NIKE KD TREY V III
Weight: 330 g. / 11.64 oz
Type: Mid Top
Tech: ZOOM AIR
Fit: True to Size
Available Colors: 4+
My Rating: 7/10
OUTDOOR-READY IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED
So I decided to start playing in the KD Trey line. This is meant to be an outdoor shoe line, which is awesome since I really like to play outdoors during the summer. So in this Nike KD Trey V III review, you’ll find out if this lives up to what I expected.
I’ll talk about the shoe’s tech specs, performance, comfort, materials and decide it it’s worth the price. Let’s start the Nike KD Trey V III review!
THE TECH
ZOOM AIR – we got a simple cushion setup. It’s Phylon midsole with compact ZOOM AIR unit in the forefoot. Doesn’t sound that good on paper, but let’s find out the truth.
PERFORMANCE
FIT/COMFORT
So the shoe’s fit wasn’t right straight away. The materials are really rigid and require quite a lengthy break-in time. After you do break them in though, they’re fairly comfortable, true to size, containment is fine too. Also, they feel and are extremely light.
Wide footers, you stay away from this. The shoe has a rigid and narrow construction, which KD seems to like.
CUSHION
Yeah, didn’t look good on paper, isn’t really good on the court as well. I mean if you want max court feel and response (maybe you’re a light guard that doesn’t jump a lot) then this is fine.
However, the shoe barely has any impact protection or bounce, which isn’t really healthy for extensive outdoor play. Heavier, more explosive players should probably look for a different shoe.
TRACTION
They grip the floor really well, both indoors and outdoors. The rubber compound looks and feels pretty durable, so do expect to play in these outdoors for quite a long time.
They’re fairly sensitive to dust though, which would be a bigger problem indoors. You’ll start sliding a lot if you don’t wipe them off frequently (again, which happens mostly indoors).
SUPPORT
Support was excellent thanks to the super stiff upper, tight construction, a reasonably high ankle collar and a heel counter. They do feel slightly restrictive because of that rigid upper but most players would appreciate the support this shoe offers.
MATERIALS
The upper is tight mesh with foam layers and Fuse on some spots. In result, you get a very light, durable but stiff and times uncomfortable experience. Not too breathable, but wasn’t really a problem either.
FINAL VERDICT
So the KD Trey V III didn’t really impress me but didn’t disappoint that much either.
Reasonable comfort/fit, great traction, decent cushion for light players, solid support and a cheap, but trusty upper.
I’d recommend this to a lighter, smaller guard who plays outdoors and can do a little bit of everything, or stays away from explosive plays, jumps, that type of thing.
PROS
+ Grippy and durable traction
+ Great support that should cover most players/play styles
+ All-around durable
CONS
– Traction is sensitive to dust, mostly indoors
– Sub-par cushion, doesn’t cater towards heavier/athletic players
– Can feel a little stiff and uncomfortable the first 1-2 weeks
RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE
NIKE KOBE MENTALITY II
For $100, you can get yourself a nice pair of Kobes, that improve in certain things over the Trey V III.
The Mentality 2 has a full-length Lunarlon midsole and the upper is Flyweave.
Okay, that’s it for the review! I hope you found it useful!