schwollo.com

**just wrote a comparison of the Rose 6,Curry Two, Lebron XIII if you’re deciding on those three

King of the Court
Just call me Tinker(er) . A ten second, eight dollar fix made this shoe go from good to exceptional and into my top three . 

 
The Rose 5 was one of my favorite shoes from last season as it made it into my top 5 rotation. It wasn’t perfect as there was some deadspace on top in the toe box which was remedied by a thicker insole (I don’t mind a little deadspace above the foot). Also the Boost in the forefoot didn’t feel as good as the Boost in the heel which made sense since there was less actual Boost in the forefoot (can’t be too plush up front otherwise you lose court feel). But overall the shoe performed beautifully for me because it did everything very well. 
With the Rose 6 Boost, will Adidas take an already awesome performer and make it even better? 

  
Pros: Ridiculous cushioning, support and stability, traction 

Cons: Boost is NOT full length, strap lacing system is gimmicky, needs break in

Sizing advice: true to size, narrow footers go half size down. Ideally, best to try on though 

Best for: any position, players who value cushioning first and foremost 

Weight
  

 
17 ounces 

This was a surprise to me. I thought the 6 would be lighter since it looks like it has less structure and thinner materials.  For reference

Curry Two: 14 oz

Lebron XIII: 16 oz

Traction 
I noticed a lot of concern regarding the traction pattern of the Rose 6 in forums and I advise people to stop judging traction patterns by their looks based on Internet footage. The pattern is shallow and has a translucent outsole (sarcastic gasp). But guess what, it works great. I have it on par with the Rose 5 for the most part except very dusty floors. These will wear down fast outside due to the thin grooves and soft rubber.

  
 
Clean courts: excellent

Slightly dusty: excellent 

Semi dusty: very good needs wipes to stick though

Very dusty: good enough keep wiping though 

  
 
When the sole is clean these squeak pretty loudly but they mute up quickly when dirt is present. No squeak doesn’t mean it isn’t working though. Surprisingly they don’t pick up loads of dirt. I have a high standard for traction performance and like the Rose 5, these meet it. And no, it isn’t as good as the Curry Two traction.

Cushioning

So…much..Boost

Similar to what Adidas improved with the Energy 2m to the Ultra Boost, Adidas added more Boost across the entire footbed making a big difference in how the shoe feels. 
I loved the Boost in the Rose 5 even though the forefoot needed a little more but the Rose 6 makes the 5 set up feel almost flat. It’s consistently awesome from heel to toe and has that bounce and responsiveness I love.

I was worried when I saw pics of the Rose 6 because I couldn’t tell if it was full length Boost. I am happy to say it is FEELS like full length but unhappy it IS NOT at the same time. I do understand why though . (I apologize to those that asked me earlier if it was, I just did this today and honestly thought it was full length because it felt so good)

 I cut a hole in the Stable Frame. I figured if Nike could stick a sensor in their shoes so it couldn’t hurt to make a small cut.

  
I discovered this is just Stable Frame foam (EVA). I cut all the way down in case you’re wondering. 

I will say that I didn’t see any literature on Adidas.com that stated it was full length but we all just assumed it was.

 

At least Eastbay somewhat got it right .. And wrong at the same time 

   
    Without Stable Frame being in the middle, I find it hard to believe Adidas could use this much Boost without it getting unstable. Stable Frame is a higher density foam (EVA) to control motion. Regardless of this, it feels great. I’m hoping they make Boost feel like this from now on.

 
Looks like 1/3 more Boost to me

   

  Above:You can see there is a ton of Boost in the heel and forefoot. Not tiny half dollar sized pieces like Adidas did with the Rose 4 or Nike did with Zoom/Lunarlon. 

A little court feel is given up versus the Rose 5 but it isn’t very much and it is totally worth it because it feels so good. Bouncy, responsive, not overly squishy but just right.

If you haven’t tried Boost or have an aversion to Adidas, go out and try it at the store and you’ll see what really exceptional cushioning feels like. And yes it is better than Charged, Micro G and Lunarlon. Hell, toss in unlocked Zoom.

Sizing

I bought both my normal size 11 and 10.5 because I had to make similar decisions with the previous three models; I have been able to fit true to size and half size down so it always came down to preference. I can go with less space in the toe but a tighter fit or go with a little more space in the toe and a slightly less tight fit. Each time I have gone with the size 11 because I get turf toe/ bruised toe nails and going smaller really punishes my toe nails. 

