New sneaker, and a whole new line from Nike brand. Lets talk about these Ja 1's and see how they performed for me on court!
Fit: 4
Usually we start out with traction, but today we are going to switch it up a little. Just because I am rating these high on fit doesn't mean it couldn't have a downfall. These fit super snug, which is something I definitely never really complain about on court, but it is something that will be noticeable with these. They are going to require some break in time, but after that initial phase they will loosen up and feel pretty nice on foot on court. My recommendation here is to go true to size with these and if at all possible try them on in store. Wide footers may have an issue with these if correct size is not found. On the positive side though, these do fit like a glove and your going to be locked in nicely!
Traction: 5
The traction is definitely one of my favorite aspects or top tier parts to the shoe. The sneakers feature a solid rubber outsole with a fairly simple looking traction pattern, but these grip the floor great! I had no issues laterally or vertically and had a great overall experience with these from a traction setup. Clean or dusty courts, I was covered and these offered me no issues on either type of surface. I played in these very lightly outdoors and they worked very well for me also. The compound is quite tough or hard on the pattern and I do believe these would hold up fairly well for a good period of time outdoors; as well as obviously indoors also. Great traction is one thing I am always looking for to be strong on my basketball sneakers, and these didn't disappoint me!
Materials: 4
Nothing super premium here, but something in my opinion that worked very well on this particular model. Mostly an all mesh upper mixed with some synthetic materials that feel nice on foot. There is some break in time for these materials, and it is probably a good thing, because if they were super soft and not a little stiff it would affect the lockdown in a negative way. The materials and the sneaker overall is lightweight and the mesh does offer very nice breathability as well! If you're planning to use these outdoors only, I think you will be good to go for a significant amount of time, but you will definitely get more out of these materials inside. I do think though out of most models I have played in, in a while these would probably be one of the best or my favorite to be an indoor/outdoor shoe.
Cushion: 3
This is one of those sections that I really do not want to give it a low score because when I was a little younger this would be a perfect setup for me and one I would be really looking for. Fast forward a few years and I am finally starting to have to require more cushion for my knees. This is not something I am very happy about either.. You are going to get a forefoot Nike air zoom bag that is able to be felt underfoot, but overall you are getting mostly court feel here. The sneaker in my opinion feels sort of like an early Kyrie or a Kobe model on foot, and if you know me the Kyrie line was always my favorite! As I said this score is not depicting what I have always liked to play in, but it depicts what I need instead now. If you love court feel and a low to the ground feel these are it, if you want more of a super cushioned LeBron sneaker type feel.. Well, these aren't it. Either way if you have any interest they are worth a try.
Lockdown: 5
This is not one of those sneakers that really has some fancy named lockdown system or some specific way that it particularly works, but I will tell you you're going to be locked in. The sneaker is super snug right out of the box as we already have discussed. It breaks in nicely, but still stays pretty snug on foot. The Ja 1 offers a traditional lacing system which is always a favorite of mine. I have always preferred this as I like getting my sneakers laced up fairly tight while playing. This is definitely able to be accomplished here. I had no issue with heel slippage or ankle movement while playing either. This is one of those that the fit, and materials, are working hand and hand with the lockdown system to give you a nice, safe feel while playing in these. I had no issues from the lockdown standpoint and it was something that stood out as a strong point to the shoe for me.
Overall: 4
At a retail price of $110.00 you are getting a super solid basketball sneaker and in my opinion one that is going to be tough to beat in this price range. Basically every single category has pretty much more pros than cons and it would be more of a preference item if something is not liked. For example if you like a ton of cushion you may not like these, but if you prefer court feel you will love these. I had a lot of fun playing and testing this sneaker. I always love getting to play in new models and follow that line down the road to see where it goes. I do think this first model was a very nice start and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here!
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