If you want to read the performance review of the XXX read here:
AJ XX9 Performance Review
I kid I kid.. Sort of
As many of you know I had surgery on my wrist so I can’t actually play games right now but I was able to run drills by myself and shoot around to get a feel for the shoe. By no means do I consider this a full review but I think it can help you decide if going for the XXX is worth it.
Before I start, I think everyone was disappointed with the XXX because Jordan has been an innovator for better or worse. Every Jordan had a distinct look and personality but the XXX is just a rehash or .5 model of the XX9. On top of that, any decade anniversary is a big especially thirty. Thirty is when you start to look to settle down, get married, have kids etc.. Well most of us at least.
I think the XXX would have been a great time for JB to say “Hey, we’re 30 years old now, we’re scrapping story telling and inspiration garbage because we don’t need to anymore. Just simple looks and pure performance. No more limited editions of any kind. If you want our retros, have at it because we’re going to make so many that resellers won’t make a dime.”
Pipe dreams I know but wouldn’t that be refreshing ? Jordan Brand is the only brand that could reverse a trend they started but oh well.
Anyway as onto my “review lite”
Pros: traction, cushioning, fit, slightly improved support and containment
Cons: heel stability, ankle pillow needs a notch, price
Sizing: true to size although a little pointier in and tighter in the toe box
Best for: XX9 lovers who want a little more support and containment
Weight:
Not that lightweight. 1.5 oz heavier than the Curry Two.
Traction
JB did away with the wave pattern of the XX9 and opted for a mish mash squiggly pattern (?) and it works well.
Not overly sticky like the Kobe XI that worked well even on on dusty floors with very minimal wiping. I only had two 1 hour sessions at the dusty Y but I’m confident these will be excellent on clean floors. Not quite as good as the Hyperrev 16 or Curry Two but pretty damn good. Translucent or not it worked well
Well done JB!
Cushioning
No change here as this is the same set up as the XX9. I will say the cored out heel feels better but the Zoom feels the same despite being more a little more recessed (lower to the ground). It doesn’t feel like the XX8 of course. Maybe this is what they intended with Flightspeed from the get go.
Above: You can the Zoom barely protrudes but retains a very similar feel to the XX9. I’m not for sure since I sold my XX9s but compared to my M11 and SF3 it is more recessed.
Below: Cored out heel
If you liked the XX9 set up, you’ll like the XX9.5 set up.
Who knew Weartesters got their own Jordan too?
The insole is not the typical yellow Ortholite and is actually pretty firm and thick.
More squiggly scribbles and texture. Kind of how Tinker came up with the XXX I guess. The rubber textures does help to keep your foot from moving around on the insole kind of like the Stance socks with rubber on the bottom. I actually liked this feature although my socks didn’t since they’d bunch up so it made putting them on difficult.
Fit
I went true to size with my normal 11 just like last year. The toe box is a little longer and tighter because it is a little pointier but it isn’t enough to size down.
The materials are not as pliable and soft as last year as they seem to have a little more structure but it’s still flexible and conforming. If the XX9 is a nice dress shirt, the XXX is that same shirt but starched.
According to the marketing material is a “mix of woven, knit and printed materials.”
I am not a materials snob and like more structure so I like these materials more than the XX9. Regardless, it is still ultra comfortable and requires little to no break in.
Here is the inside lining. You can see the web straps’ silhouettes along the inside out outside of the shoe.
The toe cap is not knit but instead a more rubbery flexible TPU. This helps prevent wear for toe draggers and helps a little with containment since it can’t stretch as much.
However it extends a little too far and although not restrictive, it is exactly where my foot flexes. You can also see in the pic below that the upper folds at the laces. The XX9 didn’t do that since it was a little thinner overall. Not a big deal at all just noting it.
To enhance the fit in the ankle, the XXX has a large heel pillow which can get bunched up and feel a little awkward. I usually don’t notice the feel of these pillows but the first time I put it on it felt like a bunched up sock since there isn’t a notch. It feels basically like a ring behind the ankle.
The feeling goes away but just be prepared. Not sure why they didn’t use the standard dog bone but lockdown is still great.
Fit overall is fantastic just like the XX9
Well done JB!
Support and Stability
A little more structure to the upper and a higher assymetrical cut help a little with support.