I once again started with size 11 and fit these fine although they do seem to have a teeny minute bit of extra length.

Here is how much space  I have with an 11 which is pretty much the same as what I have with the 5 and the swapped insole.

  
 

After going back and forth with the 11 and 10.5 I decided to stick with my normal 11 and I had no issues with side to side movement or front to back. 

They do look a lot larger than normal but fit similarly as the previous Rose 5. My advice is go with what you owned in the past and for me it is true to size. If you have a narrow foot or like a tighter all around feel, go half size down. 

Fit

The DRose line has always struck a nice balance of being fairly lightweight but not overly minimal. The Rose 6 still strikes that nice balance but is very plush in the heel collar and tongue.
 

There is just a ton of padding all the way around especially in the tongue which I found problematic when lacing the Rose 6 (although it was more the strap system’s fault)
Above: comparison of Rose 6 and 5

 
As stated in the sizing section, I had no issue or movement side to side or back to front. There is less deadspace in the toe box this time around because of a thicker  insole at the forefoot (heel is the same thinness as before ) .

Below: top Rose 5, bottom Rose 6 

The insole is not made of the PU that was on the 4 though but it doesn’t really matter because of all the Boost. 

 

The improved fit is also due to a sock like inner sleeve that runs from the mid foot all the way into the front of the toe box. Usually sleeves stop where the laces begin. You can feel the padding in the toe box if you reach in. Very Hyperrev 2015 ish which is a good thing. There is still a little deadspace on top but not as much as the 5 and none on the sides.

 
  
The materials on this colorway look like mesh but it is actually a mesh overlay on top of synthetic 

     
 I personally  don’t like plain mesh because it isn’t stiff enough or resilient enough to keep my foot in the footbed so this worked out great for me. The diamond pattern gives the upper a little extra strength but is probably there more for aesthetic purposes.

  Above: this is the only seam on the upper.

The materials are not stiff at all and don’t pop or flex weirdly. It does a nice job of conforming to the foot from the get go. Ventilation isn’t anything worth noting, it is just average.

Do the straps do anything?
  
Of course how can I review the Rose 6 without talking about the strap lacing system ? It’s the first thing the eyes go upon glancing at the shoe. 
I’ll straight out say that it doesn’t do anything and would do better with a traditional lacing set up. Let me break down why:

It’s hard to tell from the pic the laces basically skipped a row of laces to help tie in the collar around the ankle. See how the Rose 5 has three rows? That missing row really helps lock the ankle and heel down while providing additional friction to keep the laces in place. 

**I’ve been asked if I missed the lace loops inside the shoe and the answer is no I didn’t miss them. They are hidden from the outside but can clearly be seen on the inside. (See pic below)

  
I mean it works as any eyelets would  but if a traditional lace set up were in place or at least another row of laces were in place, it would work much better.  The eyelets on the strap go up and down so the pressure of the laces don’t hold down the tongue and press against the ankle. Also the laces don’t run all the way across the ankle (see how narrow they are in pics below)

  
 

You wouldn’t try to put a child  into a car by criss crossing the belt and attaching  it into the roof would you ?   That’s similar to what is happening here. You want them strapped all the way around and all the way to the back.

Additionally the puffiness of the tongue and the plastic straps also really made it difficult to lace up correctly because it would push back on the laces and loosen them before I could cinch them down (I guess that’s why the tongue is puffy, since the lace pressure isn’t as good is a traditional set up). 

During actual play the laces would loosen some and my heel would slip ( then relace again ). It got better the more I laced them and built up some memory wear and friction but I knew it could be better so I did this to see how much better I could get it.

 
If you can’t tell from the pic I popped the straps out and laced through the slit twice to create an extra row of laces. The result was perfect lockdown because the laces went across my ankle, not up. 

Of course I couldn’t play like that so I fed the laces through the slits with the straps and got excellent lockdown that didn’t loosen during play.

  
I might drill some holes put some eyelets in and cut the straps off quite honestly. Because the shoe looks pretty clean without them. Very  Crazylight Boost 1 like 

 

Ok I lied above . I couldn’t stand it so I used this $8 leather belt hole punch of my wife’s and punched two holes and now I’m very happy. 

  

Bought an $3.99 eyelet kit to make the look cleaner. 

