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I am Jim Jannard...
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Kyrie IV "Mango" (?)
Quiet drop today and Nike didn't even give it a feed. The local Footlocker didn't even pull it out until I asked. I guess it is a little strange to have someone come in at store opening and ask to buy a non-limited Kyrie at retail (actually, I had $15 VIP rewards) when a Jordan Retro ("I'm Back" 10's) is dropping the next day — but I guess that says something about how much I like the shoe.
The red Chinese New Year colorway I got last month grew on me aesthetically, and especially functionally, but I need a more subtle alternative before I'm Mr. "LOL RED FLOWER SHOES" on the street. I much prefer the build on this pair. It has shorter hair nubuck on the toe and backside better suited for a beating. While a stitched Swoosh is a throwback, I much prefer the solid/metallic look here. Tongue has a pull tab with some nice synthetic.
I like what Nike has been doing with this and the Paul George line. It's one thing to start adding nicer materials, but it only makes so much sense at the cost of function and taking a beating, as well as price point. There have been full leather builds on sneakers, and as nice as those are, it's not always necessary. With the Kyrie IV I'm more fixated on its build as opposed to the resulting aesthetic.
That being said, even though I don't hit the court that much, this is currently the shoe I'd turn to. I've said before that the rounded and articulated outsole setup is no gimmick. I tilt my feet in my other shoes and can't help but feel they're a bit outdated in lacking the feature. Nothing really moves like this. and everything about this shoe is conducive to advancing play. It's a no-nonsense upper just trying to wrap the foot. It costs less than most anything it competes with. Only thing it comes short on is being plush, but if you're grounded or have young knees that's not a glaring issue.
I don't want to sound like I'm trashing other shoes, as other offerings can excel in different respects, but Nike's measure at creating a feature just went a long way for me. I'm on that Kyrie juice.
If there was a release to be critical of lately, it's the Curry IV. It doesn't run much lower, the added platform width doesn't make a world's difference to me. The weight is nothing if the fit doesn't feel 100% perfect, and even then it gets uncomfortable with the literal absent cushioning and raw rub of the laces and fuse panels against your feet. Credit to UA for catering to Steph's preferences, but as a consumer product, it's a lot of compromising measures to net no significant gains for most people. I can't imagine the Kyrie IV's rounded setup to go unnoticed by any wearer. As petty as it sounds, it makes me regret spending on the Curry IV when speaking in the context of guard shoes. Guess that makes it less of a surprise that UA resorted to dropping the Curry V so soon, like 3 days ago.
Quiet drop today and Nike didn't even give it a feed. The local Footlocker didn't even pull it out until I asked. I guess it is a little strange to have someone come in at store opening and ask to buy a non-limited Kyrie at retail (actually, I had $15 VIP rewards) when a Jordan Retro ("I'm Back" 10's) is dropping the next day — but I guess that says something about how much I like the shoe.
The red Chinese New Year colorway I got last month grew on me aesthetically, and especially functionally, but I need a more subtle alternative before I'm Mr. "LOL RED FLOWER SHOES" on the street. I much prefer the build on this pair. It has shorter hair nubuck on the toe and backside better suited for a beating. While a stitched Swoosh is a throwback, I much prefer the solid/metallic look here. Tongue has a pull tab with some nice synthetic.
I like what Nike has been doing with this and the Paul George line. It's one thing to start adding nicer materials, but it only makes so much sense at the cost of function and taking a beating, as well as price point. There have been full leather builds on sneakers, and as nice as those are, it's not always necessary. With the Kyrie IV I'm more fixated on its build as opposed to the resulting aesthetic.
That being said, even though I don't hit the court that much, this is currently the shoe I'd turn to. I've said before that the rounded and articulated outsole setup is no gimmick. I tilt my feet in my other shoes and can't help but feel they're a bit outdated in lacking the feature. Nothing really moves like this. and everything about this shoe is conducive to advancing play. It's a no-nonsense upper just trying to wrap the foot. It costs less than most anything it competes with. Only thing it comes short on is being plush, but if you're grounded or have young knees that's not a glaring issue.
I don't want to sound like I'm trashing other shoes, as other offerings can excel in different respects, but Nike's measure at creating a feature just went a long way for me. I'm on that Kyrie juice.
If there was a release to be critical of lately, it's the Curry IV. It doesn't run much lower, the added platform width doesn't make a world's difference to me. The weight is nothing if the fit doesn't feel 100% perfect, and even then it gets uncomfortable with the literal absent cushioning and raw rub of the laces and fuse panels against your feet. Credit to UA for catering to Steph's preferences, but as a consumer product, it's a lot of compromising measures to net no significant gains for most people. I can't imagine the Kyrie IV's rounded setup to go unnoticed by any wearer. As petty as it sounds, it makes me regret spending on the Curry IV when speaking in the context of guard shoes. Guess that makes it less of a surprise that UA resorted to dropping the Curry V so soon, like 3 days ago.