Too bad JB doesn’t even know it’s own products
The XII is not assymetrical. The XIV and XIII to a lesser extent are.
Anyways, I’ve always been a fan of the assymetrical cut because it really works. That higher cut on the medial side slows your ankle down if it’s turning and gives it something to lean on. However the XXX collar is too soft and flexible to do anything. Really no point in this case.
The heel counter is pretty big this time around and follows the XXX pattern along the heel.
All this added support is great because the shoe still rolls and fails my heel test.. Again
It is very tippy at the heel when stationary and I personally do not like playing in shoes that have this roll. I’ve had severe sprains in the Kobe IX and Lebron X which both failed my test. However if you don’t have that worry or had no issue with the XX9, you’ll love the XXX.
Containment
After my poor containment experiences with the JCrossover 3 and Melo M12, the XXX performs fantastic in this regard. It actually does a better job than the XX9 because the footstay doesn’t flex as much due to the colored piece. It is much firmer than the cheapo plastic on the XX9.
Add in the TPU toe box plus the strengthened upper and overall containment is actually good. I still slid out at the midfoot because there is no structure but it’s still better than the XX9 in this regard. Improvement is a step in the right direction.
Conclusion
Many people call the XX9 the greatest performing Jordan of all time although I am not one of them. An ultra comfortable upper felt great but at the expense of support and containment. No Zoom in the heel, minimal support and tippy heel had my looking elsewhere. I actually sold the first pair I had, bought another pair a few months later at $125 and sold them again because the shoe just wasn’t for me. The XXX addresses a lot of the flaws but it still is not what I want or need in a shoe. However, I think the minor tweaks make it a better overall shoe.
If you loved the XX9 you probably loved it for the freedom of the upper, the traction and the Zoom in the forefoot and not the reasons reasons I disliked it. In that case, I advise sticking to the XX9 because
- It’s cheaper than the XXX now
- It’s cheaper than the XXX now
- The upper is slightly stiffer than the XX9
- All the qualities you love on the XX9 are virtually the as same on the XXX with no major enhancements.
As with all new Jordan releases these will drop in price and I expect them to be eligible for Eastbay codes in a month and around the $130 range within a few months. $200 is still really pricy when great performance shoes are coming out below $135. My advice is if you have the XX9 just wait for the sales before buying the XXX, you aren’t missing out on very much in the meantime.
schwollo.com 
How is the zoom compared to a more traditional setup i.e. Zoom soldier ix?
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Forefoot zoom feels better than soldier IX zoom and a little better than hr16 zoom. As the protrusion on the bottom got smaller the unlocked feel didnt feel as different than traditional set ups imo
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Nice ‘lite’ review bro. Don’t have any xx9 so I might as well wait for these to hit clearance racks. Really looking forward to trying these. The black pair is sexy though. Keep it up!
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I do like the cleaner look of the xxx over the xx9. They aren’t going anywhere though .
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Very nice review. Not sure why, but I too am not a big fan of woven materials because they stretch and don’t contain my foot. As for the unlocked zoom, I’m in the minority when I say I don’t like them. I have the 28SE and it’s terrible for cutting and slashing, even more so when I’m on defense. I skipped the 29 and will skip the 30 as well. Thanks for your informative insights!
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I’m in the same camp as you with the xx8. Feels great but too much of a good thing. The xx9 and xxx are lower and do not have that same feeling. Still no heel zoom for 200 is a rip
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What did you buy instead? I’d love to hear a shoe that outperforms the 29 but more stable.
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Anything in my top six
Curry two is my clear cut number 1. Clutchfit drive 1, rose5/6 , Hyperrev 16,Soldier vi .
I look for my shoes to do everything well not just a comfy upper
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It makes me so angry that the 29 and 30 don’t have my size. They just skip making the 12.5 size. 12 is too small and 13 is too big. Beyond frustrating.
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That’s annoying
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Hi, any chance to watch a video of you “heel test” in this model or other? just to be sure of how it works. And again, thanks for your reviews and comments.
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I’ll try to film one . All i do is step on the heel and try to tip the shoe as I’m walking . Some shoes like the curry two don’t want to tip while others do . If it tips while stationery I can’t trust it while moving
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I’m so glad you don’t class the XX9 as one of the all time great shoes. I found it massively overrated, particularly the “unlocked zoom” which I struggle to feel!