    

Perfect lockdown achieved  

**I got some inquires about the hidden lace loops. I did not overlook them they just didn’t work for me (see pics )

 

Regardless of how the shoes are laced, the fit is good and heel slip is not a problem once you break in the straps and laces. I just thought it could be even better and I was right. If you want to try for yourself, do the lacing methods I did above and you’ll feel the difference I’m talking about. If you want to do what I did, just leave a comment or hit me up on Twitter/Instagram @schwollo and I’ll walk you through it.

  
More about the straps

Additionally, upon further inspection  I noticed the straps criss cross but they don’t tighten at all to provide any additional lockdown or support because the plastic portion that it runs through is fixed and the strap is sewn directly to it.

  

   
The eyelet end is sewn onto the plastic strap which is fixed. 

  So no matter how hard you pull, the tightness is limited by the plastic, not the criss crossing fabric straps.

Oh and the strap on the lateral side hurts if you wear ankle socks because it digs in on cuts. It goes away and isn’t anywhere near as the Hyperdunk 2015 pain.

 

Overall fit versus the 5 is better but the fit in the heel and lacing system is better in the 5 (without my mod).  

Support and stability

Of the the best aspects of the Rose 6 is the support and stability. 

The Rose 6 took a play out of the AJ XIV playbook with the assymetrical collar which I love. I always believed this collar design was brilliant because it gave the wearer ankle flexibility on cuts but if you turned  the ankle, the higher inner collar could slow or reduce the amount of inversion 

  
 OG XIV only in my collection 🙂
The straps don’t do much  in regards to support. The heel counter beneath the “backpack” is extremely firm/hard and helps keep everything nice and in line. I guess the lower straps do have some functionality and act as an extended heel counter to help with supports and containment.

  
  

The Lux edition actually has Carbon Fiber

 
As I mentioned earlier, Boost is at the forefoot and heel and the Stable Frame sits midfoot with the X Torsion bar.

   In my opinion this combo is the key to allowing Adidas to use so much Boost without feeling unstable. It just keeps everything moving together so there is no instability.  The Rose 6 easily passed my heel test. Well done Adidas !

Containment 

One of the best features of the Rose 5 was the Fit Frame  “rails” that just hugged the foot and kept the the foot contained perfectly.

  
The Rose 6 also features the Fit frame rails  but it isn’t as high or pronounced as it only goes up to that line.

 

Containment is still excellent though thanks to the Fit Frame rails and the synthetic underlay of the upper. No sliding at all out of the footbed on hard cuts. Ok the straps helped a little too.

  

Pricing

Retail is $140 but as well we all know, these will be coupon eligible soon and then discounted and then discounted again and again because the public wants to be associated with an NBA champion and not what performs best (I love Drose, just saying…)  At $140 the shoe is still well worth it but if you hang on a month or two or six you’ll save some serious cash, probably  enough for two pair for $150. 

**speak of the devil 30% off at Adidas through 10/31. Code:HOOSIERS

**you can use Eastbay Coupon codes on all colorways now

Conclusion
The general population (i.e. ESPN and Bleacher Report readers) say some of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen when they find out another athlete has signed with Adidas or D Rose has a new shoe. “Kiss those knees goodbye”, “Adidas ruined his ankles”, “does it come with a torn acl”, “those shoes are fugly” That kind of sh*t annoys me but then again it is the Internet. As a sneakerhead community, we know better right ? A swoosh doesn’t make everything golden.

In my opinion Adidas has done a fantastic job with the Rose line with quality materials, new designs, new leathers/textures all within one model. Personally the cracked leather of the Rose 2 was my favorite unique/new material. 

With the Rose 6, Adidas is doing it again with multiple materials although I’ve only tried this one so far. I’m sure other reviewers will have a review of the Black Reds. The Lux edition seemed to have less give in the upper than my pair but I can’t pull off Tan leather on the court and these materials worked great for me anyways. 

Regarding performance itself, the D Rose 6 is undeniably the best Adidas shoe I’ve ever worn. Yes I had to tweak it a little but when it’s so close to ideal, it’s worth the effort. It’s flexible yet stable and supportive , traction is great, and Boost is simply amazing. Gone are the days of Adidas’s sub standard ancient Adiprene… oh wait sorry D Lillard, J Wall. Maybe next year ? You guys really deserve better. 

I think as Adidas continues to really concentrate on basketball and the US market, we are going to see some more serious basketball performance shoes. After years and years of not realizing how much  endorsements and cushioning matters to consumers, Adidas finally woke up.   I can’t wait until the 200 million dollar man, Mr. James Harden, finally has shoes drop because I think they will be amazing . For now though , I’ll gladly enjoy these D Rose 6.