Holy sh*t, props to Nike for putting out SOOO many budget basketball shoes recently. And the thing is, a lot of them proved to be really solid. So let’s see if this is the case for this one. This is actually a LeBron endorsed shoe, it’s not a signature, but it’s pretty much the same case as Westbrook’s AJ XXX1. So here’s my detailed Nike Zoom Witness review.
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 Zoom Witness review!
MAIN SPECS
Shoes: Nike Zoom Air Witness
Weight: 352 g. / 12.41 oz
Type: Mid Top
Technologies: ZOOM AIR, Breathe Tech
Fit: True to Size
Available Colors: 3+
My Rating: 6/10
THE TECH
ZOOM AIR – so the shoe has two ZOOM AIR cushion pods that are marked red in the forefoot area. The rest is just a Phylon midsole. This excatly what you’d expect from a budget Nike shoe, but this setup actually proved to be good on some shoes. We’ll see if it’s the case for this one.
Breathe Tech – this is just Nikey using fancy words at this point. They simply call the shoe’s mesh upper that’s backed up with Fuse under it, Breathe Tech. Yes, it’s really breathable and it’s really light, but I don’t see a reason to make a new tech name for an upper like this.
PERFORMANCE
FIT/COMFORT
Alright, so the shoe does fit properly and it’s fairly comfortable. Didn’t experience any major issues like slipping, dead space, any pain or the need for a lengthy break-in.
The upper is EXTREMELY light and thin, so expect great mobility, ventilation and just overall freedom. It is weird that this is a LeBron shoe since it does feel like it’s another typical guard’s model by Nikey.
CUSHION
Single-handedly the worst part of the shoe. Listen, I get the point of firm and responsive cushion setups. They cater towards a specific player – someone who needs court feel and responsiveness over softness and impact protection.
This, however, is WAY over the top to be a responsive guard’s shoe. I mean, it feels like there’s no cushion whatsoever. Especially for more explosive players like myself, I literally felt pain in my feet after playing in these. There’s nothing to back you up from all those cuts, stops and landing. This is the case where court feel comes at a big price.
TRACTION
The traction wasn’t that bad though. I do play on a slightly dusty, dated court and the shoe performed pretty well. It does collect dust fairly quickly because of that dense diamond pattern, but it grips the floor well as long as you wipe from time to time.
A bonus, the rubber compound looks durable and pretty deep, so feel free to try these out outdoors.
SUPPORT
So because the shoe barely has any features for support and that upper is extremely weak, there’s simply no way I was able to expect good support from these. And I was right.
There is that foam wing all around the shoe’s heel and medial sides, but that’s pretty much it. That mesh upper barely holds your foot in place, especially if you’re a fast, heavier or a more explosive player. If you’re like a shooter, slower/lighter type of guy who tends to stay behind the three-point line, I think these will work fine.
MATERIALS
The upper is thin mesh with very soft Fuse under it and that foam wing for support. Like I said, the pluses for this setup are lightness, ventilation, mobility and comfort. The minuses are support and durability.
You decide if you like this kind of balance in a basketball shoe.
FINAL VERDICT
Comfortable, horrible cushion, solid traction, weak support and a very light upper.
So, Nike Zoom Witness, you f**cked it up this time. At least that’s what I think. I guess if you barely do any movement on the court, then you can try these out. Otherwise, check out my recommended alternative below.
PROS
+ Very light, breathable and mobile
+ Solid, outdoor-friendly traction
CONS
– Pretty much no cushion at all
– Barely any support
– Durability is a problem
RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE
NIKE HYPERSHIFT
A pretty new realese by Nikey, sitting at $100, that’s a solid budget shoe. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done in all areas.
The Hypershift has a ZOOM AIR unit in the forefoot with a Phylon midsole, Flywire cables and the upper is mesh with Fuse on high-wear areas.
Okay, that’s it for the review! Hey, I really expected something more impressive, but not every shoe is perfect.