Our verdict

"Run Cortez, run!". The iconic Nike Cortez is back with the clean 23 Premium Leather. These sneakers show off an iconic 90s runner inspo that any Forrest Gump fan is bound to love. We found it quite comfortable, and we enjoyed every step of our wear tests thanks to its lightweight classic. But don't worry, despite this lower weight, this shoe features a really durable upper made with authentic leather. That being said, there's clearly a price to pay: it's not breathable at all!

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  • Quite comfortable
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  • Authentic leather
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  • Can be dressed up or down
  • Lighweight stucture

nike dunk heels uk girls Cons

  • Not breathable
  • Outsole lacks durability

Audience verdict

N/A
Not enough reviews yet

Who should buy

Let the Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball conquer your wardrobe if:

  • You are looking for a pair of durable and comfortable sneakers to show off from time to time.
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  • You love Nike sneakers but won't settle for anything that's not premium (oh, and you don't want to pay a premium price).
  • nike roshe run mens etsy sale!

nike cortez 23 premium leather full picture 22615613 main

Who should NOT buy

If you want a new pair of cool shoes to wear in the summer, run away from this Nike Cortez. Its premium and durable leather upper has no ventilation holes, which means there's little to no airflow. We could feel the heat during our wear tests, so if you're looking for a breathable leather shoe, the Nike Court Vision Low nike air with ridges in top of head area of hair.

Then, if what you need is a new pair of daily beaters to wear every single day, it'd be better to opt for a model with a more durable outsole. As an alternative, we believe you may like the nike huarache red 2015 results 2017 release, nike lebron air max 10 aqua color shoes for women Nike SB Force 58, nike air max 1 women black.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball-pieces

Cushioning

Heel stack

This Nike's heel stack is pretty much average, as our caliper returned 30.8 mm when we measured it. The overall experience was pretty comfortable, and we liked how this shoe breaks with the oversized trend that's overflowing among sneakers nowadays!

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Heel stack

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 30.8 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

Forefoot stack

At 20.9 mm, the forefoot stack is slightly higher than average. But don't worry, this doesn't make this shoe massive either. Honestly, we're really happy with how the brand kept the iconic Cortez look instead of succumbing to the current chunky vibe of the sneakers market.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Forefoot stack

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 20.9 mm
Average 19.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

The difference between the rear and forefoot stacks is nothing too crazy. In fact, even with the "iconic wedge insert" that Nike mentions on its official webpage, we never felt like the Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball's heel was too high. At 9.9 mm, the drop of these sneakers is just standard.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Drop

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 9.9 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Midsole softness

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

After cutting this shoe in half, we had free access to its midsole. In order to measure its softness, we pressed our durometer against it, which marked 28.5 HA. This indicates it's slightly on the softer side, offering some extra comfort to our ride.

nike cortez 23 premium leather midsole softness 22615596 main

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 28.5 HA
Average 29.0 HA
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Compared to 75 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

Secondary foam softness

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

As the wedge we mentioned before is also part of this shoe's cushioning, we pressed our durometer against it too. It returned 31.0 HA, which is softer than the secondary foam average... yet not very plush. Why? Well, because as this piece is closer to the ground, it's composition harder to improve this Cortez's overall stability.

nike cortez 23 premium leather secondary foam softness 22615597 main

Even if it's not the plushes shoe out there, we still found it soft enough underfoot to enjoy every step. Check it out!

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 31.0 HA
Average 34.0 HA
nike air max moray 2 slide green blue.

Insole thickness

This Nike's insole imitates the minimalist and clean vibe of the whole shoe. Its 4.3 mm make it thinner than average, reducing the overall weight and keeping things simple.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Insole thickness

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 4.3 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball is slightly small (11 votes).

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1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 108 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

Toebox width - widest part

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Toebox width - widest part

Toebox width - big toe

nike cortez 23 premium leather toebox width big toe 22615601 main

Toebox height

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Toebox height

Stability

Lateral stability test

We can't say this shoe offers great lateral stability. As you can see in the video below, its classic isn't the most solid out there. Nevertheless, as long as you don't play any sports in it, the support of this Nike Cortez should be enough. A quick run to catch the bus wouldn't hurt anyone, though!

Torsional rigidity

When we took this shoe to our lab and tried to twist it, our fingers struggled. It wasn't as bad as our experience with other iconic Nike pairs (yes, Air Force 1 07, we're looking at you), but it still put up a fight. Consequently, we decided to give it a 4/5 on our torsional rigidity test).

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 4
Average 3.6
Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

The heel was not as rigid, fortunately. Our thumb managed to bend it and it didn't hurt our Achilles tendon during our wear tests, which were both wonderful news. So we decided to give it a 3/5 on our stiffness tests, which is an average score.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 3
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

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We noticed the streamlined design of this shoe from the very first moment we took it out of its box. The Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball features a really narrow midsole, as our caliper marked only 95.6 mm when we measured its width in the forefoot. Once again, we totally advise you against using this pair for sports. If you want to pick up running, please check our reviews about nike air thea roshe shoes sale.

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Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 95.6 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
95.1 mm
nike roshe white blue speckle women boots pants
121.0 mm

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The heel follows the same logic. It's incredibly narrow, at only 71.0 mm. That's why we firmly claim it's better to keep this Nike Cortez for casual use. It lacks the landing base needed for sporty activities and, consequently, its stability is also not the best.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball nike magista obra pink and green color

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 71.0 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
67.7 mm
nike magista obra pink and green color
103.1 mm

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We needed 27.8N of force to make this shoe do a handstand all the way up to 90 degrees. Even though this doesn't mean it's unforgivably stiff, the result is higher than average. During our wear tests, we noticed the penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball needed some time to warm up and let loose, as the ride felt a little bit stiff at the beginning.

