Our verdict
The LeBron 9 is a solid lifestyle and basketball shoe option. The cushioning it provides is great for long walks and casual wear while the design and technology it features will help you shine on the court, not only visually but also on the stat sheet. It might be expensive, but you can justify that with its durability.
Pros
- Great support
- Lockdown for days
- Classic colorways
- Cushion is great on and off the court
- No slips reported
- Durable
- A good performance shoe
- Worth the money spent
Cons
- Pricey
- Zapatillas de deporte negro triple Air Zoom-Type SE de Nike
- Not for small guards
Who should buy the nike vapor power fitness
This sneaker is great for large and heavy players, like LeBron James, since the stiff materials respond better to greater forces. The LeBron 9 is also good for sneakerheads who are looking for additions to their collection since this shoe has some of the most classic colorways of the early 2010s.
Who should NOT buy the nike vapor power fitness
First and foremost, do not buy this if you are strapped for cash. If you are looking for Nike sneakers with great cushion, breathability, and flexibility in terms of outfits you can wear them in, you might want to see the Nike Air Max 90. If you are a small and light player who wants to buy a performance shoe that allows you to be shifty, you are better off with the Nike SB Dunk Truck It Pack.
Price fit for a King
The LeBron 9 retailed for $170 during its initial release. 10 years later, the famous sneaker still comes with a pretty price tag. Currently selling for $240, it is one of the more expensive shoes in the market, and one fan pointed this out by saying “No doubt this is a gorgeous shoe... but dang that $240 price point is a lot.”
LeBron IX has the best designs
This sneaker gave birth to a lot of classic colorways, such as the “Watch the Throne” Player Exclusive and the “Big Bang” from the highly celebrated 2012 Nike Galaxy Pack. A sneakerhead even went as far as to say that LeBron 9s “had the best colorways”, which received a reply of “couldn’t agree more” from another fan.
The nike vapor power fitnesss are clamped to your feet
Nike Phantom GT Elite FG Firm Ground “basically sucks your foot right to the back of the heel which is where the real support of the shoe is.” He also described the experience as something “pretty awesome, to be honest” and hoped that basketball shoes include this feature more often.
Great cushioning
Many fans of the LeBron 9 find the sneaker to have good responsiveness and impact protection. The good cushion provided by the Air Max on the heel and the Zoom unit on the forefoot “sponges up impact more than anything else,” according to an expert. He then proceeded to say that the “Zoom in the forefoot of this shoe has a bit of a spring to it, which helps with taking off and/or launching from your first step.” This combo of technology even made another expert say “it makes me wanna play in them.”
The LeBron 9 runs a little small
Nike SB pro skater Grant Taylor takes to the:
- “They do not fit true to size”
- “Half a size short”
Traction works, but it’s not the best
Ballers didn’t love the “half and half” traction of the LeBron 9. According to one player, “the inner chain-link traction design served its purpose,” but they did not like the outer lining of the outsole because it “didn't really do much.”
Meanwhile, an expert referred to the traction patterns on the heel as “just texture.” Luckily, he “did not have much of any slip unless it was an extremely dusty court.”
Ventilation is not a strong suit
The breathability of the shoe was not atrocious either. “Basically all you had was the tongue,” said one expert, but “It wasn’t awful to the point where my foot was sweating profusely after plays in this shoe,” added another expert. Some added perforations would have definitely helped, since the latter expert’s “feet felt too clenched at times.”
nike vapor power fitness’s flexibility: the good and the bad
“Very rigid. Very stiff. I do not like its inability to flex very well,” said an expert while talking about the LeBron 9s flexibility. This can be caused by the pair’s thick sole and the upper having a combination of hyperuse and flywire. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing since the stiffness provides extra support to the users. An expert commented that “the composite velvet plate adds an extra stiffness and supportive element to this shoe.”
Nike Facing Sneaker Shortages Amid Vietnam Factory Closures Due to COVID…
The thickness of the materials causing the LeBron 9s lack of flexibility is also responsible for its increased durability. During its initial release, an expert reviewed this sneaker as “is one of, if not the most durable shoe I have tested in a while.” Another expert added that “the flywire pieces are very strong, very durable.”
…but not as versatile
Since it is not as common to wear basketball shoes casually anymore as it once were back in 2012, you may have trouble fitting the LeBron 9 into your sneaker rotation. An expert even commented that “this won’t be the easiest shoe to pull off” and it being a high-top sneaker definitely adds to that trouble.
As a performance shoe, this is not best for small players. According to an expert, the LeBron’s are better suited for “larger caliber players” or smaller players who are “on the heavy side” due to the shoes’ stiffness.
