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Jordan Melo M8 Performance Review

Hit the jump to read the full review…

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Traction – If you had checked out the First Impression on the Melo M8 you would have known that I had my doubts about the traction. Thankfully the setup not only proved me wrong but blew me away. The heel featured the most traction which is perfect for post players but Carmelo does have a front facing game which is where these end up working out for just about any type of player. Whether you face up or back down your defender, the M8 will provide you with a solid source of reliable traction.

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Cushion – Very surprised that I loved the cushion so much as I tend to dislike the inconsistent feeling that combo cushion setups bring. However, the heel was wonderful and provided plenty of cushion while the forefoot did the exact same thing. The foam used was nice and soft as well. Since the shoe is fairly rigid the softer foam helped out quite a bit with the fluidity of the heel to toe strikes while in transition.

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Material & Fit – The fit for me was a bit lackluster at first but with the right adjustment to the lacing system, everything turned out pretty well. I did go down ½ a size for better lockdown in the heel so you may want to try these on in store before purchasing just to figure that part out.

Materials overall were nice and did what you’d expect. One thing to keep in mind is the materials along the upper do not retain their shape very well with all of the heat and moisture buildup due to the lack of ventilation.

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Ventilation – As stated above… it’s pretty poor and could have been much better. There is more than enough room along the upper to have implemented some sort of perforations yet there are none to be found. If it weren’t for the lack of ventilation, this shoe would have been very close to perfect.

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Support – The TPU cage is great at supporting you under foot and on your lateral movements. The shoe itself is very rigid but it plays so smooth you would have never known unless you tried it out for yourself.

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Overall – If ventilation was better the materials along the upper may have been able to retain their shape throughout the night. Had this been the case, this shoe would be one of the most complete as far as performance is concerned. Traction was fantastic, cushion was awesome and the support was made for a larger player but suitable for smaller guys. A few small tweaks and you have yourself one heck of a shoe. These actually remind me of the older Air Jordan models… they almost all missed the ventilation mark yet every other category was usually pretty solid.

I fully recommend this sneaker and loved every minute I spent on court with them.

Traction – 9.5/10
Cushion – 10/10
Material – 8.5/10
Fit – 7.5/10
Ventilation – 3/10
Support – 9.5/10
Overall – 8/10

78 comments
  1. hey nightwing nice review.
    i have a narrow/flat foot.my size is 11 should i go for 10.5? compared to outdoor in which u felt the traction was good wade2 or m8.

  2. i have always been these with the aj 8.0 when i see them in stores. i saw your review of the aj 8.0 but the suport category was not available that time you reviewed them. they would be pretty even with the m8 right? overall would they be pretty even? they seem to have a very similar construction and cushioning along with the A flights 2011. these 3 have same price points on sale and they might even still be available up to nxt year lol. i’m thinking i could get the crazy 8 and 1 of the other 3 jordan shoes i mentioned above this mid year. 8.0 or or m8? any other suggestions?

    1. They 8.0s are just as good IMO. They have less ventilation but the materials retain their shape a bit better. The 8.0 is also a little mote flexible as far as the midsole is concerned so for those that need flexibility theyd be better.

      1. the a.j 8.0 black/red and aqua looks to have better ventilation. the white pairs dont have the mesh type flywire and are thicker than the skinwire or 2nd gen flywire. the black cw’s have the 3rd gen type flywire panels like whats on the lbj9 but thinner and flexible.

        1. Dont let that mesh material fool you bro, i have the aqua pair an they are just as poorly ventilated than the white/red pair. Theyre still great shoes but if you think you need air flow then you will want to look elsewhere.

          1. i dont really need it. if its there then its there, if not its ok. just as long as my feet dont feel like being steamed dumplings then its ok. thanks for clearing it up. i do miss the luxury feel of the soft smooth quilt like sockliner/padding on the collars of basketball shoes. so ventilation may take a step aside for a while.

  3. Again, a perfect review man.

    BTW, What kind of cleaning liquid do you use to clean your shoes? I think they really look pretty neat even if you played with them for hours. Maybe you can make a quick video giving us tips on how to properly clean a sneaker. That’s just a suggestion though.

    1. Thanks! I actually dont clean my hoop shoes. These just happened to take the damage very well, you can barley see the scuffs along the patent… Possibly bc of the color but not sure. The most i do is clean the outsole occasionally.

  4. this shoe is added to my list…

    rose 2.5, wade 2s and this one, still waiting for your other great review… awesome job bro!

  5. Thanks for another great review. You have so many things on the table but still managed to give detailed review everytime, hats off to that.

    Sounds like the perfect shoes for a do it all wingman.

  6. Dope – Same opinion , tried these on at WSS and had to drop down to sz 11 cause there a bit large, and the zoom cush is bombay. Definate sleepers and the OG Knicks CW maybe the best but that Black n gray look proper. Dope you first talk grip cause these looked suspect with the bottom desgn they went with. I have definatley been loosing faith on the JB traction, I have been eyeballin the JB “Flight The Power, they have large Herring bone with a strang “O” cut out which makes me thiink you can workit a bit harder and they look like a fat kid brother to the melo’s. Stay up, keep the reviews flowin’

    1. Theyll move with your foot most of the time as it is but if the material gets too soft then when you add enough force or pressure then they wont support your weight and can buckle under you causing an injury.

