You can already tell what The Beard and adidas were going for with these – simple, minimal, and straight to the point. That’s exactly how the shoe felt for me. This foam, usually regardless of implementation, always provides some of the best impact protection while keeping a low profile, and the bounce sensation underfoot is something that never gets old with Boost. I don’t really mind that though – I’d take structure and comfort over breathability any day of the week. Herringbone. Herringbone everywhere! My most effective criticism right here is that the herringbone grooves are a chunk too tightly spaced. When you are on the ground, an excellent quantity of dirt may want to keep wiping the soles. Full-length Boost. I could probably end it there for some. But for those who are unfamiliar – Boost has been one of the flagship foam compounds providing some of the most fun and efficient rides there is to date.

But behind all that is superb all-around performance, a fairly competitive price for what you get, durability for some outdoor action, and versatility.But since the shoe is as compact as it is, overall support & containment mostly comes from the fit & the upper. If you get the size right, you can definitely expect a secure fit and the upper has enough structure to hold your foot in and wrap around it very nicely. This is the best part about this shoe IMO. The shoe is made of a really nice, soft yet supportive knit, and it's super well-padded inside, which makes it super comfortable. The lacing system is great, didn't have any problems, and the soft yet supportive upper combined with the padding inside means that this shoe wraps perfectly around my foot. When I'm playing the thing feels like an extension of my foot, like I was born with a pair of hardens on my feet. Heel area is super well padded as well, and the heel tab is huge so after breaking it in and tying the laces tight I didn't have any heel-slip issues. The majority of basketball shoes I've tried have given me blisters, but this one I didn't get a single one for 2 years of wear because it fits so nicely. Yes, it's not the lightest, but I wouldn't consider it heavy either, and it fits so well you hardly even notice the weight, so it doesn't feel slow/bulky at all. This is not an outdoor model but still having fairly solid traction 2+ years later, including playing outdoors, is something I didn’t expect. No, the overall bite isn’t as deadly as it was out of the box but it’s still to a point where it’s acceptable for me personally. The shoe felt a little stiff at first, my foot was kind of suffocated in the upper and the midfoot torsional plate also gave an impression that there won’t be any flex torsionally.

As one could suspect, on accessible courts, the enhanced traction changed into not anything brief of high-quality maintaining average traction rating.

You get the best of both worlds. Or should I say all worlds? Bottom line – most people will like this setup for one reason or another. Or for all the reasons. Truth is, it’s impossible for me to accurately pin-point which size you should go with but most people will end up just fine with their usual size. The little extra piece at the top of the tongue and the heel portion with the adidas logo look like leather but those are actually synthetics. It does feel like leather upon touching it, which is a nice detail.

While it doesn’t go all-out in one aspect (like the LeBron 18 cushion-wise or the Kyrie 5 responsiveness-wise), it provides all the qualities most player types will find extremely enjoyable. Similar to the Dame 7 and the Crazy Explosive 2017, my laces loosen up pretty fast, no matter how hard I pull them down. Now, this won’t feel like a “premium” setup to the touch but it does play nicely. Since it’s a textile at its core, we’re getting comfort and it doesn’t take ages to break these in. But to put things into perspective, you’d ideally want something more durable if you’re solely looking for a heavy-duty outdoor model that will last several years.Don’t get me wrong – I love me a Harden Vol. 4 (and the Vol. 5 is on the radar too) but if we’re talking pure performance and ability to offer balance to MANY different players, the third shoe is still the king for me. Let’s break it all down in my comprehensive Harden Vol. 3 review– the 2018 hit from adidas. BEHIND THE REVIEW The shoe is built on a fairly wide last and the materials do stretch out in time, so don’t overthink this part too much. Say what you want about a low top and its ability to support player’s movements as well as a higher cut shoe would, but the Harden Vol. 3 does everything it can in its power to provide a secure experience.