January 14, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Detail view of the Nike shoes worn by Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) during the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 116-98. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Kobe XI is a beautiful shoe to look at but does the performance match the aesthetic appeal?

Kobe Bryant’s 11th, and supposedly final shoe, dropped earlier this year, and as promised we were finally able to get our hands on a pair and bring you a long awaited performance review.

As a sneaker enthusiast, it doesn’t get much better than this, so let’s get started.

Initial Thoughts

Just by looking at the shoe, it’s one of the best looking Kobe’s to date. The way that the upper fades from black to red flyknit material seamlessly transitioning into a smoke black, translucent outsole, all topped off with beautiful gold accents, it’s hard not to immediately fall in love with this shoe.

However, do the performance aspects of the shoe do it any justice?

Sizing, Fit and Support

Compared to previous Kobe models, this version runs a little big. That said, the fact that the shoe seems to be longer from heel to toe, but narrower in width, could prove problematic for some buyers. It’s always best to try on a shoe before buying it but personally, I went down half a size and only had few complaints.

Even going down half a size, there was still room in the toe box to wiggle your toes, something which was also an issue with the Kobe IX. Surprisingly, when playing basketball, this wasn’t an issue, as the excellent heel lock down kept your toes from jamming into the front of the shoe.

Personally, aside from how the shoe looks, I’d say that support was its best feature. In years past it was hard to believe that a shoe so low could provide so much support but Nike has perfected just that.

Comparable to the support offered by previous models, your heel is held in place by two leather heel counters that do the job just fine, as I didn’t think about the safety of my ankles once when playing in these shoes.

Cushion and Materials

The cushion on the other hand was a huge let down in my opinion. Since the Kobe VI, fans have been dying for the Kobe brand to transition back to using Zoom technology, practically an airbag in the shoe’s sole, as opposed to Lunarlon, a thin foam material. While the Kobe XI uses a combination of both, in this model and the rest of the floor models, the Zoom bag is only found in the heel of the shoe.

This is frustrating considering that players jump from and land on their toes more so than their heels. With that in mind, even as a smaller guard, I found myself immediately dissatisfied with the lack of cushion in that area. Full length Zoom is available in the Nike ID option for the Kobe XI, but it’ll cost you a pretty penny.

In regards to the materials, for a steep price tag of $200, I’d say it wasn’t worth the cost. Nike bolstered the idea that they had drastically improved the flyknit material and also made it lighter, but to me, it felt just about the same as previous flyknit models.

Traction

The traction on these shoes was the most disappointing aspect of all. Normally, at least with the Kobe models I’ve had experience with, this is one of the shoe’s better features but not with the Kobe XI. Even on a relatively clean floor, I found myself having to constantly wipe the bottom of my shoes to avoid slippage.

For whatever reason, the way the traction pattern is set up, dust seems to collect in the grooves of the sole, something which regular wiping of the shoe just doesn’t resolve.

In Kobe Bryant or an NBA player’s case, this wouldn’t be an issue considering the condition of the floors they play on and the fact that they have traction pads to clean their shoes readily available.

Conclusion: 6 out of 10 Stars

Ranging from $200 all the way to $265, I’d say that there’s a variety of better options for your average hooper to buy as opposed to the Kobe XI. What’s most disappointing is the fact that, if this is in fact Kobe’s last shoe, Nike won’t have a chance to redeem themselves for their shortcomings performance wise.

If you’re going to buy this shoe to wear solely for off court purposes, you’ll be more than satisfied but $200 for a walking shoe just doesn’t seem practical.