WearTesters react to React in the Jordan Super.Fly 2017.
The Jordan Super.Fly 2017 is available now at Eastbay.com
Traction – Beastly! Indoors or outdoors, this traction setup is awesome. I’ve been playing in the translucent option and the rubber compound, in conjunction with the traction pattern, work beautifully.
Outdoor durability of the outsole is not something we can really determine, as testing that aspect can take months to complete, and if we did that then we’d never post a useful review in time, but while the traction lasts you’ll receive excellent coverage. I feel that if you end up trying these out you’ll be pretty happy with the results.
Cushion – React, Nike’s “new” foam, is one of the most hyped cushion systems that I can remember in recent years, although the VaporMax system did come close. It’s really just dense Lunar foam with a new name that doesn’t accurately describe its function.
React has no reaction while you’re on-court. No bounce. No feedback. Lots of court feel, and moderate impact protection, but nothing special overall. However, I do love how the cushion was implemented full-length because it makes me feel like Nike and Jordan Brand are listening to consumers. Other brands are providing full-length cushioning systems for much less money nowadays and it’s time we received something that is at least trying to compete to stay on top from the Nike/Jordan camp.
With that said, I feel the cushion on the Jordan Super.Fly 2017 could have been cored out in areas so that it allowed for the material to do what Nike/Jordan Brand claimed it did. If this foam really does react and move under pressure then this implementation of it restricted its ability to be itself.
Having the heel and a bit of the forefoot areas cored out could have allowed the foam to compress under pressure and bounce back into it’s original shape as the press unveil claimed it would. Maybe this was something they tried and it didn’t end up working, I’m not really sure. All I know is that coring out midsoles is something that has been proven to work over the years and Nike is no stranger to this because it does it regularly. I’d love to try a cored out version of the cushion just to see if things feel different underfoot.
If you love court feel but want some sort of protection underfoot then this is an ideal setup. It’s definitely better for you than something like the Kyrie 3. If you’re looking for plush cushion then this isn’t the setup you’re looking for.
Materials – There are different material options and they are all fantastic! If you prefer an old school build with modern design then go with the Jordan Super.Fly 2017 versions that offer nubuck forefoot overlays. The rear sections of those shoes are a compression-like neoprene material that suck your feet into the shoe and it feels great. The pair I played in used patent leather, which is a bit more stiff and supportive — something I’m not a huge fan of — so if you’re into that then there is an option for you.
The other options feature similar heel builds but with a more modern forefoot overlay done up in textile/mesh. If you prefer to bypass any break-in time and enjoy a softer ride from your upper then this is the option for you. You’ll sacrifice some support from the upper, along with some durability, but it all really depends on what you deem valuable from your shoe. I feel there is an option to suit most players personal preferences, which is always a good look.
Fit – The shoe fits true to size and wide footers will likely be able to get away with going true to size — especially with the mesh models. Lockdown suffered slightly from time to time within the forefoot area due to the overlay being one-piece but a quick readjustment of the laces and I was good-to-go.
The heel fit and lockdown are noticeably exceptional and it’s really comfortable. Sometimes, the heel portion of the shoe can be supportive but restrictive or tight, but that is not the case with the Super.Fly 2017. It’s snug and feels like a one-to-one fit without feeling like you’re wearing a brace.
Speaking of braces. I haven’t tweaked my ankle in a while so I never wore mine during testing. If you wear a brace and were interested in this shoe then I’d highly recommend you bring your brace with you to try the shoe on. The entry of the shoe is a bit snug and may or may not accommodate your equipment comfortably.
Support – Everything you need and expect is featured on the Jordan Super.Fly 2017 including an internal torsional shank bar and internal heel counter. The one-piece overlay along the upper will lose some support if you go with the mesh version and mostly rely on the nylon lacing strands to keep you super secure and on the footbed. If you go with the nubuck option just make sure you adjust the laces as need in order to keep the containment on-point.
The tooling is what shines through as the shape/design is very reminiscent of the Air Jordan 11. Both feature an anatomical design that allows the foot to move fluidly while in motion. However, the midsole tooling wraps up the forefoot — something the Air Jordan 11 is missing — and keeps you on the footbed. That section, combined with the beefy over-exaggerated outrigger mold, keep lateral support and stability in check.
