Nike Air Max LeBron VII Review

This is a public service announcement…

The Nike Air Max LeBron VIIs are the hottest basketball sneakers in the game right now!

With the seventh release of the LeBron James signature shoe, I have to admit that it sounds a little cliché to list the latest shoe as the greatest shoe but it’s true. There no other way to explain it because it’s clearly the best of the bunch.

Nearly every aspect of the shoe is beautiful which forms to make the product an overall masterpiece. Not only is the shoe eye candy for sneakerheads, it also provides maximum comfort and stability to the foot while still managing to pay homage to a few the King’s best personality traits.“The New LeBron VII takes my signature line to a new level of innovation,” LeBron James said on www.nikebasketball.com.

Ditching the Zoom technology that was incorporated in the previous six sneakers and replacing it with the new Max Air 360 unit, James quickly shows that he’s willing to improve every aspect of his sneaker’s on-court performance. This unit contains 80 percent more air than the previous full-length unit and I can tell you from personal experience that it makes a hell of a lot of difference. This unit provides that walking-on-pillows feel and makes you forget that you’re even wearing a shoe at times.

 also decided to incorporate the Flywire technology into the product as well (a la Nike Hyperdunk/Hypermax) which drastically decreases the weight of the shoe. LeBron’s shoes have generally become known for heaviness and bulkiness, but this shoe is very lightweight.

The difference between the Flywire used in this sneaker than it was in previous Nike products is that a double-layer of the technology is crafted into the shoe. The double-layer Flywire is great for managing harder cuts because it makes the shoe stiffer and more durable to hold the inner beast of King James or anyone else for that matter.

“When designing the Air Max LeBron VII, we envisioned a shoe that was both strong and comfortable,” Nike Footwear Designer, Jason Petrie said on nike.com. “We delivered a shoe that is a perfect combination of superior performance and luxurious style, embodying LeBron himself.”

Paying homage to the legendary of LeBron James, as with all of the others, was also a theme of the shoe as several hints are placed throughout the shoe to remind you just whose shoes you are wearing. These include his symbol obviously, his autograph on the tongue, as well a few of his favorite punchlines (Passion, Fearless, Tradition, Community, Family, Loyalty) in several parts of the shoe.

Outside of all the technological details that went with the creation of the product, it’s just very stylish. You can rock the shoe with jeans or sweatpants and still look hot while doing so.

After purchasing the shoe, I decided to wear the shoe to a step-show on our campus and one of the security guards asked me if they were Michael Jordan’s? This is the ultimate complement for a basketball sneaker.

Despite all of the innovative qualities with the production of the shoe, it doesn’t come at a cheap price. The suggested retail is a hefty $160.

For a struggling college student like myself, satisfying that passion for flashin’ is pretty expensive for this product, but I truly believe that the Nike Air Max LeBron VIIs are worth the investment.

Pros: Quality, Style, Comfort

Cons: $160 Price Tag

Verdict: Must Have!

shoe review : Nike Air Max 360

Nike compares running in the Air Max 360s to "running on air," but the cool thing about the 360s is they look like you're running on air. The shoe is unusually light (less than 13 ounces), and the clear see-through "windows" on the sides of the sole let you look right through it.

EVA foam compresses over time and loses its cushioning ability, so Nike designers introduced Air technology back in the late '70s with the Tailwind shoe -- later made popular with the Air Force 1 and Air Jordan shoes. Nike designers replaced some of the EVA with small encapsulated air in polyurethane bags and created a lighter, more durable, and better cushioned shoe.

The new Air Max 360 replaces all of the foam with a full-length Air Sole.

Testing the air

When Nike contacted me to try out the 360s, I knew I could give them an honest assessment. Although I'm not a hard-core runner, I've run enough to appreciate quality shoes. I've been running for about 20 years and currently run five miles once or twice a week with the occasional 5K or 10K race. I like to run, but keep it fairly light because it's a little too hard on my 40-something joints.

Since I'm a pronator, which means my foot tends to rotate inwards when I strike the ground, I typically look for well-cushioned shoes that provide stability. Cushioning is particularly important for me since I run on almost exclusively on asphalt or cement.

Durability is also important, as I've learned the hard way that when the foam wears out, cushioning decreases, and I'm more prone to injuries like shin splints. Not to mention, the less often I have to buy shoes, the better.

First off I noticed the 360s were much lighter than my current New Balance running shoes (with an EVA foam midsole). While the Nike sole is see through, it's thicker and you can't bend it or twist it the way you can with my EVA foam shoes.

The 360s fit snugly, especially in the heel. I don't have particularly wide feet, but had to fiddle with the laces a little before dialing in the right fit. I chose thinner socks than usual to get it just right. Best thing is that my foot didn't slide around in the shoe -- which happens often no matter how much I tighten the laces. No heel blisters with these.

I ran a short two-mile flat route just to get the feel of them before hitting the harder testing course. Although the 360s felt a little stiff the first time, it only took a few runs before they felt snug and comfy.

The real test

I chose my high-impact running route to really test them. It's a 5.5-mile route that covers a variety of terrain: steep uphill and downhill, cement sidewalk, asphalt, uneven dirt trails and grass. The most significant part of my route -- and a great place to check cushioning -- is the steep downhill section that usually jars the heck out of me.

My steps felt cushioned without feeling too spongy. There's enough cushioning but not enough to feel like you're running on a pillow. The cushioning is more springy than fluffy, so you don't feel like you're wasting energy.

On the uneven sections of my run, the shoes felt very stable. In my current shoes I brace my ankles a bit more on these sections, but the 360s felt more stable and allowed me to relax my ankles. The true test for cushioning was a steep half-mile downhill asphalt section at the end of my run. I'm happy to report the Nikes definitely dampened the impact better than my current shoes. I usually feel some aches and pains (usually my knees and shins) here, but not so with the 360s.

I tried on my other pair of running shoes after wearing the 360s for a few weeks and my old shoes felt unstable and flimsy in comparison. Funny, because they didn't particularly feel that way before trying the 360s. Now I'm spoiled.

Designed for comfort

Nike describes the Air Max 360 as a milestone for runners, providing a full air cushioning system in place of foam -- giving runners "360 degrees of Nike Air cushioning." Because testing showed that foam compresses up to 40 percent after 300 miles, the 360's Air Sole allows the shoe to perform as well on the 301st mile as it does on the first.

In addition, the 360 is also designed to be more flexible in the forefoot, to allow for a more natural range of motion and better correspond with pressure points in the foot -- flex grooves on the sole allow for this. The shoe is tuned specifically for gender and shoe size for enhanced impact protection. A seamless sock liner helps eliminate abrasion and midfoot webbing loops provide a better fit.

The Air Max 360 certainly meets all my criteria for a running shoe: Stability, cushioning and durability. Because I'm able to run in these shoes longer without having to worry about EVA foam breakdown, I'd spend the extra money for them.

The 360s retail for $160. For more information, visit www.nike.com.