Hit the jump for full written review, scores and video review.
Traction – If you are playing on a clean surface then there isn’t anything to complain about. The translucent rubber is sticky while the solid rubber herringbone pods do their job well.
Unfortunately, most of us play on typical courts conditions which usually consist of a bit of dust. This ends up working against you and turns the once sticky surface into a slick one with the only working section of the shoes traction being the two small herringbone sections.
Had they used solid rubber then this may have been a non issue but since I haven’t yet seen one colorway featuring anything other than translucent rubber… I wouldn’t expect too much out the traction at all. Not even wiping every chance you get won’t help.
Cushion – The Micro G is nothing short of awesome. If you haven’t tried a Micro G based shoe yet then you are truly missing out on one of the best foam cushion options available… and most of the shoes featuring Micro G are a fraction of the price of Air based cushions.
Just like most foam cushions, the impact is absorbed and dispersed evenly making your ride comfortable and your joints protected. It may not last as long as Air but the effects it has on your body will leave you pain free longer.
Material – The materials are pretty simple. A base layer of HeatGear in uni-body construction form the main shape while synthetics are overplayed throughout for support and protection. I really enjoyed the materials as they are – usage could have been better – and if Under Armour chooses to use HeatGear on more of their shoes then I’m all for it.
Fit – The fit is a hit and miss. With the uni-body HeatGear, you don’t receive the closest fit that you could have and that ends up leaving space within the shoe once laced fully. Since they used a cloth material for most of the upper, it would have been beneficial if it fit much closer to the foot the way compression gear would. Then place the synthetic overlay panels on top for support and structure and you’d have an awesome experience.
I’ve gone over the lack of heel lock down already in a previous Performance Teaser – links can be found at the bottom of this page – and feel that one small tweak would have helped UA reach their goal of a perfect fitting sneaker. Without this tiny little tweak… the lock down in the heel is nearly non-existent and that means that they basically wasted materials and potential sales on a gimmick that just doesn’t work.
Ventilation – This was another area that was superb. HeatGear works. Its worked man times before with UA’s apparel line and it works here as well. Again, if they use this material on more of their sneakers then I would welcome it… as long as its done correctly.
Support – Offering you the support of a high with the feel of a low… sounds great but it isn’t true. They should have focused on perfect lock down… with perfect lock down you can have all the support that you need and then you can make the shoe into whatever height you see fit.
The Nike Zoom Kobe V is a perfect example of a low top that had one of the best lock down fits ever… support was a non issue and many who were accustomed to mid and high top sneakers soon realized that you are completely safe playing in a low so long as they hold you into the foot-bed properly. After so many years of players wearing high tops without any decline of ankle injury… its amazing how one could even thing that the higher the shoe the more support you will have.
Overall – These were a huge disappointment. The design is flawed and they don’t perform well in most of the other categories to make up for it. Traction is weak and in 2012… there really is no excuse to having such poor traction. Cushion is fantastic, Under Armour’s foam cushion is one of the best around. Materials are nice but the fit leaves much to be desired while support is advertised but not given.
I wanted to love the shoe… something so strange looking needs to perform well. The Air Jordan 2009 was a ridiculous looking design too… and those were fantastic hoop shoes. I still feel that if UA went back to the drawing board and tweaked a few things here and there plus turned these into a low then they would have a great performance shoe that actually performs.
Lets get back to basics. Make hoop shoes for hoopers. We don’t want to turn heads because of our footwear… we want to turn heads because of our game.
First Impression
Performance Teaser Pt. 1
Performance Teaser Pt. 2
Love how the Score looks like 😀
“Some may say Under Armour needs to go back to the drawing board after seeing the design of the Charge BB. If looked at in another way, it seems like they are the only ones at the drawing board.” read this from another reviewer. In a way, it’s true.
I read that review. I found that it gave me nothing in terms of the shoes on-court perfomrance. Ankle support is a fictional feature and does not exist, only ankle restriction. Then ankel is what supports the person from their foot to the shin, its a hinge and hinges cant be supported. In terms of their design, it would be fine if the design was functional, otherwise its not needed. The cuff can be felt when playing and it is annoying. If you enjoy reading lengthy item descriptions on shoes, then by all means go for it. If you want real and truthful performance reviews then this is the place where they can be found.
dont worry bro, I check your site everyday, Its more updated n u put your heart in it
No, its cool bro. Im not mad at you or anything. I just find it strange that people comment about me on their site saying Im bashing the shoe and praise them for being objective when the commentor just contradicted himself. Those reviews are always the same, every shoe is a good shoe and all that is spoken about is what the brand says adn describes… not objective or real at all. They are things that someone would say after going to the store and trying them on for a moment then leaving without purchasing. Then I go through tons of hours of on-court testing to pick shoes apart and find their faults and their bright spots… which is being objective… not descriptive. They dont even know what leather or synthetics are…
I just dislike fake people and fake supporters and fake ballers. If you hoop then you know my reviews are legit bc I havent been wrong yet.
haha I try to check out as many view point as I can. But the reason why I bought and use the CP3 VI, Micro G torch, Lebron 10, and Li Ning turningpoint to play ball was because of your review. It’s also hard to connect with the reviewer when I can’t even see his face. So big ups to you bro, and I love that u give news about upcoming sneakers also. It’s funny, your more updated than other blogs such as kicksonfire etc.
i still actually read that site from time to time to compare what he says with other reviewers are the same. he actually explained how he reviews the shoe in a reply to a comment asking him why all shoes seemed good. he says he uses the shoe to how the brand wanted the shoe to be used. of course if you get in to how the brand wanted it to be used you would think every shoe is good as its not really how you play. when he releases his top 9 shoes for the half or full season it usually contradicts what his statements made when the review was made. i find his reviews too “shakespeary”. i still dont know how to play the shoe fluidly or play the shoe hard. hehe.
