Straight out the box, ready to go to war. The Brandblack Rare Metal is a definite gem.
Traction – Good, not great. The blade traction does its job well. This is one area where I felt the traction took a minor step back from its predecessors. It isn’t to say the the traction didn’t work — on clean floors it’s nothing but awesome — but on dusty floors, you’re going to find yourself wiping a lot more than you should. I definitely preferred the blade traction setup the JC2 had to offer (if they implemented that traction and included the nodules from the Rare Metal, this would be close to Hall of Fame score for sure). Hopefully Brandblack will consider that for the next one.
Cushion – Different. Brandblack’s cushioning now is called Jetlon EVL, or an evolution of the brand’s Jetlon foam. The Jetlon EVL felt more responsive and slightly bouncier without the instability, which in this case, is super comfy. Although the shoe rides lower to the ground, you don’t find yourself having to worry about impact on landings because the impact protection is high. Compressing the already comfy Blackfoam down by 30-40% while not losing any comfort is still a shock to me. The bounce back on transitions from stop to go doesn’t miss a beat and Brandblack has done it right from the start.
Materials – Brandblack is a company that doesn’t skimp on its materials. The Jacquard upper on the Rare Metal feels great on foot. The upper is thin but supportive. The toe area is reinforced with TPU overlays for added protection on high-wear areas of the shoe. The ankle collar is done well and gives your ankle a nicely pillowed feeling. The insole uses a suede material, which will eventually break-down, but while it lasts it feels slick on foot without any slippage.
Fit – Almost to the T. The shoe fits perfectly true to size, however, those who want a snug fit can consider half-size down. Even with a wide-foot base like myself, going true to size fit well without any restriction. Lockdown is solid, to go along with a traditional lace setup that gets the job down. There is no slippage whatsoever. However, I did experience some minor deadspace along the area where the front reinforced forefoot meets the lacing. This could have been much worse but the way Brandblack has set up the shoe it’s a minor concern — the shoe sculpts around your foot very well.
Support – Everything you need, and nothing that you don’t. The shoe is simple and ready to go right out of the box. From the traditional lacing setup to the high tongue (that wraps around your foot nicely) and the super responsive cushion setup — plus a perfectly proportioned wide bade outrigger — the Brandblack Rare Metal is a good fit regardless of position. You’ll be locked into place without having to second guess yourself.
Overall – If your looking for a shoe that gives you pretty much everything that you do need, then this is the shoe for you. Some shoes take time to break-in but this isn’t the case for Brandblack shoes. The Rare Metal goes for $110, all while giving you premium materials, great cushioning, and damn near great traction.
Brandblack continues to innovate by perfectly executing fashion and function. What more can you ask for except when’s the next model coming out?! Because we can’t wait!
Brandblack Rare Metal
Black/White | Black/Red | Black/Black
Great review bro. I still haven’t pulled the trigger on these unfortunately but maybe, just maybe I will soon. I’ve had some other responsibilities preventing it but they are definitely still on my radar.
You can get them on sale at finishline right now also.
However, priorities first my man. Thanks for reading TREZZ!
The Rare Metals are one of the best bang per buck shoes. Good performance review by NYJumpman23.
Thanx NATE!
Is there any chance this brand will finally find its way across the big pond to Europe? I’d love to try them out, in fact this is the first low ever that really sparked my interest.
-pac
I believe they have a couple of places that have them available or ship to EU.
Revolve had them: bought them there actually. Shipping was free too so no complaints
The shoes are fantastic: really enjoying them and ready to go right out of the box. The cushioning is surprisingly bouncy and feels.great
Good review man!
You can find them at Sneakerstuff.
Ah yes. Revolve and Sneakersnstuff have them available.
NYJUMPMAN23, I’m trying to decide between the J Crossover 2 Lows (with the reinforced toe overlay) or the Rare Metals while both are still on sale. Which would you choose & why? I’m 6’2, 190 and like a low to the ground, responsive ride. My only hesitation with the Rare Metals is the traction. What say you?
Phil, that’s up to you, I can’t tell you what to buy TBH.
You can’t go wrong with either pair, as long as you play on a clean floor, the RM’s should be fine.
I’m still a fan of the JC2, as it’s still in my gymbag.
Nicr review man. I could be imagining things, but I feel like the midsole feels firm on some days. I straight up wear my pair for almost everything now because the fit is so perfect for me (half size down).
The allure of this pair quickly faded for me, but it’s such a practical go-to. Just looking to run it into the ground.
Ventruck – appreciate the support man. I never had the issue, I like the shoe, just not as JC2 like…but it works well.
Nice Review man keep up the good work. I want to try Brandblack and give them a chance since Nike is ripping us off but i cant find a website that ships to Europe. Any suggestions guys??
Just red the comments above , got my answer.
always thankful for having many different views on shoes’ performance hence the abundance of the awesome testers at WT. interesting to see that NW says the traction is beastly, but to see you and duke say that the were good but that they need to be wiped consistently. do you have any idea as to why this difference came about? because I believe that all of you have tried these out on a variety of surfaces as always.
Leo,
First and foremost, thank you for your support.
Second, All our playing styles are different, hence some of us Write multiple reviews for the same shoe.
I play more of a big men oriented game, however diverse in terms of bringing up the ball and then going down in the paint. All of our movements and foot placements differ pending on the individual and adaptation of playing style. While traction may work very well for a certain person, it might not work for an another. It all varies. We try to give our most precise insight as possible. I’m 6’1 230+lbs playing point forward. So you can take that into consideration.
NYJumpman23 or anyone else who has bought these shoes, how breathable are the Rare Metals? One of the reasons I need to replace my Jordan 21s is how clammy they get.
Thanks.
Hey Stan whaddup!
Its Alex from Brazil Im going to the US for a few weeks and definitly want to cop a Brand Black Shoe. Not sure about JC3, Future Legend or Rare Metal.
Im a Heavy dude, play PF/SG but sometimes run point. Yes presta strange I know…:) . Can you gimme some advice