Trackstar, thanks for the solid input on the Answer IVs. It's good to know that there are a few Reebok fans here!
Thanks man. Yea, I used to have a lot of shoes (Penny IV was my favorite before the Answer IV), but the Answer IV was what made me truly study sneaker technology and ever since then it was downhill lol. If I had enough money and everything like that I would love to just hoop in shoes and review them all day lol.....
I plan on playing in my Answer IV's today, so I'll let you guys know again how things thing out. These retros started out REALLY blocky feeling, and I'm not quite sure if the OG Mids started out that way. The Answer IV's I had as a kid were size 13 (way too big for me then, even today I'm a size 9.5), and they were the White/White/Black lows, but I loved them so much I didn't care that they fit extra huge and still crossed ppl in them. I even colored them with paint, pens, markers, etc to make them the colorways I had always wanted but never got. Anyway, they start out really block and clunky feeling, but after wearing them around, running, and playing in them a little bit (around 3 hours of basketball total) you can feel them getting their "smooth" transitional feel instead of the blocky, fresh-out-of-the-box feeling. The traction is still butter thanks to the forefoot herringbone (and solid black non-marking rubber outsole). Outside of the cushioning, they pretty much perform (from what I remember) pretty identical to the OG (again, keep in mind I only had the lows in a size way too big for me, so I don't exactly know HOW the OG mids performed). I did manage to get an OG pair from eBay, but they were kind of beat beyond playability, plus the DMX had gone down to a level that was basically un-playable and only for walking lol.
Honestly, with the DMX situation, I'm hoping they improved it to where it can feel kind of similar to the old system, but provide the performance benefits foams can provide today. For example, adidas adiprene in the new adidas line is very comfortable (Reebok is owned by adidas now, btw, so keep that in mind when I speak about the cushioning...), as well as other foams such as Micro-G cushioning. If they've gotten DMX Foam to feel like that then honestly I'm all in. Would I like a feeling similar to the OG's? Yes, but I always want these to perform, and although the DMX from the past was comfortable, it got to a point to where it seemed like the air when down and kept getting lower and lower; nearly to the point to where all you felt was midsole anyway. The OG sockliner provided a lot of comfort to make up for it, but I hated the feeling of my Answer IV DMX having no more DMX air lol.
I do remember they had taken DMX out of the Answer line for the first time with the Answer VI. They then brought it back with the Answer VII, but I'm pretty sure it was the DMX Foam implementation. I know the old Kicksology site (Prof. K) had a review up of them, but I don't think anyone has that review (if someone does PLEASE HOOK ME UP, as I have the old saved Kicksology.net files but the last Answer review is the Answer VI). I know they also implemented the DMX Foam with the Answer VIII, and I can't find a review for those shoes at all. If I had an reviews for those shoes I would have an idea of what to expect from the DMX in these (I believe) once the shoes are broken in. I do know that whatever cushioning they implemented in the Answer X in the forefoot was VERY comfortable, and if these feel like those when broken in then I'm all for the new DMX system. The DMX Foam in the Answer XII was comfortable too.
Anyway, that is my input so far. I still love these shoes with a passion, I plan on selling my OG 2001 Questions to get the money for the next release of the Questions (unless my wife doesn't mind me taking the money out of our account lol). If anyone has the reviews for the Answer VII and Answer VIII please let me know, as this would help in seeing what DMX Foam feel like, or provide any input on DMX Foam....
