This is a short and sweet review because the CLB 2018 is the 2016 version with a different upper material and less heel slip.
So a lot of people asked me to review this shoe but I chose to wait because I knew the 2018 was going to sit and I picked these up for $ 67.50 off during the Adidas 30% off sale. It really annoys me it when people say “Oh it’s $120 that’s a good deal” because it isn’t if you have just a little patience and understand supply and demand or if you just read my blog. Chinese heart attack is real people #aliwong
Pros: traction, cushioning, improved heel fit from 2016, stability, containment, one ounce lighter than 2016
Cons: cheaper feeling materials if you’re into that, some lace pressure at top eyelets
Sizing advice: runs long, same as the 2016, half a size down except wide footers
Best for: any position
Buying advice: $67.50 on sale and I’m happy. Bottom around $45-50 range Adidas did a poor job marketing and differentiating shoe
Weight
15 ounces which is one ounce lighter than the 2016 version. I’m guessing using the thinner mesh upper and less plastic shaved off that one ounce of weight.
Traction
Very similar to the 2016 but it did require some breaking in before it gripped like the 2016. The pattern is different but the result is the same. Very nice pliable rubber with very deep grooves.
Where did the all “important” Continental rubber go? Adidas must be reading my blog 🙂
So simple to do and execute but it’s barely down nowadays. Well done Adidas!!
Cushioning
Same as 2016 which is a good thing. Adidas has quietly firmed up the Boost in various shoes from 2016 to 2018 . DRose 6 was very soft, CLB16 and Rose 7 a little firmer, Harden V1 a little lower yet still comfortable, Harden V2 much firmer. This is a just nice blend just like the 2016. I think most players will like this set up.
Fit
These run long just like the 2016 and play even even longer by a touch because of of the thinner materials vs the 2016. I advise getting the same size you got in the 2016 especially wide footers.
I couldn’t go down half size due to wide feet so I had to stick with my normal 11. There is over a full thumb width at the toe which only took a little time to get used to. I think the majority of players will want to go down half a size
Eyelets
There is some lace pressure at the top eyelets so you have to adjust your lacing to get it right or wear thick socks. More padding would have helped
The biggest change from the 2016 to 2018 is a actually a very subtle change. Adidas basically did what I did with the CLB16 project and the stock heel fit is definitely improved. However it takes an hour or two to break in the midsole and plastic parts so it’s more flexible and starts to conform to your foot and heel.
If you just try these on in the store and walk around or don’t let them break in, you will be disappointed with the heel slip.
You can always accelerate the break in like I always do by bending them with your hands. The extra eyelets puts the top laces higher up along the foot so it helps pull the foot down AND back.
It isn’t quite Kobe IV lockdown in the heel since Nike tends to use denser/spongier and more padding that Adidas and UA but it is more than acceptable and very playable.
I’d also guess going down half a size would help even more but as I said earlier I need the width. (That’s what she said too)
As for the rest of the shoe, it fits well with a touch of dead space over the toe box
It doesn’t affect play at all either but I know shoe geeks are super anal (that’s what she said too!)
Materials
A stretchy mesh upper sounds like a my worst nightmare but this upper didn’t really let me down since they used a raised midsole in the forefoot and a pretty long heel counter to keep my foot from sliding around on hard cuts. In my article Why Knits Mesh Wovens don’t work, I spoke at length about why these mesh and knit uppers didn’t work and companies are actually implementing ways to contain the foot. For the most part, shoes like the Brandblack JC 2 and 3 which had no such raised midsole seem to be a thing of the past although it looks like the KD XI didn’t go that route. Of course it makes sense given KD’s penchant for sock like comfort.
Support and Stability
Same as the CLB16 so if those didn’t work out for you, these won’t either. Although the external heel counter is smaller than the 2016, Adidas put in an internal counter as well similar to what you find on Nike’s.
Not overly firm but still helpful.
Same exact plastic midfoot shank
Stability is exactly the same as the 2016 almost down to the forefoot nodules. Same width and notched in almost the exact same area.
