Air Jordan 12 is now one of the cults of the fashion world, so many people are naturally concerned not only its appearance and colorways, but also about its performances that really count. With the shoes being available, I’ve also copped one pair, and after over 6 months’ testing the AJ12, its performance review is finally here, which, I hope, may help those interested in the shoes make better decisions.
But before that, I’d like to talk briefly about my style of play. On the court, I am a small forward who rely on speed and explosive power to make breakthroughs and I tend to make the most of my advantage of speed and bouncing to finish the games.
Although this Air Jordan I got is a new version of 2017, its appearance, however, is not outdated and its performances can even prevail over many famous shoe versions of today.
Its vamp is made of artificial material and 3M reflective material on the surface rather than the ordinary leather commonly seen in other shoes. In the midsole, besides the full-foot Zoom air cushion, there is also a large carbon plate for support. Therefore, when asked about the texture of the shoes, I’d say it is so brilliant that I can barely think of any flaws of it. However, there is one thing that may be a bane for those who can’t put up with stuffiness underfoot. That is the relatively poor air permeability which might somewhat overshadow the shoes overall performances.
It should also be made particular mentioned of that if you wear it in practice, the forefoot will inevitably be pleated. Nevertheless, I personally feel that the problem doesn’t matter much and does not affect the shoes’ appearance at all.
For its cushioning, the Zoom along with the carbon plate actually offers me a nearly perfect experience. However, speaking from the actual demand on court, the cushioning performance is definitely not qualified.
In fact, there are two fatal shortcomings of the Zoom. The first one is that the Zoom is a large setup but not elastic enough. The forefoot sinks easily when there are startups, which is much more serious than do the KD 12, KD 10 and Why Not Zer0.1. What’s worse for me is that my joints, including the arch and toes, became quite tired with time passing by. The other one is the lack of solid foam for supporting, the most serious part being the heel. Although it is full-foot Zoom, the heel part of the midsole is made of very stiff material, and this part also happens to be rarely used when walking, but badly needed when landing. Therefore, in conclusion, this AJ 12’s cushion is unqualified for not offering due performance and protection.
In terms of the outsole, I think it is above the average level. With the pattern of herringbone in the fore and heel part, the outsole provides me with nearly all-direction grip. However, good as it is, it may be a bit dominated when it comes to the clean smooth wooden floors. Despite that, given the variety of demands for different styles of play, this blemish may have no bearing on other players.
Different from the AJ13, the wrapping of this AJ 12 is inferior. Although the shoelace system is excellent, it still can’t fully wrap my feet during actual playing. At the same time, now that the cushion of the forefoot sinks easily, the wrapping, which is not top-ranking in the first place, becomes worse. In a word, the wrapping for me is not excellent.
With regard to the support, it is at the top level. The carbon plate, which is 2/3 sole length, and the excellent anti-torsion design keep the support performance of these shoes outstanding. Even if I don’t play high-intensity matches, I can effortless feel its excellence from its performance.
For this yellow and black colorway, it is quite similar to that of the Air Jordan 12 PE. With the eye-catching yellow outsole and black vamp, this colorway is sure to be the focus of crowds.
As for this black colorway in the picture below, it is also a favor for quite a few people.
Overall:
To sum up, after numerous tests, I found that this AJ 12 is not so suitable for me. However, I’ll stick with the point that different people have different style of playing and just because these shoes don’t fit me doesn’t mean they don’t fit you. Therefore, if you are interested in the shoes, you might as well have a try because only by trying in the flesh will you know whether it is the right one for you.