by Brett Edwards
I've had the Converse WADE 2.0 Limited Playoff Edition for a little over a week now, and after playing some full court hoops in them a few times I'm ready to give my complete review. Before we get to how they handle on the court, let's talk about the overall design.
As far as looks go, these things are extremely sharp. The all black shoe with the few subtle patches of patent leather, along with the gold stitching make these very sleek looking. Converse includes a pair of yellow laces if the all black isn't Flash-y enough for you, but you can't go wrong with either look really. The red Converse star logo on the outer ankle portion add just enough color to make these kicks extremely eye catching.
As for the overall performance of the shoes, I have mostly positives to report. Initially, I was worried that there might not be enough ankle support, as I'm used to playing in shoes with the extra velcro strap across the top to really secure the ankle in the shoe. Once I laced them up, this wasn't an issue. The construction of the shoes is very sturdy, so much so that I recommend walking around in them for a day or so just to break them in a little before actually playing in them.
The shoes do an excellent job of molding to your feet once they're laced all the way up, making them feel like they're a part of your foot. This is extremely important in a basketball shoe, since every move you make is based on your feet feeling the court, and these shoes allow you to do just that. Just make sure you don't lace 'em up too tight. The tongue design is "pointy," and the one time I was extra-tight on the lacing, I got a blister on the upper part of my foot. I chalk that up to "user error" rather than a design flaw in the shoe itself, but it's something to be aware of.
The soles of the shoes are cool on the design side, and are fairly typical in terms of what you'd expect from a quality basketball shoe. The cushioning is thick and a little bouncy all along the bottom of the shoe, making the shoes very comfortable when running up and down the court. A little more bounce on the front end of the shoe wouldn't hurt, but overall there's more than an acceptable amount.
Overall, the WADE 2.0s are what I would characterize as above average basketball shoes. They're very well made and very comfortable to play in. While basketball shoes in general come down to a player's personal preference in terms of ankle support, cushioning in the heel, and how wide the base is, I think you'll find that this incarnation of the WADEs will probably exceed your expectations of performance on the court. Grade: B+
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