To ease the confusion and pain of trying to compare numbers or ratings I decided it would be easier to rank a few low tops attributes and included the kobe vi (which is still a great shoe btw) as a standard since a lot of ppl have played in it and know how it feels and performs. 

I added the Hyperchase into the mix as well 

Here is the review as well

Hyperchase review

 
Traction

From best to worst

  • Kobe ix
  • Clutchfit drive low
  • Hyperchase
  • Hyperrev 2015
  • Kobe vi
  • Run the one

The Kobe ix barely eaks out the Clutchfit drive low thanks to a little more pliable rubber. You honestly can’t go wrong either way if traction is what you’re looking for.

The Hyperrev had excellent traction as well but didn’t have that glue like traction like the top two. It also required some more wiping to keep the traction sticky but it is still great.

The Kobe vi took a long time to break in and was terrible for me until the broke in.  Now that they are broken in they perform pretty well but have never made my rotation of shoes since the traction was not up to my standards. The Run the one is ok but just doesn’t have any bite to it nobody how long I played in them . I was slipping all over the place on really dusty floors but on clean floors they were adequate but still not sticky. I do not recommend these at all if traction is a priority.

Cushioning

From best to worst (or softest/most responsive to hardest/least responsive )

  • Clutchfit drive low
  • Hyperrev 2015
  • Kobe Vi
  • Kobe ix
  • Run the one
  • Hyperchase (Not just last, dead last)

If you’ve never tried the Clutchfit drive high or low ,the full length Micro g cushioning should make you want to. I’m a big zoom air fan but my knees have never felt better since I starting using the Clutchfit and Micro g. Full length Micro g makes for seamless smooth transitions which I never knew i was missing until I played in these. It is much  bouncier and lively than lunarlon and seems to keep that feel longer than other setups.

The Hyperrev has a traditional heel and forefoot zoom bag set up and it is not one of those watered down zoom air versions . I could actually feel the zoom air in these which is why I love the set up.  The last true zoom air set up I bought was the lebron soldier vi  and I stocked up bc it is so rare nowadays to get a nice set up. Shoes like the Run the one and Kyrie one come to mind when I think of non responsive set ups.

The Kobe vi feels very similar to the Hyperrev In terms of cushioning but with less air since kobe liked a low to the ground feel but I had a hard time differentiating the two if I had my eyes closed. The kobe vi had a met bag in the forefoot which didn’t provide quite the coverage of the normal rectangular bag the Hyperrev most likely uses.  The Kobe ix has a full length lunarlon insole and imo is much better than the Kobe 8 insert . The 8 was too soft as I could feel my foot sinking in on hard cuts and sliding inbetween the upper and the insole.  Nike firmed it up just enough to where I like it and feel stable (they also made the side walls of the insole higher to keep foot inside the insole on cuts )but it still doesn’t have that bounce I like from my cushioning set up.

The Run the One has Zoom Air in the forefoot and a foam brick in the heel (Per Long7.com).  I couldn’t feel the zoom in the forefoot and the foam in the heel felt like a foam brick.  This is the Zoom air I’m talking about that Nike has been using in the majority of their shoes.  It is there but you can’t feel it and just knowing it is there isn’t enough these days especially with Adidas and UA coming on strong with premium responsive foam setups .Last years zoom crusader at least had zoom in the heel and forefoot . Overall these have a firm and stable cushioning set up which makes sense since this james hardens pseudo sig shoe. His jerky movements need a shoe with a lot of stability.

Fit

From best to worst

  • Kobe ix
  • Clutchfit drive
  • Hyperrev 2015
  • Hyperchase 
  • Kobe vi
  • Run the one


I love the fit if the kobe ix. Really has that one to one fit and lockdown in the heel almost to a fault. No movement front to back or side to side which is awesome. Most importantly there is no heel slip. 

The Clutchfit drive barely edges out the Hyperrev in terms of fit but boy do I love that internal bootie of the Hyperrev .  The Clutchfit really feels like a second skin and keeps the foot locked in in all directions . Both the Hyperrev and Clutchfit have a fantastic fit but the Kobe ix is just that good in terms of fit. You really can’t go wrong with any of them.  

The Kobe vi came out around 2011/2012 and is the old man of the group with some third generation flywire/hyperfuse and also does a great job with the overall fit . I have always experienced a touch of heel slippage w the kobe vi so I’ve never felt confident wearing them but I have tried on different kobe vi of mine and found the heel slip non existent in some. However not knowing what I’ll get in terms of fit I can’t say the fit is the cream of the crop.  No sliding side to side either.

