Many basketball players want their shoes to provide support and stability while remaining light and comfortable. This is not always an easy feat to accomplish for basketball shoe manufacturers, given the amount of cushioning and tread required to produce a quality shoe. But some extremely lightweight shoes have made their impact on the game throughout the years.
Low-Tops
Basketball shoes come in three basic styles, or cuts: high-top, mid-top and low-top. Low-tops were the style of choice in the early days of basketball because of their light weight. Shoe production technology was still in its infancy when basketball first came onto the sports scene. Shoe manufacturers did not yet have the ability to make a shoe that was light while providing cushioning for protection at the same time. The design behind the low-top basketball shoe focuses on comfort more than safety and emphasizes keeping weight down.
Nike Zoom Kobe VI
Kobe Bryant's signature Nike shoe, Zoom, includes six models in the series. The latest, as of March 2011, the Zoom Kobe VI, is the lightest shoe from the series and, according to the "Dime" magazine, Nike's lightest basketball shoe to date. The shoe features Nike's patented Flywire Technology, which consists of three layers of breathable mesh lines and polyurethane. The Zoom Kobe VI's midsole has been reduced in thickness to enhance court feel and further reduce weight. Bryant's shoe is one of the few remaining low-top basketball shoes used for competitive play.
Adidas TS Supernatural Series
Adidas introduced its lightest basketball shoe ever during the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas. The Adidas TS Supernatural Commander is designed for post players, such as Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, who all wore the shoe at the All-Star Game. The shoe provides stability and a propulsion foam to promote vertical leap height. The second shoe in the series, the TS Supernatural Creator is, at 12.8 ounces, the lightest Adidas signature shoe, as of March 2011. It has a high-torsion system to improve court feel for guards. Derrick Rose wore the Creator during the All-Star Game.
Nike Air Jordan XX3
One of Nike's most successful shoes of all-time and the top-rated shoe on Kicks Guide is the Air Jordan XX3. The website notes the shoe's high-performance quality and distinct lightweight design. Perhaps the one feature that makes this shoe stand out from the rest is its ankle support, which has not been sacrificed to keep weight down, unlike many other shoes. The Jordan XX3's combination of safety, comfort and performance make it arguably the best, and lightest, basketball shoe of all time.
Member Comments