THE OFFICIAL NIKE KOBE FOOTWEAR THREAD: RIP LEGEND 1978-2020. MAMBA FOREVER | 3 Releases 4/13

OG 11s had MUCH softer foam than what they put on them now.

Reebok's original hexalite was pretty nice too (as well as the DMX system).



They just throw in the cheapest EVA possible now and charge more. Nostalgia is a helluva drug
I used to wear primarily Reebok as a kid and teen simply because they were half the price of Nikes and I remember the cushioning being pretty decent especially on the original iverson models. They feel like bricks these days lol.
 
I used to wear primarily Reebok as a kid and teen simply because they were half the price of Nikes and I remember the cushioning being pretty decent especially on the original iverson models. They feel like bricks these days lol.
OG Hexalite and DMX cushioning was money! There were so many nice shoes with DMX back in the day and now we get absolute garbage in the retros smh
 


OG 11s had MUCH softer foam than what they put on them now.

Reebok's original hexalite was pretty nice too (as well as the DMX system).



They just throw in the cheapest EVA possible now and charge more. Nostalgia is a helluva drug

OG Hexalite and DMX cushioning was money! There were so many nice shoes with DMX back in the day and now we get absolute garbage in the retros smh

Unfortunately, they always use cheaper imitation materials whenever shoes are rehashed because it's how they reduce overhead and maximize profits. Especially when they try to use inflation as justification to charge more.

But if they charged the same original price on the retro versions, then I can somewhat accept that they used cheaper materials to rehash them.
 
funny how the first contract negotiations between Vanessa and Nike failed because she "wanted more shoes to go to the fans".

fast forward to today, so far we've only gotten 1 (super limited) release after the new contract was signed :lol:
It’s a damn shame man. Casually or on the court don’t matter to me, I just wanna see real fans be able to have Kobe’s on feet again.
 
funny how the first contract negotiations between Vanessa and Nike failed because she "wanted more shoes to go to the fans".

fast forward to today, so far we've only gotten 1 (super limited) release after the new contract was signed :lol:

You think Nike’s priorities would be things that make them money but instead they are focusing on woke campaigns that will hurt the brand.
 
What a stupid (checks notes) 192 billion dollar company. They don't know what they're doing. Anyway. I'm chomping at the bit and will buy any shoe they release with the name "Kobe" or "Bryant" on it. Or even just on the marketing. See you guys on the 1st!
 
What a stupid (checks notes) 192 billion dollar company. They don't know what they're doing. Anyway. I'm chomping at the bit and will buy any shoe they release with the name "Kobe" or "Bryant" on it. Or even just on the marketing. See you guys on the 1st!

They’re forgetting why they’re a $192 billion dollar company to begin with:

- you make product that people want

I don’t think they care what consumers want. Even other signature shoes we don’t even get what the players are wearing. Instead we get some random colourways that they put in a random colour generator and say “here you go”
 
They’re forgetting why they’re a $192 billion dollar company to begin with:

- you make product that people want

I don’t think they care what consumers want. Even other signature shoes we don’t even get what the players are wearing. Instead we get some random colourways that they put in a random colour generator and say “here you go”

I agree with you about not getting what we want a ton of the time. And when they do release a fire PE to the masses? Often that player wears a new, different PE right around release date.

It's marketing. Nike doesn't want you to be satiated. They don't want you content. They want you eager. Hungry. Constantly in a state of need. Then you just gobble up whatever crumbs they throw you. It allows them maximum flexibility with product development and helps them take advantage of any trends that emerge, whether with colorways or designs or collaborations on down to manufacturing deals and cost-cutting there, and ultimately, us.

I do think that a year to mass produce a shoe seems like a normal product cycle but if you put yourself in the shoes (heh) of this behemoth, why would you slow design, production, distribution, sales and shipping of other lines that are much more time-dependent (Like if the Ja 1s had come out just a few months earlier things may have been different, or if some themed shoes had release prior to the holidays they may have been big sellers), when you know that you can spit out some Kobes literally any day of the year at any time of the day (7am to midnight) and instantly sell every single shoe.

It's infuriating to us, but aside from a few missteps here or there that really can just be chalked up to "I'm a giant, and I aint gotta move til I'm provoked", Nike can do anything it wants to do and sales will still go through 9 times out of 10.
 
Wore these to my kids’ swimming lesson the other day. Still my personal favorite 8s…
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:smokin
 
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