Review details Nike Kobe XI Elite | EACHSHOES Performance Review

How does the Elite version of Kobe XI perform? Here is a “quick” review of EACHSHOES for The Black Mamba fans.

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first. Material (Material / design)

Flyknit continues to be used in the Elite version of Kobe XI, but Nike has reinforced with plastic “thread” to increase the firmness of the upper. In addition, Flywire cables are also used on both sides of the shoe body. Finally, the leather material is used for the heels and tongue. The difference from the old Elite versions is that Nike no longer keeps the high neck design.

Kobe XI returned to the full frame design with separate midsole like Kobe VII, VIII and IX. The Midsole of the Elite version is favored with a non-slip top fabric, toe cutouts for increased flexibility and a Zoom pocket at the heel. The outsole outsole uses a new Nike custom-made sole.

2. Traction (grip)

The diamond-shaped sole and an extra-large notch in the middle give the shoe better grip than expected. In return, dust is a very clear weakness of Kobe XI Elite when the writer is almost unable to avoid slipping every time the ball guide changes. The inner rubber used is also quite easy to flake off and scratch, which is quite a shame for a $ 200 shoe. Under ideal conditions, the Kobe XI Elite is one of the shoes with impressive traction but the instability on bad pitch surfaces causes the XI Elite’s insole to lose a lot of points. As far as EACHSHOES is known, solid sole (normal rubber) versions do not have such instability but have very good performance on all surfaces. Currently, in addition to the EM version using normal rubber, you can buy the color schemes “BHM”, “Innovation” and “White Horse” of Kobe XI Elite.

3. Comfort & Fit (Smoothness, ability to hold feet)

Kobe XI Elite fits the right size and is somewhat more comfortable than the previous Kobe versions, especially around the toes, so those with wide legs will not need to buy half the size. As mentioned above, the Kobe XI Elite reinforces the Flyknit by weaving it with flexible TPU fibers. This gives a “full” feel and is more solid than previous mesh versions such as Kobe VIII, IX, but in return the shoe body does not fit as tightly to the foot as with mesh or knit.

Upper Flyknit of Kobe XI Elite next to Primeknit of UltraBoost

Leaving aside Nike’s self-shedding of the advantages of knit for increased strength, the Kobe XI Elite embraces the leg very well. The feeling of “full” does not come only from the thickness of the upper, but also from the padding of the reed and the collar. The loose midsole also fits snugly against the shoe frame than the old ones.

The tongue is an inner bootie to make you more comfortable. On the other hand, Lunarlon midsole is also very quiet and does not take up break-in time like other materials.

4. Cushioning

The cushioning system of Kobe XI Elite is similar to the upcoming Kobe X and Kobe AD, Lunarlon and Zoom at the heel.

Lunarlon is still very comfortable, lightweight and offers an extremely good pitch feeling. Especially with the hexagonal cut lines inspired by Nike Free, the flexibility and sensitivity (responsiveness) of Kobe XI Elite is improved somewhat compared to ordinary Lunarlon liner. The weakest point of this cushioning system is that it is not durable enough due to the use of Lunar and the small amount of damping, which is not suitable for heavy weight users.

The Zoom Bag at the heel is extremely sturdy and bouncing, but since it’s bottom-loaded, it won’t feel too much. If you have close to $ 300 to spend, the full-length Zoom option on NikeID also offers better cushioning. Or if you have the Kobe VIII Elite, you can take advantage of the Zoom pad on both its nose and heels.

In general, Kobe XI Elite pads provide adequate foot cushioning and very good yard feel and flexibility.

5. Stability / Support / Containment

With two sole edges on both heels and toes, the Kobe XI Elite is a shoe with a very stable base. This plus the thin foot cushion creates a very safe feeling when moving.

With a low-necked minimalist shoe like this, the shoe’s hugging determines most of the shoe’s strength or support, and Kobe XI Elite is completely standard. The entire body of the shoe from the “padded” Flyknit layer or the heel cushion all helps to compensate for the simple structure of the shoe. The outsole also forms a frame covering the sides of the shoe body is also quite useful.

The container of Kobe XI is quite good in the nose and heels thanks to the rubber part of the outsole. However, the nose needs to cover more down the midfoot to better cover your legs. Overall, Kobe XI Elite is a pretty solid shoe that you can rest assured while walking.

6. Compare Nike Kobe XI Elite and Nike Kobe VIII

Below you can see some similarities between these two shoes except for the difference in the insole. In addition, Kobe 8 also has rubber to reinforce the toes, which is larger than Kobe XI.

The heels are nearly the same, the heels on both sides are cut down at the same height. Version VIII has an extra Phylon on the heel and Kobe XI is much cleaner.

The tongue pad and shoe collar of Kobe XI are much thicker. However, Kobe VIII has a separate heel block and a wider soleplate area. Not to mention that Kobe VIII is favored with a carbon fiber fixed soles. You should know that since then, Nike has extremely limited the use of carbon fiber for basketball shoes.

7. Nike Kobe XI Elite – Conclusion:

Pros:

_Light, flexible

_Very hugging legs

_The foot cushion is better than the regular version

_Sure

Cons:

Unstable adhesion

Lack of support for the soles of the feet

_Too expensive

Sizing:

Right size, suitable for raft legs due to wider toes.

Price: $ 200

There is no denying that the Kobe XI Elite is one of the best shoes for the agile, reversing player or simply love the versatility and ruggedness it offers. You can, however, have a much more valuable option with the $ 40 cheaper EM version. If you still want to buy the XI Elite, the rubber-soles color schemes are often the best option if you regularly play or compete in the dust field.

Reference links: http://amzn.to/2fdk5Qu

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