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I’ve noticed that readers of my blog are checking out my Clutchfit Drive Low and Kobe X review more than anything else so here is a comparative review between the two so we can try to decide a winner..talk about splitting hairs.

You can find reviews under the sneaker section or here

Kobe X

 Clutchfit Drive Low

TRACTION

Both of these shoes have great traction but the Clutchfit seems to bite slightly better. I admit, I like hearing the rubber squeak even if it doesn’t make it work better and hearing that squeak gives me a little more reassurance that the shoe is doing its job.  







Verdict: Clutchfit by a nose

FIT

Both shoes fit great with excellent lockdown in the heel and no side to side to side movement. The Clutchfit’s  lockdown in the heel improved for me with each wear while the Kobe X locked me in perfectly from the  start. The shape and amount padding of around the heel is reminiscent of IV and V and is why I get such lockdown in these. 



Slightly contoured to keep the heel in place 

Very plush and contoured to keep the heel in place 

 Although I’m not nitpicky about materials, the Clutchfit material conforms better to foot than the upper of the X and really hugs the foot. Since I’m a stickler for heel lockdown though …

Verdict: Kobe X Thanks to out of the box heel lockdown

CUSHIONING

Clutchfit features full length Micro G while the Kobe X has caged Zoom in the heel and segmented Lunarlon in the forefoot.  I am a huge fan of full length Micro G and it has the perfect amount of bounce and softness for me in this set up. And although I have never been a fan of Lunarlon, somehow Nike made this reiteration feel more lively while  complementing  the Zoom in the heel giving the shoe a nice transition. My only concern is how long will the Lunarlon last ? Will it feel dead in a month ? 3 months ? If so that smooth transition will be gone and my feet are going to pay for it. I’ve had the Clutchfits since they came out and they still feel the same as when I bought them and have that same seamless transition. Fwiw the Kobe X felt a little more plush than the Clutchfit due to the Zoom in the heel.

One other not about this cushioning set up on the Kobe X is that it is only Zoom and Lunarlon, not a bunch of fillers. Look at the pic and you can see Zoom in the heel and the Lunarlon the rest of the way. This helps lead to the smooth transition from heel to toe. This should help with the transition once the Lunarlon starts to break down. 



Verdict: Clutchfit only bc I love the heel toe transition and it is the perfect balance of responsiveness and plushness. I also know it will last.

SUPPORT

Both shoes provide support with a heel counter as well as footstays at the forefoot but the Kobe X heel counter is definitely more sturdy and stiffer than the Clutchfit.  



Notice how far the heel counter extends into the midfoot on the Clutchfit ? Really keeps foot supported and contained . 



This is the only category where there is a clear winner.

VERDICT: Kobe X

STABILITY

Both shoes feature an outrigger in the forefoot but the Zoom Air is softer and compresses more than the Micro G in the heel and that’s where the Kobe X loses some points against the Clutchfit. But don’t get me wrong, the X is still a wonderfully stable shoe.

VERDICT : Clutchfit 

CONTAINMENT

Another damn tie, I really can’t decide they both do a good job keeping the foot in the footbed.

MISCELLANEOUS

Ventilation: Kobe X (not really a big deal to me) 

Materials: Clutchfit drive (conforms better to the foot overall)

PRICE

Kobe X retails for 180 to 200

Clutchfit Drive Low retails for 109

Well this isn’t a fair fight but this was obvious tie breaker to me; it’s almost a 2:1 ratio for similar performance. 

CONCLUSION

Each person has different needs in a shoe so I’m hoping this comparison helps you decide between the Kobe X and Clutchfit Drive Low. My verdict on each attribute is based on my own preferences in terms of feel and performance but I think I did a good job describing how they compared directly to each other. Brand and cool factor will always be part of the decision and Nike will always win that battle especially in the basketball world. So if you’re a shoe collector or Nike or nothing type guy go with the Kobe it’s a great shoe but if you like stretching your dollar and aren’t afraid to try something different go with the Clutchfit Drive, you won’t be disappointed.