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Nike Zoom Kobe IV Performance Review – Nick Engvall
Straight from the start the Nike Zoom Kobe IV has a lot of hype to live up to. The first thought that comes to mind when pulling the Kobe IV out of the box is that the box and paper may in fact weigh more than the kicks themselves. They are impressively light weight without even putting them on your feet.
Getting them on the court, you realize, or rather don’t realize that the shoes are on your feet.???? They feel as though they are a part of you. The shoe responds to your every move without delay.?? It doesn’t matter if you’re cutting in the lane, high flying and death-defying, or sitting the bench. Responsiveness is the best I’ve felt in 5 plus years of testing basketball shoes, and twenty some years of playing.
The combination of Zoom Air and Lunar Foam is near perfect as far as comfort goes.?? The combination of instant response and being lightweight helps the feeling like the shoe is part of you.???? This also helps with the performance as far as stability goes. Heel ankle support is much better than I expected, especially considering the low ankle height of the Zoom Kobe IV.?? Your heel is always kept in place.
Traction indoors is nothing short of amazing.?? Nike did an incredible job of creating a oneness between your foot and the shoe. The ability of the shoe to stay with you without slipping or sliding in anyway is jaw dropping.?? Outdoors is a different story, as it’s apparent these kicks were designed to be the best indoor kicks.
With all the synthetic material used, you would think that the ZK4 would have a hard time keeping your feet cool, but they are very breathable shoes. Keeping things lightweight as well as functional, the tongue’s mesh provides a vent for the heat to escape as you turn up your game.
Though I am not a fan of Kobe or the Lakers, the Nike Zoom Kobe IV is ground breaking, add to that it’s price of $120, it makes them instantly historic in my opinion.
