Hit the jump for full review & scores…
Traction – Despite how it looks, the traction featured on the Turningpoint is extremely functional. Herringbone is great and all but its the rubber used that makes the outsole such a joy while in use. Pliable rubber is featured throughout which allows the traction to take care of your needs no matter what position you play. Being a Guard, moving at high speeds, I need traction to not only keep up with me but also aid me in keeping my foot planted to the floor & stop suddenly. This is exactly what you will receive with the surface used here which, for me, is one of the best I’ve had. One thing to note is that outdoor use may wear the rubber down faster than usual due to its softness so if you only play outdoors you may want to look at an alternative model.
Cushion – I’ve gone over the cushion in a Performance Teaser. Basically its one of the most absorbent foams I’ve had the pleasure of using. Not only did the CushioN & BounSe absorb most of the impact from playing but it also made it easier for me to play longer. The foam was such a joy to play in that I actually went over my usual 40 hours on-court with these… yes, they are that much fun to play in.
Material – Synthetics are used along the entire upper and they are surprisingly durable. The base layer is similar to nubuck – a synthetic nubuck – which isn’t super durable but it breaks in easily. It’s the secondary layers that protect the softer underbelly allowing the material to retain its shape a bit better and it lasts while doing so which is great. This pair shows signs of wear but if you wish to keep your performance kicks looking a nice as possible, all you have to do is purchase one of the other colorways that aren’t predominantly white.
Fit – They fit true to size and are plush along the inner. There were no hotspots present and the thickly padded tongue allows the wearer to lace up as tightly as you wish… I like my shoes tied up tightly so this was a huge plus for me. If you happen to need a slightly more secure fit all you need to do is re-lace the midfoot utilizing the second set of perforation holes; this will give you a more secure fit and some additional heel lock down. I believe I’ve said this before in a previous post but these are very reminiscent of the 90’s era basketball shoes… I personally liked this so if you are a fan of older design mixed with modern function then you should enjoy these quite a bit.
Ventilation – Just above average ventilation is featured which – to me – isn’t a bad thing. Definitely not as ventilated as other shoes available, however, what is provided works fairly well and actually allows for heat and moisture to escape without restriction.
Support – Most of your support will come from the material overlays and overall fit. There is an internal heel counter and it works perfectly fine. At the base you have a midfoot shank that prevents over flexing of the arch. While the shank doesn’t share all of the properties you’d receive from a Carbon Fiber plate, its perfectly fine and keeps retail prices more than reasonable.
Overall – Much to my surprise, the Li-Ning Turningpoint excels – ranking above average – in almost every category. Priced at a mere $99.00, you get more bang for your buck with an overall wonderful performance model crafted with quality and care that’s suitable for nearly every position. It weighs in at just over 1 lb and the cut is extremely high yet, despite how they look, they are a beast on-court making your playing time enjoyable and carefree.
Best piece of advice I can give… don’t judge a book by its cover & you cant knock something until you try it.
Who would have thought… Great review. Looking forward to the Villain.
Noooooo……I got the Howard 2. Kidding, no regret, Good review, nice going. Howrd 2 not better/worse etc….???
btw. I think im position 3 or 4. do they work for 3/4/or center?
BTW, I’m a guard and I love the Howard 2’s. Would neven have given them a try if it wasn’t for Nightwing. Thanks NW!
Glad you like them!
Lol, both are great shoes… Two of my favs. Theyre very versatile so they should work for most positions.
Would you say that these are more cushioned than the Huarache 2k4 retro?
Its just a diff cushion altogether.
Okay, thanks NW…I’m just wondering because the Huarache 2k4 felt pretty stiff while I used them to hoop in. Definitely will try out the Melo M8 with all that forefoot zoom!
It is stiff at first but as stated in the review, you need to break them in which takes a bit of time.
I love the look of this shoe idk why everyone is complaining.. and I’m glad the review is great, just got it today and excited to run it, and it looks like u had too much fun playing in those shoes (scuff marks lol) great review man
Are they comfy when just walking around?
played with them today, stiff at first but feels better in about ten minutes, running is very comfy so walking with it is great, and I got the blue white colorway, looks legit
Nice!
Step in comfort isnt there too much but once weight is applied theyre great.
Thanks!
Great review. Do you plan on reviewing any other Li Ning shoes like the Shuai or the Hero?
The Villain is almost complete. Ill do more since i liked them so much.
wow! this shoe does perform great. nice surprise!
Thanks for another great review, sir.
I really like how you expand your game and try different brands.
Thanks
I bought the ones with clear blue sole, do u know if the rubber are the same as the original? I came across some slippage while playing but only on the heel, the toe grips are great tho, I thought it was kinda weird. Just wanted to hear your thought on this, thanks
I dont know if the rubber is the same but usually clear rubber is different than solid. Keep them clean as possible when playing and you should be fine.
I was about to hit you up on that issue. Since you mentioned that the rubber is from different materials. I wondered just like Stevanus, but he bought one do these clear soles work better. If you can make an addition just to that it would be really nice
Hey great review on the the turning points. I had was wondering what you recommend for 3/4 in the turning points or Jordan 2012? Thanks.
Yes, a 1-4 could easily wear them comfortably.
You mentioned that you might want a few more pairs – there’s a 50% coupon right now on the website. 50%!!
http://shop.li-ning.com
code: RBR50
How does the sizeing work on thier website?
Just read and watch your review man, definitely thinking of buying these but my main concern regards the ankle area. I wear the adidas speedwraps and my question is, how would it fit with a brace? Do I need to go up half a size? Thanks man!
Itll be a pain to get the shoe on w a brace but you wont need to go up 1/2 sz.
Thanks man, appreciate it
this review help me to choose to bye this shoes.very comfy and the traction is great thanks nw
great review! really helpful.
is there any chance you make a review of evan turner’s li-ning brassmonkeys?
Do you know where the Turningpoints can be purchased? The Li-ning website just points to way of wade and the store is not there anymore.
where can i get these
where do you buy these shoes???