3. Flight Web
The Flight Web is the Flywire looking eyelets that are funneled throughout the entire upper. The lacing system is built into the woven upper and then connected directly to the strobel board. Not only is it cool looking but it’ll provide every foot shape a custom fit. Only thing I can see going wrong here would be lace pressure along the foot but maybe they already thought of that.
I will admit I too was sad when I hooped in my Kobe’s and felt all that fuse underneath it. Just listening to Kobe talk about the flyknit got me hype….now these maybe truly woven. NW how are the four layers of the upper held together? Are they independent then connected by the midsole or they compressed/stitched together?
The 4 layers are woven together all at once. Its such a strange and intricate manufacturing process. Mathieu De Backer said that they must think and program the machines in 3D but then work in 2D which was difficult for them to even contemplate the finished product. Basically, there were sections along the shoe that they wanted ventilation, stretch, very tight woven material for support etc. Then you have the Flight Web which they had to incorporate into the programing as well. Quite possibly the most complicated way to create and build a shoe but once its done then its ‘easy’ in a sense. It was all very very cool.
Thanks for the info
why weren’t you so critical of the materials in the Kobe 9 elite when you did its review? i feel you did a complete 180 as to the kobe 9 elite materials, not the shoe, just that attribute.
Personal preference and function are two separate things. Did you want me to be angry about a material that worked but I was disappointed with? Doesn’t work that way when conducting a proper review, otherwise I’d be biased based on the fact that I want or was expecting something else rather than what’s provided.
Did the Elite materials work? Yes. Did I prefer the EM 9’s materials more? Yes, stated such in their review. End of story.
This shoe is gonna be like the LeBron 11 and Kobe 9 Elite Hybrid.
Though Im expecting the price to be way over 250 dollars at least.
Its $225
Hey Nightwing is the outer part of the midsole made of tpu or foam? Won’t a tpu wrapped midsole make it less flexible or have they found a way to make it flex easier? I wish someone could test it out.. Maybe it will flex better with each wear.
If you take a look at the image featured on #5 then you’ll see that the TPU are just plated they place onto the midsole. I don’t think it’ll have a negative affect, it’ll add torsional support more than anything.
If is only plated then i guess it will be flexible enough. I think its actually very interesting since its going to add of support throughout the entire shoe, and will probably help with durability. Man its gonna be a long 5 months lol.
At the unveiling, did they mention anything about fixing the problem where the zoom air popped?
Please read the write-up.
Patience of a saint, I tell ya.
Is there a zoom air unit in the heel? Because the heel looks like has no space for zoom
Yes, I explained that in the video recap I published yesterday.
Oh come on NW, you know people like to be spoon fed. Who does research anymore, not like it hasn’t been stated a few times in the other xx9 post, but
maybe I’m just old fashioned.
I really like how the upper of the KOBE 9 EM feels like. I wish this brand-new woven upper would feel even better than that.
Besides that, I’m really curious about how the TPU parts around the midsole would affect the performance.
No heel zoom? All this is really exciting. Cant wait to try them
They have heel zoom, just not unlocked.
Heel zoom is embedded with in the photon midsole
photon? That would be a cool name for a midsole lol. A photon midsole. It should be very responsive and mushy
A Photon midsole would light up. Like kids shoes. But so much better!
Off topic but if they want more people to focus on what they have now,they should slow down on retroing everything from 1-14. there are roughly six color ways of the six due this year already, three colorways of the two three fourteens and lord knows what else. Give us 1 retro per year, and focus on current models and new teammmodels of GREATER QUALITY. Back on topic.These remind me so muchof the 2011 in terms of a good looking shoe that shows the brand moving forward insteadof standing still. The 2012 just stood there not a bad shoe butnot animprovement of anykind really. XX8 was very techy and all but it was too much to be honest. This however has me very excited for september!!
“September can’t come soon enough…” Amen sir…. Amen.
