Back to the Future

The shoe that started the Foamposite revolution has returned, and it’s as futuristic today as it was back in the day.

[Prof’s Note: This review was originally published way back in November of 2000. I’ve resurrected it because the Foamposite Pro and One are dropping in a couple of, er, interesting colorways this month. Check Sneaker News for release dates and pics of the new models.]

Truth be told, back in the day was not all that long ago. The original Foamposite was released in 1997 and a variant of that shoe, the Foamposite One, was Penny Hardaway’s signature shoe in that year.

At the time of its release, the Foam Pro represented the pinnacle of sneaker technology. It incorporated a large, carbon fiber midfoot support plate that wrapped up along both the lateral and medial sides of the foot; a full-length Zoom Air sole unit; and, of course, Nike’s unique Foamposite technology.

figure 1: Pictured at the top of this review is the Nike Air Foamposite One in its iconic dark neon royal colorway; directly above is the Air Foamposite Pro in black/black/grey. The Foam One and Foam Pro are functionally identical, but feature some significant aesthetic differences. Most prominent is that the Foam One lacks the Foam Pro’s honking huge lateral Swoosh. More subtle are the “1 Cent” logos featured on the Foam One’s tongue, heel and outsole—the One features these logos because it was effectively Penny Hardaway’s signature shoe for the ’97 season.

In a nutshell, Foamposite is a composite construction consisting of a thin layer of polyurethane (PU) foam encased within a skin-like outer shell. It’s about as different from conventional shoe construction as a CD is from an 8-track, and the result is a one-piece upper with deeply unique properties. For one thing, unlike more traditional materials like leather or textile, Foamposite doesn’t stretch. It can, however, change shape, and this is what allows Foamposite-based shoes to mold around your foot over time.

If your dogs are wide, the Foam Pros will be uncomfortable to start. But if you can stand the break-in period—which will likely last through multiple wearings—you’ll end up with a shoe that feels like it was poured around each foot. Adding to the comfort factor is a full-length “Dynamic-Fit” innersleeve built into the shoe’s inner. The innersleeve is nearly seamless and provides just the right amount of cush around the foot. The somewhat rigid Foamposite material also means you get plenty of support at the ankle.

figure 2: The Nike Air Foamposite One was an instant classic and the OG remains a grail for many a sneaker fanatic. As you can see above, in addition to its striking dark neon royal hue, a key distinguishing characteristic of the Foam One is its lack of a Swoosh on the lateral quarter panel.

Sandwiched between the upper and the outsole is a full-length Zoom Air unit (something you don’t see much of any more) and a large carbon fiber midfoot support plate. The carbon fiber plate extends further forward towards the forefoot than in most contemporary shoes. I think it’s meant to work in the same way as the Air Jordan XI’s carbon fiber spring plate, making the forefoot of the shoe very stiff. During my test wearings this wasn’t a problem, but with extended wear the stiffness may lead to foot fatigue for some. On the flip side, the combination of a full-length Zoom Air unit and the large carbon fiber plate provides excellent midfoot support—peeps with weak arches will like this shoe a lot.

The carbon fiber plate also helps make the Foam Pro a very stable shoe. This stability, in tandem with the unique properties of the Foamposite upper, come together to make the Foam Pro an awesome shoe for players who do a lot of cutting and slashing to the basket. Because the shoe is so stable and the upper (eventually) molds around your foot, you can make moves without worrying about turning an ankle or beating up your toes. I gave the shoe all I had in terms of cutting and stopping short, and it never disappointed or surprised me. This is a good thing.

figure 3: This shot from behind provides a good look at Penny Hardaway’s fantastic “1 Cent” logo. It may seem like a distant memory today, but there was a time when Penny was seen by many as MJ’s heir apparent. Unfortunately, a string of injuries has prevented Penny from reaching those heights, but he can still deliver flashes of brilliance on-court and in TV spots (this also happens to be my second favorite Nike spot of all time).

