Jumpman, Jump man! As we all know the Nike Air Jordan along with Mike Jordan, Nike, TNT, Marketing dollars/ad teams, executives, David Stern, his coaches, Trainers, his relatives, friends, family members, team mates, opponents and successes on the hardwood local and abroad help the create the new standard for Athletic and commercial success in his respective industries. Quite popular many wanted to be like Michael. While that may not have been the best strategy, the footwear, branding, marketing teams did a great job in allowing any person young or older to aspire to new heights and join in on that story.
Being at the top of the basketball sneaker category in price and positioning wasn’t the easiest sell for most parents in the 80’s and 90’s as the role of sneakers in North America was starting to take an unprecedented shift. With that being said the Jumpman Pro was everything you could ask for in a performance hoops sneaker that wasn’t an official “Air/numbered Jordan/Jordan Brand model” (more on that later).
Technically an early sample of what would become the Air Jordan 12, the Jumpman pro acted as a bridge between the Air Jordan 11 & 12 (could be touted as the 1st .5 model (See Tinker Hatfield, Wilson Smith, D.E., Gentry Humpry, Tom Luedeke and others). The Original Jumpman Pro still served as a precursor to the Jordan Brand and team Jordan models and athletes that came after.
Traction 8/10: Translucent rubber with Solid rubber and peaked herringbone traction pods in the heel worked well on any court indoors and outdoors (very 90’s indeed). Was great for that era.
Cushioning 9/10: very great for the time phylon midsole with a full length carbon fiber/composite plate and a full length top loaded zoom air unit in adult/men’s sizes. A great cushioning experience for any player (see Kevin Garnett 1996/1997). They took what worked from the AJ 11 and made it lower to the ground and more responsive.
Fit 9/10: Eva foam backed leather upper and lining made the Jumpman pro, well fitting with right lining and padding/foams at the heel and ankle. With a more ergonomic/lower cut than the AJ 12, the Jumpman Pro hit the sweet spot of ankle support and security without being cumbersome or overly restrictive. Just make sure to get your proper size.
Materials 9/10: full grain Leathers, air meshes, foam and suedes/nubuck/durabuck made up many of the most popular sneakers from the 90’s era. At $119.99 retail. Still pricey at the time for a hoops sneaker. The materials did not disappoint.
Support 8.5/10: the full length carbon fiber plate, foam backed upper, metal eyelet, fit, heel counter and ankle cut all contributed the a very comfortable and supportive sneaker that supported all basketball movements without being overly restrictive and minimizing injuries.
Comfort 8.5: Again the design, materials and feature all came together to create a great sneaker that was comfortable on the court and off the court. If you only had one pair of sneakers for the season or school/year/year then these were not a bad option at all. Just remember to get your proper size for the best experience (See Brannock device). I’ll fitting sneakers/shoes or products can cause a lot more problems than necessary. Great fit over forcing to fit in as always the better long term move.
Aesthetic 8.5/10: Again this can be sentimental as the implicit bias for the Subject and the brand/marketing and nostalgia or our childhoods can overlook some details. I do believe just from the profile views, time of the release, design/production and impact created afterwards for the brand and business that this was a very important and overlooked sneaker in the Jordan brand story. There have many retro is this sneaker with multiple material, quality, colorway and cushioning changes/adjusts that have just not equated to the original release (such is life lol). If you’re a fan of the design and story behind it, see if you can find a pair online, at an outlet/thrift store or on sale. If they rerelease the Jumpman in it’s original form with top quality or improved materials (genuine or top/equivalent quality leather, upper materials, foam, full length zoom-air and real carbon/composite in the shank plate then don’t hesitate to get a few pairs.
No comments:
Post a Comment