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It’s there but it isn’t worlds better than a regular good zoom setup . But yea xx9 was really over rated
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Not surprised the shoe failed the heel test. If you look at the image showing the back of the shoe, it angles in like \ /. Nightwing also said they got rid of the TPU that wrapped around the heel. The combination probably ruined it.
Never been a fan of the XX9 and won’t be so for the XXX. Hope they change it up for the 31.
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Yea they didn’t change the outsole shape . Xx8 didn’t have this problem or any AJ that I can remember actually
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Nice review. Have you seen those black ones? Those are clean man. May have to wait for those since I’ve never had any pairs of the 29 or j’s for that matter
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Yea I like the xxx looks vs the xx9 bc it is simpler but just wait
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Very disappointing. From my research most of the shoe reviewers out there consider the 29 to be the greatest performance shoe on the market. I loved the way it felt on the foot, but really hated the ‘sock’ feel and complete lack of support. I was psyched to read that the 30 was to address this with stiffer materials and xxx heel counter. Frustrating for me because I have no access to an outlet,or ways to buy the “cheaper options” with the option to return to a store if they dont fit. I dont trust sizing variances between models to go blind on ebay. For example, Footlocker/Champs/Eastbay/et-al dont even have 28’s (in my size 9.5 or 10). None of these stores have the 29 mid/hights available in any size. (Just lows). I’d love to know what shoe today can offer the right combination of traits that the 28-30 offers, but with ankle support and cushion, that can easily be purchased online by a store that accepts returns.
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Where are you located ? It is the upper is comfortable on foot but it isn’t enough . Not sure you read my article on why I don’t like up woven uppers but it’s for the same reasons you don’t . What traits do you want out of the xx8-30?
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Will you be doing a review for the curry 2 lows? Really looking forward to it becuz i disliked the synthetic forefoot. Keep up the good work and best wishes for your injury to get better.
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I’ll pick up a pair soon. I liked the synthetic forefoot bc it contained the foot well . Speedformalone eluld have stretched too much Lows look like they will do a good job bc of synthetic overlays .
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And thank you I’m able to shoot decently with a cast do life isn’t too bad with one arm !
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I tried the xxx in store. Beautiful sleek shoe for sure. I grabbed the heel and he and tried twisting the shoe and it was a lot stronger than the 29. Very supportive and surprising. I found it to be stiffer in the anklet and heel than the Hyperrev 2016 and on par with the D Rose 6.
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Yea more support up top. My problem is the outsole design which makes it tippy for me . I do like the looks more then the xx9 though
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Is it because the outsole heel is relatively narrow?
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It can be
Too narrow but usually it is too beveled at the corner of the heel. This is just my personal experience and my ankles so others may not have any problems at all .
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In physical therapy we were provided a balance board. It allows you to stand on it and lean to either direction . I think you can use one of these to test ankle support with pics in a way that isn’t biased and such.
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I understand what you’re saying with a balance board but that wouldn’t help. I find shoes that fail my heel test are usually too soft in the heel or the sole is beveled in a way that imperfect
Landings turn over too easily. A balance board would just keep the shoe flat on the board.
It’s not scientific by any means but it works for me and my needs .
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Anyway to remove price from the reviews to make things more objective?
I’d prefer to know how the shoe performs at any price range. Yeah, I know there are close outs – outlets – older models for half the price but that’s sort of irrelevant to the review.
Sort of like Car and Driver putting down a 2015 BMW M3 because a 2007 can be had for half the price.
Eventually these will make it to the outlets also. The cycle repeats.
That said great site and yo be helped me tremendously.
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Price is only mentioned at the end and in the pros cons section. I don’t think I mention it in each category ? Thanks for reading and if you have questions feel free to ask I’ll try to help out
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Rank these.
Lillard 2
Drose 6
Jordan xxx
Soldier 9
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Soldier 9 best overall no glaring flaws just does everything well. Good replacement for my beloved soldier vi
Lillard 2 good overall traction isn’t good on dusty floors
D Rose 6 is excellent but I needed to mod my pair for better lockdown . Only shoe out of your list I use in my rotation but like I said I needed to modify it and add lace holes
Jordan xxx great shoe overall but didn’t pass my heel test . I won’t wear them bc they are tippy in the heel.