The one knock on Foamposite construction, aside from the potentially uncomfortable break-in period, is its weight. And, unfortunately, the Foam Pro doesn’t manage to skirt this: at 19.9 ounces per shoe in a men’s 11, it is a heavy shoe. This, combined with the stiffness at the forefoot, could make it feel clunky and overly restrictive for lighter players.

To sum up, the Foamposite Pro is a blast from the past that’s as great today as it was three years ago. It shows how truly remarkable Nike’s Foamposite technology can be when combined with the right components, but also highlights how little the technology has progressed since its debut. There’s also the issue of price, which is steep. There are better performance options to be had for less money, but if you’re a sucker for tech or are a bigger guard or forward who loves to cut and slash to the basket, the Foam Pro is still like nothing else on the market.

Who’s Worn It
Penny Hardaway (G- then with the Orlando Magic); Mike Bibby (G- then with the University of Arizona Wildcats)

Reviewed by Ernest Kim, October 9, 2014
	Nike Air Foamposite Pro/One Overall:  Comfort & Fit:  Cushioning:  Ankle Support:  Weight:  19.9 oz* * Based on a US men’s 11. For context, a can of soda weighs 13 oz.
Price: $170, $180 for the Foam One Key Tech: Foamposite, Zoom Air (full-length), carbon fiber midfoot support plate, Dynamic-Fit Innersleave Pros: Unique fit properties; extremely stable; very good court feel Cons: Takes a while to get comfortable; very expensive Buying Advice: The first shoe to use Foamposite technology, the three year old Foamposite Pro holds its own against its more modern progeny. The shoe’s exceptional fit and stability make it a particularly good choice for bigger players who love to cut and slash to the hoop, but be ready for a tough break-in period. Upsides aside, the price tag is awfully steep, so, unless you’re a collector, you’d be better served by any one of the many excellent and more reasonably priced on-court options available today.

Lucky Thirteen

If any Air Jordan was bound for failure, it was the twice-jinxed XIII. But, with his audacious design for the shoe, Tinker Hatfield (and company) proved that when you’re at the top of your game, you make your own luck.

[Prof’s Note: With a couple of Air Jordan XIII Retros due this month, it seemed like a good time to resurrect this review, which was originally published back in January 2005. For specifics on release dates, check Sneaker News.]

For the superstitious among us, the Air Jordan XIII had a couple of big strikes going against it before even making it off of Tinker Hatfield’s drawing board.

First, to the horror of the triskaidekaphobic Jordan lovers of the world, it marked the 13th shoe in the Air Jordan line. Second, a major source of inspiration for the shoe’s design came from the Black Panther, which is essentially a giant, black cat—another sign of doom and gloom to a certain segment of the population.

Well, luckily enough for the shoeheads of the world, it appears that neither His Airness nor Hatfield are superstitious types, because the black-cat-motivated, baker’s-dozen-denominated charm of a shoe they cooked up turned out to be the best J yet (as of its release in late 1997).

figure 1: In profile, the undulating sculpting of the Air Jordan XIII‘s Phylon midsole is clearly visible. This sculpting allows the midsole to cradle the foot and contributes to the shoe’s exceptional lockdown.

What makes the Air Jordan XIII so special? Well, there is, of course, its appearance, which really does manage to exude a sense of feline power and grace—particularly in the black/varsity red colorway tested for this review. Then there’s the fact that many thought the XIII would be the last shoe worn by MJ as a professional in the Association. You may remember that Jordan retired for the second, and most assumed final, time following the conclusion of the 1997 - 1998 NBA season. Though he would provide fans with a very early preview of his next namesake shoe by rocking the Air Jordan XIV through the ’98 Finals, the XIII was the shoe MJ wore for the bulk of what was widely expected to be his ultimate season.

