Starbury One Review

By Craig Kwasniewski

The Starbury One's have been out for two weeks and while I'm not copping a pair (I prefer to ball in the Crazy-8's.), a few of our regular contributors took a spin in the $14.95 kicks. Here's what they thought:

WB posted on August 27th:

I bought a pair of Starbury One's based in part on this blog. What do I think of them?

Well..... When I got them I had to try them on myself because no one works the Dept. where they're for sale. They were on the shelves with a couple of open boxes filled with shoes that had'nt been stocked yet. I got a size 11, one size larger than I usually wear. They fit, but it was hard to get past the tight lacing. The Sneaks look the part of BBall shoes, but are thinly made. There's clear plastic in parts that provide the Bling, but the odd inner-lined lacing at the top by the ankle makes them hard to slip on and off. I also noticed the inner sole padding came up when I forced my foot in the shoe.

I got the All-Black Starbury's hoping they'd look like anyone else's shoe should these sneaks become a joke. That way from a distance no one will know I have them on. The Pleather that makes up the shoe is smooth across the foot with delineated plastic linings where your foot will move - joints to the part of the show that give way when you run and jump. It felt thin. The shoe isnt heavily lined ( that's where the cutback in price is found). When you have them on, you feel locked in at the ankle. The upper half of the shoe tightens up pretty solidly around the high ankle. It has the odd laces though, laces that line the inner lining of the shoe at the high ankle. It makes it harder to tighten up. Biggest notable is the sole. It's thin. Real thin. It's like walking in a padded slipper. Here's where they also cut costs. Running in these sneaks , you could tell they would'nt last a summer of Hooping it up on the court. With weak padding ( no sole/soul- kinda like Starbury's Game) you'll burn thru these shoes in no time. Either your feet will hurt or you'll be Gellin to keep them going. I guess that's the plan though. They're so cheap you can afford to go out and get a new pair.

Basketbawful posted on August 25th:

...the tongue of the shoes looks like it's held in by cheap medical gauze. The leather is extremely thin, which means that the sole actually slips around when you walk. And the insole almost fell out when I pulled out the paper that they stuff into the shoe so it holds its shape.

Well obviously you get what you pay for. The Starbury's are all over ebay in case you don't want to drop by a Steve & Barry's. Anyways, thanks guys for your posts on the Starbury's. And if anyone else copped a pair of the Starbury's, feel free to let us know. Now I'm going to run down the UPS trunk for my delivery of the $250 Jordan IV Lightning Set... yeah right!!!

Editor's Note: Basketbawful just posted a very comprehensive review of the Starbury One's. (The Official Starbury One Shoe Review)

Comments

[basketbawful]

I'll be posting my full review of the S1s tomorrow. I'll be using the experimental "Stephon Marbury Shot Quantity Rating System" (patent pending) to describe the shoes attributes. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to continue icing my painfully sore feet...

[Kymoni Roebuck]

All these people rating this shoe should be ashamed of theselves. They already walked into the shoe with a bias, if these shoes had come out and were under the jordan logo they would be the best shoes going. To answer the idiot who suggested that these shoes would not last a summer of hooping, only about 10% of the jordans,iversons and any other sneaker are used to actually shoot hoops. These very expensive status symbols barely see any court time and are not geared towards actual play but for style, and there is no substance. More than half of these shoes are worn by the weak, lazy and talentless. Besides if the expensive shoes were all that why would nike,reebok or any other major label shoe maker need more than one product for the same sport. Jordan has 5 different basketball shoes that are not designed the same, yet with different endorsers, whose shoe is the best for the sport. And even thought jordan is no longer in the sport he is still making gym shoes. You all shop the name and price to feel important and rich when in actuality you are buying into the hype of ignorance and poverty of the mind.

[Craig]

"you are buying into the hype of ignorance and poverty of the mind."

Well, said... probably one of the best quotes on our site. Seriously.

However, we're not comparing Jordans to Starburys. (I was joking about paying $250 for the Jordans) We're looking at it as a straight up hoops shoe. And like Air Jordans, the Starbury Ones aren't good for playing ball.

I agree that it's absurd to pay so much for Air Jordans these days. The breaking point was the $250 and $500 Jordan IV's that came out last month.

Unfortunately, it's market driven and until people stop opening their wallets for the "limited editions" we'll keep seeing them out there.

The up side is that there seems to be high interest in the Starbury Ones. I'm guessing we'll see more NBA ballers sponsor more "cost effective" sneaks.

[Robbin]

People forget one of the main reasons why kids buy shoes in the first place.

