We all know that Nike’s Hex Zoom isn’t 100% ‘new’ tech, but it looks like they’ve managed to fine tune these little Zoom units by sport and placement. That’s what I gathered from the article over at ABOVE anyway. I had to translate it in order to know what they were talking about and I suggest you head over and do the same. I found it to be an interesting read, even in broken and backwards english – thanks Google.
I just wanted to share three of my favorite images that they featured, but again… head over to ABOVE and see the rest for yourself. It’s worth it if you’re into sneaker tech. Feel free to come back here and discuss your thoughts on the tech as well.
The problem I see with a lot of this tech where air cushioning is separated into pods or segments is that it makes a good cushioning stiff and the extra material adds weight. The great thing about air cushioning is soft without being flimsy at least in the beginning.
Anyways boost foam makes any air cushioning redundant.
Ouch. Speaking for someone with experience with boost and lunar, I played in the hyperdunk 2013 this past season and was severely disappointed. My favorite on court sneaker remains the amazing hyperdunk 2011 which used a perfect zoom air setup. Now if only we could convince nike to retro those lol!
I completely agree with you there. My all black hyperdunk 2011’s still are my favorite on court option. I liked the fit and cushioning a bit better than my super-fly 2s, which are my second favorite to play in.
Agree 100% . Zoom air it seems is getting thinner unfortunately.
Especially for runners=The least amount of weight with the most amount of comfort. What is so hard about this?
If you look at how running shoes wear your aren’t using a lot of footprint on the shoe.
Nike’s “Simon” sole setup may be good for walking or standing but it won’t help for running. Maybe this is a training shoe?
It is a training shoe.
It’s going to be a good set-up. However, I still can’t get over the fact that this is the one of most overrated cushions.
Imagine the new formotion coupled with boost foam. It may perform even better than this zoom air configuration.
Lol, its not a may mate. Puremotion is one of the most felxible and smoothest set ups and if they manage to pull of integrating boost which beats the living daylights out of its competitors so far then i may have to say bye bye to nike bb until they come up with something that can rival that but i feel like itll be really hard to do
Are these like small pocketed versions of the unlocked zoom in the XX8s and XX9s that protrude? or nah?
I just realized that the hex zoom works exactly like Air Jordan’s Independent Podular Suspension or IPS for short. If you played in the Air Jordan XX2 or Air Jordan XX3 then that’s exactly what the hex zoom must have felt like
RS and Josh, agree with both of you.
I still got those Hyperdunks.
That particular version was an indicator, that any team shoe after it is when thin rectangle Zoom team models started.
Hypercross is meant for training as PinoyHooper3 stated.
BlitzBro, it is not exactly like IPS, it should be similar.
The only new innovation there is there are multiple Hexagon Zoom Air units that has different PSIs and bottom loaded but that can be just seen as refinement or revisions which is more better way to put it.
I meant if the Hex Zoom is not exactly like IPS thens hould be similar
I think this is one of the most overrated and hyped up cushioning I’ve ever seen and felt. Ok, it targets the foot with zoom. But why not just use a whole zoom unit for the forefoot and heel? is it more flexible? not really. Deep flex grooves help, but make the pods poke out more (or at least in the Nike zoom hyprcross) making it feel really unbalanced. Does it mean less weight? Not at all. A couple inches of plastic and high tension fibers isn’t going to dramatically make you perform better on the court or anywhere. It actually won’t do anything. I’m not saying its a bad cushioning set up, its okay. But Boost foam is just above and beyond. Nike just should’ve targeted something else to get everyone hyped up for, not just the Hex Zoom. Its a cool idea though. Why not alter the Zoom itself? Like test out if you can use tiny pockets of pressurized air directly in a foam cushion and place the zoom fibers, making bubbles of Zoom. It would make cushioning squeeze the air, so it would bounce like a ball?