Overall I had no issues with support and stability.
Containment
Another non issue just like the 2016. Raised midsole that runs along one third of the shoe.. Way to go Adidas !
Conclusion
So what’s the verdict? I think Adidas read my blog and fixed the issues the 2016 had when they could’ve done it right the first time. Four eyelets have increased to six while they moved the top eyelet back to where I put mine in the 2016.
I think for $67.50 it’s a great shoe that almost any player will enjoy but it does require a little break in time to get the most out of it. If you’re a fan of fancy named uppers, you will not like the CLB 18 but if you do like fancy names like Jacquard, buy the 2016 off eBay and poke some extra holes in it. They go for around the same price as the 2018 anyways.
Just like the modded CLB 2016, the fit is good but not great while everything else I enjoyed. Improve the fit a touch and you’d have a first team shoe but second team isn’t too bad either especially at $67.50.
Pic courtesy of SI
schwollo.com 
Hey love your page. Always put your reviews above others. I got a question tho…im having patellar tendon surgery tomorrow and my rehab is 6 to 7 months. What is the best shoe u can recommend for me post surgery? Hopefully i can still be a slasher. Im 6’4″ normally 200lbs if that helps and plz not lebron 15’s lol
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Best thing to do is listen to your doctor and physical therapist lol
I’m not a Lebron xv fan but you’d probably want something fairly plush for a few months . CLB would be pretty good or Rose 6 which I think is ultra soft (look on eBay). Nike wise KD 9/10 even if it’s not the most complete shoe to play in . Best of luck with that surgery !
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Yea im pushing more towards the clb 18…hopefully the adidas site still has them in a few month for cheap…i dont believe in paying full price for shoes either 😂😂😂
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I think they are 89 so just wait for another sale imo. Nothing is moving even with 30% off lol
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I hope your surgery went well.
Never had a patellar tendon surgery myself, but I’ve been having foot/MCL problems for over 20 years and had 3 surgeries on my feet before. I have some advice for anyone suffering from lower body issues:
1. Stability is the most important factor.
You have to think about every single element of the shoes from a stability perspective. Do they have great ankle/heel stability? Is the platform flat and wide enough? Is the midsole too soft and mushy? Is it too high off the ground? Is the upper strong enough to contain your movements? Do they fit you like a glove so that your feet don’t move around in the shoes? Do they have enough medial/arch/midfoot support if you need them? etc.
The most supportive bball shoe I’ve played in is the Why Not Zer0.1, and I think anyone who has them would agree with me.
2. Adequate cushioning for the long haul.
Never pay any attention to air bags if you’re really looking for “cushioning”. A proper zoom unit may feel nice underfoot, but they don’t do much of anything really. 90% of the midsole is made of foam not air bags, and that giant slab of foam is what’s absorbing the impact for you. As for the super big air bags like the ones found on LBJ10/KD9/KD10, they are either too soft/unstable or too hard/stiff to the point you wish they were just foam, and no matter how soft/hard it is, it’s gonna be super high off the ground.
A midsole material’s name means very little. Anything can be as dense as rock or as soft as cloud, depending on the density and whether the midsole is caged. Phylon used to be a great lightweight foam that everyone enjoyed, then nike changed it to Bricklon and started using it in 90% of their shoes. That’s just a perfect example on how names mean nothing.
I would just look for something with a nice foam midsole that’s soft enough to absorb impact but not unstable. Recent boost bbal shoes all feel really nice (some past models like the Rose 6 was a bit unstable for me).
3. Orthotics help a lot.
Usually if you’re just walking or training you don’t want to use orthotics because they would do the jobs for the muscles that support your feet, and those muscles would get weaker and weaker as your orthotics gradually replace their functions. However, playing a high-impact sport like basketball once in a few days is like the perfect application for orthotics.
Don’t buy the custom-made ones. They are usually super rigid and could actually hurt your arch. The regular stuff is good enough. Find something cushioned with semi-rigid arch support that fit your feet well. If you don’t know what to buy, I recommend starting from Powerstep Pinnacle first. It’s like a happy medium of everything.
