Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Neutral Grey Japan only | Our verdict

The Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ became our instant top pick in multiple categories as the shoe kept checking every box in all of our lab and play tests! We found it a perfectly well-rounded hoop shoe that nails every essential feature to help you perform your best on the court. But above all, this Jordan shoe inspires plenty of confidence with its stellar support and stability even during our most forceful lateral cuts. And did we mention that it weighs lighter than the average mid-cut shoe? In a word, this is a rare example of a high-priced basketball shoe that is actually worth every penny, in our opinon.

Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Neutral Grey Japan only Pros

  • Unmatched stability and support
  • Extra secure foot containment
  • Outstanding dust-proof grip
  • Excellent impact protection
  • Very grounded platform
  • Light for a mid-top shoe
  • Surprising breathability
  • Top-notch durability

Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Neutral Grey Japan only Cons

  • Air Jordan 3 dark powder blue white-wolf grey-black
  • Air Jordan 5 Retro "Oreo" quantity

Audience verdict

87
Great!

Who should buy

You can't miss out on the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ if you are a seasoned player in search of the following:

  • Jordan 1 low se denim
  • a cushioned shoe that doesn't mute court feel and feels grounded
  • Jordan Essentials T-shirt squadrata bianca
  • a super grippy outsole that is immune to dust

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ review

Who should NOT buy

There are very few scenarios in which we think the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ may not work for you.

One of them is frequent outdoor court use. These conditions are likely to destroy this Jordan shoe's traction pattern too fast. Consider the Nike Cosmic Unity 3 among Air Jordan 3 Percent instead.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ lab test

Cushioning

Heel stack

As opposed to the previous editions, the 38 goes for a low-profile cushioning prioritizing court feel.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Heel stack

This is clearly reflected in the shoe's heel stack height. Measuring it with our caliper returned a modest reading of 26.3 mm. It is a few millimeters lower than the average but is on par with the Air Jordan XXXI 31 Space Jam Black Concord (26.6 mm).

The shoe delivers on promise - we felt very grounded and in control of the movement during the playtest. But at the same time, we never felt as though impact protection was missing either. It is a very well-balanced setup.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 26.3 mm
Average 29.0 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
23.2 mm
Heel stack
37.2 mm

Forefoot stack

Checking the shoe's forefoot stack, we recorded 21.0 mm of thickness which is just about the same as the average.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Forefoot stack

From our experience, this stack height is very optimal for a mix of court feel and shock absorption. And it proved to be that way in this AJ shoe.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 21.0 mm
Average 21.6 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
15.5 mm
Forefoot stack
26.8 mm

Drop

Contributing to the shoe's steady and grounded feel is a relatively low heel-to-toe drop. At 5.3 mm, it is a few millimeters lower than average.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Drop
5.3 Nike air jordan 1 high retro og pollen yellow black white men us 8-13 555088-701

In contrast, here is a 10-mm drop on the Union Vibes Paint the Air Jordan 1 Mid SE (along with the higher heel stack of 31.2 mm). A shoe like this elevates the heel above the toes offering more support to the player's calves and Achilles tendons. It provides notably more impact protection too but minimizes contact with the court.

New Balance WXY TWO v4 drop comparison
10 mm drop of the New Balance TWO WXY V4
Test results
Air XXXVIII 5.3 mm
Average 7.5 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
3.9 mm
Drop
13.7 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

The Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ features a brand-new cushioning setup with a full-length Cushlon 3.0 foam and a Zoom Air Strobel on top of it.

Jordan Brands newest platform Air Jordan.

The Cushlon 3.0 is responsible for the shoe's midsole softness showing a pretty low durometer reading of 16.0 HA. It is 60% softer than the average basketball shoe cushioning and has a very comfortable and slightly bouncy nature that doesn't lose its properties when used for extended periods of time.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Midsole softness

The foam is sandwiched between the Zoom Air Strobel, the hard rubber outsole, and the firm carrier foam which kept us well-cushioned but stable at the same time.

We should also note that the XXXVIII's cushioning feels quite consistent from heels to toes because of the full-length units featured in it. The ride felt very smooth and predictable on the court which kept us very surefooted.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 16.0 HA
Average 25.0 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
11.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
38.6 HA

Insole thickness

A nicely padded insole sits between the shoe's firm Zoom Air Strobel and the foot.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Insole thickness

Measuring its thickness with a caliper, we got 4.4 mm in the heel. This is a regular insole padding for a hoop shoe.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 4.4 mm
Average 4.8 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
0.0 mm
Insole thickness
8.6 mm

Size and fit

Size

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ is slightly small (19 votes).

