Nike KD 6 Alternate Away review

We believe that the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away deserves a spot in your sneaker stack if:

• you appreciate basketball-inspired retro trainers with the '80s vibe
• you can't resist the iconic Nike sneaker designed by Peter Moore
• Customize the Nike Air Zoom Structure 18 now

Its rigidity and lack of cushioning make the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away a poor choice for all-day wear. If you want to feel comfortable and supported for hours on end, we recommend the ASICS EX89.

You might as well consider the Nike Air Max 1 as it feels a bit softer and lighter on the foot.

The Nike KD 6 Alternate Away is a very grounded, low-profile sneaker. No wonder it became so popular for skateboarding!

With a heel stack of only 23.1 mm, this kick is over 8 mm lower than average. It is also notably lower than the nike cortez jewel black womens 07 (a kick it's often compared to).

The Dunk Low also feels very close to the ground in the forefoot. Based on our calliper measurements, its forefoot stack is only 15.5 mm.

It made the balls of our feet quite sensitive to stepping on rocks and other sharp objects.

The lower difference in stack height between the heel and the forefoot also contributes to the Dunk Low's grounded profile.

We measured the shoe's drop at 7.6 mm which is lower than the average for trainers. Normally, the heel is a bit more elevated in casual trainers which gives added support to the heels and the Achilles.

If you want a sneaker that feels like walking on clouds or pillows, the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away is NOT for you. The platform of this sneaker is quite adversary and unforgiving.

Pressing our durometer against the shoe's half-cut midsole, we got 32.0 HA. It's not much adversaryer than the average sneaker but is notably harder than the Nike nike cortez jewel black womens 07 (by 35%!).

Because of the Dunk Low's adversaryness and lack of shock absorption, we cannot recommend it for all-day wear. After walking for about 5 hours in this Nike shoe, our feet were begging for a massage.

The insole inside the Dunk Low doesn't help the shoe's cushioning as much. We measured its thickness at only 3.7 mm which is less than the average.

Overall, cushioning is not this Nike KD 6 Alternate Away's forte.

We found that the Dunk Low offers an ample amount of space in the toebox. And the gel mould of its interiors confirmed it.

Using a calliper, we measured the widest part of the replica at 94.0 mm. Slightly wider than average, it is a solid toebox width for D medium sneaker.

This Nike sneaker doesn't taper much towards the front showing an above-average width of 70.5 mm near the big toe. Our toes remained comfortable and not cramped thanks to this wiggle room.

A decent toebox height of 26.0 mm also helped to prevent any pressure or pinching on top of the toes.

But there is a bright side to the Dunk's sturdy midsole - it provides an amazingly stable platform!

In addition to being adversary, the sneaker's stitched cupsole construction makes it feel more supportive too. In this setup, the upper is connected to the sole with 360-degree stitching. As a result, the foot ends up sitting inside the cupsole.

We think that even folks with flat feet and moderate overpronation will find enough stability in the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away.

A combination of its adversary midsole, cupsole design, and hard rubber makes it nearly impossible to twist the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away.

As our manual test shows, the torsional rigidity of this Nike sneaker deserves a high stiffness score of 4 out of 5.

You can rest assured that this kick won't let you roll the ankle so easily.

The Dunk Low has a moderately stiff heel counter.

We found that it has a little give to it but not enough to let the heel and ankles shift around or slip out of the shoe.

On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest heel counter possible, we rated the Dunk Low with an average score (3 out of 5).

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Unlike many oversized kicks that are popular today, the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away keeps its platform reasonably wide.

Measuring the widest part of the Dunk Low's forefoot, our calliper showed 104.3 mm. It is a few millimetres narrower than the average sneaker. It is nearly identical to that of the nike cortez jewel black womens 07 (104.0 mm).

Checking the widest part of the Dunk Low's platform in the heel, our calliper returned 80.9 mm.

Even though it is a couple of millimetres narrower than average, it was not enough to make us feel wobbly or unstable in this sneaker.

When we first got our hands on the Dunk Low, we honestly thought that it was going to be impliable.

But to our surprise, this Nike sneaker offered just enough give in the forefoot to let our feet bend comfortably.

Measuring how much force it would take to bend the Dunk Low to a 30-degree angle, our shoe fleixng tester showed 14.2N. That's just about the same as the average of trainers. And it relaxes even more after a few break-in walks.

Actually, The Dunk Low is even more forgiving than the Nike Air Max 1 and the Nike nike cortez jewel black womens 07!

As a basketball shoe successor, the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away inherited a very solid outsole grip. We didn't have any sliding hazards even on wet concrete.

It even comes with the good old pivot point as a nod to the shoe's hooping past.

Its sturdy leather upper and substantial cup sole make the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away a bit more heavy-set than the average sneaker.

