Bad knees don’t stand a chance
Let me get this out of the way and say that there is a big difference between comfort and performance. A Toyota Camry is comfy as hell with its boat like ride but it doesn’t perform anything like a Porsche and the same goes here. These are extremely comfortable but performance wise, they are good in some areas and bad in others. I really wanted to like these and make them my goto but some serious flaws really doomed these for me.
Pros: Full length 360 Zoom feels awesome, traction, fit
Cons: difficult to cut and change direction, rides high, very unstable in the heel due to Zoom, containment
Best for: Non Cutters, players who don’t rely on quick change of direction
Sizing: true to size. Elite runs 1/4 size smaller.
Weight:
Pretty light for a Lebron shoe at 17 oz but heavier than average shoes today by about 2-3 oz. The Elite weighs an ounce more and I’m guessing it is due to the carbon fiber.
Traction
When I first wore these on court, I thought the traction was average but over time and after a lot of comparing, I decided the traction was excellent. Very soft pliable rubber on a diamond pattern works very well on all surfaces. Some wiping is required but not much.
Out of the Lebron 6-12, I think the X easily has the best traction. It isn’t Kobe IX/ Curry Two/AJ XX8 level but it is still excellent.
Cushioning
Cushioning on the X is the best and worst part of the shoe. Plush, springy 360 Zoom from heel to toe provides a cushy ride that softens every landing. My knees feel great every time I play in these.
But with such a great feeling ride, court feel, stabilty and reaction time had to take a back seat. I rely a lot on cuts and foot speed and these just slow me down. I can feel the cushioning compress at the forefoot on cuts because there is no outer structure and the outer heel is too soft. Nike implemented this same set up in the KD 6 Elite and KD himself said he didn’t like it (and didn’t wear them at all). That’s why the KD 8 has those plastic clips on the lateral side of the shoe; to firm up the cushioning on cuts and change of direction without firming up the entire cushioning set up. The Lebron X could have gone with a standard encased full length Zoom or a caged Zoom like the Lebron II but Nike chose showcasing technology over function.
With the Elite X, Nike firmed up the cushioning slightly so the squishy lag isn’t as bad but I still don’t trust the set up due my history with the X.
Fit
I went true to size and these fit perfectly. I tried a half size down but the toe box was way too short. The Elite X actually tightened the toe box even more so my 11 fits like a 10.75.
I had no movement side to side or front to back.
This Fuse material is one of my favorites because it doesn’t have that crunchy feeling some of the cheaper Fuse set ups have. It is very pliable, flexible and durable and hides scuffs really well. The Elite dropped some layers of Fuse to add flexibility but it’s not much of a difference.
Flywire is in place as well
And a nice contoured heel
When laced up the X feels like an extension of your foot with no heel slip or movement side to side.
Well done Nike!
Support and stability
Support is very good with the X but stability is iffy so play at your own risk.
The assymetrical collar and internal heel counter on the regular X help with support. You can see the Elite went with Carbon fiber for support and it is definitely stiffer in the heel.
I wanted to love these so much that I second degree sprained my ankle three times in these. Not a tweak, not a first degree sprain, but a second degree sprain which basically means six to eight weeks off the court. I’m 100% sure these ankle sprains have led to my torn retiniculum but hindsight is 20/20.
The 360 Zoom has no structure on the lateral or medial sides especially at the heel where there is the most height and air. I can easily compress the heel while stationary and I landed on the corner edge each time I sprained my ankle. Any shoe is great when you make a perfect landing, it’s those imperfect landings you need to watch for. As I said earlier, if the Zoom was encased in Phylon or had been Caged like the Lebron II or Kobe X or had Max Air in the heel or had clips like the KD 8 these would have worked great.. So many options to choose from.. Sigh
Adding to the problem is the slightly beveled outsole which leads to tippiness. Big fail with my heel test if you didn’t figure that out.
At the least the forefoot is stable thanks to this outrigger
Containment
Another issue I have with the X is lateral containment. I just can’t cut in these because the foot isn’t contained very well.
Nike tried to use Flywire as the main structure to contain the foot but is gives on cuts. It isn’t terrible since the upper is thick but I can still feel it slide off the footbed.
The big problem is foot sits above the midsole so the foot is only held in by the upper. It actually sits flush where the arrow is.
Conclusion
The Lebron X has its strong points but is one of the most overrated shoes I’ve ever tried. Cushioning is fantastic but at the expense of stability. Why didn’t Nike implement more pressure in the regular X and save it for the Elite version only ? Even the KD 7 with 180 Zoom feels more firm than the X. I enjoyed the fit and traction a lot but the stability and lack of structure on the lateral side and poor containment made these tough to play in.
You know when you find a shoe that seems to made for you ? The X is the exact opposite of that for me. I think if you have strong ankles or place cushioning above everything else, you’ll love the X.
schwollo.com 
lol, these look so comfortable. Too bad stability ruined this
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*shoe
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They are super comfortable to a fault lol
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I wore the elites. Loved the cushion. Then I landed wrong and it really messed up my ankle. I think my ankle touched the floor. I don’t think these are good for anyone, because no matter what, you need to jump in basketball. All it takes is one bad landing and it’s over.
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Sounds familiar !
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man , cant wait kd9 … this is so sick cushion…:)
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I hope so. I’ll let you know how they feel when I get mine 🙂
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I tried them on when they came out and had a mjd foot pinch right away (torsional i think). I knew right away they weren’t for me. They didt feel that stable upon first inspection either
Generally the lebron line is not for me – i am a pg/sg
All the best
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The Lebron line definitely isn’t for everyone. I think the KD 9 will fix the stability issues
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That’s what I hope for 🙂
Waiting for your review now haha
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I mean… is there some NBA player that hoops in this shoes?? How it is possible that a shoe can break your ankles? I’m not convinced that a 100$ plus nike shoe can be so dangerous.
