WearTesters is reader-supported. When you make purchases using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Why trust us?

Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review

AE stands for artisan edition…



Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review 1 Traction – Still not as good as the CP3.VI or CP3.VII, but the traction on the CP3.VIII AE did outshine the regular CP3.VIII. How did it outshine the original version of the shoe? Not sure…they must have changed the rubber compound a bit, because these stuck to the floor much better than the original model I played in. Again, still not quite to the same level as the previous two CP models, but it wasn’t as lackluster as the initial model. Even with the possible rubber upgrade – which is just a guess as I don’t know for certain – I still wouldn’t give them that Starting 5 type of traction…it’s not quite that good, but they’re good enough.



 

Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review 2Cushion – The cushion hasn’t changed at all between this model as the last. Forefoot Zoom Air along with heel Lunarlon is in place, and just like last time, I really enjoyed it. It’s comfortable, low profile, and responsive. These are one of the better Zoom based products that we’ve gotten in a while as well. The pods on the outsole almost activate the forefoot Zoom in a different way than you’d get without them as well. It’s a really nice setup and a nice change of pace from the rectangle Zoom units we’ve been getting on nearly every Zoom-based model as of late.



Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review 3Materials – I wasn’t a fan of the Fuse upper featured on the regular CP3.VIII, but I understood that there would be those that would enjoy it. Now these feature mesh and nylon and that’s right up my alley. If you prefer softer materials then this is going to be the CP3 to look at. As always, there are pros and cons to each option, but actually allowing you to have the option – or choice – between the two uppers is a huge plus. Want support and durability? Grab the regular version. Want something ready to go with just enough support to do your thing? Grab the AE version.



Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review 4Fit – They fit true to size but there was a bit of dead space in the forefoot. Not a ton, but enough to notice. A few adjustments to the laces to figure out how they need to be tied to fit your foot and you should be good to go. Something I liked initially, before playing in them, was the one-piece construction, but I think that might have been the cause of the dead space. Again, just readjust your laces a few times to figure out exactly how tight you’ll need each section and you’ll be fine. However, I think if the tongue was a separate piece to the upper then I would have been able to lace up and run without needing to readjust. This might be a good thing for those with wide feet–trying them on is the only way to truly find out, but since I had a bit of dead space then I think a wide-footer might enjoy their fit.



Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review 5Support – They have most of the same support features that the original version had, not all of them, but most of them. The internal torsional bar? Check. Outrigger? Check. TPU cage? Well…that’s gone. But they still use the midsole as the heel counter and that works great. The only area that lacks support compared to the original version is the materials along the upper, but only slightly. As mentioned before, you’ll lose some support with the softer materials, but it all depends on your personal preferences.



Jordan CP3.VIII (8) AE Performance Review 6Overall – Not a huge difference between the two models, but it’ll allow players to choose a CP shoe that matches their preferences a bit more than just having one standard model. Players that want a low cut shoe with plenty of Fuse and support can have that with the regular version, while players that want a low cut with a little more freedom and softer materials get that with the AE model. If you want great cushion and the ability to choose your upper without going through some sort of customization process, the CP3.VIII & AE should be something to consider…especially once they start going on-sale.



Jordan CP3VIII AE Performance Review 7

27 comments
  1. Excellent review as usual. So thanks for the free information. Invaluable. May have to grab a shooting shirt.

    question: the Zoom Hyperrev 2015 … zoom air in heel AND forefoot … lightweight and flexible. zero break-in time. excellent guard shoe. does the CP3 viii ae match or exceed in cushion / weight and flexibility? (appears a bit stiff/bulky in heel).

  2. Great review as always! This really has me intrigued, because I recently purchased the Nike Zoom Structure a runner with zoom up front and heel foam. First time I tried a setup like that on any shoe, before it was either all foam or all zoom or air combo. But when I tried the runner I instantly loved the way it felt, especially as a heel striker so shoes like these really started to catch my attention

    1. Jordan 29’s are the same way. Unlocked zoom forefoot, pylon heel. When executed well, it feels and works well…surprisingly simple right? Surprised me.

      1. Yeah, as long as the right foam is used. Because a lot of time responsiveness and court feel isn’t a big part of the heel at least compared to cushion or impact protection. Which is why the melo m9 and Lebron soldier 6 used big zoom units that it actually cushioned well in terms of “feel”

    2. Bro. I mean this in the nicest way. No one should be heel striking when they run. Look up proper running form and work on it. Or you will have major issues as you get older.

  3. Instead of crash pad, why not just have a full lunar mid-sole in the heel area. Like of the entire red part was Lunar. My dream cushion is still a lunar drop in (Kobe 9 size) with hex zoom units , similar to the lebron 11

        1. You lost me…. And i quote ” why not just have a full lunar midsole in the heel area” then ” maybe but could they not put it in a phylon shell”……… So lets put this into reality, you want a shoe that has a full lunar in the heel only?? Im guessing instead of a crash pad thats made of lunar. What is the other foam/cushioning with the lunar? Because if you say something that lunar in the heel you want automatically becomes a crash pad.

  4. Great Review! Tryin to cop these hard to find a size! quick question bro compared to the previous cp3 models (6,6ae, 7…..) which is the one that these 8ae play like?

    1. I may be late but kb mentality or hyperfuse. Both have great traction even outdoors but i would personally lean towards the hyperfuse because i like hi tops. The clutchfits gather dust too quickly outdoors and i havent tried the cp3 yet.

  5. Sir Nightwing can you please help me on deciding what to buy? CP3.8, UA Cluthfit Drive, Hyperfuse 2014, KB Mentality or KD7 for outdoor hooping that will perform well but still last? Thanks man. Your reviews helps a lot especially for us here in PH.

    1. Just wanna know what you ended up buying? I’ve got both the CP3 and I skipped Clutchfit and went with Curry 1, then skipped Mentality and ID’d a pair of Kobe X. Now I’m deciding if I want a Jordan retro 14s, the black Curry 1 next month, the Marvin the Martian, or just to ID another Superfly to go with the one I made back in March.

  6. Just wondering how the traction is over time. I’ve read reviews where traction started below average but has gotten significantly better after 5-6 wears. This was the case for me for CP3 VII. I almost stopped wearing them after 3-4 wears thinking traction isn’t going to be there but for what ever reason I kept wearing them for a few more times and it improved alot.

    Has anyone notice the traction improvement over time?

    1. The traction on mine is fantastic, but I wore these on wet tile, slipped, and sprained my wrist so just watch the traction off the hardwood lol

  7. Hi nightwing, I usually wear a size 11 or a Euro size 45, but I was wondering if I should go down half a size to 10.5 or Euro 44.5 to solve that dead space issue in the front toe?

Leave a Reply to BobCancel reply

Related Posts