Overall – The Jordan Super.Fly 2017 is so close to being perfect it’s kind of scary — for other brands. The shoe really just lacks the cushion that some may be looking for. However, I see a ton of people rocking Kyrie 3s on-court so it seems as if cushion is something a lot of people aren’t too concerned with.
If you can bypass the cushion or wanted to swap the insole out in order to double stack some cushion then I think you’ll be good. Traction is fantastic and I hope everyone that plays in these feels the same way. Materials were a breath of fresh air and the tooling design was great.
If Nike and Jordan can tweak React to give a little underfoot and still bounce back then this will be something special. If they keep things as-is then you might want to stick with Zoom Air.
“If Nike and Jordan can tweak React to give a little underfoot and still bounce back then this will be something special. If they keep things as-is then you might want to stick with Zoom Air.”
Great insight! Adidas did start out rough with Boost tech in their performance models especially in basketball but they eventually got it right. Hardens, CLBs, and Crazy Explosives use a soft TPU wrap on the lateral side while exposed foam on the medial side.
Maybe we can give Nike a pass on this one first but they gotta stay close when they said this is the best foam they have made SO FAR (meaning not really beating boost tech yet).
adidas’ first implementation of Boost in basketball was laughable. I think people forget where these brands started and that we’ve called each and every one of them out at one point or another — but we’re biased though lol.
Some minor tweaking and they’ve got a nice new cushion system. This is just round one. Hopefully they don’t ditch the tech after the first try.
the difference was that Boost was initially tried to work especially when they first came out in the first Ultraboost. also, a lot of people (especially Nike fanboys) were dismissing it not because it doesn’t work but rather say it was nothing more than a gimmick eventhough people that tried it say otherwise. I agree that the first Boost Basketball shoes weren’t perfect especially with the first Boost DRose line that was dead in the forefoot but the heel area was great. it wasn’t because it didn’t work except that it wasn’t perfectly working, much similar to the case of the uncaged zoom air(popping and durability issues) that works except not perfect.
as far as the React foam goes, it’s not that similar because of the missing “new experience” in performance compared to what people felt with Boost and uncaged zoom when they first came out. Nike “might” have produced a new cushion formula but the experience is still the same as far as their previous foam-based cushion goes. so there is really no point other than maybe decrease cost but still don’t matter considering how much Nike is charging premium from the consumers. considering it was mentioned that Nike had this 4 years in development doesn’t seem to even help their case.
it’s too bad since I’m liking the design of the Superfly 2017, but this is just bad news for my feet that I’m likely to pass. my only gripe is that Nike/JB could have delayed til they perfected or atleast make the cushion work that consumers would notice it to be different rather than rush it out. but I guess the other brands threat was just too much that they have to come out with a placebo product just to create some buzz for them. atleast this is how I see what Nike is doing so far for now.
oh, my god, why is every criticism (including admittedly valid ones) of an adidas or UA shoe tied back to ZOMG NIKE FAN BOYS?
adidas still hasn’t really nailed Boost for hoops, the Harden, CE16 and D Rose 6-8 are all good but not great from a cushioning perspective. The forefoot cushion in the CE models has been atrocious and not much better in the Harden, though they don’t feel “dead” as the DR5 did. Boost is an “oh wow” casual shoe tech that works decently in running shoes and is a work in progress for hoops still. React is the same thing, for now. It’s barely functional, which I will admit the later-generation Boost models have been, though there are more effective foams out there (think Jetlon, Micro G) that offer all the impact protection with no bottoming out, high ride or other disadvantages.
I went ahead and copped a pair despite the so so cushion. I’m a bigger dude and was able to appreciate the cushion in the soldier X so hopefully I can get this react setup to compress more. I’m also excited to hoop in a shoe that looks exactly like the space jams! These things are so dope visually.
Hopefully you enjoy them!
dope review, NW, when these go on sale i’m probably gonna pick up a pair, for now i’m gonna beat my hd 2017 hi’s and lo’s up first
Appreciate it
Would this version of react be better than lunarlon in terms of impact protection(pre- and post- bottoming out)?
I prefer current gen Lunar to first gen React.