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These are my experiences. Every person, foot, ankle and gait is different.
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Happened to me too…. I heard my ankle crack and was out for almost a year.
I know this is a late post but I want to second Schwollo because he’s right about so many if not all the things I personally encounter with shoes as well. Thnx Schwollo and I wish I read this review prior 😦
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Ha yea I wish I had known that prior as well!
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great reviews fam! May I ask if you’ve ever owned a pair of the lebron 8s? If so, how does the 360 air max bag on the 8 compare to the zoom max in the 10s, in terms of plushness and flexibility
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Thanks ! Yes I wore the 8 for quite some time. Air max 360 is a lot less bouncy than the Zoom max in the 10. Still absorbs impact well but doesn’t have that springy feel like Zoom due to how it’s made. More stable overall as well as maybe a little more overall too. Hope that helps!
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So are you saying air max 360 in the 8’s is a little more plush and flexible than zoom max in the 10’s?
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No the opposite. Feels firmer and a little stiffer.
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Schwollo, could you please do a performance review on the nike lebron 9? If not, would you mind briefly describing its pros and cons, as well as how the cushioning feels? Thanks
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I really liked the 9s but traction wasn’t great on dusty floors. Cushioning is great fit is good but they run half a size small. Stable and supportive too. Stiffer shoe overall than what’s out today but that’s all preference .
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is the forefoot zoom in the lebron 9s comparable to the forefoot zoom in the soldier 6s
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No not as good but you can still feel
It. Cushioning feels a little firmer overall than the soldier vi.
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Schwollo, could you please give a performance overview of the nike lebron 8 (v1 or v2)
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I’ll try and get to it when I have some free time but I’m currently backed up and busy
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In short it’s a great shoe traction isn’t great though . I prefer v1 v2 feels cheap
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I wonder how that 360 air max bag affects flexibilty…Can you even flex your foot in the 8s
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No issues with stiffness for me but depends on the player I guess. Wouldn’t recommend for ppl who like shoes like the Kobe 8
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Hey Schwollo! How do the LeBron 9 elites fit?
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True to size regular 9 half a size up
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Thanks! btw, did the 9 elites have better traction than the 9s? Also, I’m a 17 year old, 5’10 asian, and I play shooting guard for my senior team. I’m somewhat athletic, as I can grab the rim. I never liked those super minimal shoes, like mamba mentalitys. I’m a big fan of LeBron and have worn the past 3 soldiers, but this year, I wanna do something different; I wanna wear a pair of shoes from LeBron’s signature line. I look for good containment, good support, good lockdown and traction in my shoes. I don’t mind if it’s too heavy or stiff. Would the 8s, 9s, or 9 elites be suitable for me?
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Lebron sig shoes usually do a good job with all of those. The 9 traction is a little better than the 6-8. 10 has the best traction imo. 9 elite traction is a little better because the pattern changed and rubber is softer. I’d say go for the 9 elite true to size. Have fun your final year !
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Hey Schwollo; My lebron ix elites just came in the mail today; they are perfect length wise, but width wise, they’re killing my wide feet at the midfoot area. Is the material gonna loosen up after playing in them for a bit?
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Not sure since I didn’t have that issue. Usually when I get that pain it goes away unless it’s super narrow there
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Thank you! Appreciate it.
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for a fast guard who cuts and changes directions alot, would the lebron 10 elites be better than the regular lebron 10s?
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Lebron x sits high but the elite is firmer so I guess so ?
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did the lebron 10 elite fix the stability issues that were on the regular lebron 10?
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No because it has to do with the shape of the outsole at the heel. Too curved for me
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Could you please rank lebron’s first 10 signature shoes in terms of overall performance?
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Depends what you’re looking for out of the line. Best all around for me was 2 and 5. Best cushioning 10 and 4. Best traction 10 . That’s off the top of my head .
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what about best lockdown and containment
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Lebron ii best lockdown. Containment is good on almost every shoe until the 14
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The ii will most likely fall apart if you try playing in them though. I’d say look at IV or newer.
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Thank you for replying! Two more questions: 1) how does the 360 air max bag in the 8s feel compared to zoom air, zoom max, or lunarlon? 2) Would a guard be able to play in a shoe with 360 air max, or would it have too much lag?
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It actually feels less “squishy”
Than what you find on the kd ix and x and Lebron x and xv. It’s a good blend of firmness and cushioning. It is a bulkier looking and feeling shoe though.
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so it’s more responsive!? did not expect that lol
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It is but it isn’t. Max doesn’t have that same bounce as zoom but it’s firmer feeling lol
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Just bought a used pair off eBay – man I never thought I would say a shoe is over cushioned but it is just too much! I was shocked with the first couple of hard steps/cuts when i could feel my forefoot sink in soo much. Anyways I started getting used to it but it will more of a fun once and a while shoe.
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Hey Schwollo!
Between the LeBron X, LeBron X Elite, and the Air Jordan XX8, which shoe had a bouncier cushion system ?
ps: Thank you for all your great reviews!!
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Kinda tough to rank bc we’re talking two very different cushioning set ups. Lebron x elite is def firmer than the regular X. Aj 28 feels bouncy but it’s because it is protruding and forced into your foot on ever step. Overall both fun rides but take away the protrusion and it’s a nice Zoom set up. I guess I’d go Lebron X overall in terms of bounce
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Thank you for your reply!
Btw, do you plan on doing a performance review on the Kobe 5 protro?
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Yep wrapping up a few reviews this week
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