Owners of this shoe, how does this shoe fit?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 70 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Air Jordan 11 Retro Low "Nightshade"

The AJ XXXVIII made our medium-width feet feel at home in our regular US size 9.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Toebox width at the widest part

In the widest part of the toebox, our caliper showed a standard reading of 101.8 mm for a US 9 basketball shoe.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 101.8 mm
Average 101.6 mm
Compared to 65 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
92.6 mm
Air Jordan 11 Retro Low "Nightshade"
109.2 mm

Toebox width - big toe

However, players with wide feet may want to thewond half-size up because the tapering makes the tip of the toebox narrower than average.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ fit

Measuring the shoe's forefoot near the big toe, we got 73.3 mm which is a bit narrower than average.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Neutral Grey Japan only

Test results
Air XXXVIII 73.3 mm
Average 76.9 mm
Compared to 59 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
71.2 mm
Toebox width - big toe
85.1 mm

Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Neutral Grey Japan only | Stability

Lateral stability test

If you're in search of the most rework stability in a basketball shoe, you're looking at the right page.

During our playtests, the AJ XXXVIII proved to be unmatched when it came to foot containment. The support came from both the reinforced sole and the sturdy mid-cut upper.

Torsional rigidity

The torsional rigidity of this Jordan shoe is rock-solid. Literally. Trying to twist it with our hands felt like twisting an actual rock!

On a 1-5 scale where 5 is the absolute stiffest, we didn't hesitate to rate the XXXVIII with the maximum 5.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ medial side

The large and stiff rubber-and-plastic overlays on both sides of the platform made us feel barricaded inside the XXXVIII. Even though no shoe can guarantee 100% protection from ankle twists, we felt that it would take a lot of effort to buckle our feet in this Jordan.

If you check the bottom of the shoe, you will see that those plastic overlays on the sides also wrap around the sole's forefoot section. They work together with the small black shank (visible through the V-cuts) to provide some of the highest stability levels we've experienced in a basketball shoe.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ outsole

The Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ is a must for players who stay on their toes a lot throughout the game. The shoe's most effective stability is concentrated right there under the balls of their feet.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 5
Average 4.4
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

The shoe's substantial and well-padded collar adds yet another layer of ankle support.

Just look at how little give there is to the heel counter as we push and squeeze it in our manual test. Once again, we confidently rate the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ with the highest stiffness score - 5 out of 5!

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Heel tab

But here is the twist - the shoe's ankle collar doesn't feel bulky or constricting at all! Why? Because its back portion has been cut out to let the dorsiflexion happen freely. We believe that this is a smart response to the never-ending discussion of what collar height is best for basketball shoes.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

The Jordan Brand is giving us another excuse to cop this season with this newly unveiled

We already mentioned that the shoe's stability is primarily centered in the forefoot section. So it's only natural that there is a nice outrigger on the lateral side here.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Midsole width in the forefoot

Our caliper showed a slightly wider-than-average measurement of 115.6 mm in the largest part of the shoe's forefoot.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 115.6 mm
Average 114.9 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
106.2 mm
The Jordan Brand is giving us another excuse to cop this season with this newly unveiled
124.5 mm

Trois PSNY x Air Jordan 12 pour lété

The heel portion of the XXXVIII's platform is not as wide and planted as in most basketball shoes. It feels more like a transition point that encourages the foot to hit the forefoot faster.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Midsole width in the heel

So if your playing style involves a lot of heel-dominant strikes, you should know that this Jordan shoe has a narrower-than-average heel width of 83.4 mm (in the widest part).

Test results
Air XXXVIII 83.4 mm
Average 90.2 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
80.0 mm
Trois PSNY x Air Jordan 12 pour lété
105.1 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

We discovered that the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ is very rigid in the areas where it is most needed. But it doesn't lack a touch of flexibility where it makes sense.

Those V-cuts in the forefoot allow the shoe to bend a bit more freely with the toes. This design was inspired by Michael Jordan's turn-around-jumper which requires a fine-tuned balance of stability and give.

Using a force gauge, we recorded that the shoe requires 37.2N to reach a 90-degree bend. This is slightly less than the average (by 10%).

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ flex

Test results
Air XXXVIII 37.2N
Average 38.7N
Air Jordan 7 Retro Golden Moments alvin_sole_23.
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
17.6N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
62.2N

Weight

Trying the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ for the first time, we were pleasantly surprised with its on-foot weight. Is that really a mid-cut shoe?

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Weight

Putting it on a scale returned 13.9 oz (396g) which is on par with the average weight of low-top kicks!

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ shoe weight

With its open see-through side panes and cut-out heel collar, this version of the Air Jordan feels notably more nimble than its predecessors.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 13.90 oz (394g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
11.29 oz (320g)
Weight
17.46 oz (495g)

Breathability

We rarely come across basketball shoes with highly breathable uppers, especially mid-cut ones. But the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ is here to change that trend.

