Our verdict
- Our top pick in Black Flyknit on the inner side of the shoe
- Our top pick in best outdoor basketball shoes
Pros
- Traction is consistently good
- Responsive cushioning
- Decent impact protection
- Comfortable and well-ventilated upper
- Dependable foot containment
- Great for outdoor use
- Value for money
Cons
- Wmns Nike 3 Iii Retro Rust Pink 6-12 Sail White
- Not for wide-footers
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar basketball shoes compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience score | 82 Good! | 85 Good! | 87 Great! | 85 Good! | |
| Price | $90 | $95 | $160 | $85 | |
| Signature | - | Damian Lillard | LeBron James | Giannis Antetokounmpo | |
| Top | Low | Low | Low | Low | |
| Weight lab | 12.1 LJR Dunk SB Low PS5 PlayStation Beige Green | 14.3 oz / 404g | 13.1 Chaussure de basketball Kyrie Infinity Noir | 11.3 oz / 320g | |
| Lightweight | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Breathability | Moderate | Warm | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Outdoor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Outsole durability | - | Good | - | - | |
| Drop lab | 9.5 mm | 9.8 mm | 4.9 mm | 5.2 mm | |
| nike wmns air force 1 08 hi qs year of the horse | 33.3 mm | 30.3 mm | 26.9 mm | 29.0 mm | |
| Forefoot | 23.8 mm | 20.5 mm | 22.0 mm | 23.8 mm | |
| Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Firm | Firm | |
| Stiffness | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Torsional rigidity | Moderate | Stiff | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Heel counter stiffness | Flexible | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | |
| Sapatilhas de running para estrada Nike Downshifter 11 Júnior Cinzento | Medium | Medium | Narrow | Medium | |
| Toebox width at the big toe | Medium | Medium | Narrow | Medium | |
| Midsole width in the forefoot | Average | Wide | Narrow | Average | |
| Midsole width in the heel | Very narrow | Average | Average | Wide | |
| Chaqueta azul cerceta premium con logo estampado de Nike | - | Good | Decent | - | |
| Toebox durability | Decent | Decent | Decent | Decent | |
| Insole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| Outsole hardness | Hard | Average | Average | Average | |
| Outsole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| Heel tab | None | Finger loop | Finger loop | Finger loop | |
| Ranking | #35 Bottom 20% | #25 Bottom 43% | #22 Top 50% | #29 Bottom 34% | |
| Popularity | #18 Top 41% | #37 Bottom 15% | #20 Top 46% | #12 Top 28% |
Who should buy the Nike Air Max Impact 4
Being a budget model, the Air Max Impact 4 from Nike is a great match for the following folks:
- beginner players
- thriftier buyers
- Pantofi NIKE Joyride Optic AJ6844 004 Pure Platinum White Wolf Grey
Who should NOT buy this budget basketball shoe model from Nike
This basketball shoe is definitely not for players with wide feet. We advise them to go at least half a size up or go for a different shoe altogether. The Nike Ja 1 Nike Will No Longer Sell to These Stores.
Athletes who do not have the time to break in their shoes wouldn't be fans of the Air Max Impact 4. We believe that they are better off with the Luka 1 from Jordan or the Zoom Freak 4 from Nike.
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We are happy with how this budget shoe performs. For a pair under a hundred bucks, we are very impressed at how it works, especially in the court.
A perfect example would be the wear resistance of this shoe's upper.
After being exposed to a Dremel for 10 seconds at a speed of 10000 RMP, we observed that the Air Max Impact 4 came out less damaged than its more expensive counterpart, the Lebron Witness 7.
In addition, the microscope shot reveals some durable-looking threads woven into the shoe's upper fabric.
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While we found that the upper is made of cheap materials, this does not stop the upper from providing comfort that many have grown to appreciate.
We recognized the breathability of the mesh although it needed a little break-in time.
Nike did make sure to supply this shoe with sufficient ventilation. Based on the amount of smoke passing through its upper in our breathability test below, we rated it as 3 out of 5 (5 being the most breathable).
