How does a company approach replacing one of its most well received performance sneakers of the last decade? Nike surely felt the pressure to one-up itself with the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011, which follows the wildly successful and incredibly popular Zoom Hyperfuse from last summer.
With on-court cosigns from the likes of Rajon Rondo, Russell Westbrook and even swingman Lamar Odom, the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 certainly rocketed to a solid start. But with hoops season fast approaching for amateurs everywhere, a true understanding of this shoe?s capabilities had to be reached. Does it beat its older brother? What about the competition? Read on to find out.
Lockdown: A highlight of the Hyperfuse line, the lockdown on the 2011 leaves little to be desired. The long and low shape lends itself to a tight fit, as does the to elastic-bound tongue shape. The 2011 owns a slightly different midfoot cut shape than the original, including a wider shape near the base. It created a slight pinch point on my foot, though it shouldn?t be a problem for those with average to narrow feet. It should also be noted that the fit of the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 it much truer-to-size than its predecessor.)
Traction: No surprise here, but the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 sticks to the court like glue. Incredible traction was a point of emphasis for the line from the word ?go,? and with the 2011 and 2010 versions owning the same outsole, traction both indoors and out is very impressive. Of all of the elements to leave untouched from year to year, the outsole makes the most sense, for all the above reasons.
Cushioning: The anti-super cushioned sneaker, Zoom Air in the forefoot alone makes for a really springy step if you like to get up on your toes to turn the corner. However, the cushioning overall is pretty low and not favorable if you prefer touch your heel to the ground during play. For example, most back-to-the-basket big men would find the cushioning inept. Of course, this sneaker is purpose-built for more mobile players who want to change direction at speed. In regards to that consideration, this shoe does what it was intended to do very well.
Responsiveness: Another strongpoint of the original, response is top notch for 2011. With the aforementioned Zoom Air forefoot, light weight and high level of lockdown, this sneaker?s anything but a brick to drag around. Response may actually be the best feature of the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 and legitimately makes the wearer feel a step quicker. And because of the aforementioned traction, I had no issues with sliding, which made the Zoom Air unit able to be fully utilized. The cohesion between these two factors/systems makes for beautifully balanced tooling.
Support: Another strongpoint for this shoe, the slightly raised ankle height for this year adds a new level of real support, as well as mental confidence. I definitely did not feel prone to sliding within the shoe and had no issues with a past ankle injury. The rating here is still related to the cushioning of course, which could be improved to earn a higher overall Support score.
Breathability: The mesh-overlaid Hyperfuse makes this one another outdoor summer hoops-approved option. Anytime you can clearly see your socks you can bet you won?t have any issue with breathability. At first I was concerned about the toe area–again, in comparison to the original–because of the lessened amount of mesh, but it proved to be unnoticeable during play.
Durability: Over the short term of the test, it showed many signs of being good for the long haul, thanks in part to the increased amount of hardened Hyperfuse and outdoor intentions. Hyperfuse is of course, proven to be as resilient a material as there is, especially considering there are very few traditional seams to blow out. Don?t expect it to fade quickly or wear out on you too soon.
Overall: The Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 is a terrific shoe. While this may seem like a biased angle from which to start a summary of sneaker, it?s both necessary and not surprising. Unlike so many of the new silhouettes that drop each year, the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 had a solid foundation on which to build from the proven Zoom Hyperfuse. Slight non-aesthetic tweaks heightened its quality every so slightly (i.e. the increased Hyperfuse coverage of the toe) and did nothing negative to the proven model. Nike really took advantage of the ?If it ain?t broke, don?t fix it? ideology and yet still delivered a better product. Whether you?re a speedy guard, lanky wingman or even a ?big man? by some standards, the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 is definitely a sneaker to consider before making a purchase.
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