there are too many,
Foamposite first appeared in the 1996-1997 basketball season on
the feet of Penny
Hardaway and more famously on Mike Bibby’s feet in the NCAA Championship game.
If you saw that and didn’t say “what the @#$& is he wearing?” you
were old or didn’t care about sneaks. Inspired by an Oakley sun glass case,
Posite is meant to be a heat-forming case for your feet giving ultimate fit and
protection. Forgotten for years, the technology recently returned in the
Hyperposite technology found on the Lebron XI and XII. At first try, the
Hyperposite 2 is stiff and protective and stiff. And stiff. They don’t get much
better during play. The “heat-forming” never happened, for two reasons. First,
the cutouts don’t generate enough heat build-up. Also, the fit is great from
the start (later for that). In that shell, we get a thick inner sleeve that is
like a foot blanket and is one of the most comfortable sleeves I have ever
felt. The third major material is the 360° Max Zoom. Overall, this is a shoe
built to last; it’s tough, rough, and durable–a Hummer H2 for basketball.
FIT – Perfect. No kidding – for a shoe that
should feel like a Wolverine steel toe on looks alone, this shoe locks up
tighter than a preacher’s daughter on Prom night (oh
wait, never mind). The shell is cut a little wider in
the forefoot but it works with the inner sleeve to fill any space and tighten.
The collar is cut high and locks the ankle in. Additionally, the way the heel
cup wraps into the ankle and the midfoot completely stops any movement in that
area. At first I thought I probably could have went down a half size, but you
don’t want Posite to be too short; that can lead to painful toe issues which
are no fun. The lacing system also plays a part as it lets the wearer cinch in
all areas and get that perfect fit.
CUSHIONING – My favorite part, but to me, the shoe’s downfall.
Confused? Me too. The shoe features 360° Max Zoom that is bouncy, responsive,
and solidly stable – to an overkill degree. I love the way the shoe sinks and
bounces; it lets the foot cushion down but immediately bounces back like good
Zoom should. If you loved the Lebron X, these will feel great. No slow-down on
reaction and no impact on your knees, the best of both worlds. You won’t find
better Zoom out there. However…
The midsole is extremely stiff and never breaks in or flexes with my foot. Transition
suffered greatly and my game is based on cuts and quick changes of direction. I had some extreme foot fatigue that never went away;
it continued from first trip down to last game of the day. It wasn’t that
cramping type of pain, more like my feet went numb. If you post up, face up midrange, or are a little
older and slower, banging low for boards or you need a little more protection
for achy bodies, you DEFINITELY need to check these out. No shame in playing
your role; it’s even sadder to pretend you are something you’re not.
TRACTION – Surprisingly, from the pattern, traction is extremely sticky and consistent. Not
much coverage, and they are similar to the Zoom 96 which I thought sucked, but
the Hyperposite 2 was squeaky and sticky on my wood floors at home as soon as I
got them on (you know you all do it – straight out of the box on feet in the
kitchen). No matter what floor I played on, and I played on three different 24
Hour Fitness courts and a rubberized court at a church, traction was solid. It
showed very, very little signs of wear, meaning outdoors you
should be good. The rubber is thick and tough even though it is
semi-translucent. I really like the way the patterns are broken up; it allows
the foot to flex (theoretically) where the splits are. That means more of the
shoe is on contact with the floor at weird angles so you never lose grip.
Support/Stability – You probably know from the fit category and
materials category, but these are NOT rolling over. I think you could step on
three feet and be okay. The Zoom rides low and the midsole contains it
completely. The high Posite ankle cut covers you there and actually, next to
Ektio, is the most support I have felt in the last few years. The lines of the
Posite do exaclty what they should; they come around and over the foot to
protect you from injury, from either instability/rolls or someone stepping on
you. With that protection comes a lack of mobility, so decide what you need and
begin. There is no midfoot shank but the full length Zoom is stiff and keeps
your foot from bending down instead of flat. I love this category for this
shoe. Rarely does a shoe hit a perfect mark in a category, but the Hyperposite
2 nails support.
OVERALL – Here
is the kicker: I have had shoes that were greater than the sum of their
parts – nothing stood out, but the shoe was great. The Hyperposite 2, for me at
least, was the opposite. The parts, separately, are GREAT. Fit, cushion,
traction, stability, materials – all premium and perform well. However, there
is that one little transition problem that killed it for me. But that is just
it – FOR ME. I am not who this shoe was made for; I rarely bang low or
fight for post position. I can’t imagine a shoe better built for Marc Gasol,
Zach Randolph, Anthony Davis, DeAndre Jordan, Tristan Thompson, guys who play a
nasty, hard game. Don’t be proud, but if that is you, take a look at these.
I know the price has dropped almost $100 from retail
and for what you get, a super-cushioned shoe that will last forever, that is a
steal. These are the reviews I love; a shoe I shouldn’t like, and didn’t fit my
style, but I can see the effort and purpose. I can’t wait to see where the
Hyperposite symbiote takes us next.
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