3rd time is a charm…
Traction – Ektio hasn’t strayed far from where they started as they still utilize full length herringbone along the outsole. No frills or thrills, just traction that works. The only real changed are the addition of some extra flex grooves and multidirectional coverage. Worked fantastic on any and all courts, including outdoors. Telling stories is nice and all… but when we’re talking performance… proven in best and thats what this is.
Cushion – The cushion was a slight downgrade from last year. They added an ortholite insole for some step-in comfort, but the foam used is pretty dense in comparison to the Breakaway. It wasn’t a deal breaker during most on-court time, but there were certain movements where my old a** really could’ve used some extra cushion. You young guns will likely be fine for now, but an insole is recommended.
Materials – Fuse is used once again, but this years version is better quality. You’ll get a longer life out of this new model than some had in the Breakaway, yet you’ll still receive a nice fitting shoe that required little to no break-in time. There is enough mesh to allow air-flow and heat to escape but not so much that you lose support or structure. Great combination of materials used and in a much more streamlined manner.
Fit – They fit true to size, but when I first tried them on they felt almost as if they were a little short. I think that was due to the secure fit, the last seems to have been slimmed down for a greater one to one fit. I didn’t have any issues after I started playing in them and they feel/ fit better with every wear. Wide footers may want to consider going up 1/2 size, the ankle straps will keep you secure so even if you have to go up in size… lockdown shouldn’t be affected in a negative way.
Ventilation – It’s above average. Nothing to complain about at all and I’ve been playing in some horribly ventilated shoes as of late so these were like a breath of fresh air… pun intended.
Support – I feel like I say this every time I review an Ektio model, but it’s true. Best support you can get from a shoe currently on the market… hands down. The dual ankle straps keep you locked in tightly and secure, however, no pain or loss of range of motion will occur. Then you have the snug and secure fit only furthering the support you receive. Take in to consideration the heel and forefoot bumpers – which have been streamlined since we last saw them – to help prevent complete rollovers and you have one hell of a hoop shoe built to prevent ankle injuries.
Overall – They still aren’t great to look at, but the Ektio Alexio is a beast on-court. The cushion could’ve been better, but an insole will fix that right up. I’d rather place an insole in a shoe like this than buy a shoe featuring a cushioning system I usually like only to not feel the cushion at all which leads me to replace the insole anyway… *cough* rectangle Zoom *cough*. These are tools that perform, they’re not intended to look great with your jeans or even with your uniform. It’s a simple concept, prevent ankle injuries while still performing at a high level. If you ever have the chance to try out a pair, I’d recommend it… you’ll thank me later. And yes, I’ve ran into a handful of people at random gyms while they wore the Ektio Breakaway and literally thanked me because they love the shoe… hopefully they like these just as much.
Great review! These definetly look beast in the scores!
the weight itself is beast…
Are they really that heavy?
Dont forget they have a built in ankle brace, theyre probably lighter tgan a regulaf shoe combined with a normal brace
Thanks for the review Nightwing. I have been playing in Ektios since my last ankle sprain a few years ago. Shortly after I injured myself I watched Nightwings video review of the Post Up and ordered a pair. Without question these shoes are everything Nightwing says they are. I land on a few feet every time I play and these shoes will not allow my ankle to roll over. I bought a pair of the Breakaways early this year and would say that they are an upgrade to the original. I would recommend that everyone give this shoe a try. Thanks again Nightwing.
Awesome, great to hear that Ektio shoes are able to let you play Basketball without worrying about ankle issues.
I’d have to say that shoes like this is what this site is all about. I don’t think many people would have known about them if the brand hadn’t gotten exposure from Nightwing reviewing them. I’m sure they’ve helped many people that have previously had ankle injuries or people with weakened ankles due to constant re-sprains be able to get back on the court and play.
That brings me to a question I have. Do any any NBA players wear Ektios? I assume no one does. Would there be a reason that pro players who have ankle issues not use these?
Money is the main reason. They can’t afford to pay a player enough cash to wear them on-court. The entire NBA is bought from head to toe, they’re told what to wear and if they aren’t required by uniform code then they do it bc they get money in their pockets. There are brands that perform well, as we all know, that are featured in the NBA all the time such as UA, Jordan Brand, Nike etc. but for the most part, nobody will wear something like this unless they’re paid to.
So it all comes down to money pretty much. I figured someone in the league might take a chance and try them if they had ankle issues and they were recommended to them.
I think Stephen Curry was getting recommendations from his brother and/or other people before he was with UA on what to wear that may help him to have less ankle sprains. They were pretty much all Nike’s though. I think he was even wearing something like the Hyperfuse for a while as he seemed to have had less sprains with it.
hey nightwing great review as always!u said tht with a good insole change the cushion could be better.which kind of insoles do u recommend?as I live in hong kong we usually just see those gel slips tht u put in the shoe n I find them very weird from a comfort stand point
I’d look on Finish Line and then see what they have that you’d like then try to find one online.
alright thx for the suggestion!!
NW I thought that this shoe as called the barricade? Could you help?
The shoe was called the Barricade up until release when they changed the name. Adidas has a running shoe with that name so I assume that’s why they changed it. Barricade would have been a better name in my opinion.
The Adidas shoe is actually a tennis shoe.
Where can I get these in Philippines? Need help, please. Thanks!
Thank you for your great info. I have played in the Breakaways for a long time. I was concerned about the weight since I prefer light shoes. I was able to remove one of the two straps and it made the shoes lighter (and also quicker to put on). The only difference I noticed with one strap was that my foot was not quite as locked down, but still enough, in my opinion, to maintain the benefits of the strap system. Something to try if you are worried about the weight of the shoe.
Agree–Ektios are the BEST–nay, the only–basketball shoe to wear if you have any ankle stability issues. You can buy them on Amazon as well (from Ektio.)
Hi. Thx for the review. I have a hard time to finding a shoes becoz of my shoes size. Now I wearing Nike hyperdunk 2013. Size Us12 is just fit. But for other models us 12 or 12.5 is too small for me. Size us13 too big. Which size do u suggest for this shoes? I had injury my ankle offen…. was happy to see this review. Thank you so much.
The review is spot on. I have been wearing Ektios since test versions, hands down the best ankle support shoes you can get. As each new model comes out, they have increased comfort,fit, and weight. Still can use some improvement on the insoles. Forget ankle braces, the shoe itself has more support, just test it yourself. Give up some style points and increase your game points.
Would a Micro G insole make the cushion of this shoe a lot better?
I have a UA BB Charge and I’d like to buy Ektio Alexio and I’m just wondering if changing the insole of Alexio into a Micro G would make the cushion a lot better?
Hey Nighwing i need Your help. Can You tell me what to do? i need a new shoes and dont know what to do. Ektio or Hyperposite 2? I need good cushion and very very very good support for my ankles. I am from Poland (Europe) and i cant buy Ektio and Hyperposite2 here. I try Lebron Soldier 9 and Lebron 12 but a cant put my feet in this shoes. I am affraid that Hyperposite 2 are just like LS9? Can You help me? ( sorry for mistakes)
When Ektio announced that they were going to stop making bball shoes, I bought 5 pairs. I’m on my last pair now and can’t find any more out there. It’s been almost 10 years wearing Ektios, I luckily haven’t had any ankle problems. I now need a replacement, any recommendations for a shoe (I don’t care about looks) with traction and ankle supports as good or close to these Ektios?