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Writer's pictureAirjayp

Curry 9 Performance Review

Updated: Jan 14, 2022

What is going on everyone?? Airjayp is back and we have a pretty sweet pair of kicks to go over today. These I have thoroughly enjoyed testing and playing in. I actually probably played or tested these more than I normally would another sneaker as I just really was having a lot of fun with them!


Lets go ahead and break these down and get straight to the review!


I tested The Curry 9 Indoors only and did not do any testing outdoors.




Traction: 3

The traction setup is basically identical to the Curry 8s with a few Minor tweaks to make an almost perfect traction setup even better. If you enjoyed how the 8s felt on court you're going to like these as well. I really had no issues other than some minor wiping on a very dusty court/gym that I play in occasionally. (Basically every shoe I play in at this gym I have the same problem) The outsole does feature a full solid foam outsole which is known as Under Armours or Currys flow technology. This was an absolute game changer starting with the Curry 8 as "Flow" features no rubber whatsoever on the outsole. The traction is super tacky and grippy giving you great feel and movement all over the court. I had absolutely no issues laterally or vertically and the traction was a huge strong point to the 9s. The only issue that I could see possibly happening out of them moving forward Is the durability of the outsole/pattern. The outsole could potentially wear out over a period of time or quicker than maybe other shoes. This is not something I have noticed personally yet but something I wanted to mention as I did have the issue somewhat over time with the 8s. I will say I would not recommend these outdoors at all as I just do not feel they would hold up and Would wear away pretty quickly. I usually am only playing indoors for the most part and this has no real bias towards the shoe for me, but as I said I did want to mention it. Overall I had no issues out of or with the traction and loved how it felt on court.


Cushion: 3

The cushion once again features the "Flow" cushion technology. As I stated before when talking about the traction there is no rubber to the outsole or traction making the shoe all foam and giving the shoe a super lightweight feel. I personally find the setup to be very comfortable, and offers great impact protection in my opinion. The cushion to me feels very similar and basically identical to the 8 once again, but sometimes when you get something right there's not a big need for a change! I have wore these sneakers a ton to be honest and I find myself even wanting to wear these at the gym for leg and cardio days as well. This all has to do with the cushion being so great and comfortable. In my opinion you would definitely be able to wear this sneaker casually unlike a lot of modern day basketball sneakers. Overall the cushion feels great and is not going to disappoint.



Fit: 2

The fit could be a little tricky, and with these being in such a high demand with really no stock anywhere at this time its a little tough to go into a store to try them on. I went down half a size which is the same thing I did with the 8s. I feel like true to size would have fit a little long for me and going down half worked very well for me. I do like my basketball sneakers to be snug, but as I mentioned above my pair is very comfortable and feels great on my foot. My overall recommendation would be to go down half a size.


Lockdown: 3

The lockdown on the Curry 9 is something I really liked and gave me nothing but positives at all times. The Curry 9 feature UA's Warp technology and it is a definite upgrade from the Curry 8. I didn't have any issues really from a lockdown standpoint on the 8s, but after playing in the 9s there is no comparison on which I like better! The materials which we will get into, basically work together with the lockdown aspect to give you a very nice, safe feel while playing in the 9s. The Warp technology basically runs through the materials and works almost like mini straps in the materials from basically the toe box to the forefoot and or mid-foot area giving you a very nice containment all over the shoe and floor at all times. When I first heard about the system I was a little skeptical or hesitant about how it may feel on court. I was worried there may be some issues with cuts or sudden moves, etc. I had the complete opposite experience of what I expected as they performed well with cutting, sudden stops, etc, and I never noticed myself feeling in anyway a danger to rolling my ankle or feeling not locked into the shoe so to speak. The heel area also has a very nice locked in feel and it formed to my ankle nicely. Mix all of the aspects with a more standard lacing system than the 8 had, and with being able to tighten up the sneakers to your liking; you will definitely have a great locked in feel. The setup is really, really good in my opinion.



Materials: 3

The materials are another aspect that I really liked and were once again an upgrade from the 8. The 9s offer very nice lightweight materials and as we just discussed work hand in hand with the lockdown for the shoe. I had no issues with the materials from a breathability standpoint and they also feel very nice on foot. They are not quite as soft in my opinion as the 8s. The Curry 8 almost had a tougher sock shoe type feel to them, while the 9s have what I am calling a more standard knit type basketball material to them, but with having the "warp" technology overlaying the materials it does make them a little tougher to the touch. Inside when you actually have the shoe on, they are very soft and feel great on the top of your foot and toes. I had no issues or real complaints about the materials.


Aesthetics: 3

One thing that can never be complained about on court is when a basketball shoe just all around looks good! The 9s are a great looking shoe on court and I constantly get compliments on them when playing in them. Im hoping we start getting more releases; as to date they have been nearly impossible to get unless ordering from a resell or secondary market. There are so many options/colorways that could be done on this shoe that the options are really limitless. The Sesame Street collab was great in my opinion and I basically loved all the color ways. I was really wanting that "Big Bird" color way and that will be the one I am still after! Im hoping for a restock on those myself, but we will see what happens with the color ways and releases for the rest of the season. With the way Curry and the Warriors are playing we may be seeing releases way up into June for this model!



Overall: 3

There is really nothing to complain about with this shoe and overall it was a shoe I loved playing in. You will hear me say on occasion that a shoe was super "fun" to play in, and this was one of those shoes. These are a pair that I like so much I really could not test anymore for a while and just play in these. Every single aspect I really liked; from the traction which we know by now I can be harsh on if its not really good! The lockdown and material aspect working together is not something you see normally in this way and it worked out perfectly, and who doesn't love comfort? These are very, very comfortable with flow cushion working wonders again! I can say I really liked the Curry 8s and gave them a great review from my experience in them, but the Curry 9 is a definite upgrade and a noticeable one at that! I am very happy with the way the Curry 9 turned out and would recommend these to anyone looking for a great basketball shoe!



Thank Your For Checking Out This Review On The Curry 9!


Have A Great Week & As Always Happy Hooping!

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