KICKZ Performance Review: Nike Zoom Freak 4

Get ready for the 4th edition of Nike x Giannis ANTETOKOUNMPO! The Greek superstar teamed up with the American sports giant for yet another Zoom Freak. Will Giannis lead the Bucks to another championship in these shoes? The super athletic forward is definitely having another strong outing and is amongst the early MVP candidates, while competing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. So the obvious question at hand: Is it the shoes?

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Design 

I will stick with the Zoom Freak 1, when it comes to my favorite look of the Giannis series but these certainly bring some fire. Especially when it comes to the available colorways: it once again impresses with popping colors and patterns. This colorway, “Greek Coastline”, is just one example. A minor visual change is the missing midfoot strap that Nike moved away from after having it on the 3s. The shape pretty much stays the same as the Zoom Freaks remain low tops. By cutting out small parts of the midsole, Nike added a subtle highlight, as the cutouts expose the Zoom Air units in the forefoot to show “what’s under the hood”. What is interesting from a technical view, is the weight. With 347 g it is definitely on the lighter side. Looking at the whole signature line, this is the second lightest sneaker, right behind the Zoom Freak 1 (344 g) but ahead of the Zoom Freak 2 (363 g) and the Zoom Freak 3 at 367 g.

Materials 

The materials have their pros and cons. The mesh and nets don’t really feel premium and I certainly had concerns about the latter’s chances of surviving. Especially the net material on the lateral sides of the midfoot looks very flimsy and is pretty much see-through. But the whole setup held up just fine and did not show any tears even after several uses. That was definitely a relief. Apart from that, the setup felt soft, broken-in, breathable and comfortable all around. From a performance standpoint, the materials got the job done and provided decent stability despite being so soft.

Traction 

So according to Nike they went with a “computer-generated outsole” that has a multidirectional traction pattern, which helps to “optimize ground contact and change-of-direction opportunities”. While that’s true, you will have to be patient and wait for the outsole to unfold its potential. After that period, the traction pattern in combination with the rubber compound lets you make all kinds of quick direction changes without any problems. It behaved quite reliably under different conditions, while the bite could have been a bit harder for my liking. All in all though, pretty solid and maybe even the best traction setup of the whole signature line. For those who like to play outdoors: Please keep in mind that the rubber is pretty soft and the grooves are pretty thin. Yes, they will provide decent grip but may not be able to do so for too long. I recommend the G.T. Jump and LeBron Witness for playing outdoors.

Cushion 

Looking at Nike’s tech sheet, it says that the midsole of the Freak 4s is hollowed out underneath the forefoot to provide room for two individual Zoom Air units, allowing them to compress and expand. According to Nike, the units are “slightly tilted and primed for your forward motion.” In that way, they’re supposed to mimic a sprinter coming out of their starting blocks and improve acceleration and speed. So much about the theory of this cushioning setup. In practice, what I instantly noticed was how high off the ground I felt. This took away some of the court feel, which is important to me in a shoe. But overall, this setup definitely feels bouncy and responsive in the forefoot and offers decent impact protection in the heel. In general, they’re comfortable shoes to run up and down the court in.

Fit 

The Freak 4s had a good step-in experience from the get-go. The materials wrapped around my feet nicely and kept me comfortable as I did not experience any pinching or jamming throughout the whole process of playing in these. I also felt locked in and didn’t notice any heel slippages or other annoying movements within the shoe. True to size worked well for me and I can actually see this shoe accommodating wider feet as well.

Support 

The Zoom Freak 4 has some pretty supportive features and as usual, it starts with the lockdown, which feels good in this iteration of this model again. Additionally, Nike applied an “external piece of lightweight, durable foam” within the signature reverse Swoosh to give the wearer additional containment on quick lateral movements. This is also supported by a wider base and an outrigger. Ankle support was fine but that area is exposed since this is a low-cut shoe. Overall, the shoe did a good job in this area. What I identified as a weak spot for my personal liking though, were the Zoom Air units. As mentioned above, I felt quite high off the ground, which led to some awkward tilting on hard steps, especially laterally. As the outer Zoom Air pod compressed on those movements, it caused the shoe to collapse sideways a bit and I caught myself playing on the shoe’s edges a few times. I never quite rolled my ankle, but it did make me feel uncomfortable at times. Take it with a grain of salt though, as I have pretty shoddy ankles as is. If you have similar ankle problems, this one may not be the one for you though. I really like what the Zion 2 has to offer in that regard!

Bottom Line 

The Nike Zoom Freak 4 feels like an upgrade over its predecessor and is a solid mid-tier option that offers some intriguing features. The traction and the cushioning may even be the best of the entire Antetokounmpo series so far. Apart from that, the fit was improved to better accommodate wider feet and Nike once again went with a very light design. All in all, Nike released a solid option at EUR 130,- that’s is a good choice for players that value a bouncy cushioning setup in combination with a lightweight build.

Feedback 

Any questions? Find me on Instagram at @ONEtothe2.