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A quick question: Do you wear ankle braces when wearing the curry 2s. Do they fit better with ankle braces?
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I do not wear braces usually but I will
Wear a small Drose one on occasion. They fit well with or without one .
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I didn’t find these tippy, perhaps because the heel is pretty hard/firm.
I did not notice anything different with those bulges that ‘grab the heel’.
The ankle support is non existant as well. Solid shoe, and quite sleek. I dig.
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Glad they worked for you. I like them more than the xx9 myself but the heel doesn’t work for me. When flat the shoe doesn’t tip but when you step towards the edge of the heel
It turns over.
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I am not a fan of the heel pillow on the 30s. On the 29s I couldn’t even tell it was there, on the 30s I find myself putting my fingers in between my heel and the heel of the shoe when I have them on trying to move it around to make it more comfortable. It feels like it is going to give me a terrible blister. I do feel the support and traction is better in the 30s, the feel on the 29s so far seems to be better.
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I agree . You shouldn’t be able to feel the heel
Pillow at all. This is the first shoe that I’ve tried where I could feel it.
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I am going to give them one more try before I return, guessing I probably won’t keep. They blew it on this one
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Ha I don’t know why they changed the heel pillow
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Just got paid Schwollo. XXX, Hyperrev 2016, Lillard 2 or Rose 6? Heading to the mall tomorrow lol funny I just realized that all of them except for the Jordan were around $100. Planning to ball hard in these. Lost some weight and feeling light enough to start slashing again like MVP Drose
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Lol I personally like the HR16 out of those three bc Zoom feels awesome and traction is excellent. But Lillard 2 looks the best and would be in my rotation if traction was better on dusty floors (I really like how they look and fit). Rose 6 with my extra eyelet also great. Keep in mind all of those will be on discount soon (or bigger discount in Rose case). Can’t go wrong with any
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Thanks for the recommendation bro. You ever watch Luvmykicks on Youtube? Wanted to get your opinion on his reviews. How’s the rehab going with the injury you had a while back? And I forgot if I asked you already, but where are you located? Would love to hoop with you sometime.
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I like luvmykicks. Honest baller first reviewer. Doesn’t seem to get stuck on details but more if he likes a shoe or not. Great baller from what I’ve seen on his channel. I’d pick him and Jake of GymRat to be on my team (granted they are highlights but still he can play ). I’m in Austin . Where are you ?
Still in a cast but getting it off soon. Been shooting /running drills and conditioning to keep ready !
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Illinois bro. If you ever come through hit me up! And I decided to cop the kd 8 n7 lol love how it looks and heard a lot of good things. Used that 20% off clearance on nike.
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Lol I picked those up too lol
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Great job! Thoroughly enjoyed the style of your reviews.
I got the Jordan SF4 after reading your review, along with Duke4005’s.
It’s been a great shoe to play in!
Was wondering how the 30s stacked up against the SF4, since they both use the flight speed system. Would it be worth to get it as a replacement for the SF4?
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No not really worth it. Traction cushioning fit about the same. The only difference is the upper material and the xxx doesn’t a better job than the sf4. It feels better to the touch by hand and looks better but doesn’t feel better on the foot. Thanks for reading !
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How would you rank these:
KD 8, Jordan XXX, Kobe X Elite.
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That’s a tough one . Third place : xxx. I like everything about the xxx except how “tippy” the heel is so bc of that is never wear them (others might not have that problem )
Second
KD 8. Does everything well but I wish cushioning felt a little better . Most stable low top I’ve ever played in
First
Kobe X elite
Best blend of everything. Good traction, fit, cushioning. Only downside is the forefoot lunarlon dies fast .
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Thanks for the tip schwollo! I tried out my friend’s pair of KD 8s during practice. It felt really tight in the midfoot/forefoot area, would going a half size up fix this?
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Yes I went half a size up from
My normal 11 .
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nice shoes, must cop!
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Hey bro, how important is to have cushioning in the heel?
I’m a 30 year guy and I play guard position. I’m not a heavy guy and I’m always running on the floor.
The zoon in the heel really makes difference for a guy who plays more running than jumping?
Thanks!
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It’s all preference really But if I’m paying 200 bucks I think it should be in there lol
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