Air jordan VIII Playoffs -Sep 30th - Updated:First official look!!

[trappedintime]

I got hit with the childhood feels when I opened the box tonight. Had to bust out my copy. Remembered my little brother got these but they didn’t have my size. My first pair besides baby 1’s ended up being the Chicago IX’s. So I’ve always wanted a proper retro and these are about as much as I could ask for.

 

[Letyoufry]

Finally Aqua 485 gr size 9 (not 500)
Playoffs 550 gr.
A real deal breaker for me. I expected so much from these playoffs.
JB explain the difference please.
The quality of the paint on the outsole was 100x better on the aqua and on the BUGS Bunny, and maybe on the 2013 Playoffs.
The only thing i love on the playoffs is the outsole and the midsole, because i really have this feeling it is OG with 2 Air sole. If i touch the paint on left and right shoe, i can feel some bump of a possible Air sole unit.
On the aqua i could feel the bump on the left shoe, but nothing on the right shoe which was flat.
I also don't recognize the huarache inside. Aqua huarache was better in my memories. If someone who has the aqua to tell me if the huarache was better on the aqua if he has both retros.

 

[72and10]

Finally Aqua 485 gr size 9 (not 500)
Playoffs 550 gr.
A real deal breaker for me. I expected so much from these playoffs.
JB explain the difference please.
The quality of the paint on the outsole was 100x better on the aqua and on the BUGS Bunny, and maybe on the 2013 Playoffs.
The only thing i love on the playoffs is the outsole and the midsole, because i really have this feeling it is OG with 2 Air sole. If i touch the paint on left and right shoe, i can feel some bump of a possible Air sole unit.
On the aqua i could feel the bump on the left shoe, but nothing on the right shoe which was flat.
I also don't recognize the huarache inside. Aqua huarache was better in my memories. If someone who has the aqua to tell me if the huarache was better on the aqua if he has both retros.

While I can’t directly comment on huarache differences between 2023 playoffs and 2015 being that I sold my aquas as well, I can definitely confirm that the guts of the playoffs is where they skimped most. Compared to my 03 bugs and my 1993 og, the 2023 seemingly have almost no internal huarache bootie whatsoever, at least when it comes to function. The 03 and 93 the huarache sleeve hugged the entire foot and ankle area, felt great!

As far as your concerns with the heavier weight of the 2023, wouldn’t heavier typically mean better? Usually when you think crappy retro you think less raw material and less padding throughout… I can say the original is the heaviest of all my 8s, followed by 03, followed by 2023. This is also the identical standings for quality. Hope this helps!

Ultimately at the end of the day these retros are tributes of something and I’m happy to have a new pair I can wear around and get shades of nostalgia, even if they aren’t absolutely perfect.

Life’s short, enjoy the retro while you’re here. Cheers man.

 

[Letyoufry]

Heavier doesn't mean better for me. Air force max 180 CB 2018, Bugs 2013, Playoffs 2013, were heavy and the quality was really bad.
Aqua's were lighter for a better quality of the huarache, upper, chenille, and heel material.
If the Playoffs 2023 weighted 490 gr, those would be a better quality.

 

[perfectchaosrei]

It’s always fascinating to me what people find to hate about retros

 

[hitman243]

had to remove the insoles to save my pinky toe but now they feel like bricks under foot. doesn't feel like there's any cushioning at all. but they look great. would've preferred a bigger/wider red pull tab. looks too small visually

 

[zombiejohnny]

had to remove the insoles to save my pinky toe but now they feel like bricks under foot. doesn't feel like there's any cushioning at all. but they look great. would've preferred a bigger/wider red pull tab. looks too small visually

yeah this is one of the Jordans I have to go up half a size with. The toebox gets really narrow up at the very top.

 

[Letyoufry]

had to remove the insoles to save my pinky toe but now they feel like bricks under foot. doesn't feel like there's any cushioning at all. but they look great. would've preferred a bigger/wider red pull tab. looks too small visually

I have ever removed the lastboard of the Aqua's 2015 and the 6 playoffs 2014 pink infrared.

 

[Letyoufry]

72and10 said :​

I can say the original is the heaviest of all my 8s, followed by 03, followed by 2023. This is also the identical standings for quality. Hope this helps!

I can't believe that the OG is the heaviest shoe.

 

[Letyoufry]

It’s always fascinating to me what people find to hate about retros

You know when i watch weartester videos, he is never really excited by the retros. Even if he smells the shoes at the beginning of the video, he is never 100% satisfied.
Lot of youtubers used to say "it is what it is" or "could have been better". I'm not alone man
The cardinal 22 against the Bordeaux 15, trust me, cardinal are terrible!!

