The Gold Standard
Written: Jan 24 '04 (Updated Jan 24 '04)
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Pros: A fit like no other shoe, extreme responsiveness, great court feel, flashy!
Cons: Not great for wide feet, expensive.
The Bottom Line: Buy this shoe because it provides a fit like a dream and will get you noticed on the court
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| nikefreak's Full Review: Nike Air Flightposite |
This shoe started Nike's Flightposite line, with the Foamposite One, Pro, and Total Air Foamposite Max already out. It began a phase in which Nike was continuing to improve the Foamposite line every year. This shoe is about seven years old, yet the technology and performance is still better than the majority of shoes on the market. You can find them on ebay and some select websites that sell hard-to-find shoes.
First off, you may be thinking what Foamposite is in the first place. It is an extremely thin molded polyurethane, which is a highly-developed synthetic material developed by Nike engineers in conjuction with Daewoo, the same company that makes cars and stereos. It was a long process to perfect this material, but out came something that is unprecendented in the shoe market and provides so good of fit, that you may feel as though it is an extension of your foot. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but it will eventually mold to your foot in a way that will make you literally go, "Wow!" Instead of multiple pieces of leather, there is just one whole piece of Foamposite material that bathes your foot in a very comfortable shell.
On top of the Foamposite, is a zippered dynamic-fit sleeve that provides even more of a glove-like fit. Nike also integrated a full-length Dynamic Fit sleeve inside the shoe that forms and holds the foot in a silky material that is absolute heaven.
Moving on to the cushioning, there is a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for supreme responsiveness and a heel Air-Sole unit for impact resistance. Combined with the upper meeting almost directly with the outsole, this provides a great low-to-the ground feel that provides your foot with tremendous responsiveness to the court. This may not seem like a big deal, but it actually helps your foot respond to situations on the court faster than in a conventional outsole.
The outsole has deep flex grooves cut into it to provide flex exactly where you need it and provides excellent traction. There is also an Alpha Project pull tab on the back that helps to pull the shoe on.
I want to talk about the appearance of the shoe for a minute, although this doesn't affect the performance of the shoe at all. Nike released it in multiple colors, with the first being a goldish/silver/black that actually looked purplish/green from different angles. It was derided by critics as too flashy, but since, Nike put out black, multiple team colors, and an extremely rare charcoal color that looked like carbon fiber. If you can get your hands on this, be prepared to pay a premium price. There are also European colors that are rare and a eggplant Kobe exclusive that fetches a high price. Any Flightposite shoe that you can get is good, since Nike had destroyed most of the intial run molds they used to make the shoe.
In summary, the Flightposite is one of the best Nike shoes ever made, with the comfort, extreme support, and low to the ground cushioning that a lot of players crave. Fit for all positions, including big men. Guaranteed to make you stand out on the court also, if you are into that kind of thing. Be prepared to back up that flashy shoe with some good skills on the court!
A note: I got my silver/black pair for $40 at a Finish Line. For a retail $160 shoe, I was estatic, but be prepared to probably spend more than $40 because of the rarity of the shoe, especially if it is in mint condition.
Recommended:
Yes
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