The Reebok Question Mid finally returns in its original form & I haven’t played in a pair since my High School days… Hopefully they are as good as I remember.
You will be able to pick these up at select R23 accounts May 25th, or you can go to PickYourShoes.com tonight at 12amEST/9pmPST.
Traction – The pattern itself isn’t impressive looking but the rubber is very sticky. That will be good and bad depending on court conditions so I’d suggest bringing along a traction mat with you – to keep dust & debris off the outsole – or if you do not have a traction mat a simple solution would be to use duct tape or a lint roller which can be found practically anywhere at an affordable price.
Cushion – Reebok’s Hexalite is featured at the heel for impact absorption. I don’t believe there is anything other than foam in the forefoot.
I know you are thinking that there are two giant Hexalite pods clearly visible along the midsole… those are just for show… always have been and always will be. They are actual Hexalite units but they are glued to the side of the shoe instead of being embedded within the midsole.
The midsole itself is nice and soft… much softer than what was featured on the 2009 releases. In addition to the foam and heel Hexalite there is a thick performance insole used which is very nicely padded and quite absorbent.
The heel alone feels great with its strategically placed crash pad while the forefoot is a bit slimmer but just as comfortable.
Materials – Leather is featured throughout the upper – pearlized at the toe.
Unlike other brands that like to charge a premium for synthetics, Reebok has opted for their continued usage of genuine tumbled leather. High quality that is affordable… other brands should take notes as this is exactly what keeps consumers happy.
Fit – They are true to size; if you go down half a size you will regret it as they fit perfectly. If you wear them casually you could get away with a half size larger if needed but they are true to size.
Once laced up completely they feel great. The heavily padded tongue allows you to lace up as tightly as you’d like and the leather upper wraps around your foot like a glove.
Ventilation – The tongue is all the ventilation you will receive with its large open mesh.
There are also some additional perforations along the interior of the tongue to allow air to flow and heat to escape.
Support – There is an internal heel counter at the shoe’s base but those giant Hexalite pods along the midsole do serve a purpose… maybe not the pods themselves but the overall design in general. Your foot rests inside the midsole right were you see the engraved line running down the length of the shoe. The shape will help cage your foot and keep it in place on both the medial and lateral side which is quite a bit of contained support… something a fast paced Guard will enjoy.
I feel giddy… don’t make fun of me, need I remind you that I’m white? Just like the Air Jordan Project & Air Penny Project, Allen Iverson’s Reebok Question is one shoe that I hold high on a pedestal. Since I haven’t played in these in so long I’m anxious to get out on-court with them as soon as possible.
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I wish I knew a more direct way of getting these in Canada. But thanks again for addressing some of the questions I had. I have also discussed the very same questions with some old school gurus and the side pods on the mid-sole are according to them meant for structural rigidity which would coincide with your observations above. Man, would love to get my hands on a pair to see how they play…
Growing up in in VA Beach Bubba Chuck was a legend! Followed hm to gtown and then Philly. When I saw these on his feet while crossing over everyone I knew I had to have them. I don’t know how many times I practiced that crossover in high school in front of a mirror wearing those exact shoes! I’m giddy too! Lol
Lol! I used to practice that cross daily
yeah, i believe that the hexalite’s are just for show to “compete” with the air technology that nike had back in the day. lol
Yup, its in the heel but the side pods arent functional for cushion
what would you suggest for a shoe that i wanted to play in outdoors??
You can play in any shoe outdoors but there are also outdoor specific shoes made by Nike
I’ve played in these when they rereleased. They werent bad considering i got them for $45. I did end up rolling my ankle. I’m not sure if it was because of the shoe or me. Laces were very tight and laced up all the way up. Just a heads up. Nice classics though..
I never rolled my ankle that i can remember… That was ten+ yrs ago though so im hoping it doesnt happen.
ooohh yeahh if i have these shoes i will have them as my primary bball shoes just because they look so fresh
Since you are doing the first impression, do these have a hard Hexalite heel unit (that feels like it would need broken in) or a soft one? I have a pair that released in 2010 or 2011 I believe, and I copped them 4 months ago from a Foot Locker outlet for $30. I also used to have a pair from 2003 in high school with the gold chain, and I think I remember the Hexalite unit being softer out of the box but had a real hard midsole at the same time. My black ones that I gor from the outlet have a firm Hexalte unit, but the midsole is softer. It also has a different sock liner (the one with the crash pad like these 2012 retros) vs a standard Reebok sock liner with lines in my 2003 retro
I also had the retro from 2005 Questions (along with the Answer IV retro) and when I took back my Answer IV for them not having DMX cushioning in them, I tried the Questions that ended feeling like they just wanted to release a retro without quality cushioning and stuff. It’s a tough call as to whether the pair I copped 4 months ago are the same cheaply made ones as the 2005 ones, but these kind of feel like a firm Hexalite that is suppose to be slightly responsive, while the 2005 retro was like a block of rubber or something idk. I also have of Question 3’s, and the Hexalite feels the same as these 2011 Questions with the firm Hexalite, so perhaps they “updated” the feel of the Hexalite units?
The Hexalite feels the same between the two i have and its just the foam that is different. The new pair feels much softer like the OGs.