was initially scared because of the entire upper being patent leather (i have the all black teamcolor). i knew that if the transition on these was anything less than spectactular i would have weeks of patent leather folding into my foot and nasty creasesin the shoe. the shoes creased a little on the inside when i walked around in them, then when i played that small amount was all they creased. the transitionheel to toe is amazing. the shoe fits so well and the transition is so smooth it feels as though your the shoe is an extension of your foot, making this shoe apleasure to play in. after two extended playing sessions, the shoe looks brand new with only the tiny crease on the inside of the shoe i made when walkingaround in them.
all in all im extremely pleased with these performance wise. there is nothing fancy about this shoe at all. it has a great fit, transition, an old school stylestrap that works well, and standard traction pattern that is known to work. if you are looking for a performance shoe with no gimmicks and just does the jobits supposed to do, these are an excellent choice.
