Retroactive review
At the time the Air Jordan 29 was the best Air Jordan experience I had for my foot type. The Fit, Woven upper, Stability, Unlocked Zoom and flight plate were all a great experience for me on the court. read on.
The Air Jordan 29 originally launched in two color ways and upper patterns.
Fit: 9/10
Support: 7.5/10
Cushioning: 8.5/10
Comfort: 8/10
materials 8/10:
traction 9/10:
Durability 8/10:
FIT: 9/10: Following up were the Air Jordan XX8 took off the Air Jordan 29 looked stream line the upper with a new Woven Upper. while the 28 had an internal textile lace up upper with a zipper shroud. the Woven approach allowed comfort, breathability, strength, stretch, support and fit to be engineered using a single material. this has been down with leather and foampostie, but to be done with a woven or fabric upper brought something new to the performance basketball market. From a graphic/visual standpoint the Air Jordan 29's upper was able to engineer a larger variety of stories, graphics, visuals and patterns into the upper itself that you would be able to with traditional materials like leather. The most important thing was that it worked well, didn't cause any discomfort and did not hinder performance or movement. A very well fitting upper that was strong, lightweight, comfortable and durable enough to maintain it's durability when used for indoor hoops.
SUPPORT: 8/10: the stiff internal heel counter, TPU wrapped midsole/tooling/perimeter, ankle padding and upper materials helped to keep my foot locked in comfortable with minimal internal movement. very few blisters or jammed toes. the flight plate supported the arch/bottom of the foot and inspire of using TPU instead of carbon fiber the was no worry of plantar fascia injuries, sprains, or stability issues. the XX8 featured a decouple midsole (separating the forefoot and heel the the Carbon fiber plate sitting on top of the them the XX9 opted to create a thin tendril in the midsole & outsole that made the heel to toe transition and gait cycle EXTRA smooth and even more fun to play in without fear of injury or instability.
CUSHIONING: 8.5/10: while the Air Jordan xx8 used a large volume Zoom Air unit in the heel, carbon fiber arch support/ flight plate unlocked/uncaged fore foot zoom Air unit and forefoot carbon fiber support. the XX9 does all of this with TPU. The Heel Zoom air unit is traded in for pylon with a compression cavity and the forefoot unit has been turned is is more recessed/connect to the outsole. while the Air Jordan XX8 was a performance beast and great design the unlocked forefoot unit would pop or puncture on some peoples pairs over time. while more of design/engineering/manufacturing issue. the Air Jordan XX( looked to prevent this issue. the Heel cushioning didn't bother me as most players play on their toes. the design of the heel still did a great job of dispersing impact forces and protecting the heel with a zoom or air unit. the forefoot Zoom (while not as responsive as the XX8) while still fast, low to the ground, responsive and protective enough to keep me playing fast, strong and aggressive on both sides of the floor. the forefoot of the 29 might even be better as the natural motion/movement and flexibility of my feet during play was not hindered despite having a TPU wrapped. Shout out to the developers, engineers and manufacturers on the team. they did a great job.
COMFORT: 8/10: the Woven upper, while warmer than other top tier performers was still very comfortable. I purchased a pair of the low top version that was just as comfortable however the upper was noticibly thicker than the midsection. so much so that I would recommend going half a size up on them. the lining, integrated flight web laces, breathability, lining and ankle padding were all great as pets of the XX9 that allowed me to play my game without hesitating or giving my thoughts to anything other than the game I was playing. the insole is fine and removable if you need to add a custom orthodic or support, however the the flight plate, tooling and upper all felt great right out of the box.
MATERIALS 8/10: the Sneaker is very simple is it mainly consists of the woven upper, TPU wrapped midsole and rubber outsole. all the material work and keep everything simple & effective. while it may not be as Premium as other Flagship models. It got the job done very well. while woven uppers helped cut cost and save manufacturing and production costs (which is great when you are mass producing footwear or any consumer product) It didn't feel or come off as cheap. It may not be your first choice off the court (there are many previous AJ models and retros that can do that) It does ever thing an Air Jordan Sneaker is supposed to innovated, be the standard and Be the best performing flagship model on the court.
TRACTION 9/10: The Soft rubber outsole and unique horizontal wavy pattern got the job done well. while it may not be peaked herringbone, the grip on clean hardwood and indoor courts left little to be desired. as long as the stole is kept clean, the traction held up well and lasted the duration of the season. I would not recommend these for outdoors as there are cheaper and more durable models made specifically for that. they would still hold up, but indoor courts is where the traction really shines and lasts.
DURABILITY 8/10: the XX9 is durable enough to last a full season of amateur, collegiate or semi pro basketball (Most pros go through multiple pairs throughout a season * check with your equipment manager). I enjoyed playing in it that I obtained multiple pairs. As stated this was on of the best fitting and playing Air Jordans for my foot type so having multiple pairs wasn't the worst move especially if you could find them on sale. the upper might fray with wear and tear over time but the strength and durability of the upper kept it's integrity for the life of the shoe. the Low top uses a little bit of Leather on the Heel largely for aesthetic, but the woven upper on the XX9 mid doesn't uses any animal skins which is great for you vegan, life/animal respecting, conscious hooper.
* The low top version provides just as much support, stability and performance as its higher cut counterpart. the only noticeable difference is the thicker upper that may require you to go half a size up to avoid discomfort.
While A purchased the first Black, Red, White Cement print version multiple times, this inc version was really clean. With a silver TPU wrap, translucent outsole and alternating digi camo print. the XX9 had many appealing Colorways.
The Upper of the XX9 allowed for very detailed graphics the be engineered into the upper unlike any other Air Jordan before it.
The XX9 featured different embroidered and engineered patterns into the woven upper that did not the effect the performance negatively. in spite of the variety the Performance of the Air Jordan XX9 was great and consistent across the board.
*the one piece woven upper took really well to color and texture which allowed for nice visual effects like the gradient color way inspired by the Charlotte hornets.
This year of the goat color is visually beautiful to be as a designer and Art aficionado. the hues and patterns are very pleasing to the eye.
*Even though the XX9 is the first fully woven upper on a performance basketball model. this one piece leather upper version is still clean and gave customers the option to own a pricier full grain leather option. I'm sure these performed just as well with variances due to the leather, but it's still clean and modest visually.
In conclusion, The Air Jordan 29 was one of the best Air Jordans for my foot type. A great performer that I thoroughly enjoyed on the court. these definitely held me don through tryouts and leagues. A great experience for any hooper that wants to perform there best on both sides of the floor. the Woven upper, TPU wrapped perimeter, Flight plate and forefoot unlocked zoom did a great job allowing me to play fearlessly and aggressively (like any great performer). the outsole and traction was also solid. I played with the solid rubber options, but I'm sure the translucent versions work just as well on clean indoor courts as long as the are kept clean. Grab a pair online if you can find them.
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