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The Super Delayed: Air Penny V Performance Review

So….At long last, the Performance Review for the Air Penny V is upon us. Yes it took me way too long to upload this, and yes I still owe it to everyone. I'm finally dropping my performance review after FINALLY finding time to write. Here we go:

Colorway Tested: "Memphis Tigers"

Court Conditions: Indoor Courts

Testing Hours: 50 Hours (2 Hour Pickup Games,  various League Games)

Image from Google

Image from Google courtesy of Footlocker.
(Wasn't able to snap photos of mine)

Traction Pattern: The Air Penny Vs utilizes a full-length Herringbone Pattern, which divided into sections of the foot. The key feature of the Air Penny Vs traction pattern is that it is shaped like a foot. It covers the sections of the foot that need traction. The colorway I tested had a full translucent sole, which was perfectly fine on clean courts. On moderately dusty courts, the traction was average at best, but I did encounter some minor slipping. I recommend wiping the soles at every dead ball, just so the dust won't collect in the traction pods.  In my opinion the Orlando Colorway, which features solid rubber traction pods, will work better on most court conditions. 

Cushioning System: The Mid-Sole utilizes a Foam-Heel Air Max Bag, meaning that there is no Air Max/Zoom Air Cushioning in the forefoot. What the Air Penny Vs have is a combination of Cushlon (a  soft-rubber based foam) and a 180 Heel Air Max Unit. It offers a very plush ride and provides lots of impact protection. I'm about 5'9" and 190 pounds, and I play the 3-4-5. I'm pretty hefty player, I will say that this is one of the most comfortable cushioning systems I have played in. It allowed my feet to flex naturally and protect my legs from landings. This cushion setup may work for most players, as you don't mush into the shoe when you make your cuts, shoot your jumpers, attack the basket or go up for those rebounds. 

Sizing & Lockdown: They run True-To-Size, but wide footers may want to go up half a size. I'm a 10-1/2 on some shoes, and I did have to go for an 11 on these. I did experience hotspots at the forefoot of the right shoe, but that was fixed with re-adjusting the lacing and not wearing really thick socks or double socks. Yup, thats how tight it was, but it was for a reason, the lockdown. Lockdown was perfect, even if I loosened the lacing at the forefoot. The shoe kept my foot in place no matter what moves I did: cut, curl, post, stutter step, etc. It kept up with me throughout games. The achilles pillow prevented any heel slip, and the inner boot ensured a 1:1 fit.

Stability & Support: The base of the shoe is shaped like a foot and the forefoot area is wide enough so you'll feel stable with every step. There is a heel counter to help with roll-overs and a carbon fiber plate directly underfoot for arch support. Flat footers, like me, will certainly benefit from this setup as there is enough support to prevent over-pronation  and it will strength the arch. One issue that I had with the shoe is the outrigger section. Its a rounded-flat section, so if you kick-off with that part of the shoe, you may roll-over or slip. I did experience this issue every now and then, but just be aware of how you plant/kick-off and you'll be good.

Breathability: The shoe is breathable, with lots of perforations in the toe box and the medial & lateral sides of the shoe. The inner boot may retain heat, but not to the point where it's noticeable.

Durability: The shoe combines the old school and the new school together. A combination of Nubuck and Fuse provides that rigidity and support, which in my opinion is great. One thing to note is that the Nubuck will get ruined if you get stepped on, but hey, it's Basketball. You will get stepped on every now and then. I wouldn't recommend these Outdoors, as the traction pattern may get burned down very fast and the nubuck may not hold up as long as you'd like. Indoors, they're great and will last you a very good amount of games.

Overall Opinion & Scores: I really think that the Air Penny V's are a well-rounded shoe. Guards, Forwards and even Centers will enjoy the performance of these shoes. I enjoyed these a lot and it offered a lot of attributes to helped me keep focus on the game and not my feet. This a shoe that keeps up with me, while offering a lot of cushion and support. It does, however, come in a Nike Sportwear Box, but that doesn't mean you can't take these to the courts. 

