Looks can be deceiving. While the hoop pattern looks great and should be able to handle unmatched multidirectional coverage, the grip is often inconsistent — making the Nike KD 10 a perennially inconsistent shoe.
The outsole handles well outdoors, which is a plus, but it’s not designed with durability in mind. After just a few outdoor hoop sessions, my frayed outsole looked like pre-husk corn. Or post-husk? You know all those weird fuzzy fibers inside corn husks? That’s what I’m saying.
Anyway, there’s talk that early colorways of the Nike KD 10 had poor traction while later colorways would have slightly better rubber compounds. I’m not sure how true that is, and if it is, it’s not something that should be the case — it makes for inaccurate reviews and confuses consumers about which colorways offer decent traction. Any Air Jordan XXXIs?
All I can do is share my experience with the products I’ve worn. In this case, the traction on both of my KD 10s — yes, I own two pairs in two different sizes — just didn’t work for me.
The full-length Max Zoom Air is back and a little firmer than before. Don’t be discouraged when trying on the Nike KD 10 because you won’t feel the bounce you might have experienced on the KD 9 right away. The 10 takes a little break in before you can feel the responsiveness.
From a functional standpoint, the cushioning here offers the same thing as the KD 9: the best impact protection Nike has to date. Oh, and it’s still articulated in the forefoot so you can move around the court without too much restriction. I like the cushioning and I hope the durability issues have been resolved. Not that I’m popping any of my pairs, but I know a few people who have — and I’ve received plenty of emails and DMs about other people’s pairs popping up.
I think Nike has done a great job with this type of Zoom Air and I hope it’s something that people appreciate.
Flyknit, Flyknit everywhere. I love the materials used on the Nike KD 10, I just don’t love the performance. However, I believe it’s the combination of materials used and the lacing system that has me disappointed.
You have Flyknit from heel to toe on the Nike KD 10 and it’s complemented by TPU yarns — similar to the Nike Kobe 11 Elite. Heat is applied to the stress zones and toebox area to weld and knit the TPU together for strength and durability. This causes a slight disconnect between the material and the foot, but overall it feels very comfortable.
The only areas where 100% Flyknit is present are the tongue and collar. You can take these babies on and off with no problem, whereas the KD 9 was a bit of a struggle. I mean, with a little bit of struggle, it’s an added workout to your daily routine.
Despite being a knit, the Nike KD 10 is very durable and is something that most people will appreciate. The control could be a lot better than it is, which brings me to my next topic.
Go down 1/2 size. Seriously. Wide footers, you’ll be able to adjust the size without having to size up, but everything else, go down 1/2 size. The disconnect I talked about above creates a bit of bulk around the foot and when you have a knit upper, that’s not something you want.
But lockdown is the main culprit. The heel lockdown is great; the lacing system works great with the internal heel counter and the very padded heel.
The midfoot lockdown is terrible. Having the laces all the way down the foot sounds great, but when combined with the super stretchy midfoot, the lateral support is gone. When I tried to compensate for the lack of support by tightening the laces, the knots would pull and dig into the bottom of my foot. Not only was it painful, it just didn’t work.
Using a setup like this really made me appreciate the current lacing method — nylon loops that go around the foot and attach to the footbed. You can tighten the shoe exactly where you need it — at the throat, either midfoot, forefoot, or heel — while the nylon strands act as suspension, bridging the gap between the upper and the bottom of the foot. The KD 10’s lacing system only covers the suspension aspect but not the upper/throat synchronization that many players prefer.
If you’re a player who plays the game fairly honestly then you may never feel or notice this. If you’re a shooter, you may never notice it. Being small, I had to maneuver around the court and get open. Using a screen was my best option in most cases and when I had the screen tightly in place, my feet felt like they were sliding around on the footbed. This caused delays in my shots as I had to try and quickly readjust my footing when I normally wouldn’t have a problem with a strong lateral hold.
It was all a little too sloppy for me and I much preferred the way the KD 9 held my foot.
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