It's a status symbol. It's a trademark of our society that if you buy expensive stuff you want to show that around. And that's where I see the flipside of Marbury's global mega marketing campaign. Everyone knows now that this shoe costs 14,95$! And everyone knows how they look like. Therefore if you walk on the court with these shoes, people will know "Hey he's wearing those cheap ass 15 bucks shoes!".

Kids that age wanna be cool, they wanna sit at the popular kids' table during lunch break. If you send your kid to school in those shoes, you can be sure no one is gonna steal his sneakers, but he's not gonna make too many new friends either.

You can demonise this early and superficial pressure to be cool and hip all you want, but that doesn't stop it from being true. 14,95$ shoes won't change that.

[T.Dubb]

Yeah, I understand the comment about kids wanna look cool, but then again parents are tired as hell in buying sneakers costing more than their utility bill. The status symbol will always be there, yet these shoes have been flying off the racks. These shoes will easily outsell competitors shoes for the simple marketing plan of making it affordable.

An example of this can be related to ESPN Basketball/Football video games. When they were selling their game for around $20, everybody was buying it. And while people were still buying NBA Live, the fact that I can buy a brand new sports video game for an affordable price made people shift their focus on keeping more money in their pocket. If you ask me, the shoes look great and will outsell competitors for awhile. I don't think anybody else with status like Marbury will shift their shoe prices down this low

[Dbridwell]

The high price of shoes, I think, is definitely one of the biggest contributors to "shoe as status symbol" for young kids - especially those in poorer neighborhoods. But, there are a lot of other things that are cool that don't cost a lot that kids collect or connect with. T.Dubb notes video games. Definitely. Along with ringtones, tattoos, trading cards (to a certain extent), etc. What I think is really great about what Stephon Marbury is doing is that he is lending his cache to something that ISN'T expensive. It may not turn the tide right away, but anything that moves "cool" away from being so closely associated with "expensive" is laudable in my mind. Hopefully, if these shoes (which clearly aren't designed for actually PLAYING basketball) gain some popularity, then "cool" will start to become more closely associated with "style", which is really what cool is all about. - db.

[Qian]

As a college student, I don't care about "shoe as status symbol" because everyone can afford. In this way, Starbury One fits my need as a pair of cost effective on court Bball shoes. Forget about the price. Is the leather really that thin? Is the cushion really that bad?
I should say the design is unique, simple can be cool. The materials might be cheap but enough. After I put on I feel the hug around my feet and strong support on ankles. The plastic bean and out sole should be offer good traction and stability. About the cushion, if you weigh tons, I don't suggest this pair. Like other people do, I found the insoles can't stay in place when I take them off but should work well when I feet force them in. Any way I am going to try these on court today. These sneakers aren't like those cheap ones sell at a cheap price.

[Omar]

I recently bought a pair of Starbury SMX for $10 plus tax. They're much better than the Starbury Ones. Yes, the Starbury Ones's thin sole, nonexistant midsole and wafer thin innersole add up to the fact that you can feel the floor when you jump in the shoes. However, while the SMX's are touted as a lowtop shoe, they come up about half an inch past the ankle, giving quite a nice ankle support, something I need a lot. Yes they're a bit clunky and resemble "old-school" sneakers a lot, but I like them quite a bit. No I don't play basketball, but they're rather comfortable and so far have held up to what I've thrown at them. In case you're wondering, I'm a 25 year old Graduate Student with medium Cerebral Palsy (I get around with a walker or crutches); I'm not a CEO, nor a basketball player; I'm just a regular guy who wanted a pair of comfortable sneakers to get around town with. I think I got more than my money's worth.

[Raf]

I think marbury did a great thing to america. All the nikes, jordans, and reeboks cost like 5 bucks to make 'em. And everybody is payin 120 bucks for them. It's crazy, people in this country are fools.

[Andrew]

I go to highschool and I don't really care if people think I have cheap shoes. All that I'm thinking is that I got a mildly great looking pair of shoes for playing ball in for chizzzzzeeeeeeap ($10). I have a picture of the shoes I bought on my website: http://www.geocities.com/somethinggarlic

[Jamil Washington]

Do you ship your star bury sneaker because when i go to steve and barrys their always sold out

[donte dowdell]

were can i find the starbury sneakers because im looking and i cant find none

[Drumcool]

