KICKZ PERFORMANCE REVIEW: NIKE LEBRON XX
Nike is celebrating its 20th anniversary with LeBron JAMES in style with the brand new Nike LeBron 20. What a milestone for King James and a great continuation of the longest ongoing signature series of any active baller in the game. Just to get it out of the way: This is a massive performance shoe release!
Design
The most obvious change is the switch from a high-cut to a low-cut shoe. As Nike states, this design update should cater to the “performance needs of a new generation of athletes” and this clearly goes well with how modern basketball shoes look and feel nowadays. Another noticeable visual aspect is the missing Nike Air unit. This takes some getting used to for long-time LeBron fans, as that thick air bubble in the heel has become somewhat of a trademark for this line in recent years. Looking at the colors, there should really be a favorite for everybody. While the “Trinity” edition seen in this review, pays homage to the King’s time with the Miami Heat in rather basic team colors, the historic value this holds will definitely be appreciated by any LeBron fan. Nevertheless, keep your eyes open, if you are looking for louder color options in the future. There will be more color variations available as the season progresses right here at KICKZ. Looking at the tech specs, at 380 g this is the lightest shoe of the whole signature series. Bottom line: The LeBron 20 is a well-executed take on a modern-day basketball shoe.
Materials
The materials used might be the weakest link of this shoe, compared to, for instance, to the Knitposite 2.0 that Nike put on the LeBron 18s. While that knit felt very premium back then, this mesh doesn’t quite hold up to that standard. However, the materials shouldn’t be talked down on. They are definitely solid enough to get the job done and cut weight, which is a very welcomed sight for LeBron performance shoes. On top of that, I really appreciated the non-existing break-in time. The mesh was comfortable and basically ready to go out of the box. It conformed well to my feet on any movements and left me with a contained and secure feeling throughout the whole ride. One aspect that may be worth pointing out is the mesh quality and how thin it is. I have heard concerns about durability, especially if you drag your feet. Personally, though, I have not experienced or seen any damage to the upper even after several weeks of playing in these. So for me, the materials worked well and didn’t leave any open questions in terms of performance or longevity.
Traction
The longer I have been playing, the more I have identified traction to be the most important aspect in basketball shoes. So seeing multiple shoes for the past six months releasing with above average or great traction, is definitely something that I appreciate a lot and the 20s are no exception to that. The new LeBrons performed great in this regard and they probably offer the best experience of all shoes in the series so far. Stopping on a dime, precise cutting and quick changes of direction were never a problem for the traction, even on dusty courts. Traction is one of this shoe’s top-tier attributes right out of the box. For outdoor use, however, I would not recommend these. Soft rubber and thin grooves are not really a good combination for the blacktop. Other shoes like the LeBron Witness 7, for example, have better longevity outdoors.
Cushion
As mentioned above, the air bubble is gone, which at least for me personally, was not really a bad thing. I was actually able to get more cushioning with the new setup. As I am not a big guy, I don’t really have the weight to put significant pressure on the Nike Air unit to make it compress the way it should. So while the bubble felt nice underfoot, I was never quite able to use it to its full potential. That’s why I am pretty happy with the current setup. Not only does it give me the needed court feel, but the Nike Zoom units also give me more bounce and compression than previous setups did, especially in the front where a top-loaded Air Zoom Turbo unit is used. Additionally, the heel with its bottom-loaded Zoom unit provides a good amount of impact protection. The balance of all those attributes made wearing this shoe very enjoyable.
Fit
Going true to size provided me with a 1-to-1 fit, which I actually liked on this model. Normally, I wouldn’t want my shoes to be too snug, especially in the forefoot area. But since the mesh really molds to your feet, I ended up with the perfect fit for myself. The sneakers felt comfortable and supportive at the same time and didn’t really leave any room for unwanted movements within the shoe. So when picking out your size, keep in mind that these may start out snug at the beginning. However, remember that the materials will ultimately give in and expand a little bit. This probably makes them a viable option for people with wider feet as well. As always though, try them on if you are unsure.
Support
Great. I mean there is not much more you can say about it. If you have read some of my previous reviews, you may remember that I am not specifically a big fan of low tops. Especially when it comes to support and security. However, the LeBron 20s felt supportive, stable and secure at all times. There was never really a problem with containment or other movements within the shoe. Features like the heel counter and the lacing system made sure my feet were locked in. Nike additionally used what they call a “synthetic-wrapped lateral guardrail”, which helps secure the foot over the footbed. For me personally, the 20s are definitely the best performers in terms of support when it comes to low-cut basketball shoes.
Bottom Line
Let‘s keep this short: The LeBron 20s are great and instantly made my shoe rotation. They might just be one of the best options on the market right now. While in terms of their performance attributes, LeBrons have always been above average, they now finally cater to the needs of modern basketball players. The low cut and reduced weight make it a very intriguing shoe for many different positions and playing styles, while providing top-tier traction and cushioning. But is EUR 200,- really justified? I’d say the performance attributes this shoe offers do. Of course, there are also cheaper shoes out there that can satisfy your needs. However, if you’re looking into high-end performance shoes, then do it right and put these on top of your list.
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