LeBron XVI Review
First Impressions: This shoe is kind of an enigma to me. I didn't know how to feel about it when I first saw it leaked and now that I have it, have worn it, hooped in it...I'm still feeling puzzled. It doesn't look like a basketball shoe to me, it just doesn't. It looks like a mix of a trainer and a Nadal tennis shoe of some sort, but with the generously sized zoom bags, making it much beefier than either of those types of models. It is very streamlined in design, like a wedge. The shape aside, the XVI has some really great elements that hit you right away on first glance. The metallic red strands that shine through the Battleknit 2.0 in a very eye catching manner. The famous LeBron lion head logo is a can't miss on the heel, and with the piercing red eyes, one of the best features aesthetically if we are being honest. Although one prominent LeBron Sneaker page exclaimed that this is the first time the lion head logo has returned and been featured on a LeBron model since the 8's, that of course is incorrect. The lion head logo was just featured on the heel portion of the bottom of the outsoles of the XV's last year. Another fun detail is the 3D dunkman logo on the heel of the outsole. It has segments creating the iconic logo, and even has a "WITNESS" tattoo on Bron's right leg! The lacing and tongue are new, cushioning about the same, traction and midsole setup are brand new. I put two hours of pretty strenuous pickup play in these, and these are my initial thoughts:
Fit/Size: Very close to the XV's, size wise, I would say maybe a tad more room in both length and width, but it is minuscule. The width is not nearly as narrow as the shoe looks, actually feels fairly generous. I went with the same size as the XV's and they are relatively snug like I like but no pinching or discomfort in any area. I can say pretty safely that I think most will want what they had in the XV, and wide footers will fare better in these due to the enlarged opening.
Lockdown/Lacing: Good news, there is a sort of accordion, flat panel with side flaps piece of material resembling a tongue that sits where the laces go. Good part of that, it allows the foot to get in and out much much easier than the XV's and XIV's. Bad news, the way the tongue piece is so wide and the material with the embossed and raised "2" and "3" sits, it makes the lacing a bit odd and not responsive to tightening the laces as one would like. Obviously the one piece bootie design of the XV's made the laces essentially worthless, so this isn't that bad, but the choice in the design of the tongue itself could have used some tweaks for a better lockdown. That leads to the tongue and the way it "raises" and "lowers" with the side flaps underneath it for entry. (
See pic below for the tongue fully extended up) Once lowered, there is a pretty big gap between the tongue and heel and it leaves the ankle exposed and pretty free to move around within the shoe. The heel piece does have a "C" shaped cushion and support to cup and grab the heel, but with the front of the shin above the ankle loose due to the non-functionality of the tongue in the lockdown laced position, it's really not optimal, and allows for some slippage. It's not super sloppy and some with more generous width feet and ankles may not even notice it, but for a narrow footer like me, it did feel a bit loose at the top of the collar. Rest of the lockdown is pretty good. No movement within the shoe, support is good, laces while not easy to manipulate, do cinch down and create a snugger fit.
Weight: 1 lb 1 oz. (XV was 1 lb 0 oz., XIV was 15.4 ounces, for reference). So just a very tiny bit heavier. (Size 9 was the testing size for all weights) Didn't feel heavy in any way, felt sleek, not small, but not bulky either.
Tech/Performance: The major overhaul and major improvement is the traction. The tiny pyramid spikes from the XV were totally abandoned and a really nice thick wave pattern with deep grooves was laid down. I think my biggest complaint about the XV in hindsight was the traction over time, required constant wiping and I found that the non-translucent outsoles of the XV (ashes) were noticeably slicker than the traction on translucent soled XV's for me. This pattern didn't require any wiping on a regular fitness club court, was sticky right from the start, and I gotta believe based upon the depth of the pattern, it should wear decently over time. And, they put small outriggers on, so that conversation can die at last!
The cushioning is pretty close to the same, but the design of the shoe makes the cushion setup closer to the court and in turn more responsive. When the bags are held up next to the XV's they look identical, but the feel in the shoe is much closer to the court and feels quite good, not quite as stiff as I thought the XV bags could be. The shoe itself feels different due to the shape and materials so it was a bit hard to differentiate the air bags, maybe it will stand out over time, but for my 2 hour session tonight it was pretty close to the XV, maybe a tad softer in my opinion. I liked the flex, transition was easier right out of the box, movement was very solid all around. Stop and go was made simple and quick, almost like a track spike. Very stable due to the lowered stance and more aggressive lower cut. It's strange, in some ways on foot it feels like a LeBron shoe, but when you look at it, it's still very different. I can't quite put my finger on what it is, maybe just the cut and the Battleknit 2.0 weave, but the shape is going to take some getting used to for me, it's unique.
Overall: I'm still thinking about these and may require a few more sessions to fully understand what we have here. I do like the look in hand and on foot more than I imagined. Still wouldn't say I love them, but the look is growing on me, slowly. The lines are very sharp and geometric, wish it went together a little smoother. The step in comfort for those not hooping is quite good. The improved entrance/exit will likely be appreciated by most. I'm interested to see how the lockdown around the ankle evolves as these get truly broken in, will it be better or worse? I like the Battleknit 2.0 heads and tails over the battleknit upper from the XV. It has more to it, looks better, creates more structure, feels more organic to the design, just works better in every facet of this design and for it's function as a basketball shoe. The heel anchor still bothers me aesthetically, it looks too pieced together and ruins the flow for me personally, but functionally it's not awful. The heel pull strap isn't overly obnoxious like the last model and the cushioning within the heel is bulked up and formed well to hold, if the tongue can be locked down tight enough to form a good seal around the foot/ankle.
I think the XVI may be another step towards something really special, but it isn't quite there yet. It's another solid shoe, an improvement over the XIV by a LOT and a smaller step up from the one piece XV. I'm excited to see them on court on Bron and hope there are some really great colorways coming that showcase this unique design in a good way. All in all, I think this shoe does have some good things going for it and the traction is great, well above average from what we normally get from this line. I wouldn’t say this model is ground breaking in any way, but a solid overall performer, and a nice step forward in the line, cleaned up some of the issues I had with the XV.
Just my thoughts, I'm sure others will find things they like better/worse. Glad to hear what everyone else experiences with these.
noblekane
coupon just now I would've copped couple hours ago.
Need to see some of the on feet pics. I can use the military discount and get a pair for $147 out the door but im not sold yet. Certain angles they look good but other angles they look basic.