4. Wear your support gear.
In your case, a nice knee brace. I use Bauerfiend GenuTrain (the regular one) and CW-X StabilyX. StabilyX is less supportive but has a really nice compression. You will probably need something stronger than these two tho.
Considering that there’s still a lot of time left til you can start playing bball again, I wouldn’t purchase anything right now since you never know if they’re gonna drop something awesome tomorrow.
If you just can’t wait and wanna pull the trigger, my picks are:
Why Not Zer0.1 (Super supportive, enough cushioning)
Rose 8, Harden 2 (Very nice blend of support and boost)
Dame 4 (Super low to the ground, but the midsole still feels nice)
Kobe AD mid (Lunar done right)
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Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep these in mind and compare them to what is out new then.
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Would bottom loaded zoom with a nice foam be better than top loaded in my case?
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I don’t think it matters it’s just feel at that point.
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In my case Would bottom loaded zoom with a nice foam be better than top loaded.
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The key is don’t rush back
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Nice review as always! Pretty much exactly what I expected, a slight improvement over the CLB2016 but with no marketing and hype. Seems like the CLB line is now an afterthought for adidas. I’m actually surprised they came out with a CLB2018 after they skipped 2017 lol
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Yep pretty much just a regurgitated CLB16 with an amateur bloggers’ suggestions lol at least it’s an improvement
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Great review. Does this one have the strobel board on top of the boost also? Thanks.
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Yep
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You planning to test the adidas pro bounce low shoe? They look promising.
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Not right now just looked it up and it does look good . I’ll wait for sales if anything
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I just got a pair of the adidas pro bounce. They are very good. I think you’ll like them.
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Cool thanks !
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these are going for 49.98£ at the adidas store online! what a shocker, no more in my size! perhaps I’ll go with the hard V2 at about 15£ more (missed the nice CW too).
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Yea adidas pricing is a little too bunched up imo which is good for us I guess ? lol
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Thanks for another great review Schwollo! I’ve played in these and agree with your review of the shoes. These are essentially the 2016s with some tweaks to the materials and lacing system. Which results in a very good shoe. The cushioning, traction, support, and lockdown are on point for me when I go 1/2 size down.
I have two minor issues with these shoes. First, I agree that he tongue could use some more padding and that too get some lace pressure at the top eyelets. Thicker socks help for sure. Second, on really hard cuts or intense side to side slides on D I feel the upper stretch a bit. It doesn’t feel unstable, but it does give me a tiny bit of pause as my body waits to see if the containment is going work. It hasn’t failed me yet, but it still feels a little weird. Have you experienced this too? The shoe upper has a stretchy feel similar to the non PK CE 16 lows but with less fuse overlays. I wonder if just a little tweaking to the overlays would make this go away.
Overall, I still really like these shoes and they are a great deal at $60-70.
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More overlays probably would have worked but it’s low and stable enough that containment isn’t an issue. The raised midsole and heel counter did its job but man if they didn’t put those it would suck.
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They are very good shoes and haven’t let me down yet. I just feel that upper stretch a bit every once in a while. I was looking closer at the shoes and I think the issue is that there is a small gap in the fuse overlays between the first eyelet and the rest of the eyelets. I’m guessing if it was one larger fuse overlay instead of two I wouldn’t notice the stretch on hard cuts. I’m definitely going to get another pair if the prices drop more or there is another 30% code at ADC.
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Oh they be sitting like almost everything adidas bball so don’t worry another sale will be coming lol
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Did you really find the heel slip to be better in this iteration than the 2016s? I actually loved my 2016s despite the annoying heel slip and it actually eventually became acceptable to me, even without adding extra holes up top like you did. The lateral containment felt perfect at least on it so I used it for important games anyway. My bottom lace eyelet thing snapped on my otherwise still-good 2016s so I ordered the 18s immediately after on eastbay just as you did.
