Nike HyperRev 2015 Performance Review – Duke4005

Finally giving us a full length Zoom shoe last year with the Zoom HyperRev, Nike scaled back for the 2015 version. Be upset if you want, or enjoy the new ride…

When I got the HyperRev last January, I was shocked at the lack of structure. No noticeable support, save FlyWire, but the shoe held me upright and for once, I actually felt the Wire doing something. This year, for the 2015 version, things are beefed up a little. Solid rubber heel counter, a more structured Fuse upper, and stiffer overlays around the toe and heel. And no full-length Zoom Air, which the best feature of the shoe, contributing to great transition and impact protection, the two things a “fast” shoe needs (as well as traction). One of the joys of the original was the freedom of movement players had. Would all of this change spell the end of the Rev line before it really gets started? You know what’s next…

Cushioning – Forefoot and heel Zoom is found here, at least in theory. The forefoot has the lovely rectangle that “everyone” loves, and to be honest, it took about four wears for the foam carrier to break down before I had any bounce. Don’t get me wrong – I still felt responsive and very mobile playing, but the shoe rides VERY low, so the court feel in the forefoot made up for a lack of bounce from the Zoom. After the foam broke down a little, I still didn’t get much response (more fro the Kyrie 1), but again, no real problems with impact or court feel. It played great without the bounce.

The heel unit was on. From the jump it was springy and lively. A bad thing for some as bounce under the heel leads to instability, but again, the shoe rides LOW so when you do hit, you are almost on the court. I can see bigger guys bottoming out eventually, but the foam is pretty stiff so you should be okay for a few runs anyway.

Traction – I had the severe misfortune of not getting to play on a pristine court while testing these – my normal 24 hour court is so bad they closed last week for a complete remodel – so I am a little off on my assessment, but here goes: on the dusty, dirty, nasty court I played on the first two weeks, I was sliding on every third or fourth move if I didn’t stop and wipe the soles HARD. I slid in my Rose 5’s, my Lillards, and my Jordan XX9’s as well, and I love the traction on all of those on clean courts, so it ain’t the shoes. Finally, the last three wears, I got a semi-clean court, and grip was Loctite. No slipping, squeaky, stop on a dime, and change of direction was perfect. The pattern is a modified herringbone, but not by much, and it works very well. It is set fairly wide on the grooves so dust, on a NORMAL court, should be no problem. The pattern is semi-deep, so outdoors should be good for a while, but the rubber is softer than XDR so it will wear pretty quick.

Fit – Fit was very true, in my opinion. I have read some say go down half a size, but if I did my toes would be at the extreme end of the shoe, and with the lockdown in the midfoot and heel there is no need to go that tight up front to avoid foot movement. Again, I like a little room up front, about a finger width, and staying true to size was perfect. The lacing and FlyWire pull the shoe up like FlyWire was meant to. In the heel, we are blessed with Achilles pads that form around the ankle above the heel and keep any heel slippage to an extreme minimum. Heel slip? Nada. Simply put, one of the best fitting shoes I have worn in a couple years.

Materials – Ehhhh. Mesh/Fuse all over the upper. They should be stiff, but the mesh is thin enough that is starts off flexible but firm. It is wound tight, but the upper has enough cutouts and flexpoints that it never restricts movement. The toe area has an extra Fuse area in the toedrag spot so those fans of the Euro will get a little longer playtime. For what it is, it is nice. The Swoosh is painted on, like most Fuse shoes, so it will probably show signs of flaking and fading as the months go by, but so far nothing on mine. The inner bootie is a nice combo of spandex and padding, like a lot of my old-school favorites from years back, and it keeps the Fuse from rubbing you in ways that make you feel uncomfortable.

Support – Here is the MAJOR improvement. TPU heel wrap looks like the Jet Flight and plays the same. The base of the sole is flared slightly for a larger landing area and with the Zoom riding low your foot stay tight and upright. The midfoot is solid underneath, preferring to break up the Zoom for a little more support. Yeah, they are really lows, but by now, WE SHOULD KNOW that ankle support is from the fit of the heel and more of a stability thing, not a high cut. Forefoot is flared with an outrigger and again, the FlyWire actually wraps and pulls instead of being a color blocking. For once, I didn’t have to lace up super-tight to feel secure (I did though) – the inner and the Wire hold it down during battles.

Overall – This is what shoe lines should do every year – take the previous and improve, or at least not drop off. The Rev 2015 improves on everything except cushioning – traction is better, the fit is better (slightly), the support is better, and the materials should be more durable. Again, these are a fun shoe to wear – you feel like running, you feel like cutting and slashing. If you need an overall package for ANY position, these, to me, are the choice. Unless you are just HUGE and crush midsoles on the regular, grab a pair. These will stay in the rotation.