I like to hang out and kill time on this site, but honestly unless
some killer deals drop, my wallet is closed till this drop.
I agree…nike done messed up…not spending a dime on hooping shoes till then
That midfoot-Tendrill is primarily to avoid the outsole or midsole seperating from the rest of the shoe. I do honestly not believe Transition can be improved that way. It just creates a bigger surface for the glue to hold everything together.
Thank you Nightwing for covering the whole event, providing so much Information! Weartesters.com is awesome!
Jordan Brand showing that they’re better than Nike again. Just lol at Nike’s whole “Elite” line, more like “Elite prices” line.
Jordan and nike both have the same designers… tinker designed the kobe line, kds, lebrons, the air Jordan line, and some of the team models from nike and Jordan… nike created the Jordan brand, and its not yet an independent company
I would love to se a low with flight plate. Why JB never releases low versions of their flagship product?
XI…….but I get what you saying(the newer products)
Yeah, exactly, thinking of the XX8 more specifically.
Just knowing this material can be done IMO makes nike look like fools . Especially when their version of a special woven upper costed more .
is there still unlocked zoom in the heel?
couldn’t really tell with the images of the filghtplate
It’s not unlocked in the heel but there is Zoom
hey nightwing i am just as curious as you the ride should be better because the zoom is placed front to back now but now they dont have the decoupled heel and forefoot and there is no heel zoom but that performance woven upper is beast it should be alot more support plus its a lighter hoe then the 28 i think why it lacks from the 28 it improves in other catagories that really matter unless your a big man you really should not need heel zoom im very curious and anxious to play in these
As a guard I know its not a deal breaker if there is no heel zoom but I really do prefer having it. Luckily that’s not the case since there is zoom in the heel its just encased in midsole. So its only unlocked in the forefoot, which works fine since the foam will make the heel more durable and keep the heel zoom more protected especially if its top loaded.
It’s not decoupled, but it will play like it is because the tendril is very thin.
there has been a low version of almost all the flagship models…most of them.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo no you didn’t bob.
Taylor Swift called…..she wanted to know “why you gotta be so mean.”
does this come out In gs sizes
Great overview again by NW!!! Such a fan of this site!!! Keep doin what u doin!!! God Bless!!!
wtf are you talking about?
Such attitude, hope you aren’t still hurt from the other day /hugs.
It’s okay. PLAYOFFSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Imconfused as to what youre even talking abouit
wouldnt it be great if they made these look like other kicks…they can basically make any design on them. make these into a jordan VI or VII for example…
That’s would be dope if they did a Concorde 11 upper
carmine VI or aqua VIII would be way better
Sounds like a job for PHOTOSHOP!!!!
Midfoot tendril, also known as Torsion System. Thanks Adidas! (sarcasm)
The tendril is the small piece of foam and outsole that connects the forefoot and heel. The Torsion System is more like the shank. 2 different things.
These remind me a lot of the XX3’s, so much that I thought Mike was holding a pair of XX3’s. It’s ironic because Tinker actually was wearing a pair. These are my favorite shoe in a while. I’m gonna bite the bullet and ask the next big question, how will Jordan Brand top the XX9?
Damn Westbrook jay’s look so nice.
Westbrook has these on right now playing against the Grizzlies.
with this new process, i was wondering if you can get compression zones in the shoe just like a compression sock.
Doubtful, then you run the risk of the overall shoe being too loose.
Hey Nightwing, how do you think these will hold up when used to hoop outdoors? I’m thinking of getting these and they outsole looks similar to how the 28’s are made but I’ve never had 28’s so I really have no idea how they’ll do when used outdoors
I’m surprised jordan didn’t provide any of his players with jordan xx9’s…I know it probably won’t guarantee a series win but as an owner I would give my team any means in order to win…help em out Michael Jeffery!
Is there a zoom unit in the heal?
Sorry My bad didn’t read the comments above