If thats how they review shoes then thats a bunch of bs… Im sorry. Those reviews are fake if you ask me. Playing in the shoe they way the brand wants them to be played in??? They never explain how they should play they only go over tech features. Real ballers know the difference between a real review and a fabricated review… Thats why that place hardly gets any views.
yeah, played how the brand want it to be played or the best way to play it. the zigslash the 1st john wall endorsed shoe, he got it high on his top 9 list. i’m not saying all of it is BS though i do feel he tries. its just that some obvious nuances he takes it in as a positive for the shoe like traction in the zigslash, stability in the crazy light 1, ventilation for the crazy light 2. he really tries hard to put an obscure shoe to be a big surprise. like trying to be a hipster in basketball shoes.
Yeah well from experience, traction sucked on the wall 1, there was no stability in the crazy light 1 and the crazy light 2 had very little ventilation.
If you fake a review then a real reviewer can tell. There isnt even any evidence that they have the shoes in hand or have worn them. All images are doctored images. Just too much pointing towards fake reviews and trying to capitalize on something due to popularity.
one can actually see that it’s not. to be honest, taping or wrapping your ankle on a figure-8 with an elastic band or wearing a brace would be more secure than the cuffs. the cuffs are more like shin guards at best, but we are not playing soccer, so it’s pretty much pointless to have those imo. although I doubt soccer players would like having those either. that is already from a sport which has a lot of leg contacts involved and still utilizes low top spikes.
Soccer players keep all gear independent so they promote natural movement with some protection. Just like batman’s armor… If he was 100% protected he would lose nearly all motion so he protects only what is needed and it allows freedom. The cuff was a bad idea & it didnt work on top of that making it a major issue in my book. They tried too hard to be different and instead they just advertised their biggest flaw… They have rookie designers.
What ever happened to the under armour nano g lighting?
“Lets get back to basics. Make hoop shoes for hoopers. We don’t want to turn heads because of our footwear… we want to turn heads because of our game.” – Amen to this bro!
You just made me glad that UA hasn’t sent me these yet.
Haven’t you considered joining the Nike design team? With all your knowledge about performance, I think you might be able to create a revolutionary basketball shoe. Just sayin’
I doubt they would hire me.
Don’t be so pessimistic bro. You have the brains. With just a little more publicity, I’m sure you’ll be on your way to Nike Headquarters in no time.
Thanks bro. I’ll hope that one day it happens.
Awesome review as usual! The best part of your reviews for me is the fact that I know you are being sincere and have a incredible foundation to compare to past shoes because you’ve been performance testing and ballin for a while. You know your shit and it shows with every video. This is the only site I follow for performance reviews, period. Most of the other sites are scared to be critical, so every new big shoe sounds like a 10/10.
On a side note, I was thinking about get the UA Torches….. do you think I can use that shoes for both basketball and light running (3x a week at gym on steps/treadmill)?
I’m kind of strapped for cash and don’t wanna dish out extra dough on a premium running shoes. And that fact that the torches felt so comfortable always stuck with me so I hope I can double up on it as a gym shoe as well.
Thanks!
You can. They are really comfortable.
hi there Adam,
like you, I do hit the gym as well. although I don’t technically own a pair of Torches, I did manage to try them out. and considering all the things that goes on in the gym and sports involved, the Torches are perfect for such workout routine. I personally feel that the foam based cushion are great for trainer shoes. do not be deterred as to why I don’t own the Torches. it’s just that I got a lot of shoes that needed to be broken down and worn out literally. and so far, I’m behind schedule.
Nice review, this is one weird ass shoe. Anyway, are you gonna review any other Adidas shoes? The Adizero Ghost 2 looks interesting, or is it just a modification to the crazy light?
The ghost and shadow always fit be awkwardly and its painful to wear.
You muat play outside so probably thts y da traction must suck. You need to play on a clean surface gym. The fit must be true but da traction is becuz u play outside play someone where else like a real gym not those rec gyms. But i luv ur site i go here daily to check new reviews. I even suscribe to ur chaneel. I’m planing to get these shoes, Shuld i. Tell me pls
I play indoor only on all types of court conditions to thoroughly assess the traction. It wasnt good enough when compared to other sneakers.
Oh kk thx do u think i shuld get them right now i think im gonna get them but im asking ur opinion though shuld i
Cause im thinki cause u dont like them can u do a giveaway for people 🙂
So would you say you jut wouldn’t buy these at all, I’m asking because I’m a big under armour fan and I can’t really get y hands on some way of wades
Will you be buying the Kobe 8 Mamba curials?
how do i purchase the micro g shock in white and
red
how do i purchase the white and red g charge sneakers frm this website
Would the MENS UNDER ARMOUR MICRO G CHARGE BB BASKETBALL SHOES be good if the price was $25? I purchased them at Marshalls for that price. Great shoe for $25, yes. Great shoe for $130, no.
I’m very very new to this site. Like i just got on here today. I have been thinking on copping a pair of these. I seen them for only like 25 bucks . I used to hoop in any shoe no problem but due to tearing a acl i have be more aware of what i am getting and i love your reviews. I think they are great actually. You are very honest and dont do what the masses want you too and that i appreaciate