thx for bib10's reference, I feel great to discuss shoes with you guys here. here is the rest part about responsiveness, durable and overall coment.
I didn't play too much in 21. plz take the review as first impression, there should be lots more to add. and thx for all your kind words.
4. Responsiveness: 9/10
The pilot study of IPS (Independent Podular Suspension) is reported to be excellent for folks. This unique shockVabsorbent system has provided an alternative from Zoom Air and Air bags. It was expected to extend to Jordan Brand shoes widely; however, after waiting for one year the IPS seems to be bundle w/ flagship ones. IPS is complemented by different density of PU posts to provide the apt shock absorption under your feet; moreover, the biggest difference between AJ20 and AJ21 is the Zoom/Encap air bag resting on the post in the heel zone. The sample of AJ21 I got only has Zoom Air unit instead of Encap Air bags. You may see them both in general release and I cannot tell you the feel for both. However, theres only a small piece of Zoom Air on the post so I guess it will be kinda difficult to tell the difference between Zoom and Air bag. Ill report to you once I get the general release version.
Apart from the interchangeable IPS, the best breakthrough would be the big chunk of Poron in sockliners. Some of you might know that Nike would put a tag on the sockliners for NAME/MODEL NUMBER/SIZE RANGE, which blocks the blue/red jumpman mark on the sockliners. I was going to rip them off before I played in AJ21 and surprisingly, I found the jumpman logos were made of Poron! People who would like to dig deeper in shoes would know that Poron was utilized on those high-end sneakers of Nike. Press them w/ your fingers and u will discover that Poron is a kind of material w/ high elasticity and density; it will not deteriorate its shape by time and keep providing a cushioning feel between cotton sockliner and air. Take a closer look and you will see you poron is a little bit protrudent from the horizon of sockliner and this is the first time for me to see this kind of design. Compared w/ forefoot, you may discover the heel zone of providing more obvious feeling of bouncing. AJ21 has given me the 3-layers feeling of cushioning (poron->zoom air->IPS), which is quite surprising to me. When I ball in AJ21, I can feel the all-around responsiveness beneath my heels. Generally speaking, zoom air, max air and shox are made like piece shape for distributing shock evenly. In this case, you can feel the rebound under your heels as a dimension. However, those three layers of AJ21 under your heel are getting bigger and bigger in diameter. You can obviously feel the function when you come back from the sky. After balling in AJ21, I feel that this kind of layer construction has improved the cushioning much. If you compare AJ21 with Zoom LeBron III, Ill say that the Zoom Max in ZLIII is just like a spring, which can absorb the shock and distribute it to your next direction; however, AJ21 is more low profile and fast-responding. Dunno if thats just a coincidence or not, I got the best number in blocks in the pilot study of AJ21KI even slightly touched the ball which is shot by Garrett (a good friend of mine who always shoot at the top and almost no one can touch his ball)! That just made me feel satisfactory!
5. Durability: 8/10
It is thought that my AJ21 got cracks on the outsole because this is a sample and you will not see this problem on the general release. Please stay tuned further info on
www.kenlu.net
6. Weight: 9/10
AJ21 is almost as heavy as AJ20, but it has distributed the weight more evenly. AJ20 is a low profile style in weight due to the ankle strap. Below plz find the numbers for your referenceG
zoom flight V : 1000g
aj21 : 900g
aj20 : 800g
aj10 : 800g
7. Overall:
The complicated upper design from AJ16 to AJ20 has been simplified. You might see the evolution on those AJs. However, the functionality has become more complicated. Compared w/ those AJs, the AJ21s simple upper far outweighs the complicity and AJ21 might be the one which you can put yourself into easily. Although AJ is not designed for daily life but for keen competitions, the convenience of putting on AJ21 will definitely win its own reputation. As for me, the biggest issue would be the noise from the interchangeable zoom air unit. Though it is not a big problem functionality wise, I would have love it more if I didnt hear that. All in all, the AJ21 sample has allured my mind but the general release has shown the maturity of design from NT's pics. Take the forefoot design for instance, the 4 IPS on general release would enhance the cushioning(quote from B1LLY); you can see a bigger difference on tongue design. However, the only thing that keeps me wondering in the sample version is the buckle on tongueKand you even can see that it has been changed as the buckle design similar to the tongue of AJ5.5(which I believe comes from AJ6 prototype idea). Furthermore, the invisible eyelets design on sample version might also bring you troubles when you wanna change your laces, but fortunately, it has been improved on general release. To conclude, AJ21 is the best shoes Ive revviewed in this six months. For those who enjoy playing basketball, you should not ask me should I buy it? instead of WHEN should I buy it (you know what I mean here!).
translation is done, thx for reading...it's only my thought after first wear, all comments are welcome. THX.