Nike S.T. Flare Review

To all my fellow outdoor basketball players, this shoe right here is supposed to be made for you. These things are sick and got me super excited. This is the Nike S.T. Flare.

It’s an overseas release, so it’s not supposed to be hitting the states. It’s an outdoor-specific basketball shoe—something that basketball players have been asking for from Nike for a really long time. While Nike has done outdoor-specific shoes before—like certain Kobes and LeBrons— they always got cut from the lineup. Can this new model compete with Chinese brands like Li-Ning or ANTA, whose products are naturally indoor and outdoor friendly? I’m not sure. But it’s about time. 

I got these from an eBay seller who I’ve used for a long time: Id4shoes. They always have great stuff that’s exclusive to overseas and are an authentic seller who you can trust. The S.T. Flare comes in a performance-specific orange box (indicating the product is made for performance, not sportswear).

But let’s get into the review.

Traction

This is an XDR-labeled product, which means it has extra-durable rubber. The outsole is really thick and feels very durable. The herringbone pattern is crazy—it reminds me of shoes from the ’90s, like the Dennis Rodman Shake Ndestrukt or the Air Darwins, which had a similarly thick herringbone pattern and DRC rubber (the XDR of the time).

It’s uncommon to see this from Nike nowadays, but I feel strongly that every brand should have at least one outdoor-specific shoe. I’m sure these would work indoors too because the rubber feels so grippy. The outsole also wraps up the medial and lateral sides, cupping the forefoot and midsole.

Cushion

The midsole is Cushlon 3.0. Despite being fairly caged, it feels really good—even the forefoot, which I thought would feel muted. On top of that, there’s a forefoot Zoom Air unit. While I can’t see it perfectly, it feels like a standard (i.e. not stick-of-gum-sized) forefoot Zoom unit. So far, I’m pretty impressed. The traction feels great, and the cushioning feels awesome. So far, so good. The insole is also removable, so you can swap it out if you need to (and you might, ‘cause one thing that isn’t great is the stock insole).

Upper

The upper is pretty basic but also interesting. It’s made of a lot of textiles, which is very modern. The TPU overlays (what Nike used to call Fuse) are primarily isolated to the eyestay area to keep that section strong and prevent the textile upper from tearing under tension. The upper is also layered in a way that reminds me of a skate shoe, with a thicker layer from the heel to the toe. This layer has a graphic overlay that reminds me of the scaling from the Nike Kobe 6. It’s more like a screenprint-type application than the durable scales of the Kobe 6, but it is raised and still feels a bit aggressive.

The textile overall is like an open-air mesh so it should be fairly breathable. The tongue is thick but still breathable with that open-mesh base layer and has a top section that reminds me of a real ’90s-era tongue. There’s even a cool graphic on it.We also have some thick laces and forefoot Flywire cables that go down into the footbed for additional forefoot lockdown that especially helps keep your foot secure when sweaty. One of the coolest parts about the lacing are the two metal eyelets at the very top.

Fit

This is where I’ll really critique the S.T. Flare. Nike’s using the same last again, which is a bunion waiting to happen.

The last is not shaped like a natural foot. I really wish Nike would go back to the old last shape. But they’ve been sticking to this one, and it’s annoying. You can take the insole out and easily see how the last doesn’t match the shape of a normal foot. [Editor’s Note: In Chris’ words, “you can see where the spillage is”—so I’m gonna go out on a limb and say the S.T. Flare is unfortunately not wide-foot friendly.]

Nike S.T. Flare Overall

The Nike S.T. Flare is an overseas-exclusive, outdoor-specific basketball shoe designed with a focus on durability and performance. It features a thick and durable XDR outsole with a ’90s-style herringbone pattern that provides excellent grip, making it suitable for both outdoor and indoor courts. The cushioning system combines a Cushlon 3.0 midsole with a forefoot Zoom Air unit for a comfortable and responsive ride. The upper is a modern textile with reinforced eyestays and a unique, layered design that offers breathability and durability.

While the overall performance and design are impressive, the shoe’s last is a notable drawback as its shape is not anatomically friendly and may cause fit issues for some players.

To see all our favorite basketball shoes for outdoor play, check out our best outdoor basketball shoes list.

Disclosure

We purchased the Nike S.T. Flare for this review. Nike had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.