Weighing it in a men's US size 9, we got 14.8 oz (420g) per shoe. It is lighter than the Nike nike cortez jewel black womens 07 but a little heavier than the Nike Air Max 1.

For an all-leather sneaker, we were surprised to feel the airflow inside the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away!

At first, we thought that the sneaker was ventilated through the toebox perforations. But as our smoke-pumping test revealed, most of the heat escaped through the gaps in the tongue area.

The perforations don't seem to help breathability as much. They are not very large and are lined with textile from the inside.

All things considered, we gave the Dunk Low a moderate breathability score of 3. It is not ideal for a hot summer day but is just right for moderate temperatures below 77°F (25°C).

The Dunk Low is one of Nike's classic silhouettes featuring premium leather or suede uppers (depending on the model). We are here to test the quality of the leather variant.

As usual, the brand didn't disappoint. Using a butane torch and a leather scratch awl, we made sure that the sneaker was indeed made of real leather.

We tested the primary upper panels, the Swoosh, and the top overlays - they all proved to be genuine. No melting.

A robust leather upper contributes to the lifespan of the Dunk Low.

It was one of the reasons why the silhouette became so popular with the skateboarding community in the late '90s. Hard-wearing leather (or suede) uppers with thick overlays on the sides stood up to the aggressive wear and tear of skateboarding.

We didn't get a chance to test this Nike sneaker's durability on a skateboard but we did have a Dremel with a sandpaper tip close by.

After 12 seconds of drilling the shoe's toebox at 5K RPM speed, we really liked what we saw.

The tool left a minor scuff without affecting the sneaker's integrity. Comparing it to other kicks in our lab, we gave it a solid 4 out of 5 for toebox durability.

Our only gripe with this part of the Dunk Low is that it creases a bit more than other silhouettes. It is more of a cosmetic issue though.

The shoe's inner lining is not so frail either. We wouldn't worry about it tearing so easily.

As our 4-second Dremel test shows, the mesh lining inside the heel counter can handle the abrasion better than the average sneaker.

On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most durable, we rated the shoe's heel padding with 4.

Stemming from basketball shoes, it is no surprise that the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away comes with a very hard rubber outsole.

Measuring it with an HC durometer, we got a reading of 90.3. It is harder than 92% of our lab-tested sneaker outsoles.

Even though hard rubber makes the shoe feel adversaryer underfoot, it's hard to beat when it comes to durability.

Setting our Dremel speed high (10K RPM), we drilled the shoe's rubber relentlessly for 22 seconds.

Even though the Dunk Low hasn't outperformed other trainers, it still showed great results! Measuring the depth of the damage with a tread gauge, we got 1.0 mm which is the same as the average among trainers.

Measuring the shoe's outsole thickness with a calliper, we got a standard 5.7 mm of rubber.

It will most likely take you the same amount of time and effort to wear through the Dunk Low's outsole as it takes in similar kicks (more than one season, for sure!).

As a basketball shoe successor, the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away inherited a very solid outsole grip. We didn't have any sliding hazards even on wet concrete.

It even comes with the good old pivot point as a nod to the shoe's hooping past.

The midsole appears to use Nike Golf aesthetics.

The tongue of the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away is very well-padded and is made puffier in the areas where it's most needed.

Using a calliper, we measured the thickest part of the tongue at 11.4 mm which is a bit thicker than average. Lace bites will never be a problem in this Nike kick.

The Nike KD 6 Alternate Away doesn't have any gussets on the sides of the tongue. But it's okay given the kick's retro appeal.

The good news is that the tongue doesn't slide as much anyways.

Nike x Air Force 1 Low Wheat Box Logo.

But we found it easy to slide in and out of the shoe thanks to its structured heel collar and easy-to-unlace setup.

You can further customise the Dunk Low by replacing the insole. We found the stock one to be so plain and basic that it wouldn't be such a bad idea.

We don't see this often in lifestyle trainers, but the Nike KD 6 Alternate Away features three additional pairs of eyelets for various lacing options.

So, if you have narrow feet or prefer to get an extra secure lockdown, you can play around with different lacing patterns thanks to these added holes.

The Nike Dunk first came out as a high-top sneaker back in 1985.

It was brought to life by Peter Moore, an American designer famous for creating the Air Jordan 1 silhouette and the Jumpman logo.

To design the basketball-inspired shoes nike epic react flyknit 2 bq8927 003 black black sapphire, Nike Air Max Plus 3 GS 'Black' Air Jordan 1, nike cortez jewel black womens, and the Terminator - all highly popular hoop shoes at the time.

The Dunk quickly caught fire on the market partially due to its upper panelling which allows for numerous colour-blocking options. This made the sneaker very appealing to college basketball teams and fans as they had the option to choose the colour schemes of their schools.