But looks and sentimentality aside, the Air Jordan XIII stands out to me because it delivers the performance goods like nothing that had come before it. Its Phylon midsole, which sensuously wraps up and around the base of the foot, is augmented with Zoom Air units under both the forefoot and heel. This combo delivers excellent impact protection, ridiculously good cushioning response and a speedy, low-to-the-court feel. The XIII actually wasn’t the first Jordan to employ Nike’s hyper-responsive, low-profile Zoom Air (that distinction belongs to the Air Jordan XII), but it was the first to truly bring its benefits to life.

The XIII’s organically shaped, multi-segment outsole also contributes to the shoe’s unique feel underfoot by working with the sculpted midsole to cradle and support your dogs. Stability is further bolstered by the XIII’s excellent fit: I felt absolutely no movement of my foot—either side-to-side or front-to-back—within the shoe.

But the XIII is not without its faults—through my two weeks with the shoe, I experienced two persistent problems. First, though the design of its outsole contributed greatly to the XIII’s overall stability, it also imparted a somewhat clunky feel. There were more than a handful of occasions when I felt that its funky shape and hard-edged perimeter got in the way of what I wanted my feet to do.

figure 2: The unique, podular design of the Air Jordan XIII’s outsole is visible in this bottom view. This podular geometry—and particularly the pod under the cuboid region of the foot—did seem to contribute to the shoe’s lateral stability, but I found myself wishing the bottom flexed more naturally and that the outsole gripped the court more tenaciously.

The second problem, also outsole related, was that traction proved to be a consistent disappointment. Even on clean courts, I found it to be only a shade better than mediocre; on less well-maintained courts, it was a lost cause. This was doubly disappointing given that the XIII’s upper is more than capable of keeping the foot locked down through sharp cuts and hard stops. To pull out an automotive metaphor, the XIII is like a sports car with loads of power and a perfectly tuned suspension that’s riding on minivan tires. It’s still a great car, but its wheels won’t allow you to make the most of its high-revving potential.

So, the Air Jordan XIII is not perfect—not by today’s standards nor by those of late ‘97/early ‘98. But it was then and is still now an audacious offering that fulfills every facet of what an Air Jordan should be. Shoes like the III, V, XI and XIII provide us with an indelible link to a particular time and place in MJ’s career—they are, in a sense, pieces of living history. But the XIII is no relic to be squirreled away in an attic or garage: it’s a hard-core performance proposition. $150 is a lot to drop on any shoe, no doubt, but the Air Jordan XIII is most certainly not just any shoe; it’s one that sneakerheads 10 years from now will seek out with as much fervor as those of today, and if you see value in that, you’ll see value in the lucky XIII.

Who’s Worn It
Michael Jordan (G- Chicago Bulls)

Reviewed by Ernest Kim, October 1, 2014
	Air Jordan XIII Overall:  Comfort & Fit:  Cushioning:  Ankle Support:  Traction:  Weight:  15.8 oz* * Based on a US men’s 11. For context, a can of soda weighs 13 oz.
Price: $150 in 2005 Key Tech: Zoom Air (forefoot and heel), carbon fiber midfoot support shank Pros: Generally good comfort; excellent fit, particularly around the rearfoot; excellent support around the foot and ankle; excellent impact protection with very good cushioning response and court feel; feels very stable; very light Cons: Experienced some chafing along the lateral side of my heel during my first wearing; unique outsole design can feel a bit clunky; traction should be better; expensive Buying Advice: Traction is a weak point, but in all other respects the XIII is the archetypal Air Jordan: high-tech, high-performance, high-style and, unfortunately, high-priced. Fit is exceptional and the Zoom Air-based ride, which was state-of-the-art in its day, is still fantastic. Fans of ankle coverage will love the XIII’s cut—players who prefer lows, not so much. All-told, the XIII is a wickedly compelling proposition that may bust your wallet, but will leave you feeling good about it.

Flights of Fancy

Released in early 1999, the Air Flightposite was the second iteration of Nike’s Foamposite technology. A year later, it still represents the state of the art in sneaker design, materials and engineering.

