Kobe X Official Thread Elite Series ‘Elite Team’ April 18th, ‘Elevate’ May 15th, ‘Rose Gold’ June 5

i dont think the XI was a huge step at all as far as innovation is concerned. aesthetically? yes. innovation? not so much

Wasn't it the first shoe or one of the first to have a carbon fiber shank ?
 
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Also with the 8's I think part of nikes strategy was for them to wear down quick. Lunarlon bottoms out, sorry we don't sell inserts any more buy another shoe lol
 
Wasn't it the first shoe or one of them to have a carbon fiber shank ?

I think do...excuse me. I'm just a cynic when it comes to nike and basketball tech now. I just don't feel like the carbon fiber shank plate made much of a difference in performance.

When I think of huge innovation, I think of canvas to air, air to zoom air, zoom air zoom max, foamposite, engineered mesh etc
 
Wasn't it the first shoe or one of them to have a carbon fiber shank ?

I think do...excuse me. I'm just a cynic when it comes to nike and basketball tech now. I just don't feel like the carbon fiber shank plate made much of a difference in performance.

When I think of huge innovation, I think of canvas to air, air to zoom air, zoom air zoom max, foamposite, engineered mesh etc

It's a huge step considering that MJ credited the shank for extending his career. So it contained tech that would show up in every one of his sigs afterward.

http://blog.finishline.com/2013/12/20/breaking-down-the-design-of-the-air-jordan-11/
 
Yall kidding about the xi's right? The use of mesh for a better fit and breathability, CF shank, and even the lacing system were tech advances. YES, it was a big leap in tech during the time. Not even debatable
 
Funny to hear you all talk so poorly about the Kobe 8s.

Quickly we forget that they came during a period in his career where he was getting older and needed every advantage he could get at his age.

He told Nike, that he wanted his foot to be an extension of the court and that he wanted to feel the floor with every move he made.

He also wanted to cut weight and bulk and thus the reason the 8 is the lowest cut and lightest Nike basketba shoe ever.

Design was exactly what Kobe wanted and it ended up playing against him with his Achilles.

Innovative and yall sit here and say the design was poor.

Go jump in a lake.

If he was gonna get hurt he was gonna get hurt. Didn't matter what shoe he has on when that happened.
 
Flyknit has spoiled everyone. If it wasn't for the 9 Elites, a lot of you wouldn't be bashing the 8's. 
 
I've always hated the 8's.

I loved the 9's because they started with high's. I hate lows for the most part.
 
 
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 same thing can be said about the 8s. I think if these were still setup like a normal X and without the name they'd probably still sell better than the other 2 lows.
You got a point. I guess I liked the 8's because they carried out the theme perfectly. This pair doesn't really do that too much. I did like the 8's a lot but I'm not crazy over them. It was retail or bust for me on those and I don't own a pair lol.

Funny how people are blasting the 8's right now. The 8's were an amazing shoe that generated a lot of interest into the line. The 8's are what got me into collecting sneakers. The main problem with the 8's was the durability of the lunarlon in them. The 8's came out with some amazing colorways as well. Too bad the second half wasn't nearly as nice as the first half. I would love to see some flyknit 8's.

I got a chance to double up on the purple elites for $130. Debating hard on if I should do it or not.
 
There are many reasons the 8s were great. The VIIs were a disappointment in the fit department so they are discredited for being a good basketball shoe. Worked for me and a few other people. Fixing that on the 8 made them an instant hit.The patterns were an intriguing part of the design that was well liked in almost every colorway. The solid uppers were available too so there were something for everyone's preference. The comfort was a drastic improvement so that easily made them well loved, although the lunarlon bottoming out quick was a weakness. The thin tongue was the weak aspect though if you wore thicker and taller socks it wasn't an issue. The pricing was a sweet spot for that shoe with the "tech" it had.

The X EM versions were meh. The Flyknit is where it's at but if you took away the FK then the X wouldn't be getting the love that much or at all according to NT standards. I think they improved from the IX(I had a tapping noise issue when I walk) just like the 8 improved from the 7s. That's what made one better over the respective iteration of the previous. Really the X is just an updated 8 with Flyknit and higher price point. We are having petty arguments when Nike is over there laughing their way to the bank just making small upgrades and raising prices.

There will always be a this or that argument. It is called preference. Whether it's fit, colorways, cushioning, price, hype lol, etc. Next year, it'll happen again but which will the XIs top, all of them? Lol
 
Also with the 8's I think part of nikes strategy was for them to wear down quick. Lunarlon bottoms out, sorry we don't sell inserts any more buy another shoe lol
Yeah the 8 has no replay value :x unfortunate because i loved em. I had 7 pairs but am getting rid of them except i have 2 IDs im keeping. I feel like the 8s only last a handful if wears. Like 5 wears. They annoy me to wear casually because they squeak.
Just a bad set up IMO.
 
Yall kidding about the xi's right? The use of mesh for a better fit and breathability, CF shank, and even the lacing system were tech advances. YES, it was a big leap in tech during the time. Not even debatable


It's a huge step considering that MJ credited the shank for extending his career. So it contained tech that would show up in every one of his sigs afterward.

http://blog.finishline.com/2013/12/20/breaking-down-the-design-of-the-air-jordan-11/

Like I said before...I'm a sneaker cynic so my opinion is heavily weighted. Carbon fiber shank plate...I'll give you that. But I'm pretty sure the xi wasn't the first shoe to utilize mesh.

I guess I just look at it as a big step fwd rather than a game changing difference maker.

Example after nike implemented the air sole and went away from canvas or whatever cushioning system any other shoe used before, I consider that a game changer.

So blastercombo is right...if a shank plate and the use of mesh is just as great a step forward as the air sole, then there is no argument.

Oh yeah, and the Jordan x had the exact same lacing system. So don't give the xi all the credit.
 
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for players, shoes don't need to be durable for more than 1 game. if they feel exactly what they want for that 48minutes (+ OT if any) then that's it.
we shouldn't compare us and the players about durability to what the temporarily players want in feel on the shoe
Exactly.

If you can't wear the shoe for an entire season, that's not something to really wine about.

Kobe changes shoes every game, so durability isn't an issue for him.

Bottom line: they made the Shoe FOR Kobe Bryant... Not Us. Which may suck if we want our shoes to last thru a storm, but it's just marketed to us. That's All.

The Kobe 8 is One of thee Dopest Basketball Sneakers Ever.
 
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Its the durability issue. Kobe IVs had the same problem. 

My personal favorites were the Kobe 1s but compared to the newer models they feel like couches on my feet.
 
It's a durability issue for some, but never for me.

I mostly wear my Kobe 8's for Casual Use. I know current Kobe's and I know my feet, so I know what will & won't work in the long run.

I rock Lebron XI Low's for my Hooping & Gym Shoes. Better for my size & my kind of feet. Full Length Air Max is Fuego.
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Kobe 8's are very comfortable casually, and they just look too dam Good to beat to death on the playground/gym.
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