Way of Wade All City 12: Most Versatile Basketball Shoe of 2024?

Way of Wade has been one of the most consistent basketball shoe brands in recent years, and their All City line has been, arguably, their most consistent performance model. All City’s usually pack a lot of Way of Wade’s top tech in a more affordable package than their flagship model.

It would seem that the All City 12 is no different. This new iteration packs many performance goodies including full-length Boom cushioning (more on that later). But the fact that all the different parts of the All City 12 are great doesn’t necessarily mean that they will work great together. So, let’s dive into the review and see how the shoe will perform on court:

Way of Wade All City 12 Review

Way of Wade All City 12 Tech Specs:

Way of Wade All City 12 Traction

This is one of the best features on the Way of Wade All City 12. The shoe is equipped with a solid rubber outsole etched with an aggressive herringbone traction pattern. Herringbone is tried and true and will offer great bite and multi-directional coverage, but what makes the All City 12 special is the rubber compound Way of Wade used.

The shoe features Tuf RB which is a very grippy and durable rubber, making the All City 12 a great indoor and outdoor option (as far as traction goes). This added versatility earns the shoe a big extra point.

If you look at other basketball shoes in the same price range, few (or maybe even none), will hold up well on the blacktop. Having to buy 2 different basketball shoes to be able to play on both surfaces is not fun, and it’s refreshing to see a high-caliber hoop shoe built tough.

One nice detail of the construction of the outsole is that it’s rounded on the medial side of the shoe and flat on the lateral side, much like a Kyrie Irving shoe. The rounded portion allows more mobility on more extreme moves on court, and the flat, outrigger-equipped, lateral portion brings stability when in a more neutral position.

Way of Wade All City 12 Cushion

One of the best things about the All City line is that it tends to feature some of the best tech Way of Wade has to offer at a lower price than the flagship model. And that’s exactly what we are getting in the cushioning department. The Way of Wade All City 12 features full-length Boom cushioning. Boom is Way of Wade’s best foam cushioning system and it is very similar to adidas’ Boost

The slab of Boom we have on the All City 12 is substantial and well-caged, making for a very well-balanced cushioning system. You have just enough compression and impact protection for a relatively plush feeling underfoot and enough bounce and reactiveness to keep you quick on your feet.

It’s also a very versatile cushioning system. Not only will the vast majority of basketball players enjoy this setup, but it will also excel outdoors. When playing on hard surfaces you want a little extra impact protection to keep your legs fresh, and the All City 12 has you covered in this regard.

Way of Wade All City 12 Materials

Materials on the Way of Wade All City 12 are nothing to write home about in terms of quality, but they do perform well and the all-around build boosts their performance. Materials vary slightly from colorway to colorway but all versions of the All City 12 feature a fully textile upper with fuse and TPU reinforcements to aid in containment.

The forefoot of the shoe is reinforced in certain colorways by fuse and in others by a more substantial woven material that keeps your toes locked down during hard stops on the court. The midfoot is constructed with a thinner more forgiving material for some added mobility and ventilation. The heel changes the most in terms of materials between the different colorways, but the important thing is that it houses a substantial heel counter and a nicely padded interior.

Some nice details, as far as materials go, are the high-quality laces, and the eyelets that are properly reinforced, so no matter how hard you want to tie your shoes, there is almost no chance you rip through them.

Way of Wade All City 12 Support

Support and containment on the All City 12 are excellent and it’s a very secure feeling shoe on court. We have a wide base with a substantial outrigger, a stable cushioning setup, and a great all-around build. But that’s not all. We also have two TPU torsional shank plates (one top-loaded and one bottom-loaded), two hidden lace cables on the lateral side of the forefoot, and the well-sculpted heel.

And all those support features are enhanced by the shoe’s fit and how the materials conform to your foot.

Way of Wade All City 12 Fit

The Way of Wade All City 12 fits true to size, so go with whatever size you usually use. The shoe does fit snugly (slightly), but it’s by no means a tight fit, and it takes almost no time to break in the shoe. So, go with whatever size you usually wear and you should be good to go.

Way of Wade All City 12 Overall

The Way of Wade All City 12 is a very solid all-around performance model with no real weak points, and several strong points. The full-length Boom cushioning is very well balanced, the multipurpose traction is excellent, and containment and support are top-notch as well. But what makes these a great pickup is the versatility factor.

The fact that they can handle any type of playing surface and that they will suit almost any position and playing style make the All City 12 stand out among other similarly priced basketball shoes. In the $150 price range, there aren’t many shoes out there that will give you the same on-court performance, and all-around value as the Way of Wade All City 12.