Nike Kobe 10 Review | A Solid Performer

With the anticipation of Kobe Bryant’s last career year’s signature shoe, the Kobe 11, the Kobe 10 is still a solid and trustworthy shoe to wear on the court.

Let’s take a look at the Nike Kobe X. We’ll examine the shoe’s technology, performance, comfort, materials and decide if it’s worth the price. Nike Kobe 10 review starts now!


MAIN SPECS

Shoes: Nike Kobe X

Weight: 367g. / 13.9 oz

Type: Low Top Sneaker

Fit: True to Size

Technologies: Nike ZOOM AIR, Nike FLYWIRE, Lunarlon

My Rating: 7/10


THE TECH

For cushioning, there’s Nike ZOOM AIR.  You can see the units on the outsole’s heel area. However, the Kobe 10’s actually feel a little harder and rougher than it’s predecessors. It still does it’s job by absorbing impact and providing you some power on movements, but not as effectively as you would probably think.

Lunarlon is a type of cushioning the Kobe X uses combined with ZOOM AIR. According to Nike, “it uses specially designed foams
of varying densities to provide incredibly lightweight sport-specific cushioning that feels soft yet springy.” Now, this sounds a little too flashy, but it actually does the job well making your movements feel a bit softer, smoother. It’s also full length, which is a bonus.

Nike FLYWIRE is typically great in all Nike’s shoes, so is here. It provides stabillity, support, locks your foot in the shoe and also sheds a lot of weight – notice that the shoe only weighs 367 g. / 13.9 oz!

Now the problem with the Kobe 10 can be durability. A mesh layer is on top of the Fuse, which covers the entire top. It can really wear down quite quickly, depending how often you play. The glued mesh can pretty much peel off on the All-Star edition, as other reviewers mentioned. So if you don’t want unexpected wear down of your shoes, don’t consider buying the All-Star edition.

So all in all, it has pretty standard Nike’s tech that somewhat does the job, but don’t expect anything too incredible.

PERFORMANCE

Traction is probably one of the more positive aspects. The outsole has a very dense, small pattern of rubber. It can look suspicious, but it’s very strong and effective on the court. Howver, don’t take them outdoors – that’s their weak point, as they were designed with indoor play in mind.

With Nike ZOOM AIR you would probably expect super smoothness and softness in terms of cushioning. It’s not the case here, as the previuos Kobe’s shoes actually felt softer and more pillowy. Although it’s not gonna feel too hard and unresponsive – it still does the job.

Stabillity and support are the highlights of Kobe X. The whole sole offer an enormous amount of support, even for low-tops. It’s made of really really hard material, almost feels like plastic. The built in heel counter provides most of the stabillity and kind of prevents from unexpected sprains or injuries. So if you’re suffering from ankle sprains, but stilll want to use lows, then go for these ones.

Comfort is decent, nothing to boast about. It can be different for everyone. Still, do keep in mind that your feet will need to blend in, so give ’em a couple of days.

FINAL VERDICT

The Nike Kobe X is a not bad all-around shoe. It lacks in some features, but some other ones compensate them. It has excellent traction, awesome support. However it has relatively weak durability along with not so effective ZOOM AIR cushioning.

So at the end, this comes down to you. If you want something good regardless of type, I would suggest looking elsewhere. But if you want low-tops, or more specifically, something with great stabillity and support, don’t completely remove the Kobe 10 out of your list.

PROS

+ Excellent indoor traction
+ Great support & stabillity for low-tops

CONS

Not suitable for outdoor play
Durability could be better

RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE

ADIDAS CRAZYLIGHT BOOST 2016

This is my favourite shoe right now. A low top like nothing else.

Full-length BOOST cushion, SPRINTPLATE, and a Continental Rubber outsole. Comes in two uppers: either mesh or Primeknit.

Just read the review and find out how awesome a shoe can be.


Thank you for reading my Nike Kobe 10 review, I hope you’ve now made a decision.