Floppy Divac's Basketball Shoe Reviews

Reebok Reverse Jam Mid Sneaker: Basketball Shoe Review

Alright everyone. After a long delay, I finally got another review up. This time it is the Reebok Reverse Jam Mid Basketball shoe. 

Comfortability/Fit: This shoe is relatively lightweight (approximately 2 lbs). The only issue I have with this shoe is its narrow width, which made it feel rather tight on my monstrously wide feet. Lacing system is pretty good and stylish. Arch support is great while ankle support is good with proper lacing.

score: 14/20

Safety/Support/Stability:The only thing that bothered me the most about the fit seems to the narrow fit of this shoe. I have a slightly wider than normal foot so it took a while for the shoe to break in. Arch support is pretty good, and ankle support is adequate for a mid-cut shoe.The main selling point for the shoe is the Hexalite cushioning material. In case you didn't know what hexalite is, here's an excerpt from the product website:

What is Hexalite?
"Hexalite" is a lightweight, honeycomb-shaped cushioning material that provides enhanced shock absorption in areas of peak pressure. The Hexalite technology is 4 times more durable than EVA foam and absorbs up to 23% more energy than the equivalent amount of EVA Foam. Tough urethane film combined with the structural integrity of the honeycomb linkage make it one of the most durable cushioning systems used in footwear.

score: 16/20

Durability: Reebok Hexalite has been around for a few years so the cushioning material  is proven to be durable so don't worry about the shoe's durability. It has a decent track record. 

score: 15/20

Style: This is one of the main features of the shoe that attracted me. The retro design that encompasses the shoe is pretty sweet. This shoe reminds me of the old school ballers and their short-shorts. In addition to the standard Reebok logo, a Hexalite logo and a "Reverse Jam" logo is tattooed on the shoe.

score: 17/20

Value:The shoe retails for around ~$75 or so, but you should be able to purchase it for considerably less. The price fluctuates periodically so I was lucky enough to purchase it for $25 or so. You can purchase the shoe from here: Reebok Men's Reverse Jam Mid Sneaker

score: 18/20

Pros:

• Relatively low price.
• Durable Hexalite material
• Lightweight
• Good arch support

Cons: 

• Not for those with particularly wide feet
• Not everyone loves the retro design/feel

Final grade:  80/100
Reebok Reverse Jam Mid Sneaker B-

A new basketball shoe review will be posted soon...

Sorry for not posting lately. I've been swamped at work lately. I believe that I may have fallen into the 70% of people who are unhappy with their jobs ^_^

Pinky swear...I'll get a review up real soon. It's a old-school Reebok basketball shoe screaming with retro style.

P.S. I also managed to donate 5 pairs of my shoes that I don't wear anymore to Soles4Souls. I can't believe I spent ~$100 on a pair of Saucony running shoes when I know that I hate running. Man, I'm dumb.

Donating your shoes to a worthy cause: Soles4Souls.org

FYI...some of the shoes that have been reviewed on this site will be donated to a good cause. Since I only have two feet, I really only need 1 pair of shoes. I'll be donating the rest of the shoes that I won't be wearing on a regular basis to Soles4Souls, a charity organization whose motto is "Changing the World One Pair at a Time™". There are still countless individuals that are still suffering from the aftereffects of the disastrous tsunamis and hurricanes overseas and in America. Here's an excerpt from Soles4Souls.org:

Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used). Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS, and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.

The idea behind gifts of shoes is nothing new to the Soles4Souls team, as they coordinated relief efforts for the Asian Tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, netting over 1 Million pairs donated for these disasters. The team originally operated as www.katrinashoes.org with several churches partnering in the collection and distribution of footwear.

In other words, you can get a tax deduction from donating your unwanted shoes. In this terrible economy, it helps to save a few bucks here and there. I'm not asking you to donate your brand new pair of Air Jordan basketball shoes you just got, but I'm pretty sure everyone of you out there has at least one pair of shoes that's still in acceptable condition that you no longer wear. We often take for granted the amenities that we are blessed with that individuals in poorer countries do not have. Shoes are one of them.