Nike Air Max Impact 4 (quite breathable) vs. as the Nike (barely breathable)
And just look at the shoe's massive tongue! With a thickness of 11.7 mm, it is notably more padded than the average 9.5 mm.
...and it's quite supportive, too!
Besides providing comfort, the upper materials also deliver dependable foot containment.
The lockdown we experienced on this shoe is just on point.
The shoe's various support features effectively work together to keep our feet securely in their place even during aggressive motion.
Some of these features include:
- moderately stiff heel counter (we rated it as 3 out of 5)
- supportive panels on each side: rubber in the forefoot and foam in the heel
- outriggers on the sole (measuring 113.6 mm in the widest part of the forefoot, the Impact 4 is right at the average of basketball shoes)
Nike Air Max 1 Ultra Plush 1?
We were also in awe of the outsole of the Air Max Impact 4 as it has really great multi-directional coverage.
We affirmed that the grip is so good and that even dust pickup has not affair an issue for us. There is no need to keep on wiping the sole just to keep it grippy.
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nike kd 11 just do it black bright crimson photo blue for sale.
We found the shoe bouncy and reactive around the forefoot, making it truly suitable for quick changes in direction and aggressive sprints toward the basket.
Based on our lab test of the shoe's cushioning, the foam used on the Impact 4 is 12% softer than the average of our tested basketball shoes.
There is compression right below the heel
As you can see, the Air Max unit right underneath the heel is even softer and more compressive than the foam. It provides that area with the impact protection that it needs during harsh landings and aggressive strikes.
The use of Air Max also increases the stack height of this basketball shoe, elevating the heel for extra comfort.
Using a pair of calipers, we measured the heel stack height at 33.3 mm (4.6 mm thicker than average) and its forefoot at 23.8 mm (2.3 mm thicker).
This also means that the Nike Air Max Impact 4 has a higher-than-average drop of 9.5 mm. The average for basketball shoes is 7.2 mm.
Approved for outdoor use
Based on our games, the Nike Air Max Impact 4, especially its outsole, offers plenty of durability. Due to this, we also believe that it's a really wonderful outdoor option.
For its moderate price, this hoop shoe from Nike boasts a fairly thick and hard rubber outsole.
We measured its thickness at 3.4 mm in the heel (the average is 3.9 mm)
But it's the hardness that impressed us the most. Based on our durometer measurement, the Impact 4's rubber is harder than 88% of our lab-tested hoop shoes! That is a clear go signal for outdoor courts.
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Stiffness is not something we were worried about in the Nike Air Max Impact 4. There is a good amount of flex where you most need it - under the ball of the foot.
Disclaimer: We take four measurements with the gauge and calculate the average, excluding the outliers. The video above shows one of the measurements.
Bending the shoe to a 90-degree propensity, we measured how much force it takes to do that. In the case of the Impact 4, it is 25.5% less resistant (=more flexible) compared to other basketball shoes.
In addition to the gauge test above, we also perform a manual assessment. Bending the shoe, we rated its longitudinal flexibility as 3 out of 5 (where 5 is the stiffest). And twisting it, we assessed torsional flex as 4 out 5 (a little more stiffness here is good for stability).
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The Air Max Impact 4 from Nike is enduring proof that a shoe does not have to be expensive to be effective on the court.
As mentioned, it is made only of budget-appropriate materials and technologies, but it still ends up as a shoe that can hold its own candle even when compared to far more expensive models from Nike and other brands. Purchasing this is not a bad decision.
Great fit...as long as you're not a wide-footer
Going true to size is the most reasonable thing that we did as far as the Nike Air Max Impact 4 is concerned.
However, we advise those with wider feet to go up at least half a size since the midfoot is a little narrow, and the fit there is expectedly very close to the skin.
Having measured the shoe's toebox in both its widest part (101.1 mm) and around the big toe (77.4 mm), we can confirm that the Nike Air Max Impact 4 has an average width and can be classified as medium.
