Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 Performance Review

The Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 has a top-down view similar to the Nike Kobe AD Exodus, which delightfully surprised me. But pleasing aesthetics don’t always equal excellent performance. Looks can be deceiving. The previous model, the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 5, looked functional but was too specific of a shoe to recommend to everybody. This model is a massive upgrade from the Flytrap 5 and is one of the better budget options available.

Traction

The traction pattern of the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 has elements taken from the Nike Kyrie 7, which had excellent grip. These are no different. They’re not noisy on indoor courts, but they have a good bite. Dust also wasn’t an issue since the grooves were thick, and a quick wipe was all that was needed to get back to peak performance. Outdoors was even better. It stuck to the concrete well and barely had any tread loss after +10 hours of testing.

Cushion

We have a full-length basic Phylon midsole with a stick-of-gum forefoot Zoom Air unit, similar to the Kyrie 5 Low. I thought the shoe was comfortable underfoot upon a try-on. Then I realized that it was due to the insoles. They’re the same as the insoles found in the Nike PG 4, though not quite as thick. I could never feel the Zoom Air unit, even though it was top-loaded. So while it was doing its job just fine, there was no springy sensation. 

Break-in time is needed for the foam. I’d say about a two-hour hoop session. Please don’t break these in outdoors, though. I did that, and my back hurt until the following morning. Once the Flytrap 6 was broken in I had no issues, even when I took them back to the concrete.

Materials

The materials on the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 are basic, and we shouldn’t expect any more than that at this point. The whole upper is a breathable mesh that requires no break-in time with additional thick stitching reinforcement in the heel area. The small felt toe rand protected the base material well, and I saw no give from it no matter how hard or how often I did toe drags both while playing and when testing durability.

Fit

The fit is true to size. As we always mention, we recommend bringing your ankle braces or orthotics into the store, if you have that option, to get the optimal fit. Narrow-footers can get away with going down half a size. I almost went that route but felt it was too tight. The lacing system works well to make sure you’re always locked in.

One note is that the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6’s upper is a semi-booty construction. There’s no traditional tongue, so you must mess with the laces to get your optimal fit.

Support

This was by far the most significant improvement from the previous model. The tooling isn’t rounded, and the base is wide, so you’re always stable. The heel counter was stiff enough to ensure that it didn’t move in strange ways.

There are two nylon cables at the forefoot that lock in that area well. I also appreciated that it didn’t chafe any of my toes. Because the cushion is low to the ground and you sit well within the midsole, you’re cradled and stay on the footbed at all times. I enjoyed the support the Flytrap 6 provided, especially compared to the Flytrap 5.

Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 Overall

The Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 is a good-looking shoe that performs well in all settings. As it usually does, it comes down to preferences. Are you okay with cheap materials? Can you make do without a traditional tongue? Do you prefer cushioning that’s extremely low to the ground and offers minimal impact protection? If so, you’ve got yourself the shoe you’ve been looking for. If not, there are other options for you in this price range that are better on our best budget basketball shoes list.

How to Buy the Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6

The Nike Kyrie Flytrap 6 is available for $95 at Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Want to check out our reviews of more basketball shoes? See all of our Basketball Shoe reviews here.