Having trouble deciding what your 1st pair or next pair of Basketball Shoes will be? Not sure what brand to run with? Or what Line (E.G. LeBrons, Kobes, KDs, Crazy Series) to run with?
I hope this 1st Article will help you run down your choices and help you decide your next of pair of performance shoes to lace up on the courts.
Here are some of the things to consider:
1. Your Body Type/Built
Your body type/built will help determine the perfect shoe to suit you. More often than not, a shoe will provide you with features that will compliment your body type.
For example smaller and compact players, getting a shoe that's low to the ground and has great traction will definitely compliment you in many ways. Kobe 8's, KD V Elites, KD VI's, CP3.VIs and the Crazyquicks are just some of the great on-court choices out there that will definitely be able to keep up with you on the court.
But if you're like me, more of bulky, bigger-type player, they you might want to stick to something with good amounts of cushioning and excellent lockdown. Shoes such as the LeBron X's, Hyperposites, Hyperdunks and Melo M9s might be they way to go.
2. Your Play Style
This may go hand-in-hand with your body-type, but nevertheless we all have our own play styles. Your play style will definitely play a role, because certain shoes will have certain attributes/technologies suited for different play styles.
Do you like playing the point? Are you more of the Post-Up, Power Player? Or do you like playing the Wings and Attacking the Rim whenever you get the chance?
Determining your play style will help narrow down your choices of performance sneakers. The norm, for example, for Guards (Point Guards/Shooting Guards), are shoes that are low to the ground, offer great traction and have a secure fit. You'll need something that will be able to keep up with quick movements (cutting, laterals, curling off of screens, crossovers and hesitation moves) and at the same time, keeping your foot in place.
On the other hand, Forwards and Centers may want to get shoes that have a secure fit, higher profile and a good cushioning setup to reduce the impact on the legs when going up for blocks, rebounds, layups, and attacking the basket.
3. Foot Width and Sizing
It's always best to run with your actual size. Why? Running with your actual/normal sizing will keep your feet comfortable and prevent hotspots and calluses. When purchasing your next pair of shoes, always make sure to know your proper size and be sure to different models in-store. Fitting before purchasing will determine whether your feet are too wide or too narrow for certain models.
Some performance models, like the KD Line, have a history of running narrow. People with skinny feet or those with regular foot width would definitely enjoy these type of sneakers or would have no problems going down half a size, because they wouldn't be sacrificing the overall fit. Wide footers on other hand, may have to go up half a size to compensate for the width.
Generally, going up half a size isn't the best way to go because you'd be sacrificing that one-to-one fit that will keep your feet comfortable and it would allow your feet to slide within the shoe, no matter how tight you tie your shoes or how many socks your wear.
The best way to go, is it to know your size and try different performance models in-store.
4. Budget
This is probably one of the most important things to consider when purchasing your next performance shoe. But it does have it trade-offs, and more often than not, you get what you pay for.
Today's "top-of-the-line" performance shoes such as the, LeBrons, Kobes, KDs, will definitely run you a lot of money, unless you can buy them at outlets or at discount. But these are today's premium performance shoes that will offer the best technology and will definitely give you a lot to offer. They are the Signature Line of these Signature Athletes, so if you want the same tech as they do, you'll have to be willing to shell out money.
Mid-to-Top-Tier performance lines, such as the Hyperdunks and Crazyquicks, offer premium performance much similar to the Signature Lines, but at a fairly reasonable price.
Entry-Level Shoes such as the Nike Dual Fusion BB or Overplay VII, won't hurt your budget as much and offers some of the attributes higher-tier models would, but won't be as "tech-loaded" as the more expensive models.
The best place to go would be outlet stores and store-hopping for discounts. Most of the time, you may find older, premium performance models, but you may just find the newer models at 10-off. So get off your seat and start looking.
5. Going 2nd Hand?
Buying 2nd Hand Shoes is definitely an option for most people, especially the budget conscious. More often than not, Resellers will sell certain performance models at a reasonable 2nd hand price but the major trade-off would be the condition of the shoe.
When we wear our shoes, the initial lacing or fitting of the shoes gives the materials a mold of our feet that allows it to flex and bend according to the shape of our foot. The more we wear and lace up our shoes, the more it contours and molds to our feet.
The problem of 2nd Hand Shoes is that they may have already molded to the previous owner's foot. Whether they've used it on courts or just casually, the materials may have already molded to someone else's feet and it will sacrifice that perfect fit.
If you're going 2nd Hand, it's probably best to purchase something that has only been fitted once or never been used/kept in the box since purchase. That way, you can still achieve that 1:1 fit without punching a hole in your wallet.
6. Personal Preference
Okay, okay. I know. This is probably a terrible factor to consider when purchasing Basketball shoes, but admit it, we all have our brand preferences.
Some people will only purchase Nikes, Jordans and Adidas Sneakers and some will only stick to one brand in particular. Others will only go for Signature Lines.
If you only want to stick with one brand, then by all means, you may stick with your preferred brand.
The trade-off? This will further limit your selection to what's available within the brand. Would you prefer Nike Tech over Adidas Tech? Will you only buy shoes from the Jordan Brand because they're Jordans? (Although the Jordan Brand does have some of the best tech in the market. Hehe.)
There are lots of good brands with some awesome performance models such as Li-Ning and Under Armor.
It's always best to explore different brands and see what each has to offer.