The shoe features large and open embroidered sidewalls on both sides of the upper. Paired with large cutouts on the tongue, they keep the interiors very nicely aerated. Our feet experienced a sweet breeze during the entire playtest.

Even though the shoe's toebox is covered in dense suede, we never felt as if breathability was lacking in the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ.

Thus, we readily gave it a higher-than-average breathability score of 3.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 3
Average 2.6
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toebox durability

The Jordan XXXVIII features more reinforced materials in the high-wear areas but leaves the rest of the upper open for breathability and lightness.

Depending on the colorway, you are either getting synthetic leather or synthetic suede as the key toebox material. In this review, we are testing the University Red shoe's fake suede toebox.

Let's see if that synthetic suede is strong enough to protect such a high-wear area as the shoe's toebox...

Of course, it is! We are testing a $200 shoe after all.

The suede got away with a merely cosmetic scratch which is even hard to see in the photo. Twelve seconds of drilling it with sandpaper at a 5K RPM speed did not blow through the material.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Toebox durability test

It is an impressive result that earned the XXXVIII the highest toebox durability score - 5 out of 5!

But that's not all.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ flexibility

The shoe's outsole rubber extends up covering the areas prone to toe drags. This helps to prolong the shoe's potential shelf life.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 63 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Neutral Grey Japan only.

Applying the sandpaper tip of our Dremel to the fabric inside the heel counter for 4 seconds, we were satisfied with the result.

The scuffing was so minor that we only subtracted one durability point from it, leaving the shoe's heel lining with a solid score of 4 out of 5.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Heel padding durability test
Test results
Air XXXVIII 4
Average 3.6
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

Don't be misled by the shoe's translucent rubber - it is not the same as gum rubber. And based on our lab tests, it even beats some solid rubbers when it comes to hardness and durability!

Even though rubber hardness does not guarantee higher durability, it certainly makes the shoe's outsole more hard-wearing.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Outsole hardness

Looking at the 87.5 reading on our Shore C durometer, the translucent rubber of this Jordan shoe is harder than 85% of the basketball shoe outsoles we've tested.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 87.5 HC
Average 81.5 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
61.3 HC
Outsole hardness
91.0 HC

Outsole durability

Air Jordan 1 Midnight Marauders.

This time, we held the tool against the shoe's rubber for 22 seconds and ramped up the speed to 10K RPM. But the material remained steadfast.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Outsole durability test

It looks as though the Dremel only brushed off the dust from the treading. Checking the depth of the indentation with a tread gauge, it turned out to be the same as the average at 0.9 mm.

Jordan One Take 3 Gs Russell Westbrook Grey Kids Basketball?

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ outsole design

Well, occasional games should not be a problem but we are worried that with regular outdoor use, its thin herringbone lines will smooth out pretty quickly compromising the grip. The rubber itself is strong but the thin tread lines are not.

Test results
Air XXXVIII 0.9 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 51 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

But if you limit the shoe to indoor courts, it will prove to be indestructible with a thick 4.0 mm rubber layer.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Outsole thickness
Test results
Air XXXVIII 4.0 mm
Average 4.0 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
6.9 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

We are not getting tired of listing the strong points of the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ. This time, it's the shoe's phenomenal gripping capacity!

Squeaky and tacky, it delivered fantastic stopping power during our playtests on both indoor and outdoor courts. It also managed to catch our feet from all the different angles.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ traction

And what's truly amazing - the shoe's outsole is dust-proof! We hardly needed any wiping to experience the most secure traction.

Tongue padding

About two-thirds of the shoe's tongue are very lightly padded (only a few millimeters of thickness).

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Tongue padding

However, it features double padding at the topmost part where the buffer is most needed to prevent lace bites. Here, the tongue thickness exceeds the average by a few millimeters (at 11.9 mm).

Test results
Air XXXVIII 11.9 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 72 basketball shoes
Jordan Brand Quai54 To Showcase The Air Jordan 3
1.3 mm
Tongue padding
15.9 mm

The Jordan Brand collaborator

The shoe's tongue is fully integrated into the upper creating a very secure foot containment in addition to the supportive collar.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ The Jordan Brand collaborator
Test results
Air XXXVIII Both sides (full)

Heel tab

There are no finger loops or pull tabs on the shoe's collar. However, its structured nature and lowered heel portion make the on-and-off pretty effortless.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ no Heel tab
Test results
Air XXXVIII None

Removable insole

The stock insole is easily removable if you need a custom pair of orthotics for your basketball shoes.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ Removable insole
Test results
Air XXXVIII Yes

Sustainable materials

According to Nike, the Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ was produced with ethically sourced materials as part of the Move to Zero initiative.

Jordan Legacy 8P Μπάλα Μπάσκετ lateral side