Traction Pattern: 4/5

Cushioning System: 4.5/5

Sizing & Lockdown: 4/5

Breathability: 3.5/5

Durability: 3.5/5

Overall: 3.9/5

Got more questions? Hit me up at: ask.fm/PinoySneakerGeek

Sneak Peek: Air Penny V Performance Test

Giving you guys a Sneak Peek at what's to come.

Gave these kicks a go on-court. And I'd like to say, they're great on court. Even if they come in a Nike Sportswear Box, they perform as well as some of today's Performance Models.

Stick around to get the full review of the Air Penny V's.

Spotting Fakes: The Nike LeBron X

In today's sneaker game, "'B'" Grades"/fakes/imitations of latest performance and sportswear models have been hitting the markets and it's pretty safe to say that these imitations are coming very close to the real deal.

So, to help you avoid purchasing these "B" Grades or High Quality Imitations or whatever you want to call them, I'll highlight the characteristics that really standout.

Our first feature: The Nike LeBron X

1. The Cushioning System

This where you'll definitely know the difference between the Originals and the Imitations. 

The Originals have a Visible, 360 Zoom Air Unit while the Imitations have a 360 Air Max Unit. 

A Visible 360 Zoom Air Unit has small "pillars" within the Unit that look like little threads spread within the unit., while a typical 360 Air Max Unit has large pillars all around.

What's the difference between the two? Look at the Images below:

The Original (Image from Google) 

The Imitation/"B" Grade (Image from Google)

2. Colorway

The LeBron X came out with a whole bunch of colorways, from the All-Black/"Carbon" Colorway to the All-Star Game (ASG)/"Area 72". But, if you spot them in colorways that belong to older models, such as the "Miami Vice" Colorway that belonged to the LeBron 9 Elite, be wary. You're looking at "B" Grades. 

Need an idea to what they'd look like? Here's a sample below:

A LeBron X imitation in the "Sprite" Colorway that belonged to the LeBron 8 V/2 Low

Unless you were able to go and NikeID your self a pair of LeBron Xs in these particular colorways, then most likely, you're looking at Fakes.

3. The Box

People often overlook the shoebox, because, well...they're just shoe boxes. But one thing to note, is that the shoebox is a way of telling fakes. 

The regular release LeBron Xs, along with the Nike+ versions, come in a new, big black box:

The LeBron X+ Shoebox (Image from Google)

If the box doesn't look anywhere as close to the image above, you may be looking at an imitation (unless you bought your pair from a TRUSTED Reseller and they provided a replacement box). 

The box also has the tag containing product information: Colorway, Product Code/Number, etc. This is one way of verifying the authenticity of the shoe. 

3. The Gloss

Original LeBron Xs, generally have a sort of "glossy"/"shiny" look, even for the dark colorways. These are what differentiate the Originals from the "B" Grades. 

An example (re-using the images above):

The Original (Image from Google) 

A LeBron X imitation in the "Sprite" Colorway that belonged to the LeBron 8 V/2 Low

4. Weight

How is weight related to determining authenticity? Well, simply put, it is related.

The LeBron Xs are a pretty hefty shoe. Whether if its putting them on or grabbing from your shelves or off the floor, you'll definitely feel some weight.

Imitations don't have this feeling. If you try and simply pick up the shoe, you'll notice they'll be lighter.

The materials in the originals play a role in the shoe's weight, something that "B" Grades couldn't get right. 

Try fitting the shoe and see how they feel. If they feel "clunky", relatively lightweight and just don't feel right, then you have an imitation.

5. Craftsmanship

This is another obvious.

Ugly stitching, a weird silhouette and shape, excess glue and uneven edges are some signs of "B" Grades.

Be sure to look at the shoe carefully.

Questions? : http://ask.fm/pinoysneakergeek