Starbury Skurban Line Running Shoe Review

Let me start off by applauding Stephon Marbury's initiative to undergo this ambitious project with his Starbury line of shoes. Here's a quick excerpt from the product description:

Hood-tested and approved, these shoes are designed to provide maximum performance without sacrificing comfort.Starbury insists there is a misconception in the market place regarding price and quality. Starbury believes in serving the community by providing a high quality product at an affordable price. Join Starbury in its efforts to take care of the forgotten. Starbury plans to donate products and a portion of its net proceeds to various community organizations so feel good knowing that your purchase supports others.

Comfortability/Fit: During my first test run, the soles of the shoes somewhat felt like cardboard. But like most new shoes out there, I assumed there was a bit of a "breaking  in" period before the sneakers felt comfortable. Luckily, I was right. While its cushioning system leaves something to be desired (compared to my overpriced Saucony running shoes), it's quite amazing that shoe has a decent cushioning system for its price. In addition, I found the laces to be a bit on the long side. I had to perform my loop my patented bunny ears twice.

Score: 13/20

Safety/Support/Stability: Since this is labeled a running shoe, I'll have to review it as such. However, I did try to play basketball with these shoes. It's a good shoe for "casual" use so don't expect it to perform like a champ under stressful conditions.  The picture on the right shows the design pattern of the outsoles.

Score: 13/20

Durability To be honest, I was pretty skeptical at first about how a $15 pair of shoes can hold up in real-world situations. After wearing these shoes for a couple weeks, I realized that it can definitely take a beating. Stephon Marbury said the following, ""If you take my shoe and you take a $150 shoe, cut it down in half, and it do the same exact thing". Well, I definitely won't be as bold as to say that this shoe is quite as durable as a pair of $200 Air Jordans, but it definitely is the better value (200 divided by 15 = 13 pairs of Starburies for 1 Air Jordan...I personally thank the American public school system for teaching me something practical).

Score: 12/20

Style In terms of casual wear, these shoes look pretty good with a pair of jeans. There's nothing particularly interesting that sets it apart from other running shoes besides the funky Starbury logo

Score: 13/20


Value: For $15, this shoe ain't that bad. It's not as low-quality as the shoes that you see  in your local Walmart or Payless Shoe Store sections. I'll take this pair of shoes any day over the off-brand shoes (Sorry, Shaq). Amazon has this pair of shoes for under $15 (with Free shipping if you have Amazon Prime or if you spend $25 or more).

Score: 20/20

Summary

Pros

• Cheap...really cheap compared to its expensive counterparts (Nike, Reebok, Adidas, New Balance, etc.)
• Lightweight, breathable upper

Cons

• Not designed for hardcore runners. I doubt I'll be running the New York marathon anytime with this particular Starbury.
• Laces are a little bit on the long side.
• More for casual play, not competitive play

Final Score: 71% C
Starbury Skurban Line Running Shoe
Extra Credit (+10% if you're on a budget)...

As far as I can tell, only Amazon is currently selling these shoes online. Click on the link below to go to product page on Amazon.

Starbury Skurban Line Running Shoe

Dissecting a basketball shoe...rubber parts and cheap labor

I always wondered what exactly are the parts of a basketball shoe when I was young. I've even take apart a few shoes here and there just for fun.Well, I'll give you a quick overview on the three basic parts that comprise your typical basketball shoe.

Upper

• The upper is the "upper portion" of the shoe and comprises most of what you see in a shoe. It is everything that you see on the outside minus the outsole. The upper can generally be categorized as high-top, mid-top, or low-top, depending on much support you prefer. Materials can range from leather to synthetic (most common). An excellent fit is synonymous with a "snug" upper.

Midsole

• This is portion of your shoe that exists for the purpose of shock absorption and stress reducer. As a kid, I always admired the shoes with the coolest, largest gel midsoles. I always thought that it would make me jump higher, but all it really did was make reduce the amount of money in my college savings fund. The cushioning material (and its quality) typically depends on the particular brand and style of basketball shoes.

Outsole

• This is the bottom of the shoe (usually made of rubber). This is something that's commonly looked over and neglected, as it is very important in providing traction on the basketball court. A worn-out outsole is an ankle injury waiting to happen. The outsole is mostly flat and consists of various design patterns that give you unique footprints on a sandy beach.