adidas Harden Vol 8: adidas is Dominating in 2024

adidas basketball has been in somewhat of a slump in recent years. Since 2018, they haven’t had an elite on-court performance shoe. There have been a lot of average shoes, some above-average, and a bunch of duds. Then, they dropped the Harden Vol 7 last year. Not only was it a visually unique basketball shoe, but it was also amazing on court (one of the best of 2023 in fact), and this was exactly what adidas needed. Performance is essential to stand out, of course, but a bold and innovative design language is what takes a basketball shoe from good to great.

The only bad thing about creating a shoe like the Vol 7 is that it sets a very high bar for subsequent models. We are glad to say that up until this point, adidas has been meeting that standard. The AE 1 is fantastic, the Trae 3 is solid, and even the Dame line, which was just remixing past models until we got a look at the Dame 9 over All Star weekend, works great. And, not only do they perform well, but visually they are some of the more distinct and innovative-looking basketball shoes out there.

And now we have the Harden Vol 8 which looks like it will be a BEAST on court and it is one of the most funky-looking kicks we’ve seen in a while. So, let’s dive into the review and see exactly what the Harden Vol 8 has to offer.

UPDATE: The adidas Harden Vol 8 made it onto our list of the best basketball shoes of the year and our list of the most comfortable basketball shoes as well.

adidas Harden Vol 8 Review

adidas Harden Vol 8 Tech Specs:

adidas Harden Vol 8 Traction

The Harden Vol 8 features a weird traction pattern etched into a solid rubber outsole. The sole is equipped with 3 different traction patterns: there are two radial pods in the forefoot, herringbone is featured along the entire perimeter, and running down the middle is an “H” shaped pattern. This configuration looks like it will perform great indoors and offer exceptional multi-directional coverage.

As far as outdoor use goes, the Hardel Vol 8 might be slightly better than other models in terms of durability, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to be a good outdoor option. The rubber compound, although solid, is on the softer side and the pattern itself is relatively shallow.

adidas Harden Vol 8 Cushion

The Harden Vol 8 reintroduces full-length Boost to the Harden signature line. Boost is great, everyone knows that, but after a first try-on, this setup feels slightly firmer than what was featured in the Vol 7. The full-length slab of Boost is almost entirely caged in this shoe, which will reduce the ability of that foam to compress and expand as you play.

That being said, as the shoe breaks in the cushioning system should start feeling more plush underfoot, what remains to be seen is just how plush it will actually get. A big factor will be if adidas left any space within the shoe between the midsole and those hefty EVA side panels on either side. If they did, and the Boost “warms up” after some time on court, these will end up being one of the most comfortable performance shoes of the year.

adidas Harden Vol 8 Materials

The Vol 8 combines an assortment of synthetic materials with some premium leather details. The two large white (in this colorway) side panels are EVA foam. This material is tough enough to give the shoe structure and containment, but soft enough to allow the shoe to move naturally with your foot. Underneath that, we have the same textile booty from the Vol 7.

This reduces a lot of weight in the shoe and will help with ventilation as well. There is a sturdy external TPU heel counter, and over the toe box, we have a premium leather panel, which is something we love to see here at Weartesters. Whenever a shoe mixes modern synthetics and textiles with raw premium materials, while not sacrificing performance, it automatically gets extra points.

adidas Harden Vol 8 Support

Support will certainly be a highlight of this shoe. We have a wide stable base, a low profile steady cushioning system, that beefy build of the upper with a torsional shank plate, and a sturdy heel counter to boot. Basically, we have the exact same setup as we had in the Vol 7 (which had great containment and support) just repackaged in an updated design.

So, if you enjoyed the on court experience of the Harden Vol 7, you are going to enjoy the Vol 8. For those of you who didn’t get to play in the Harden Vol 7, the Vol 8 will be a great, zippy, low profile, and secure feeling shoe on court.

adidas Harden Vol 8 Fit

Fit is another aspect that’s practically identical to the Vol 7. If anything these might be a tad more snug, but the shoe fits true to size so go with your usual size and you should be good to go.

adidas Harden Vol 8 Overall

Mission accomplished. adidas has created a more than worthy successor to their best basketball shoe in years. In terms of performance, the Harden Vol 8 should be equally as effective on court as the Vol 7, which will put it in the conversation for best basketball shoe of the year. But, that’s just half of the story.

In terms of overall design and overall build, the Harden Vol 8 maintained a common design language with the Harden Vol 7 while at the same time improving and refining several aspects. This is, admittedly, an odd-looking basketball shoe, but at the same time, it stands out. Truly memorable basketball shoes perform great and look different, and the Harden Vol 8 does just that.