Anta Kai 2 Performance Review

The Kai 1's from Anta was one of my top performers of 2024. Will the 2's be as highly regarded or will they take a step back??

What is going on everyone?? AirJayP here, and we are back with another performance review. As I am writing this review I am watching the Eastern Conference finals, Go Knicks!! Anyways back to these sneakers. How did the Kai 2's perform for me on court?? We will break that down below, but intially I'll go ahead and say these took me back in time with the on court feel of these. They gave me Nike, Kyrie vibes! For those who know, you know, for those who don't, the Kyrie line from Nike was my favorite line basically every year from the brand until it stopped. With that being said let's dive into the Kai 2's!

Traction: 5/5

What else would you expect?? I don't remember any Kyrie model that has had a bad traction setup between either brand, but with these you once again have a great setup. The shoe features a solid rubber outsole with many different designs and patterns going on. The sneaker also features the famous Kyrie setup of traction running up to areas of the midsole, specifially on the lateral side of the shoe. These offered great grip whether the court was clean or dusty. I have zero issues with these from a traction standpoint. I was able to get to my spots, and felt comfortable at all times. I am always looking for a strong traction setup, and have said that many times. Most of my reviews always start out with traction first and thats for good reason. Anta did a great job once again with the traction here, and the two's definitely have you covered laterally, vertically, or any other Kai move you might be trying to master.

Fit: 4/5

The fit for me was a little odd or different than I was expecting but it did't hinder the performance. I actually ended up with a pair a complete size down. I usually would go half down but that wasn't available. In my opinion though had I went true to size they would have fit super long. Half down would have been nearly perfect. Full size down, which I ended up with still offered me very good results all around and I was fine with the fit. If I were to reccomend and obviously thats why you are reading than I would say go down half. If you can try them on first though, that may be the best bet so you can get the feel you are looking for.

Materials: 4/5

Synthetic materials are basically the makeup of the Kai 2, but they actually have a somewhat premium feel to the touch and they look pretty awesome in my opinion as well. I feel like what they were going for here was for durability because the materials do feel a little thick and not quite as light as I had expected these to be. Am I saying they are heavy? no, but from images etc. I would say they are heavier than they look. The interior lining is very soft, and feels very nice on foot. This is definitely a key feature or one you will notice wearing these. I thought they could have been a little more breathable. Nothing terrible, but those super hot, humid days may hold a little more sweat than usual. That would be my lone complaint is maybe a little better breathability would be my preference, but if we are talking a comfortable feel or very durable you are great to go with these.

Cushion: 4/5

The cushion here is something that is going to be either something you really like, or something you just really do not. This is the biggest area that takes me back to my Nike, Kyrie days. I have always been a huge fan of court feel over a super plush ride. In the past that is what this line was pretty much all about. Great traction, with fairly minimal cushion which in turn meant great court feel. You are getting just that here with the Kai 2. On court they give you ample amounts of court feel mixed with responsiveness and more of a stiff type feel than a plush ride. You are going to get some response, but its not going to be over-powering or super bouncy. If It were 10 years ago, this would probably be one of my favorite setups on the market. I was always very minimal in what I needed from a cushion standpoint. As I get older I do feel I am needing/requiring a little more cushion then I used to. It doesnt mean that I do not like or prefer this setup, but in short I am getting old, lol. If you are looking for court feel in a basketball sneaker, or have been a fan of the Nike, Kyrie line I think that you will really enjoy these.

Lockdown: 5/5

The lockdown was another really solid category in the Kai 2. I really had nothing to complain about here and felt very locked in from all aspects while playing in these. With these being more of a low-top, I always like to feel like my foot is sitting low or within the midsole and you get that with these. The heel keeps you locked in at all times and I had no heel slippage. I really liked the lateral containment and there was no issues moving laterally or vertically. These offer a pretty standard or normal lacing system which allows you to get these laced up to your liking. Once I got these laced up to my liking, and got on court there was never any issue from a lockdown standpoint for me. I would probably have to say this might be the overall strongest point to the sneaker for me.

Overall: 4/5

You are getting a strong basketball sneaker here with the Kai 2. I cannot speak highly enough about the job Anta has done with the first two signature models to start off the Kai line. Each and every aspect here with the 2's though offered me great results with very few complaints. Most of the way the sneaker "feels" on court is pretty much up to my preferences or liking. I think over time these have the possibility of getting better and better on court, and one that could be a go-to if selected. This is what I like to call a preference basketball sneaker though. If you prefer a ton of cushion you probably arent going to be a huge fan. If you like court feel, and great traction you will love them. Either way every aspect is solid and these will offer you a great option on court for some time to come!!

I Hope You Enjoyed This Review On The Kai 2!

Have A Great Week & As Always Happy Hooping!