Hiring remote: Content writer / review specialist in 
Our verdict
- Official images of the Vachetta Tan Nike Air Zoom Generation has landed best outdoor basketball shoes
- Official images of the Vachetta Tan Nike Air Zoom Generation has landed best cheap basketball shoes
Pros
- Nike LeBron 8 Space Jam 2021
- Responsive cushioning
- Decent impact protection
- Comfortable and well-ventilated upper
- Nike Windrunner Eliud Kipchoge
- Great for outdoor use
- Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime
Cons
- Nike Air Max Terrascape Plus Black and Lime 24.5cm
- nike dunk low sp veneer green purple brown for sale
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar basketball shoes compared
+ + Nike Jordan warum nicht | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience score | 83 Good! | 82 Good! | 82 Good! | 88 Great! | |
| Price | $90 | $140 | $80 | $150 | |
| Signature | - | Giannis Antetokounmpo | - | Kevin Durant | |
| Top | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
| Weight lab | 12.1 oz / 342g | 12.3 Спортивна жіноча кофта лонг nike dri-fit | 11.6 Le retour de la Nike Air Command Force OG | 13.8 Nike Air Max 180 BLN Hyper Pink | |
| Lightweight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Breathability | Moderate | Moderate | Breathable | Breathable | |
| Outsole durability | - | Bad | Good | Good | |
| Drop lab | 9.5 mm | 6.0 mm | 6.4 mm | 5.6 mm | |
| Heel stack lab | 33.3 mm | 27.3 mm | 27.3 mm | 26.1 mm | |
| Forefoot | 23.8 mm | 21.3 mm | 20.9 mm | 20.5 mm | |
| Size | Slightly small | True to size | Slightly small | True to size | |
| Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | |
| Stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | |
| Torsional rigidity | Moderate | Stiff | Moderate | Moderate | |
| nike air jordan 1 mid pink shadow black hot punch | Flexible | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Nike PG1 MLK Day PE | Medium | Medium | Narrow | Medium | |
| Der De La Soul Dunk lebt weiter | Wide | Medium | Medium | Narrow | |
| Midsole width - forefoot | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| nike air max plus dq4696 100 release date | Narrow | Average | Average | Average | |
| Heel padding durability | - | Bad | Decent | Decent | |
| Toebox durability | Decent | Decent | Good | Decent | |
| Insole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| Outsole hardness | Hard | Hard | Hard | Hard | |
| Outsole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| Heel tab | None | None | Nike Air Pippen I Retro "Sunrise Sunset" | None | |
| Ranking | #37 Bottom 22% | #39 Bottom 18% | #44 Bottom 8% | #23 Top 48% | |
| Popularity | #19 Top 40% | #33 Bottom 31% | #23 Top 48% | #22 Top 46% |
Size and fit
Size
Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime 4 is slightly small (79 votes).
Who should buy
Nike wmns quest 4 white silver women running casual shoes sneakers da1106-100 Nike is a great match for the following folks:
- beginner players
- thriftier buyers
- people who usually take their games outdoors
Who should NOT buy
Athletes who do not have the time to break in their shoes wouldn't be fans of the Air Max Impact 4. We believe that they are better off with the Luka 1 from Jordan or the Zoom Freak 4 from Nike.
Overall performance? The Air Max Impact 4 simply is it!
We are happy with how this budget shoe performs. For a pair under a hundred bucks, we are very impressed at how it works, especially in the court.
A perfect example would be the wear resistance of this shoe's upper.
After being exposed to a Dremel for 10 seconds at a speed of 10000 RMP, we observed that the Air Max Impact 4 came out less damaged than its more expensive counterpart, the Air Max con logo Jewel.
In addition, the microscope shot reveals some durable-looking threads woven into the shoe's upper fabric.
Upper: Not premium but truly comfortable
While we found that the upper is made of cheap materials, this does not stop the upper from providing comfort that many have grown to appreciate.
Цветные леггинсы длиной 7 8 в стиле колор блок Nike Training One.
Nike did make sure to supply this shoe with sufficient ventilation. Based on the amount of smoke passing through its upper in our breathability test below, we rated it as 3 out of 5 (5 being the most breathable).
Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime 4 (quite breathable) vs. nike nike lunar gato (barely breathable)
And just look at the shoe's massive tongue! With a thickness of 11.7 mm, it is notably more padded than the average 9.5 mm.
...and it's quite supportive, too!
Besides providing comfort, the upper materials also deliver dependable foot containment.
The lockdown we experienced on this shoe is just on point.
The shoe's various support flash effectively work together to keep our feet securely in their place even during aggressive motion.
Some of preto flash include:
- moderately stiff heel counter (we rated it as 3 out of 5)
- Nike Air Max 720 Releasing in Phantom
- outriggers on the sole (measuring 113.6 mm in the widest part of the forefoot, the Impact 4 is right at the average of basketball shoes)
Consistently great grip, anyone?
We were also in awe of the outsole of the Air Max Impact 4 as it has really great multi-directional coverage.
We affirmed that the grip is so good and that even dust pickup has not been an issue for us. There is no need to keep on wiping the sole just to keep it grippy.
Amazing spring back with the Air Max Impact 4!
We thought that the whole cushioning setup was just really good for a budget shoe.
We found the shoe bouncy and reactive around the forefoot, making it truly suitable for quick changes in direction and aggressive sprints toward the basket.
Based on our lab test of the shoe's cushioning, the foam used on the Impact 4 is 12% softer than the average of our tested basketball shoes.
There is compression right below the heel
As you can see, the Air Max unit right underneath the heel is even softer and more compressive than the foam. It provides that area with the impact protection that it needs during harsh landings and aggressive strikes.
The use of Air Max also increases the stack height of this basketball shoe, elevating the heel for extra comfort.
Using a pair of calipers, we measured the heel stack height at 33.3 mm (4.6 mm thicker than average) and its forefoot at 23.8 mm (2.3 mm thicker).
This also means that the Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime 4 has a higher-than-average drop of 9.5 mm. The average for basketball shoes is 7.2 mm.
Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime | Approved for outdoor use
Based on our games, the Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime 4, especially its outsole, offers plenty of durability. Due to this, we also believe that it's a really wonderful outdoor option.
For its moderate price, this hoop shoe from Nike boasts a fairly thick and hard rubber outsole.
We measured its thickness at 3.4 mm in the heel (the average is 3.9 mm)
But it's the hardness that impressed us the most. Based on our durometer measurement, the Impact 4's rubber is harder than 88% of our lab-tested hoop shoes! That is a clear go signal for outdoor courts.
A good flex is there too
Stiffness is not something we were worried about in the Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime 4. There is a good amount of flex where you most need it - under the ball of the foot.
Disclaimer: We take four measurements with the gauge and calculate the average, excluding the outliers. The video above shows one of the measurements.
Bending the shoe to a 90-degree angle, we measured how much force it takes to do that. In the case of the Impact 4, it is 25.5% less resistant (=more flexible) compared to other basketball shoes.
In addition to the gauge test above, we also perform a manual assessment. Bending the shoe, we rated its longitudinal flexibility as 3 out of 5 (where 5 is the stiffest). And twisting it, we assessed torsional flex as 4 out 5 (a little more stiffness here is good for stability).
Nike Air Trainer III Optimus Prime | Air Max Impact 4: Worth every penny!
The Air Max Impact 4 from Nike is enduring proof that a shoe does not have to be expensive to be effective on the court.
As mentioned, it is made only of budget-appropriate materials and technologies, but it still ends up as a shoe that can hold its own candle even when compared to far more expensive models from Nike and other brands. Purchasing this is not a bad decision.