I also felt like part of the heel slip I experienced in the 2016s was exacerbated by being a half size too big, so I ordered a half size down, drooling at the prospect of fixed heel slip both in the design of the shoe and in ordering a better size for myself. However immediately as I put it on, the heel slip felt even worse than I remembered my 16s being. The mesh material inside the shoe felt too smooth and didnt grab my socks like the ’16s did, and the overall knit felt too soft and pliable that the sole of the shoe didnt bend with my foot as much. Needless to say, I returned them immediately and ate the 7 dollar fee, opting for a pair of Harden 2s instead, which unfortuantely also has some lockdown issues for me but feels much better than my 15 minutes with my ’18s.
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I guess you didn’t read the entire review ? Break in is needed to improve heel slip. Out of the box it wasn’t very good but after a few hours it went away. You might try contacting adidas and seeing if they have a warranty like Nike. They might give you a voucher
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That’s what she said joke is off the chart in this review!! Haha well done on this review Schwollo!
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Lol ode to Michael Scott
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haha i hear ye
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Another one! – DJ Khaled voice lol
Thanks for reviewing these Schwollo, the CLB 16’s were so close to being a great performer that it’s disappointing to hear that the 18’s are basically the same shoe…c’mon Adidas!! I have a pair of 2016’s and the heel slip improved but never quite went away even after adding an extra pair of eyelets. Sucks because everything else on that shoe is MONEY. Oh well, money saved haha…Keep up the good work bro!
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My sentiments exactly. At least they are cheap but man adidas half assed it for 2018
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What’s you favorite shoe that release in 2018 so far?
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Harden vol 2 and Kobe protro (finally got a pair )
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What’s are some of the better performance aspects for the Protros compare to the why nots?
And the Vol 2 to the CLB 18?
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Kobe vs why not Better zoom feel, a little more range of motion. Nothing wrong with why nots though.
Vol 2 vs clb. I think fit is better on v2 , Boost is much firmer than CLB. Containment is better on v2 as well. Traction is better on CLB and feels softer
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Thanks for the response.
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Thanks for the response. I think I want to try both out. I’m between the CP3 XI, Jordan fly lockdowns and the CLB 18’s.
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Haven’t tried either of the Jordan models sorry
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Damn shame that they’re still not wide-footer friendly. I had the 16s, and they felt alright in the store, but would slightly hurt afters a few hours of play because of how tight they were. This has 2 things I really like in a shoe: boost and outdoor-worthy traction, but I just can’t fit in these.
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I found try to size fine but half a size down too tight. Agree on your positives about the shoe.
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Hey schwollo, was wondering if you will do a performance review on the kyrie lows or the hyperdunk x soon
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No to kyrie low probably to hyperdunk x .
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Kyrie lows ‘looks’ promising because of that Zoom unit in the forefoot.
But if you were choosing among the 2, I’d have to go with the Hyperdunk X and actually, the Superfly MVP (which looks so dope). Will be waiting for your review. Best wishes man!
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Hey man, i tried these on in a store the other day. When i go down half, theres still a good amount of toe space to the edge of the shoe. When i got down a full size, the toe fits to the edge but its snug width-wise. I got 2 questions:
1. When u had a thumbs width space in the toe, did your foot sometimes slide to the front and hurt your toes because of the extra space?
2. If i go down a full size, will the material stretch out enough width-wise that it will be comfortable for a wide footer?
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I go with what podiatrists recommend which is a finger width of space btwn your toe and the front of the shoe. When you put your toe at the edge (in my experience and what my doctor told me) you get bruised toes and toes can’t splay open when you land which then runs up your ankle to knees hips etc…
All that being said the clb18 runs long so half down sounds right for you. No my foot didn’t slide forward bc the lace eyelets were in the right place around my ankle area so it didn’t slide forward.
You could go full size down w the materials being thin and flexible if you wanted to but I /my doctor don’t recommend it lol
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Alright, ill probably just go down half. Thanks for replying man. Youre good peoples.
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