Hypnotic…
Traction – Surprise, surprise… the traction was pretty darn good. They took the court by surprise as they were able to keep up with every move I made with the exception of a select few and that was due to dirt or debris being on the court… that’ll happen when you hoop outside. No real complaints but I do have one big compliment… these are a GREAT outdoor hoop shoe.
Cushion – Hexalite is located in the heel and forefoot and its just really comfortable overall. For whatever reason, I found these to be more comfortable than the Reebok Kamikaze II which features the same setup so I assume the insole has something to do with the difference… that and the extra Hexalite in the heel. There isn’t any responsiveness with the Hexalite itself but it sits low to the ground which allows you to have an increased response time so if that makes up for its lack of springiness for you then that’s a plus. I found it to be perfectly fine and each time I laced them up I was excited to get a game going.
Material – The materials are a little on the cheap side but in terms of actual performance, there really is nothing wrong with them. They have held up outdoors just fine and need no break-in period… overall, I’d call that a win.
Fit – They fit true to size and I loved the fit. The padding is abundant and it does a great job of keeping you locked into the shoe. Speaking of lockdown, it was on point from heel to toe. I never had an issue with internal slippage or dead space – something 90’s era shoes are notorious for. Pillows are built into the shoes heel – they aren’t really pillows but its as close as you can get – and that added to their fit along with their overall comfort.
Ventilation – Well… ventilation wasn’t good. Luckily they fit secure so it didn’t really matter.
Support – Their overall support is great and their stability is even greater. The base of the shoe is wide – not wide fitting, just a wide base – so you are always stable which is great for spot up shooters.
Overall – I wish I could say I’m not too surprised by how much I enjoyed playing in the Shaqnosis due to their similarities to the Kamikaze II but to be honest… its a shoe built for Shaq… so I was really surprised when I kept bringing them with me well after I had completed their on-court testing. The performed above average in all categories except for ventilation and this time around that didn’t matter at all. These are my current go-to shoes when I head to the park… maybe they’ll be yours too.
Really? Performance on this? This I must watch.
I’ll refer them to my buddy he just blew his penny 5’s out today.
Great work as usual nightwing!!!
In 5th grade i carried a marker in my gym bag. Id paint over the midsole that scratches off after a game. Good times. glad they brought these back!
Thanks for the review nightwing, glad you reviewed the shaqnosis, the descriptions brought back great memories!
Hey man, asking for a friend abroad who doesn’t get all these recent shoe releases available. He needs new shoes to ball in outdoors and asked me to get him a pair. My choice was the Shaqnosis but I just got a great deal on Lebron X elite (same price as the Shaqnosis which just feels too good to pass up). Will the Bron Elite’s rubber hold up outdoors in your opinion? I don’t think it will, just needed a 2nd opinion. Thanks.
I don’t know about outdoor rubber/traction anymore, as another member here (Tadatsune) said he got the Lebron X with the XDR outsole, and he said that his KD Vs with non XDR outsole are holding up better outdoors. That’s kind of crazy, as I’ve got the KD Vs, and to me, the rubber is soft, so I wouldn’t have thought that they would hold up outdoors. I didn’t want to risk using mine outside.
He also said he had other shoes with XDR outsoles that aren’t holding up outdoors as good as the KD Vs, so going by that, I am now thinking that the traction pattern itself and possibly the depth of the rubber plays a big part in if a shoe will hold up outdoors. What are people’s opinion on that?
He also said that the Hyperdunk 2012s seem to hold up quite well outdoors. I’ve got a pair, but since they are my only pair, I don’t want to wear them outdoors at this stage. I’d say they would be a pretty good option, as they are great shoes and should be on sale now at most places.
Here’s a link to Nightwing’s post about outdoor shoes if you want to read some of the posts there (including the Tadatsune post I am making reference to) http://weartesters.com/top-5-tips-to-picking-the-perfect-outdoor-basketball-shoe/
btw How are you able to get the Lebron X Elites for the same price? Even though they might not hold up too well outdoors, if you can get them cheap, I would still consider them.
These would look good with casual pants.. IMO…lol
Btw NW, i always loved your reviews and stuff… Im just wondering what are your upcoming kicks.. Thanx
So although these are very similar to the Kamikaze II, you would pick these over them? The main reason I ask is because the Kamikaze II is a good $15 cheaper, so that makes it a little more attractive for an outdoor shoe. Both seem like good options.
I’ll keep a lookout for these. Might grab a pair if they are discounted.
Do the Kamikazes perform the same outdoors? Durable traction?
What exactly is hexalite?
Pretty much Reebok’s version of “Air” technology ala Nike. A cushioning technology inspired by the honeycomb.
that’s how you should treat a real shoe. wore them til they die.
Hi man, i’m just curious about the Hexalite cushioning. Is it better than the Nike Air soles? too bad reebok hoops shoes with Hexalite were only available in my country back in the 90s, where we teens were still amazed by Jordans and Nikes.
I love the pictures on this post.
Nice review. I want to pick a pair up.