 

[OldManJays]

You know when i watch weartester videos, he is never really excited by the retros. Even if he smells the shoes at the beginning of the video, he is never 100% satisfied.
Lot of youtubers used to say "it is what it is" or "could have been better". I'm not alone man
The cardinal 22 against the Bordeaux 15, trust me, cardinal are terrible!!

You might not be alone but your’e def in the minority. 22’ Cardinals are a near perfect retro, easily the best since the OG. Same is true of the 23’ Playoff 8’s - easily the best since the OG.

 

[Letyoufry]

You might not be alone but your’e def in the minority. 22’ Cardinals are a near perfect retro, easily the best since the OG. Same is true of the 23’ Playoff 8’s - easily the best since the OG.

I remember the smell of the shoe when i opened the box of the french blue and the bordeaux!! It was just sensationnel!!
cardinal smell was ....... but i have to say the 8 playoffs, it was an OG smell and i was pleasantly surprised. But it was not enough strong. The right shoe smell was lower. And now, this smell totally has completely disppeared after wearing them just 2 times, 15 minutes.

 

[OldManJays]

Well best smell out the box has to be Infared 6’s, lol.

 

[zombiejohnny]

Anybody to discover what is under the board last? I had ever done it with the Aqua and the 6 2014 pink infrared.

I would like to know myself. Are the 6's and 8's the only ones that use board last? I only seen it on those.

 

[KanyIZZY]

So the smell made them poop.. copy.

 

[Letyoufry]

So the smell made them poop.. copy.

If i could double retros to keep one in the box just for the smell, i would do it.
I remember, even if the aqua are better than the playoffs, aqua smell nothing!! Maybe the water smell lol
The playoffs 6, still has the same smell as the first day, but it is not an OG smell.
But you are wright because the Orlando 10 smelt really good but the cushionning system was fake lol So i think yes if the cushionning system is good, the smell will last several weeks!! One the best OG smell was the Kyrie 5!! It was phenomenal!!

 

[Letyoufry]

I would like to know myself. Are the 6's and 8's the only ones that use board last? I only seen it on those.

I'm not sure of that but the 5's also has board last. So 5, 6 and 8. OG 10 had board last but not the retro.
Inside the 6 2014, it was just very very hard gum!! In the aqua the gum was really softer, and interesting to imagine a cushion.

 

[trappedintime]

You might not be alone but your’e def in the minority. 22’ Cardinals are a near perfect retro, easily the best since the OG. Same is true of the 23’ Playoff 8’s - easily the best since the OG.

Yeah the sizing and fit on those 2011 VII's is terrible. I would never call that a quality retro, especially having owned all of those and having the '22 Cardinals. The quality and fit is much better.

 

[zombiejohnny]

I'm not sure of that but the 5's also has board last. So 5, 6 and 8. OG 10 had board last but not the retro.
Inside the 6 2014, it was just very very hard gum!! In the aqua the gum was really softer, and interesting to imagine a cushion.

I feel that board last is what makes em more uncomfortable.

 

[TipsyMcStagga]

Yea I tried mine on today and could definitely have gone up half a size. Would probably be damn near impossible to get a 12.5 though

 

[forest hills]

Didn't know weighing your shoes to determine quality was a thing. I think I've seen it all now. Reminds me of the time a user here was complaining about the paint speckle density on the '16 White Cement 4s I think.

 

[OldManJays]

Didn't know weighing your shoes to determine quality was a thing. I think I've seen it all now. Reminds me of the time a user here was complaining about the paint speckle density on the '16 White Cement 4s I think.

The only model I think where weight might be correlated to quality is the 12’s. The OG was extremely heavy compared to most retros, due to the thicker leather and the internal quilting.

 

[Letyoufry]

I feel that board last is what makes em more uncomfortable.

The comfort was the same without the board last and i would say less good because you loose a important layer so your foot in the shoe is placed differently. Even if you add anotehr insole it will be too much thicker and you will have for sure a pinkye toe issue.
The shoe was still a brick. I really believed that the shoe will be more comfortable but it was finally the opposite and more dangerous.
The weight was the same because the layer is really thin.

 

[hitman243]

The only model I think where weight might be correlated to quality is the 12’s. The OG was extremely heavy compared to most retros, due to the thicker leather and the internal quilting.

Maybe one day they will give us the tank version of the 12 with the nice leather.

 

[zombiejohnny]

The comfort was the same without the board last and i would say less good because you loose a important layer so your foot in the shoe is placed differently. Even if you add anotehr insole it will be too much thicker and you will have for sure a pinkye toe issue.
The shoe was still a brick. I really believed that the shoe will be more comfortable but it was finally the opposite and more dangerous.
The weight was the same because the layer is really thin.

What I don't get is why do they only put them in certain Jordan models? I mean 5, 6's and 8's are super heavy in the first place that prob just makes em even heavier.