Hey NW, is the weight listed above for the nubuck upper or mesh? If it’s the nubuck upper, do you know what the weight of the mesh upper is?
The weight on the score card is for the nubuck version. Mesh version weighs 12.8oz.
Excellent review!
In the fastpass pics the red/white pair has an XDR tag.
All Asia released pairs feature XDR outsoles.
Great review (as usually)! Do they have removable insole? Thinking of adding a Kobe Zoom insole with react…
I wanted to say: Kobe ZOOM insole with REACT staying underneath
The Kobes have removable MIDsoles. If you replace the Super.fly insoles with the kobe midsoles, your foot will not fit in the shoe. Best to get an orthotic insole like NW said.
Nightwing’s jump shot > React ?
Way back to its deconstruction topic, I mentioned that this React cushion is just a softer phylon encased inside a stiffer phylon and it seems I was right ??
funny thing is, they could’ve done it perfect with a good old zoom setup but they chose to ruin it just to create that react hype which seems like fading away really quick.
Between the Jordan Super Fly and the 2017 Hyperdunk, which one would you recommend? Both have this new react cushioning and are priced very close to each other….Thoughts?
Thanks for the review.
Its likely I give these a shot, as traction, fit, and support are things I most value ahead of cushion.
I have a drill at home so I will do you all a favor and drill “cores” in the React cushion and let you all know how it feels..unfortunately I/you will have to wait for the shoes to hit clearance as I am kind of broke right now and/or saving for better shoes.
I have a pair of Crazylight Boost 2016 and was wondering if I core out some holes in the boost/strobel board if that will make the cushion more plush also?
Thanks.
So does this mean we will not be getting the HD17 review from you NW? If the cushion is this dissappointing how are your feet/legs or knees after?
How does react feel to your knees after playing couple of hours? Will you still review the HD17 low after getting dissappointed with react?
I was just hoping React would’ve been a lot like the black foam in the Brandblack Ethers or like Micro G.
I got them, went a full size because of how narrow is the shoe, but also because they didn’t have 11.5, break in time is almost non existent, about to take them for a work out to see how they perform, they feel great, i think they were built for big guys, great review NW, regards from Mexico.
NW
Which one would you recommend Jordan superfly2017 or 31 lows
I think it would be brilliant if they cored out the heel and did a podulite/hex zoom ala CP3 VII in the forefoot, with the pods made of straight React.
I picked these up and absolutely loved them! They are incredibly comfortable to play in and had great traction. I usually prefer full length zoom and plush cushion (Otherwise my knees and feet end up sore) but so far I haven’t had any issues that I have with shoes that are too stiff. These are my current favorite! (I think it mostly is because they happen to fit my foot shape really well)
I saw in your other video about the insoles that you recommended for Hyperdunks 2017, could you also use that for the super.fly?
Yo NW i hooped in these on concrete and i was wondering am i still gonna grip the court inside
Jordan Superfly 2017 is my favorite Jordans to play in so far. I play pg, sg, and sf (mostly as sf) and I can tell you that I need a little bit of everything when I play. The last pair I rocked ’till it died (5, 2-hour games a week) was the Dame 2, and I absolutely loved them for the 1.5 years I had ’em. Even though my style of play is quickness and agility on the court, I value cushion a lot more than the others, and when I wore the Superfly 2017s, I thought they were okay. It wasn’t good by any means, but I think it did well enough to be a Starting 5 for me. I would’ve given Traction a superstar badge just because the traction really surprised me. It did okay on hardwood but I was bamboozled when I played on a blacktop court. It did so well, and I wasn’t sliding at all. I’m not sure myself if this will be durable for a long time, but at the moment, I enjoy rocking these outdoor and as a matter of fact, this is what I wear outdoors all the time now. Fit is a 6th man for me. I don’t know, it just feels weird. I usually wear size 9.5; when I wore the 9.5, it was too narrow, but when I wore the 10, it was too long. I ended up getting the 9.5. With that, stability also suffers. It contained my foot well enough that it doesn’t slide, but it does so in an awkward way, making me feel a bit uncomfortable.
How I scored it
Traction: Superstar
Cushion: Starting 5
Materials: Starting 5
Fit: 6th man
Stability 6th man