  7. snap – just lookint the kix on FLine , what if you took a you took a drill and drill small 1/8″ or small holer holes on the Fly wire plastic walls (avoiding the FW’s) adding your own ventilation knowing know there will not be a resale of any value, sushi for the brain. Heck if we can rip out an insole to look for ZOOM we can sure make a small strategic vent.

    1. Hahaha! I ruined a few pairs on accident based purely on my curiosity. Small modifications i will do if needed or larger modifications if needed so i can finish the review but im not going to drill a hole even though itll help otherwise i would never find out the materials get soft and whatnot. Made me laugh with that one though so thank you lol.

  8. I am really confused.Is it the same fitting you get like lebron 8 v1 & v2.i will be ordering it online so wont able to try it.Is it really loose in true size.

  9. Man i was really surprised with this shoe! I though they were nothing special just some regular shoe! And the cushion i was really sure that would be very bad! Great review man! Keep doing a good job, you’re the best

    1. LOL I’m planing to do the same thing when i will get them ! But i have one concern. Wont structure of the shoe be compromised ? Hey Nightwing whats your take on that ?

  10. great review nightwing! im torn between the m8 and the jordan big ups, any suggestions? thanks keep up the good work!!!

  11. honestly, i didnt find the holes make me feel them while i was playing, the shoes were warm but not hot.. (i drilled between the fly wires) but i did noticed that the shoe was dryer than before after taking them off. the hyperfuse made me love the air flow, it seem that it makes you feel less tired.
    it may be better if i made more holes, but i was afraid that it might kill the shoes or lockdown or something.
    wearing different shoes and experiencing different rides is just sooo addicting.

  12. are these good for wide feet? do you have any other basketball shoe suggestions for people with wide feet?

  13. great review man! was waiting for this review to come out. didn’t know you left sneakerfiles.com/oncourt and made this site. glad to have found it. i was considering of getting a pair of the m8’s but wasn’t sure on how it would perform on the court. thanks!

      1. Oh ok. I discovered the merger while browsing youtube. Good thing I found this site thru youtube as well. I’m looking forward to more great reviews, since I normally play a guard spot, your reviews are very helpful on my shoe selections. Thanks!

  14. love the reviews very thorough and really helpful! quick question, i was looking to purchase either the M8 or the Rose2.5 i play mostly outdoor or on a dusty floor, i hardly ever get to play on a clean court. any recommendation between the two shoes? if my play style makes a difference i play guard moving with out the ball a lot and crashing the boards. any advice would be really helpful and much appreciated thank you!!

    1. ps i was also considering the Lebon 9’s if i can get a pair on sale or maybe save up and actually fork over retail if i have to.

  15. i’m looking and these are pretty cheap now. i’m a point guard with bad knees. would you recommend these over the wade 2s because of their cushion in my situation? or is the wades cushioning just as good?

  16. These, CP3.V, Lebron 9, KD 4, or AJ 2012? I can’t decide witch one even after watching the review of all of them! I have a narrow foot and i am looking for something flexible with good heal lock down at a reasonable price. A lot of shoes have gone on sale at footlocker!!!! Please answer my question.

  17. I tried on Lebrons but didn’t like them so I’m considering these or AJ 2012’s. You said in each review they were great but witch one is better?

  18. You talk about air knight.com a lot is that why you call yourself NightWing and whats up with the 2303.

  19. My game is mostly low post and defensive, would these shoes help out? Plus I have low arches and bad ankles.

  20. greetings

    im asian so im not very big by american standards.im about 5’8″ and i play g/f in rec leagues. i was shopping around for new shoes to replace by lebron 8 v1s and was decided on the rose 2.5s however i saw these melo m8s at a local footlocker here in saudi arabia (taxicab colorway) and fell in love with them right off the bat. your review was spot on, specially the bit about heel lockdown being improved by skipping the next to last eyelet and going up to the one farther back.it improved it tremendously. 2nd point is the cushioning. they were just excellent (however they do feel a bit high off the ground but the response is just phenomenal). i stumbled upon your blog looking for the reviews on the 2.5s. so for my next shoe purchase, ill check to see first if you already have a review for it. thanks man, keep it up.

  21. When you say that the shoe doesnt retain its shape due to lack of ventilation, heat build up if played in for long durations etc.. what does that mean exactly? Does it mean that when and if the materials do soften up and lose its shape, does the shoe permanently lose its shape?

  22. just wondering if i should get these instead of the spine bionic by under armour because these are a little bit cheaper but the ventilation has me kinda worried. I play power forward/center btw

  23. For the M8 Advance, any other differences of note other than ventilation to note? Is the heel lock down better with the new fuse upper as well?

  24. I’m a heavy player and I personally found these shoes very mushy in forefoot. Felt like i was sinking in the shoe and slower when ever i have to make a quick move or take off. I Have a pair of xdr melo B’MO so I switched the skinny as insoles from B’MO over to the M8 and put the thick as insole from the M8 in the B’MO. Now I have solid court feel in the M8 and I can’t feel the top of the full length air bad under my foot in the B’MO. Win Win for me.

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