But nothing too bad, honestly. It's not like it was hard to walk in or uncomfortable, just a little bit unfriendly at the beginning. That being said, it didn't take long to start comfortably bending alongside our feet!

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 27.8N
Average 23.4N
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Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
5.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
51.8N

Weight

Even if it was not the friendliest shoe at the beginning in terms of stiffness, what we did feel from the very first time we put this Nike pair on for our wear tests was how light it was. We could walk for hours and our feet wouldn't get excessively tired, which is wonderful news for a daily beater!

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Weight

When we took it to our lab, the scale returned only 11.85 oz/336g. This means the penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball is way more lightweight than most sneakers. In fact, the experience on foot was wonderful, as after some quick warm-up our feet felt happy and comfortable.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 11.85 oz (336g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

After cutting this Nike pair in half and putting it in front of our light, our expectations regarding breathability went all the way down. Also, to be fair, during our wear tests it felt pretty warm even at the beginning.

The leather upper didn't let the light shine through... and it didn't let any smoke out either! As you can see in the video below, the penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball barely breathes, losing the yoga teacher contest to the ASICS Gel NYC (which scored a perfect 5/5 on this test). After seeing these results, we could only give it a 1/5 on our breathability test, which is the lowest score.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Breathability-microscope-1

And our microscope is here to explain why this makes perfect sense. Look at that close-up of the upper's leather. Can you see any ventilation holes? A small gap? Some kind of meshy patch current? No, no, and no again, right? With such a solid material, there's no way the air could flow in and out of the shoe easily!

nike cortez 23 premium leather breathability microscope 2 22615584 main

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 1
Average 3
Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Leather/Suede quality

With a price tag of $110, we can't say this Nike pair is on the expensive end... yet its materials are!

We started by burning the top layer at the heel. As you can see, there was no big flame there, and the material didn't end up all sticky. Therefore, the leather in this area is authentic!

We also heated up the front part, and the result was basically the same. The material tried its best to put up with the heat, showing us it's definitely authentic.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Real leather

Toebox durability

Compensating for its awful performance regarding breathability, this Nike Cortez pair showed top-tier durability. At 5K RPM and with 2N of force, our Dremel tried its best to destroy it, but it was a futile effort. As you can see in the video, the leather put up a fight, and it withstood abrasion so well that we decided to give it a perfect 5/5 on our toebox durability test.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

On the other hand, the heel was not that much for a fighter. The tool didn't take too long to destroy most of the lining, so we could only give it a 2/5 on our durability test. In order to preserve the shoe's integrity in this area, we'd recommend you untie the laces and tie them back again when you put it on and off, instead of forcing your way in and out of the shoe with the laces all tied up.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 2
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

When we measured this Nike's outsole hardness, our durometer returned 82.0 HC. This result is slightly lower than average, which indicates the material used (rubber, in this case) might be slightly less durable than the standard for this category.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Outsole hardness

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 82.0 HC
Average 85.7 HC
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Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

And it turns out our hypothesis was just right! This time at 10K RPM and with the same 2N of force, our Dremel drilled the rubber non-stop. Sadly, the dent left was way deeper than average, as our tread gauge marked 1.8 mm when we measured it. Even though the Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball might not be the pair of sneakers with the most durable outsole, it'll still be by your side for a while if you just use it in the city.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 1.8 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 92 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

When we measured this shoe's outsole thickness, our caliper returned 5.0 mm. It's pretty much average, which means it should be thick enough to withstand the harshness of urban areas for some time, even if it doesn't feature the most durable rubber. Just take into account that this might vary if you overuse the shoe or walk over very abrasive floors constantly!

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Outsole thickness

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 5.0 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Grip / Traction

The penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball features a spiky herringbone pattern throughout the entire outsole. This detail is not just a nice nod to the shoe's heritage, but also a functional touch that offered nice traction. Nothing crazy thought, but we found it good enough for common urban areas.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball-outsole

Price

When this model was released, we could hear the crowd roar. Even though its price has evoked mixed feelings among sneakerheads, if you are a Forrest Gump fan... it nike air with ridges in top of head area of hair. We can't say these sneakers are a bang for the buck, but if you're a retro lover who is all over the 90s vibe, checking them out should be worth it.

nike cortez 23 premium leather laces 22615615 main

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball $110
Average $122
Compared to 116 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
$50
Price
$220

nike dunk heels uk girls | Reflective elements

The premium leather of this Nike Cortez keeps it clean and simple, so it doesn't feature any reflective accents.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Reflective elements

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball No

Tongue padding

At 10.2 mm, this shoe's tongue is slightly more padded than average. This protected us from any potential lace bite or uncomfortable rub, so even if we tied our laces quite tightly, our instep was just as comfortable.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Tongue padding

We're talking about a lightweight shoe, so there's not a lot of inner padding. Nevertheless, we do believe it's enough, as we found this Nike pair pretty comfortable during our wear tests.

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball 10.2 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
nike vapor untouchable white and gold shoes black
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Heel tab

Instead of featuring a heel tab, this 90s icon has a shiny patch at the heel with the brand's name and logo. We really liked this detail, as it matches the massive Swoosh this Cortez model has on the inner and outer lateral panels.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball-heel

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball None

Removable insole

We absolutely love removable insoles, and this Nike Cortez has been nice enough to grant us our wish. If you need or want to change this shoe's footbed, you won't have any issues. Nevertheless, please keep in mind we're talking about a snug model. Hence, going for an extra thick insole might jeopardize comfort.

Nike penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Removable insole

Test results
penn state nike shoes 2015 2016 basketball Yes