These shoes are dope period. For $15.00 the hoop factor goes up even higher. As a guy who came up when the sneaks cost much less, but the game skills were much better, they make the cut. David Thompson was 6'4 and had 44" spring. He wore canvas converse high tops with tire treads for soles during college. He's in the HOF. A lot of so-called ballers these days pay way too much for their gear, but their games are exceedingly weak. Cartoon crossovers, weak hops, and no strength abounds. ALL HYPE. Vince Carter is the last of a dying breed. Check out our record over the last two or three Olympics. Most of the best players now are foreign anyway. I wonder what they wore coming up? The Starburys are very light, easy to clean, and as good as any shoe I've ever played in, and I'd put my skills when I was in my prime up against anyone, and my hops were world class. I played against MJ, The Human Highlight, Gene Banks, Johnny Dawkins, Sleepy Floyd, and Spud Webb and many others in summer leagues. I especially loved to thrash the bums with expensive shoes who had no game. "Sneakers are the Tweak not the Freak." Now young players from the real street, just like where Marbury came from and myself, can get a pair of nice shoes without having to rob or sell drugs, and concentrate on what's importmant, like real game skills. I also like the fact that Steph wears them in the contests, which proves their worth. Now all these critics here may talk about his shoe, but I watched him dunk over the whole Duke Basketball Team when he was a freshman at GT, and that was pretty damn good. Bobby Cremins coached Kenny Anderson, and I think he knows a great point guard when he sees one. Marbury knows what a good shoe needs, and we ought to be lauding him for allowing everyone to have a great pair of shoes, regardless of what's in their wallet. I'm almost certain your biggest fear is they'll be coming to a court near you to thrash you and your whole squad hard with shoes that cost 1/15 what you paid for yours:-)I've got a 6 figure income, and two little boys, and I just bought six pair for them, not because I had too, I just know what matters on the hardwood.

[Benjamin]

My daughter is wearing a pair of S1's for JV ball this year. She loves them. Granted, girls JV is not going to put a pounding on sneakers the same way a grown man would, but all season so far that is what she has been wearing and they are not torn up yet. That is with 10-12 hours of use a week on them. She wears them sockless and has not complained at all about them bening uncomfortable. So as far as I am concerned, they are well worth the money, and they live up to the hype.

[AMM]

I'm a 16 year old kid, and these shoes are not only cool, but people love them. They all know theyre 15 bucks, and people like that you dont care about your shoe...when it comes down to it, game is game

[Sunny Ray]

Wow, what nice pair of shoes. I would like to say THANKS from the core of my heart to the people involve in craeting such a kind of great basket ball shoes. Thanks to Quality and Production people.

Sunny Ramond, New york.

[Jacob Smith]

I have recently purchased the Starbury shoe line, and I really don't see what the big deal is. I played around in the gym wearing them, and I honestly haven't had my feet feel so good after a workout like the one I had. I think they are a remarkable shoe, and I can't wait to test them out in my b-ball season coming up!

[Deedee]

I have 7 kids, 3 of my own and 4 by marriage. My main comment is that, yes, $14.95 may be to cheap for an athletic shoe but $100.00 and up is definitely tooooooo much. For what, celebrities who want images of giving back to the community, by promoting gym shoes which take from our community. Unfortunately the struggling and even those who aren't really struggling need to keep up with the Jone's. Not to mention, with parents being as young as they are, they can't tell their kids 'no' to status promoting clothing when that's where their head is at. If you can't teach them to say no to gym shoes, how can you teach them to say no to, anything else; you figure it out.

[hjhghghjg]

man the starburys are the bomb. no longer do i get made fun of for wearing baseball cleats to school. these shoes allow me the comfort of being a balller like starbury without actually having his money. u should see the looks i get when i wear these. people cant stop looking and pointing my way.

[SHON]

well i will say this, i have a 8 year old son who has to wear black shoes to school with his uniform we have paid $65 for air jordans for him to wear everyday to school but i personally don't see the point in it when all he is going to do is tear them up at recess on the playground (which took about 3 1/2 weeks). so i think these are a great option, starbury has the black pair that are made just like the nike air force one's and in my opinion look fine. heck i even have a pair of brown and bleach white and i am a shoe freak and still buy jordan's when some come out i like. i read someone said kid's will be made fun of and my response to that is this; it is my job to show my son it is okay to wear different things because that is not what makes me a man i can wear a pair of starbury's with some crisp jeans and a white tee and be the same man i was with the white air force one's on. the shoes are not what makes me and he figures if my dad can wear it i can too also i tell him that those fly clothes and shoes are not gonna help you study better when u get to college, and majoruty of the time when you make it to college you will probably be wearing pj pants and flip flops to class like i did because expensive gym shoes were the last thing on my mind during finals

[a cowan]

Congrats to Steph for putting out a shoe that everyone can afford and doesn't suck our community dry. Nike had record profits last year buy making $10 shoes and selling them for 1
$100 in the inner city. Jordan, Lebron and the rest should be ashamed of temselves for letting the community get sucked into commercialism. All the players should start wearing Steph's shoe and tehy can actually own the company and call the shots instead of being employees of a corporate structure that takes advantage of them and the people they represent. I bought 3 pairs of Starburys with gear to match I am supporting him all the way.
Go get your pair now !!!!

