If you know anything about last year’s Crazy Explosive, you know that it had one of the most sophisticated and awesome BOOST cushioning, as well as crazy good overall performance. Well, this year we have a new one. It’s suspicious ’cause what can you really improve on a shoe that already nails all aspects? That’s what you’ll find out in my detailed adidas Crazy Explosive 2017 review.
I’ll talk about the shoe’s tech specs, the fit, performance, the upper and decide it it’s worth the price. Let’s start the adidas Crazy Explosive 2017 review!
THE TECH
BOOST
The same SICK cushion setup: full-length BOOST within a cage for stability. One word. Amazing. More on that later.
FUSEDMESH
Looks like the standard upper version is now the stiff feeling mesh with fuse backing it up. Might not sound too attractive but find out if it performs later. The same thing is said to be used on the Dame 3 but it feels completely different.
FIT
WHAT HAPPENED?
Yep, you already know from the title. In a nutshell, the fit on the 2016 regular version seemed wayyyyy better for me. Not to say the whole shoe was better, but the comfort aspect just isn’t as strong on the 2017 model. And that has to do with a lot of things.
First, the upper is stiff as hell and doesn’t really break into a softer state. It’s not terribly bad like some full-on plasticy or synthetic uppers are but it’s just not on par with premium mesh or even the Dame 3’s FUSEDMESH implementation. It’s just too stiff man.
Secondly, the whole material construction is SUPER weird. It looks like it’s double layered, so basically two upper layers on top, which makes the shoe heavier, bulkier, less mobile and less comfortable. I don’t know what the benefits are with this kind of setup apart from durability but whatever.
Go down half a size in these if you did on last year’s Crazy Explosive. If you don’t have those, I suggest either going down half your regular size or try them on in stores since the fit is a bit tricky sometimes on adidas’s shoes.
All in all, not a horrible fit experience. The shoe doesn’t have any dead space, lockdown or containment issues and it doesn’t cause any pain or super discomfort. But apart from all that, they could’ve made a lot better.
PERFORMANCE
CUSHION
BOOST in all of its glory. This is THE setup for me, personally. It’s super plush, soft, bouncy, TONS of impact protection throughout the whole foot. The cage that holds the cushion makes for a fun, yet stable and secure experience.
These are also responsive and provide a solid amount of court feel despite all that BOOST under your feet. Both heel and forefoot areas feel soft, smooth and just overall awesome. I think this is even a little bit better than the 2016 version.
TRACTION
I think this is the same traction pattern used as on last year’s model. The solid rubber compound itself looks improved and a bit more durable. Still not an outdoor shoe but I think these would last longer.
As far the traction, they’re great. Not too sensitive to dust, plenty of grip despite the movement. I didn’t feel restricted at all, they nailed it in this aspect.
SUPPORT
This is the area where the shoe really shined thanks to making all those comfort compromises. What I really like about this one is these have D Rose 7 support level. There’s an outrigger, an internal shank that adidas was calling StableFrame, an internal heel counter, the upper is really sturdy and supportive and the fit is super snug.
Doesn’t get much better than this in terms of support, foot lockdown and overall containment. Any, big or small, athletic or low profile players could rock these.
UPPER
FUSEDMESH IS WHAT THEY CALL THIS NONSENSE
I don’t know why would adidas make a sh**y mesh & Fuse upper and call it FUSEDMESH. It’s just a stiff, heavy, thick and inflexible material that doesn’t seem as bad because of all the other awesome things about the shoe.
Seriously, I don’t completely hate it ’cause it does provide a myriad of support and it’s definitely durable. But it’s just not as comfortable as I expected, judging from last year’s EXTREMELY soft textile on the 2016 CE.
Lastly, I don’t normally care about the shoe’s ventilation but this one seemed to bother me a bit. Because of thick materials and lack of breathability features, the shoe does suffer from a lack of air flow a bit. I didn’t find it to be deal-breaking but it’s something you should keep in mind.
OVERALL
BEST FOR MOST PLAYERS WITH A NEED OF HEAVY SUPPORT AND BOUNCY CUSHION
The 2017 Crazy Explosive was an unexpected ride for me. Yeah, the shoe is a very versatile option for just about anyone, it has sick traction, support, BOOST has never been better.
But I found them to be not comfortable enough and that’s where I’d have to recommend the 2016 regular Crazy Explosive version. OR, stay tuned to my review of the Primeknit version which I’m still playing in right now. Maybe that one will have some critical improvements.
+ AMAZING VERSATILE CUSHION
+ GREAT TRACTION, A BIT MORE DURABLE NOW
+ KILLER ALL-AROUND SUPPORT
– NOT AS COMFORTABLE AS YOU’D WANT
– A LACK OF VENTILATION
Okay, that’s it for the review! I hope you found it useful!
Now that I’ve tested both, DEFINITELY check out the Primeknit 2017 version. It’s a huge improvement in my opinion.