adidas Dame 4 REVIEW: A Sick Performer AGAIN?

It’s one of those times that I really look forward to – a new Dame shoe from adidas. The last two were simply amazing, especially for the price they retailed. Let’s see if the fourth sneaker lives up to the previous ones in my freshly baked adidas Dame 4 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 Dame 4 review!

THE TECH


BOUNCE

Once again we got that lovely full-length BOUNCE cushion setup that provides you with a little bit of everything without the expensive cost of BOOST or unlocked ZOOM.

I loved the setup on the previous two shoes, we’ll see if they managed to keep it that way with the 4.

FIT


IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT

The Dame 4 felt very similar to the 3 for me with its bootie construction, identical sizing, similar materials and solid lockdown. So in a nutshell, the fit is great.

They’re comfortable, I felt properly contained, locked-in and also not too restricted or stiff. This is a good point between overkill support & restrictions and full-on mobility & lack of security.

Just as most adidas’s basketball shoes these days, regular or narrow footers should go half a size down. Don’t think about it, just do it.

They fit long and a bit wide if you’ll go with your regular Nike, AJ, UA or any other brand size. Wide footers like myself can actually try going true to size. I did that with the D Lillard 2.0, Dame 3 and now the 4 – and all of them fit me perfectly.

PERFORMANCE


CUSHION

BOUNCE is back, though it’s slightly altered, resulting in a more responsive, quicker and lower to the ground experience. That might sound disappointing since BOUNCE is supposed to be bouncy and soft but bear with me, this isn’t bad news.

The whole setup now feels a bit more reactive and responsive which makes it seem it’s a bit less bouncy. That’s mainly the case with the forefoot area.

The heel is still the same awesome BOUNCE as you know it. It’s very comfortable, soft, springy and provides plenty of impact protection without making you sink in the heel too much.

TRACTION

The completely revamped traction pattern is something not to boast about but nothing to hate either. It looks super aggressive but doesn’t really grip the floor better than the previous shoes. But, it’s not a downgrade either, so you will get great traction on pretty much all courts.

The pattern is now spaced out much wider and the rubber itself feels a bit more durable, so neither dust or outdoor play will be a problem.

SUPPORT

The security of the shoe looks and feels a bit eased up which could be a good thing for some people. I barely felt any mobility improvements to be honest but support and lockdown of the shoe are still solid.

The Lillard 2.0 definitely does provide the most protection in my opinion but the four is also pretty good. If you don’t need a ton of sometimes irrelevant support (LeBron 12, D Rose 7 etc.) then you’ll be good to go with the Dame 4.

UPPER


REINFORCED MESH ISN’T SPECIAL BUT IT DELIVERS

So the upper is mesh with a nylon layer under it, plus the black thread reinforcements make the whole upper really strong, durable and relatively stiff. It isn’t uncomfortably stiff though, so don’t worry about that.

It does feel firm and strong to the touch but the shoe plays nicely. They don’t feel annoying or painful while playing, there are no sharp spots that cut, there’s plenty of flexibility in key areas that prevent uncomfortable step transitions.

Overall, nothing special – this isn’t pure Primeknit or Performance Woven but for a basic mesh, this checks all the important points. Comfort, security, support, durability and at least a slight amount of ventilation is there.

OVERALL


BEST FOR ALL SMALLER POSITIONS

The adidas Dame 4 is no doubt a great shoe that delivers in all performance aspects at a great price. I think most players can find these great because of their balance in cushioning and a perfect blend of mobility and support.

Get the shoe if you’re looking for a new hoop shoe you can trust.

A COMFORTABLE AND SECURE FIT
FANTASTIC BALANCED CUSHIONING
GRIPPY, DURABLE & HASSLE-FREE TRACTION
– A BIT TOUGH TO PUT THE SHOE ON

Okay, that’s it for the review! I hope you found it useful!

Check out what the rest of the Dame line has to offer: Dame 3 | D Lillard 2.0 | D Lillard 1