Sneakers 2012

I am waiting to hear from the Seattle U and Bellevue nursing program to respond to my application.  Until then, I'm retaking Micro for the Spring quarter (still weird to be taking classes in quarters instead of semester) and I have some hoop fever.  My Kobe V's are obliterated so I need some new kicks so I did some research and tried on a handful of the great sneakers at the moment.

I scoped the Lebron 9s, AJ 2012, Melo M8, Drose 2.5, and Kobe 7.  I also tried on a pair of Lebron 8s (which felt wonderful on me feet) but they are DQ'ed at the moment because I tried on a pair from a shady location on Pike called Sneaker City.  Their kicks could be real but they're are definitely some critics on the internet begging to differ.
I am a big sneaker enthusiast but I still consider myself an advanced newbie.  Why?  Why not?
The first thing I look for in sneakers is the fit.  I have a wide foot and to give you an idea, I can wear anywhere from a 2E to a 4E.  Ball sneakers are incredibly difficult to find for a guy like me.  Secondly, the cushioning.  I play mostly the three spot, sometimes four and even five at times and I'm jumping around a lot and I tend to land hard.  I want to play basketball way past I find my first gray pubic hair so I try to take care of my body and listen to it when it's in pain.  I like the medium cushioning in the end to enjoy some sort of explosiveness.  Next, Durability.  Will they last, or will they fall apart like the Kobe Vs (I love the Kobe Vs.  They just fell apart too quickly -- but I STILL played in them)?  Last but a definite not least, the weight.  The reason why I love the Kobe Vs is because they are so light!  I felt like I was walking barefoot with an excellent level of cushion.  If they were a bit wider in my size, I'd buy only Kobe Vs for the rest of my life, jk, I love change.  So without further ado, my ratings.

Simple rating system: Bad (unwearable), Okay barely wearable, go half size up), Good (comfy still a half size up, Great (true freaking size).
So the ratings will be in the following order: Width (in the toebox), Cushion, Durability, Weight (in oz.)  I will then provide a brief reaction when trying them on.

Lebron 9s
Width - Great
Cushion - Great

Durability - Great
Weight - 15.0 (Leans more towards cushion, less towards explosive)

Because of the strong stigma attached to the King, I have to say damn you, King!!  I was able to fit in the sneakers without any struggle.  They were SO comfortable, I just wanted to walk around in them all day.  They are a very cushy sneaker.  I'm afraid that with the amount of cushion in this sneaker plus the weight, it will take a lot away from your speed and explosive moves.  It's also very stiff, which I like.  They're definitely not a guard sneaker; they're more a bully, jog across court on offense and beat your opponent up down low kind of sneaker.  Last note, running and jumping in these is the softest I've ever experienced (a little more than the Kobe Vs).  Centers, get these kicks!!

AJ 2012
Width - Okay
Cushion - Great
Durability - Great
Weight - ???  Felt as heavy as the L9s

The toe box was cramped because of the sock you put in the sneaker.   The shoe salesman brought out the deluxe AJ 2012 and it was over the top.  The shoe box is a three shelf file cabinet: the top for the shoes, the middle for the different interior socks, and the bottom for the three different soles.  I felt like royalty, the way he treated me.  Cushioning speaks for itself -- you can adjust to three different soles.  The sneaker is very flexible surprisingly.  The sneakers bend right where you need them to when running around.  Smooth landing after jumping but again this sacrifices explosion.

Melo M8

Width - Good
Cushion - Good
Durability - Great
Weight -14.3 - Felt good
I was only able to try the M8s in a 10 but oh man did the sneaker feel great along my toe box.  I seriously hope the width on the size 9.5 is not that much less than the size 10...  The cushion was lacking in comparison to the previously reviewed sneakers but it is enough.  The m8s are kind of stiff but again I like it that way and the weight wasn't noticeable.

Drose 2.5
Width - Okay
Cushion - Okay
Durability - Good
Weight -11.7
Initial reaction, very light.  The width was definitely not as giving as the other sneakers previously mentioned which was disappointing.  A lot of people were praising these sneakers for their light weight and durability but I'm a heavy fat footed guy.  I can't wear these but if you're light and have narrow feet, get them!  They're a great price too.

Kobe VII
Width - Bad
Cushion - Good
Durability - Good
Weight 13.8 (too tight, I didn't even go on a test run)

I struggled to put these on.  I can't wear these; they're just too narrow.  Honestly, if the Kobe 6s weren't so ugly, I'd consider them.


I failed to mention the other very important factor I look for, traction, which is just as important as width.  The thing is, I couldn't tell how the traction works on any of the sneakers except for the Lebron 9, and Drose 2.5 which were both great.  I will have to further research the traction on each shoe.

So my top three looks like this: Lebron 9, M8, then AJ 2012.  The lebrons are amazing but they seem to weight like boots.  The M8s felt overall great but it did feel like it lacked cushioning but that's only because I was wearing the AJ 2012s right before.  The AJ 2012...  my foot felt very awkward in them.

Narrowing down my choices, it's either the m8s or the lebron 9.  Damn... why did the best feeling shoe have to look like astronaut shoes?!?!  :-((((