adidas Hoops has been pretty quiet in 2018. The brand hopes that will change with the introduction of the adidas Pro Bounce.
This is one of the best outsoles we’ve gotten from adidas since the Harden Vol 1. Its rubber compound feels nearly identical to the Vol 1 and it acts like it as well. Spiral patterns usually work well but the bite these offer is on another level. There were no issues no matter which court I played on. I just had solid traction from start to finish. It’s capable of handling outdoor use as well which is a big plus.
If consistent and reliable traction is your thing then the adidas Pro Bounce should be on your list of options when shopping for a new pair of basketball shoes.
Bounce cushion appears to be replacing Boost in most of adidas’ basketball models. It’s replaced Boost in adidas’ awful D Rose 9, and it looks like it’s completely replaced the Crazy Explosive line altogether. It’s almost like adidas is trying a little harder to distinguish the two cushions — which one is its premium offering and which one is its more affordable option.
Now, if you’ve worn Bounce before then you won’t be disappointed. Bounce offers a slight bounce in terms of feedback underfoot while retaining a ton of court feel. It’s one of the most well-balanced rides from a foam currently available on the market.
It did leave a bit to be desired when I took the Pro Bounce outdoors, so for that I’d rather grab my Harden Vol 2, but for indoor use I think it’s perfect for players from the 1 to 5 spot.
adidas applied ForgeFiber, a lightweight mesh with additional stitching for reinforcement and strength, on the upper of the Pro Bounce which is similar to the Harden Vol 2’s build. And like the Harden Vol 2, it feels a little cheap in-hand and on-foot.
However, ForgeFiber works just fine. It’s breathable. It’s lightweight. It moves with the foot rather than against it. It requires zero break-in time. But it still feels a little cheap — it’s something I’d be okay seeing on a $90 shoe instead of a $120 shoe.
Is it a deal breaker? From a performance perspective, not at all. If you like to feel like you have something premium then it could be. Those preferring the lightest shoe available will enjoy the Pro Bounce more than those that prefer leathers.
I’d suggest going true to size or down 1/2 size. My adidas Pro Bounce was my true size and I didn’t experience any issues with the fit or support. However, there was a little bit of dead space above the toe. I personally prefer my shoes to fit closer to the foot and going down 1/2 size would have given me the fit I prefer.
However, it would haven also rammed my toes into the rubber outsole that wraps up the toe area so if you don’t mind having a tiny bit of dead space then TTS is the way to go. If you don’t mind your toes touching the tip of the shoe then going down 1/2 will suit you best. Wide footers, you’ll likely be okay going TTS with this type of material setup.
Lockdown, despite my dead space issue, was solid. The lacing system is comprised of Flywire-like cables, something I don’t like, but they worked well once you adjust everything to your liking.
Support was very good, even with the cheaper mesh build. Its lockdown and overall fit works well and keeps you on the footbed of the shoe. Torsional support comes in the form of two split TPU spring plates that run into the forefoot of the shoe, something I really enjoyed. The midsole is wide and flat while we have two large exaggerated outriggers — awesome.
Support, despite how the overall package looks, is very much on-point.
Do I recommend the adidas Pro Bounce? Yes.
It’s a very solid shoe — everything it offers works and works well. The shoe can be used for all positions, on top of that. However, there are a lot of consumers that prefer to have a premium feeling shoe without the premium price tag — and in that sense the Pro Bounce is not that. If you can find the shoe for under its $120 retail price then I’d definitely give it a shot because you’ll be pleasantly surprised. If the shoe happens to be your upcoming team shoe for school then you won’t be disappointed.
If you want something that translates easily from on-court to off-court then, as the young Internets would say, this ain’t it chief.
not surprised with the good review/scores that this shoe had, and yes getting a 6th man badge is not a bad thing. although I am surprised that you played in the mids before the lows. this is as of reading the review first, and I’ll checking the video out later if it was mentioned there.
Thank you for acknowledging that the 6th Man badge is not a bad thing lol. I so not have the low tops and I don’t expect to get a pair. I’d have preferred to have worn the low over the high but these were solid nonetheless.
Thanks for the review. The good old “Adidas size” discussion. I for once went with the European size 47 1/3 since 2014 in all my Adidas Basketball shoes and they all fit me really well.
As for this shoe: I wish there was more Impact protection. I play mostly in the post and for me support together with cushion is really important. The only other Bounce shoe I ever tried is the Crazy Hustle which looks beautiful but it’s just not as nice on the knees as Boost. The Pro Bounce 2018 looks fantastic in my opinion but if the impact protection is not there… I’d rather pass. :-/
-pac
The shoes came to my door today just before i red your review but uckily i was checking your IG for comments. I will take them to practice today and see how they perform. I got 44% discount from a friend that works in adidas so even if i dont like them (i am using Brons 15s now) 68 euros aint bad for this pair….
Are there differences between the high and the low? I played only in high tops because of a lot of ankle injuries (i also use mcdavid ankle brace) but i always wanted to try something not to low. Thank you very much
Unfortunate that this replaced the Crazy Explosive line, but its not surprising since they had no hype and sneakerheads let them sit, truly pearls among swine. These seem alright, but the CE was my shoe. Boost, nice uppers, good traction, perfect forefoot flexibility, wide footer friendly- it was just right for me. Now I feel like stocking up on another pair and getting it on discount.
Love your vids as always. Lol. Thumbs up to the thumb.
Great Review as always. I think that the Dame 2 spoiled me with Bounce because it was just so comfortable. I haven’t encountered a Bounce that rivals the Dame 2 on a Bball shoe yet. Maybe I’ve just missed it but so far, those were the most bouncy and comfortable pair that I have tried on to date. Most of the newer stuff is slimming out the forefoot a lot more.