[brandon]

ok the shoes stright up suck i had a pair of air jordans at the beging of the year and i loved them but they got stolen wen i left them in the locker room but comparing the starburys and the air jordans i had the air jordans are a million times better the starburys are really thin and hurt your feet i hate them

[Genc]

I have the Starbury's and the Jordan 21s. The Starbury's are very good shoes for 15 bucks. However, the latter is greater. The 21s cost me 130 bucks, and I just have to say they are the best shoes I have ever played basketball in. I bought them in September and now, after playing so much in college (pick-up games), you can see they are worn somewhat. The soles don't have as much grip as before and they are uneven now as the rubber has been eaten away at some places due to running.

After using the Starbury's for a week or so, they didn't really stick. They don't offer as much protection to the ankle (I need protection there especially), and when stopping abruptly after running, the insides move basically...

Now, I just use the Starbury's for outside use, to get to places (like the gym), and I use my 21s to play inside the gym only. I'm in college, and so far people have been asking me what my shoes are and they keep telling me that they are cool shoes (I have the black ones). And people that judge you for what brand you wear are obviously not worth a second look.

I grew up in NYC, and I know how it feels to be made fun of and everything like that. However, I think the Starbury's are stylish enough to get people to not care about the price. There will always be that idiot however that just does not care.

[Rafael S.]

I grew up in Queens. I'm not a thug, I was never in a gang. But in NYC you don't have to be to hear about someone who's been beat up or killed over a pair of basketball shoes. For me personally, that was one of the saddest things I've ever heard...

If anyone has ever watched the videos or interviews on the Starbury.com site it really sold to me the anti-nike concept, and not just in terms of expensive shoes as a status symbol, but the importance of affordable shoes to the community PERIOD.

I've owned these shoes since December. I got the black, blue, and orange ones, cuz I love the Knicks. I wear them with jeans, I wear them on the blacktop, wood courts, in clubs, bars. They're one of my favorite pairs of shoes.

I love watching basketball. Never played organized basketball, as a kid I could never stick to one sport. Decided I wanted to start playing regularly a few months ago. I had been playing in a pair of Nike high-top Dunks that I had bought as casual shoes, but they were way too uncomfortable to play in. I moved out to Germany in October for college. My girlfriend has two brothers who've been playing basketball since they were able to physically hold one in their hand. Basketball shoes in Europe in general cost WAY more than they do in the U.S. You think Jordan XX2's are expensive? Here they're 180 EURO. That's 240 U.S. Dollars. There is not a basketball shoe over here for less than $80 (not an exaggeration). So of course I hooked up the whole family with a pair of Starbury 1's. Even "mom". And the crazy spin on things is: that here, the Starbury 1's are hottest shoe around. Cuz kids here don't care about how expensive they are. They're content that they're cheap and an NBA player sponsors them. And since you can only get them in the U.S. they've achieved the underground status of those ridiculous "Paris" or "Michigan", obscure limited edition Nike Dunks.

The bottom line is that a lot of people want these shoes, they're affordable, and they're functional (both of the boys wear em since it only took 4 months to outgrow their $130 Air-Zoom Huaraches).

I will be very surprised, and very disappointed if these shoes don't start a trend in the basketball shoe business.

[JQUAR]

I heard about these shoes from my borther in law a few months back. Walking through Steve and Barrys - I decided to buy my son a pair. He has no concept at 7 years old of Nike, Jordans, Lebron, Kobe or any of these ridiculously priced shoes. When I presented the shoe to him I pumped it up...told him these are great shoes, Stephon Marbury made these special for the kids, look at all the great colors. It's been a month since then - all his friends now stop me in the hallway at school and tell me about the Starburys they want or have. If we teach the kids these shoes are COOL - they will be COOL. Children are easily influenced - can't we start here and now, with the help of a wonderful athlete, sending a wonderful message? I did - and it caught on - at least 10-15 kids associated with my son have made thier parents go out and buy them a pair. And the kids are proud to wear them!!! Best of all - the parents don't mind spending $15 for a pair of shoes.

Thanks Stephon!