Air Jordan XX8 aka 2013, new "Proplate Zoom" Technology OFFICIAL THREAD.

I attended the launch today.

1. The bottom end/midsole design is incredible.
2. The zipper/boot construction looks strange on feet. The upper 'sleeve' part is a very very thin material.
3. The Unzipped stance looks equally strange on feet. The weird numbers that show when you flip down don't make them look any better.
4. Not many will be produced - nowhere near 2012 numbers.

The design is taken after a Stealth bomber jet. Tinker got inspiration directly from Michael, who said "by the time you see it, it's already too late". It's part Special Forces Boot as well. I can't see myself wearing it casually. I'd hoop in them in a hot second.

Overall: Cool looking shoe, nothing else out on the market. $250 is ridiculously ambitious. These are not intended for profit (that's what Retro is for) - just Tinker and Jordan Brand flexing their muscles and doing stuff like this because they can. If you pass, you pass. If you cop with the intention of hooping, you'll be thoroughly impressed. It struck me like the XX3 did.
 
ThorrocksJs said:
These old guys aren't hip Tinker copying how hiroshi fujiwara dresses isnt hip . This just boring and lazy.This shoe insides are damn 2012s its just covered in a shroud.The design is lazy and uninspired this shoe has no actual support. 250 price tag is stupid they just finished failing on the 2012 most stores rtved their pairs. Its pathetic how far they have fallen Nike + is a failure thats getting rtved next and discounted. Honestly from the president of jordan brand coming out in a chopper suit,to propping up the knicks mascot Spike Lee who is a shadow of himself as a director and Tinker who more less doesn't even exist anymore. IT just reeks of the old guys trying to be cool like your dad listening to eminem to prove how hip he is to you..
This isnt a sneaker this is a piece of equipment
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I dunno I was diggin that book bag that Tinker was sporting made of carbon fiber! From what I gathered from Tinker it seemed that he wants to push the envelope more and more but is held back some.
 
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trethousandgt said:
Here's some on feet fliks I lifted my pant leg to give a very rough idea on how they will look with shorts if u zippered them up

156485
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Ok thats not bad at all i would cop. But not at 250. Maybe 150 at most.
 
AirJason said:
Haha I love this shoe so much already it's ridiculous. Look at the response this unveiling has caused so far... pretty incredible.
I have a few random thoughts that I just wanted to get out there..
These look like blacked out Air Mags to me, but simpler. An autolacing system or a completely seamless upper with no zipper would have been preferred yes but the zipper accomplishes the needed functionality.
I love how the upper is completely plain, it's like an unused canvas. Maybe in the future instead of one solid color upper we get some far out print design on there.
The tech looks loaded out as usual. This is why you're paying 250.00. I don't have a problem with the price and will be there in line day one. I haven't bought a signature Jordan or Non-Retro since the XX3. Like others have said, thank god this is actually a creative new direction and this is what I'd imagine shoes looking like in 2013 when I was a kid.
Also, can you imagine a young Michael Jordan actually playing in these in his prime, but now in 2013? How awesome would that look? :smokin
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this whole post right here is a load of horse ****

can you imagine mj wearing these playing in his prime? uh yea.... if he were playing in a gay bar and they had a court made out of leather *** less chaps and glitter...
 
justhotkicks said:
I attended the launch today.
1. The bottom end/midsole design is incredible.
2. The zipper/boot construction looks strange on feet. The upper 'sleeve' part is a very very thin material.
3. The Unzipped stance looks equally strange on feet. The weird numbers that show when you flip down don't make them look any better.
4. Not many will be produced - nowhere near 2012 numbers.
The design is taken after a Stealth bomber jet. Tinker got inspiration directly from Michael, who said "by the time you see it, it's already too late". It's part Special Forces Boot as well. I can't see myself wearing it casually. I'd hoop in them in a hot second.
Overall: Cool looking shoe, nothing else out on the market. $250 is ridiculously ambitious. These are not intended for profit (that's what Retro is for) - just Tinker and Jordan Brand flexing their muscles and doing stuff like this because they can. If you pass, you pass. If you cop with the intention of hooping, you'll be thoroughly impressed. It struck me like the XX3 did.
Click to expand...
They are intended for profit. Every single product a profiteering company produces is intended for profit (unless otherwise stated, ie. doernbecher). By saying these aren't, is to say that they are produced at a cost of $250 and sold for a $0 profit margin. If cost of production is $250 in China, Jordan better start packing his bags cause he'll be outta business in the blink of an eye. Jordan Brand will be earning an enormous profit margin of each shoe as usual.
 
wait do people actually like these? heck i even liked the 2012s (own a pair, looking for more on the low) and these make me want to vomit
 
Overall, it's not a bad looking shoe (on feet). They're pushing the envelope and putting out something different (if you ignore the Glove). This shoe will grow on a lot of you over the next few months. But 250 is too much...
 
