Jordan Tatum 4 Performance Review

Jayson Tatum has a brand new shoe, and despite a couple of drawbacks, it’s quite good. The performance is super solid. This is our performance review on the Jordan Tatum 4. I’ll start by giving a spoiler alert: the materials are crappy and, frankly, suck. But the performance tells a different story.

Traction

Holy cow, the Jordan Tatum 4 grips like crazy. The outsole takes a no-nonsense approach with an all-over herringbone pattern. The design includes a radial, or spinning, herringbone section in the center (the red piece), which I think is really cool. I love the way these grip the floor.

My one potential warning is that the outsole initially felt slick, possibly due to a release film from the molding process. It took a little effort to burn the film off after which the grip was excellent. The rubber does feel a little soft, which is a concern. If you’re an outdoor-only player, this might not be the best option, especially because of the cushioning setup. Once you wear through the rubber in one small area, the shoe is essentially compromised.

Cushion

The midsole is made of Cushlon 3.0, which is incredibly soft, springy, and comfortable—the most comfortable Jordan Tatum so far. I believe this is because it lacks the rigid rubber cup that the Tatum 3 had, which tended to cage the foam despite having large cutouts. The Jordan Tatum 4 is just a straight slab of Cushlon, which feels wonderfully comfortable.

The one aspect that compromises its durability for outdoor use is the forefoot, which features unlocked Zoom Air. Once the soft rubber wears away, this unit will be exposed and could potentially fall out or pop. Unlocked Zoom means the unit is open on the bottom and top, making it vulnerable.

Indoors, however, this setup is totally fine. Can you feel the Zoom unit? Not so much, because the Cushlon 3.0 is so springy on its own that the entire shoe feels like it has full-length Zoom. It’s a consistent and awesome ride; I never felt too high off the floor or unstable.

Materials

The materials suck ass—that’s the official term for what was chosen here. The base layer is an ultra-cheap synthetic, and all the overlays that look like suede are actually felt, giving it the appearance of an art project. The press release claims the upper is built to feel broken-in right out of the box, a goal that can be achieved with textiles (which were used on the Tatum 1, Tatum 2, and Tatum 3). This version strips away textiles for cheap synthetics.

I don’t know why a high-priced Jordan product would use materials that are worse than a $40 sneaker from a competitor. The materials are a major disappointment that doesn’t match the price point or the brand’s legacy. However, I will say that the materials work and are supportive enough for basketball. The design features cutouts that make the top layer ultra-flexible, allowing it to work with your foot.

Support

As for the support, I was surprised. Holding the Jordan Tatum 4 in hand, it feels cheap and flimsy—the heel is not super strong, and the midfoot torsion comes from plastic pieces on the medial and lateral sides that allow you to over-twist the shoe. It goes against everything I know about performance basketball, but surprisingly, they are solid. They work. The shoe feels cheap, yet it performs well.

I will say that, despite all the structural concerns, I think this is probably the coolest-looking Tatum model yet.

Fit

The fit is true to size, feeling very much like the Tatum 3, suggesting the Jordan Tatum 4 is built on the same last. I recommend going with your typical Jordan Tatum size. The lockdown is decent. There are certain flex points where the upper bows away from the foot, but the overall shell structure prevents any feeling of lacking support.

Jordan Tatum 4 Summary

The Jordan Tatum 4 offers super solid performance despite having a disappointingly cheap upper. The traction is fantastic (though the rubber is soft), and the Cushlon 3.0 with an unlocked Zoom Air unit provides an incredibly comfortable, springy, and stable ride.

While the materials and overall structure feel cheap and flimsy, the shoe surprisingly works well on the court. It is by far the best-performing Jordan Tatum shoe to date, though its durability and cheap materials are major drawbacks. I’m still trying to decide which shoe gets the final slot in my rotation, but the Tatum 4 is a strong contender.

Disclosure

While Jordan Brand did provide a pair of the Jordan Tatum 4 to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.