The run the one fits narrow and small, really think I could have gone up half a size but I decided to stay with my normal sz 11. The midfoot of the shoe is extremely narrow and that doesn’t jive with flat wide feet. The fit is good overall but not great since the hyperfuse is more plasticky than second skin like the above mentioned shoes. I experienced a little bit of heel slippage but nothing that alarmed me. Since the shoe was narrow there was no movement side to side .

Support

From best to worst

  • Kobe ix
  • Clutchfit drive
  • Hyperrev 2015
  • Run the one
  • Kobe vi
  • Hyperchase

Support on low tops comes primarily from the fit of the shoe so the ranking are pretty similar to the fit rankings. Support on the kobe ix comes primarily from great lockdown and the very firm heel counter. The Hyperrev’s support comes primarily from the fit as well as the wider feeling base.  I did feel the firm ride and flat bottom of the Run the one allowed it to swap spots with the Kobe vi by a hair. 


 

Stability

Best to Worst

  • Clutchfit drive
  • Run the one
  • Hyperrev 2015
  • Kobe VI
  • Hyperchase 
  • Kobe IX

A shoe with great support doesn’t necessarily mean the shoe is stable. If a shoe is already stable it doesn’t really need  as much support since it is already supportive by design.  A stable shoe shouldn’t roll over when especially when I step down at the heel. The test I like to do is the heel strike test on the outside of my shoe since that’s how I typically roll my ankle and try to roll to the outside as I step.   A shoe that comes to mind that have failed me is Lebron X which is ironic considering it is supposed to be such a supportive protective shoe.  I had a 2nd almost 3rd degree sprain bc of the poor stability in the heel area and I haven’t worn the shoe since except to shoot around.   The Clutchfit, Run the One, and Hyperrev all have very flat soles with small outriggers to enhance stability and they are all very stable shoes.  The Kobe VI is also very stable but just not as stable as the top 3.  The Kobe IX failed me unfortunately despite the awesome fit.  I sprained my ankle in these the same way as the Lebron X thanks to a contoured heel  in the Kobe IX.  It sits pretty flat but Nike contoured the heel slightly to give it a more natural feeling.  I hit that corner landing a rebound while being pushed and turned the hell out of my ankle.  Haven’t been able to wear it since.

 


Containment

From Best to Worst

  • Clutchfit Drive
  • Run the One
  • Kobe VI
  • Kobe IX
  • Hyperrev
  • Hyperchase

What the hell is containment?  This has more to do with the strength of the upper and keeping the foot locked in.  When you cut hard, some shoes hold your foot in place like a seatbealt while others let your foot slide out of the footbed.  It isn’t a deal breaker for me but it is an annoyance when I play.  The Clutchfit Drive and Run the One do a great job holding the foot in place due to the Clutchfit upper and Hyperfuse uppers.  I never felt my foot come out of the shoe.  



The Kobe VI and IX also did a good job keep my foot in but since the materials are softer and thinner it didn’t do quite as good of a job as the top two.  They Hyperrev did a much better job than last years but as usual, a mesh upper and flywire just can’t keep my foot in as well as thicker and stronger uppers. 



  Price

Prices run the gamut between these lows.

Clutchfit Drive Low : $109

Run the One : $99 to $109 but can find on sale or Eastbay coupons to get it around 80

HyperRev 2015: $129  but can use Eastbay coupons to get under 105

Kobe VI: Retail was $135 if I remember correctly..

Kobe IX: $160 for the non Elite model.

In my opinion you get the most bang for the buck from the Clutchfit Drive Low.  Awesome traction, cushioning and fit for a reasonable price.  If I didn’t sprain my ankle in the Kobe IX and it was a little cheaper I’d probably feel that the price was justified.  I do not feel the Run the One is that great a shoe but if you want to be like James Harden, can’t beat $80.  Traction is ok, cushioning is meh and they feel cheap.  The Hyperrev is a great value if you get them off Eastbay with great traction, fit, and cushioning as well and if you’re a Paul George fan, you’ll love them even more since there are a few PE colorways out.  I hope this run down of some of the more popular lows helps you out.

33 Comment on “Lowtop shootout : Hyperrev 2015, Kobe IX, Clutchfit drive low, Run the One, Kobe Vi,Hyperchase

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