Nike Zoom Sharkalaid Performance Review

The Nike Zoom Sharkalaid takes inspiration from the classic Nike Air Raid, one of the most durable outdoor court shoes to ever hit the blacktop, as well as the Zoom Sharkley. Technology updates come in the form of a Phylon midsole and Zoom Air Unit in the heel. Summertime brings out more heads than usual to the local park, so durability is a must when it comes to summer basketball shoes. After seeing the Jordan Element score well in that department, and being a fan of the original Air Raid, I was anxious to see how well these kicks did in the hot summer sun. Click here to see how these kicks performed on the court.

Straight out of the box, these shoes are extremely stiff. The ankle area needed about 3 days worth of wear before it really loosened up. After wearing them in a little though, the shoes feel pretty good on your feet. Compared to other silhouettes, they are a little on the heavy side, which is to be expected for a shoe that is intended for outdoor beatings.

The heel cushioning is what is expected from a Zoom Air Unit, comfortable to play in, but not overly soft. Combined with the ability to tighten up the straps around the ankle, and the dense leather, the shoe is very stable and solid from the back to the front. Somewhat surprising was the forefoot cushioning, it was better than expected, especially considering there is no Air Unit of any kind up front.

The Zoom Sharkalaid has a very aggressive tread pattern that has broad grooves, combined with the durable outsole makes for some decent grip, and endurance. However, it lacks in the traction department slightly, especially indoors. That’s the trade off of having a more durable outsole, versus a softer, stickier sole like the Kobe IV or Hyperdunk. As for moving around in these shoes, the weight, and solidness is somewhat in inhibiting in a lot of ways.

Overall, the Nike Zoom Sharkalaid would be a good shoe for the courts for the summer. It isn’t groundbreaking, or the lightest shoe ever made, but it plays well, and would definitely get you through the summer without letting you down.