[Prof’s Note: What better way to revive Ko than with the shoe that started it all: the Nike Air Flightposite, which I originally reviewed on August 15th of 2000. And this is timely to boot, with the beautiful “Copper” colorway of the Flightposite Premium set to drop this Saturday, September 27th; see pics of the Copper at NiceKicks.com.]

The Nike Air Flightposite was one of the most controversial shoes in Nike’s long line of controversial shoes. Released in 1999 the shoe was Nike’s second generation implementation of Foamposite technology.

There’s no such thing as middle ground when it comes to opinions on the Flightposite: people either absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. Time Magazine went so far as to pronounce the Air Flightposite the Worst of Design for 1999.

figure 1. The beautiful, organic design of the upper is carried down into the design of the outsole, but the beauty of the outsole design is more than just skin deep. The forefoot flex grooves, visible as the deeper channels in the forefoot area of the shoe above, allow the shoe to be flexible precisely where you need it to be.

Those who deride the shoe generally focus on its appearance alone, and the appearance is clearly different. Nike designer Eric Avar, who designed the Foamposite One/Pro and Flightposite, describes the concept as follows: “We wanted this idea of a foot-bath that molds around the foot. We wanted it to be a natural extension of the foot, very organic and anatomical, as close to the foot as possible.”

If the critics had bothered to actually try the shoe on, they would have found that the Flightposite is about much more than just looks. The Foamposite material, which is made of an extremely thin (2mm) layer of polyurethane, molds to the shape of the wearer’s foot. This, combined with the full-length, “Dynamic-Fit” innersleeve that hugs the contours of the foot, and a zippered lace cover, equals a fit that was and still is light years ahead of any other non-Foamposite based shoe on the market.

Another standout feature of the Flightposite is how low to the ground the shoe rides. Figure 1 clearly shows that the Flightposite does not have a traditional sole. The upper basically meets directly with the outsole, bringing the foot much closer to the ground and providing the wearer with an exceptional feel for and connection with the court. This enhanced court feel provides the player with the dual benefits of added balance and the ability to respond and react off the floor much more quickly than with a traditional shoe.

figure 2. The Flightposite was offered in a number of interesting colorways. Above is the Navy/White/Silver colorway, which was not widely available.

Back to the design for a minute ... in addition to the completely different, organic form of the shoe, contributing to the alien-like appearance of the Flightposite was the use of iridescent or, as Nike refers to it, phase shift, colors and materials. The first colorway released, as shown in the main image at top, was a combination of metallic gold, silver and black. The gold portion of the shoe “shifts” from gold to a purple-ish green depending on the angle of view. This “phase shift” appearance is employed in all of the many Flightposite colorways (of which there were many—see figure 2 for the white/navy/silver colorway) with the exception of the Niketown exclusive Charcoal colorway (features an upper that looks like carbon fiber), which is perhaps the rarest.

So the lowdown is this: If you’re looking for a hoops shoe that fits like a glove, stops on a dime, and turns people’s heads, the Air Flightposite is the shoe for you. While it’s no longer available, look out for a re-release as a retro in late 2000 or early 2001.

Who’s Worn It
Jason Kidd (G- Phoenix Suns), Kevin Garnett (F- Minnesota Timberwolves), Tim Duncan (F- S.A. Spurs), Sean Elliot(G- S.A. Spurs), Allan Houston (G- N.Y. Knicks), Brian Shaw (G- L.A. Lakers)

Reviewed by Ernest Kim, September 21, 2014
	Nike Air Flightposite Overall:  Comfort & Fit:  Cushioning:  Ankle Support:  Weight:  17.9 oz* * Based on a US men’s 11. For context, a can of soda weighs 13 oz.
Price: $160 in 2000 Key Tech: Zoom Air, Foamposite, Dynamic-Fit Innersleave Pros: Incredible fit and court feel; nothing else like it Cons: Expensive; not good for wide feet Buying Advice: The ultimate hoops shoe for the indoor game, the Flightposite is a techno marvel and will turn heads. If you’re a guard- or small forward-type and have $160 to spare, these shoes are for you.