I really like the look of them unzipped for with shorts. At my age I cant see myself playing ball in a shoe all zipped up that high, but I could definitely wear them zipped under some jeans. I'll try to get a couple colorways at the outlets like I was able to do with the 2009-2012s or wait am I supposed to call those the XXIV, XXV, XXVI, and XXVII now?
Either way I'm happy to see something new and cant wait to see more colorways. Year of the snake XXVIII? With snakeskin upper?
 
KDfan02 said:
wait do people actually like these? heck i even liked the 2012s (own a pair, looking for more on the low) and these make me want to vomit
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I'm a fan of the midsole and outsole. Plus on feet they seem to look decent. They also kinda remind me of the Glove which is a dope shoe.
 
VanSneaker said:
They are intended for profit. Every single product a profiteering company produces is intended for profit (unless otherwise stated, ie. doernbecher). By saying these aren't, is to say that they are produced at a cost of $250 and sold for a $0 profit margin. If cost of production is $250 in China, Jordan better start packing his bags cause he'll be outta business in the blink of an eye. Jordan Brand will be earning an enormous profit margin of each shoe as usual.
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I totally agree with you - I think you may have miscommunicated what I was saying. Jordan Brand knows the consumer demographic its dealing with. They know these aren't going to fly off the shelves - especially at $250 - and they're certainly not dumb enough to take a loss. But the Air Jordan has become a 'pet project' of sorts that they can't abandon. All the marketing and dollars is spent to do these types of projects, but not much is made from the Air Jordan.
 
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Just saw the XX8s online.  I thought they were going to stop the numbered series and simply continue with the year of release (Jordan 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012).

As I am sure it has been mentioned here countless times, these and all signature Jordans are meant for the court.  We have been lucky that they have been progressive enough to wear casually. With time, I am sure these will grow on some of us as they all tend to do and there will be some people who will spend their hard earned cash else where.  No biggie.

But they sure look different. 
 
250? U serious jordan brand? wow

Air Jordan 2011, Retail 170

Air Jordan 2012, Retail 223 or 180

Air Jordan 2013 (XX8), Retail 250

Air Jordan 2014, Retail 270??????
 
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maybe they did this on purpose. they made um this generic ******ed looking and raised the price that high so other nikes that they are raising the price on and the retros will sell better? that is the only thing i can think of. either that or mj coming out the closet...
 
^Brings back memories of the Alpha Project...definitely harkens back to the Air Zoom Flight the Glove!!! They did say it's a concept...well it definitely is. If Westbrook drops 30 and 10 dimes on these and keep the turnovers down..."It's gotta be the shoes!!!" LOL Big up for innovation...aesthetically idk.
 
Yikes.

Not gonna front, they look okay unzipped, but JB must be out of their rabbit *** mind pricing these at $250.
 
Well if being different is going to run you 250 no thanks

It's a shame some things can be done here to make it interesting but no where near the 250 price point
 
Leave it to all the haters to bash these the second pics are released. Look, I'll admit that when I saw the 1st few pics I was a little thrown off too. However, they are definitely growing on me; especially when they are unzipped. The video certainly helped their cause. What people need to realize is that these are PERFORMANCE BASKETBALL SHOES, 1ST AND FOREMOST!!!! I actually like the fact that there are so many haters; makes it easier for me to get my pair. Sure beats waiting in line for 5 1/2 hrs. for some half-***** quality retros!! Granted, I'll be waiting for the price to go down, but at least I know they'll be there. Jordan Brand has always been known to take risks with their sig. shoes and these are no different.

*drops mic*

**exits stage left**
 
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ok if the sleeve was lower cut, there was no ugly number when you fold them and if they were one solid color they would have potential
 
tlwbballa23 said:
Leave it to all the haters to bash these the second pics are released. Look, I'll admit that when I saw the 1st few pics I was a little thrown off too. However, they are definitely growing on me; especially when they are unzipped. The video certainly helped their cause. What people need to realize is that these are PERFORMANCE BASKETBALL SHOES, 1ST AND FOREMOST!!!! I actually like the fact that there are so many haters; makes it easier for me to get my pair. Sure beats waiting in line for 5 1/2 hrs. for some half-***** quality retros!! Granted, I'll be waiting for the price to go down, but at least I know they'll be there. Jordan Brand has always been known to take risks with their sig. shoes and these are no different.
*drops mic*
**exits stage left**
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I dont think their ugly but i think that they cant justify the price because you can get great performance shoes for way less some even half the price and from the past models the prices never equaled the performance (performance was good but not top of the line especially when your paying a top of the line price)
 
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