All done playing in my Carmelo, ello, ello, ay, ay, ay…
Traction – The Air Jordan 1 had some wicked good traction and with the Melo 1.5 featuring a near identical setup… one would assume they’d play the same. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Not to say that the Jordan Melo 1.5 had horrible traction, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. Not sure why the patterns worked so differently, the only thing I can think of would be rubber composite differences or the fact that the rubber on the Air Jordan 1 is a little thinner causing you to grip better than the slightly thicker 1.5.
Clean courts are perfectly fine, dust is an adversary that the Melo 1.5 has a hard time handling (you’ll need to wipe often) and they played nicely outdoors, however, their durability is something I question since my outsoles started wearing down the first time I played in them. The more I played in the the more I noticed wear and then there were pieces missing… totally not what I had expected and I was a little disappointing. They’re good enough to play in but they just didn’t rise to the occasion.
Cushion – The Melo 1.5 features a Phylon midsole and full length Air cushion. They are really comfortable – the Air Jordan 11 or Air Jordan 10 are the two that come to mind for a quick comparison – so cushion is definitely on-point. Flex is compromised but you’ll probably only notice that if you’re my size. The OG release had an insole that featured targeted EVA patches for additional comfort so if you owned the original then you may notice a slight difference in comfort but new owners such as myself won’t mind at all.
Material – Nubuck and a strange Nylon-like synthetic are used along the upper. The Nubuck starts off a little stiff and will require a minor break-in period. Those two areas of synthetic literally saved the shoes upper from a lot of wear and tear as they are placed at high-wear areas and take most of the impact during playing time… it doesn’t show scuffs as easily as the Nubuck as well so that is a plus in my book for those that only get one shoe for on and off court usage.
Fit – The fit was probably my biggest issue with the shoe overall. they run 1/2 size long so even if you are a wide-footer, going down 1/2 size may be a good idea. They also fit wide so after going down 1/2 size I still struggles with the sloppy fit and had issues obtaining a totally secured locked in feeling. If you tape your ankles or wear a brace then that’ll likely take up some of the extra space but even then… you have the forefoot to worry about. This may be a wide-footers dream shoe though… they will have an easy time lacing them up and gaining a proper fit… sucks for those of us with narrow or normal width feet.
Ventilation – There are some small perforations along the upper which allow some hear to escape but they confused the heck out me with the perforated tongue (inside) which was covered by a synthetic leather… which totally defeats the purpose of the perforations found within the tongue.
Support – Since the fit was so sloppy, I wasn’t able to achieve perfect lockdown and that had an affect on the overall support. The sturdy materials provide you with some reassurance but when all is said and done… they weren’t up to par with certain current models… most notably the Jordan Melo M10.
Overall – You can tell that these were designed for a player like Melo. Mobility is not that great and they work for guys that like to take jab step, step back jumpers and post moves. Not really for a PG that needs to be able to move freely when they need it. However, their one bright spot is that these are a great option for those with wider feet. I know that wide-footers have a really hard time getting shoes that fit their feet properly and with most shoes getting built on a narrow last, you’re options are more limited now than ever.
They’re definitely comfortable and I liked the materials… everything else though… not for me personally. I know these aspects will be appreciated by players with wider feet so hopefully you are able to try them on and decide for yourself whether or not they’ll work out for you.
Thanks for the review NW. I tried these on recently and also noticed the fit was strange and shoe felt bulky. Easy pass for me.
Well then. At my local scheels the melo 1.5s are only 99 dollars. The melo 10s are only 130. I was not expecting you to say they are a good performance shoes. I dont know whhich one to get now…
Exactly what I thought, too expensive for what they offer. I did consider the white, red, & black pair for casual use though.
LOL at NW jr. in the background.
I’m sure people who buy them this time around will be wearing them more for casual use. Then again, imo, I never liked how they look to begin with. Great review… it’s nice that you’re reviewing so many different kicks so we can have some options. Keep it up!
OG Shoe good for wide footers? I like it.
The red/white/black ones are definitely for casual use if anything, look clean
NightWing did you see the KD VI Elites on the Nike Blog
MAX ZOOM is back!!!! I hope they made it more flexible.
Yeah just what I thought too. Looks like dynamic flywire as well but otherwise the same shoe basically.
By the looks of it, combined the best of LeBron X(Zoom Max), Kobe 8( Engineered Mesh) then add in Dynamic Flywire.
With that tech, a supposedly much more ventilated, cushioned, and better fit shoe.
Few things to think about:
How stable the shoe will be with respect to the psi in the Zoom Max Unit and no apparent outrigger?
How much of a price increase?
zoom max on a low seems….quite unstable
Do you think double-socking would help with the fit issue?
seems like a pretty high overall score for such a flawed shoe
I agree. Exactly why those that are looking for “better” than the next without paying attention to specific attributes that they want or require end up making the wrong decision. Just like ventilation can bring a solid shoes score down, the cushion and materials on this shoe brought the score up. Readers must make each review cater to their needs, I cannot make a shoe cater around their needs at all.
How did these get a 7.75 overall score when I just did the math and got 6.25 overall
I must have punched in a number wrong – believe it or not I’m human. Next time, just let me know there is a mistake. You make it sounds like I just hit your mother instead of hitting the wrong key on a calculator.
Sorry dude, meant no disrespect, just trying to help!
Appreciate it
Nightwing, I really appreciate your reviews, to the point and not driven by “image”. In your opinion what would be a great shoe for someone almost 60 but in good shape and still playing 1 or 2 times a week. 6’2″ & 165 lbs. Explosive days are long past but still run and jump with guys half my age. Support and cushion are critical for old joints. Thanks!
Hey Nightwing I’m thinking of getting a pair of air max 95s. I was wondering if you had a pair and If you had any advise whether I should get them or not, thanks.