The Air Jordan 33 has been officially unveiled and WearTesters was fortunate enough to have been invited to cover the event.
The Air Jordan 33, like Air Jordans that have come before it, has been received with both love and distain. Polarizing is the best way to describe the Air Jordan 33 and it is definitely a conversation starter.
Featuring heel and forefoot Zoom Air, a FlightSpeed plate, and a brand-new (to the brand) laceless FastFit system, the Air Jordan 33 is once again thinking outside of the box.
Some call the laceless system a gimmick, others say it’s unnecessary, while others just think it’s cool to see something different. No matter your feelings, this is the new Air Jordan 33 — like it or not.
We hope you enjoy the review and yes, I forgot about the T-Mac 4, however, everyone is also forgetting about Puma’s disc basketball shoe that came out prior to that. Enjoy the review and share your thoughts on the Air Jordan 33 below.
Release date is October 18 and retail is $175.
Other that materials which I already said I dont like but gotta say it in person (well I guess Nike and JB had me lost now…) I like what they did with that model. I just need elephant print anc cement on the shoe.
3 colorways that make me consider the shoe are, 1. Jades (which to me are dope), 2. All Blacks (except the outsole), 3. the promo launch colorways.
don’t get me wrong, the shoe to me still looks cheap and a downgrade from the previous models. could have retained the $10 just to make them look better.
Actually look decent and the lacing system is intruiging but that mesh, looks so cheap, especially on foot.
I’m very ‘lukewarm’ on these, they’re alright, not really flagship-material to me(seeing the Harden Vol.3 though, the ‘takedown-look’ might be THE trend for next season’s sigs), but not awful either(I found the ‘Nu Retro’ theme the last couple of years much more disappointing(very much an ‘easy score’ of cheap sentimentality), and the completely fumbled Jordan 30 was the worst).
The fact you can over-tighten so easily is a big detraction for the lacing-system to me, because when the narrative is fast, and easy, you’re losing seconds by making the player ‘gamble’ on how tight to pull them(the Soldier’s velcro is much more efficient if that’s the story you’re telling with the gimmick).
They’re alright though.
it seems they designed the shoe around the lacing system instead of designing a shoe that needed it. like I said before it looks unfinished, but I’ll add it also looks cheap. Jordan is supposed to be the pinnacle of tech, comfort, and innovation and I’m not seeing that here. there are better options for less money and no need for a gimmicky lacing system regardless of its intent. the t mac and even the puma BB shoe utilized the tech alot better and the end product looked great. I’ll have to put these in hand before I make up my mind on whether to get them or not, but I gotta ask Chris, would you actually pay for this shoe? does it offer enough to actually justify dropping 175 bucks plus tax on in your opinion?
These look like cheap “lifestyle” knockoff’s.
I like them. Can’t wait for the full performance review. Hopefully they’re not as clunky as the 32s and have more court feel.
I’m probably going to get the launch color way because they tend to sell out quicker and I always regret not buying them lol. But after that I’ll wait for discounts and price drops for the other colors.
Still sticking to waiting to hear how they perform. The 32 was a decent design imo, but it just wasn’t what I was looking for. They didn’t feel particularly this-or-that, but a middle ground.
Looks are indeed already what they are and maybe a cement colorway could fix this up aesthetically. I think some people are in complete denial regarding how nice mesh and some synthetics can be to play in. I have this stance on the Kobe AD “Exodus”. Stuff just works, and it’s been a really good fit on me.
I agree but I think that people equate a certain price to certain materials. Mesh is great to play in honestly. I just don’t know if I’d break over $150 for mesh nowadays. I’ve done it before and wasn’t happy with myself for doing that. Synthetics definitely do their job to offer support too. I just think that people envision one thing and when things aren’t what they envision then they get throw for a loop. This shoe is slowly growing on me but they don’t grab me like even the 32 did.
you are right about that. generally, the complaint on the 33 is more on the materials side (premium quality) rather than performance. if someone is looking for performance, people can find a lot of cheaper option of mesh and synthetics but not on something which is considered to be a pinnacle or brand carrier of a shoe line. it is suppose to be the top echelon of Jordan brand, not a budget model Why Nots. I’m not saying those are bad but really for around $60 more + taxes, people deserve better than a $60 parachute thread. like someone, I didn’t feel the same attraction I had for the 32s as this 33s. this one is a bit of a colorway dilemma that would make me want them.
as far as performance, the 32s are my go-to shoes and has become my rotation favorites. the only reason I might need the 33 is the cushion setup and see how it would behave. for a guy close to 200 lbs, I find them as a necessity. but aesthetically, they are meh.
The materials really don’t justify the price. The budget just went to the lacing gimmick. Also, they are cutting corners for another reason: the main Jordan line really doesn’t fly off shelves (we’re talking new ones). When you go an outlet there are walls of stacked 32s and even 31s from a year before just sitting there. They’re budgeting this for the price cut a year later. They just cost 175 initially to get money out of the early adopter suckers who need the latest thing all the time.
I feel like they should’ve just had these tribute the 3s like 32s (2s) and 31s (1s). They did a little bit and they could’ve taken the concept as far as they wished…until they decided how to go about the line next. These seemed like they should’ve been the 31s if they wanted to get back to their performance, high end roots. They tech is interesting, but people expect “premium” everything for the mainline, even if it isn’t always possible or makes sense. Who knows where they’ll go from here…
Maybe a 3d printed modular concept where the wearer can switch out their choice of shroud like materials, including the cushioning setup—Air Jordan 45s!!!
all this time I thought the first laceless basketball shoe was the t-mac 4. am I wrong?
Do you think that a Mc David Ankle brace will fit in these?
The first Jordans were the best but now they got worst and worst those are so ugly
Who forgot about the Puma disc. I posted in the comments on your vid about those joints.