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I was/am really pulling for the new underdog Warriors this year but fate, injuries, and inexperience doesn’t look like 2019-2020 is going to be GSW’a year.

With no Steph on court for at least a few more months I really could have been smart and just waited a few more months for heavy discounts but being a Curry fanboy, I really didn’t want to. If you want to work those eye and brain muscles read my whole review below, but if you want it short and sweet (that’s what she said 😢 ) here’s a quick summary: it’s a very solid shoe but nothing we haven’t seen or felt before from UA. The Curry 2 still remains on top for me

Pros : excellent traction, fairly balanced cushioning is still on the firmer side, overall fit, support and stability, containment 

Cons: forefoot fit is tighter than other Curry’s, starts out very stiff but gets more more flexible along the forefoot with break in.
Sizing advice: true to size for most, wide footers can go up half a size up due to a narrower than usually toe box
Best for: any position, players who want a firmer ride with more support and stability out of a low top
Buying Advice: Warriors went from first to worst in record fashion plus Steph is injured? Generic design $100 or less for sure, bottom around $65-75.
Weight 
14.5 ounces which is lighter than the “lightest Harden Ever V4” by an ounce. About average for a Curry including the mids.
Traction 
Very similar pattern and rubber compound to the Spawn 2019 which is a good thing . Almost no wiping at all in any court which is awesome. Over the years and years of reviewing shoes, traction should be the number one priority and UA got it right with most of the Curry models except maybe the V.
There isn’t much squeaking at all from this set up which is surprising considering the pattern and rubber softness…not that it matters, just saying. Very minimal wiping and consistent grip makes me a happy camper! Definitely the highlight of this shoe.
Well done UA!!
Cushioning 
Don’t let the Micro G name and perforations fool you, they feel nothing alike even to the touch. Same goes for the 3Zero 3 Micro G🤦‍♂️
You know why everyone got excited about the Curry 7 ? Because of the return of Micro G not HOVR. As I’ve gone through the basketball HOVR line up, each cushioning set up was pretty much firm or a snooze fest because the foam surrounding the HOVR creates the feedback you get from the cushioning not the HOVR itself. Go ahead and step into any UA HOVR running shoe and the compression and fun is there from foam. So much for the “wild energy” of HOVR requiring netting. Like the Curry 6 this is just texturized foam. It really feels like Phylon to the touch
This set up of HOVR with Micro G is basically the same set up as Curry 1 but with HOVR instead of Charged. I’m not sure if UA hockey pucked the HOVR into the midsole or put a layer of HOVR on top but it doesn’t feel like anything extraordinary.
Thin it to win it? Blue insoles are from the Curry 6 and 7, yellow is from the Curry 3 mid. Not sure if it’s a court feel thing or a profit margin thing but blue insoles are uber thin. Pretty sure it’s the latter though
If you’re expected Boost, Bounce, Zoom, or Lunarlon, React, or Lightstrike you will be very disappointed but if you’re expected Curry 2 or 3 cushioning you’ll be satisfied. I personally found these very similar to the 2 and 3 and far better feeling than the 6 and 5. It feels nowhere near as soft and bouncy as Micro G found on the OG Clutchfit or even this years Spawn (which btw is on discounts everywhere like I said it would be. I have literally not seen on person wearing them outside of sponsored players or trainers).
A lot of people focus of the “tech” of the shoe and while I do that as well to an extent, I’d rather know how a shoe feels to the player and ignore the name of the cushioning set up. There is a little more/thicker heel cushioning overall which is new for a Curry so that’s something different but overall cushioning is nothing groundbreaking. The thicker heel also adds to a little more fluidity since the 7 feels more like a running shoe hybrid (KD8 anyone? )
You can see the contoured heel that has come over from 3-7 but I didn’t feel like jamming every shoe into the pic. The heel adds a little more fluidity heel to toe
Overall, cushioning is okay by me but not for those wanting a softer bouncy ride and not enough for me to switch from the Curry 2. If you want a softer ride, check out pretty much every shoe I reviewed this year. HOVR has been consistent for me at least… Consistently disappointing that is.
Fit
I went with my true size 11 and I probably could have gone up half a size if needed due to a narrower than normal toe box. It did stretch out enough for me but not everyone wants to go through the same break in process.
Moving rearward, UA finally got the top eyelets in the right spot nice and far back enough to pull the ankle down and back. (I guess UA reads my shit too). 
So much for those theories from apologists that UA made the eyelets on the 5 and 6 like that just for Steph and his Zamsts. Pro Tip: you can loosen the laces to accommodate braces. 🤯
There is no heel slip from the get go thanks to the eyelets as well as a nicely padded ankle collar.
Lace pressure is pretty much non existent thanks to a padded tongue as well. 
Half tongue set up
Overall fit is very good so no complaints here. Some slight break in time is needed to get a more comfortable and conforming fit.
Materials
It’s 2011 y’all! Mesh, fuse and synthetic panels! Hyperdunk 2010-2011 anyone? I never knew Steph loved those Hyperfuses and Hyperdunks that much.
UA has a penchant for increasing pricing at exactly the wrong time. Warriors go from 2K Cheat code mode to bottom feeders, Steph gets injured, UA reverts to mesh and fuse, and the Curry 7 prices INCREASE $10. Solid formula huh?  This sounds like Curry 3 part deux anyone ( 3-1 lead finals, $140 pricing before KD ) ? Adidas dropped their Harden V4 prices by $10 this season because believe or not, price is a big driving factor in sales. At least the the design is more streamlined and aesthetically pleasing versus the 3 so maybe we won’t see massive discounts like we did with the Curry 3. Maybe Luka can save UA.
Usually I don’t say much about materials but UA put so much synthetic/ plastic paneling on the 7 that it needs to be noted because it’s such a throwback. They call it “TPU skins” which translates to plastic so save the marketing jargon for someone else.
These panels are on both sides of the shoe make the shoe slightly stiffer than average out of the box but it does provide support and strength snd does break in.
The paneling extends into the forefoot area so you do need to break them in to get them to feel more natural. These are easily the least luxurious looking and feeling materials out the seven sigs. Not a deal breaker for me but if you are looking for $$ feeling material go buy something else.

Support

This is what I call a high low. Definitely a supportive feeling low bc the cut is pretty high. With that higher cut, a better fit, well padded ankle collar and a firmer than usual upper, it all leads to a very supportive feeling low which I like a lot.

Midfoot support

Ironically this protruding plastic thing is called a Flexible plate. I guess UA ran out of marketing dollars to come up with a better name or ran away from the Speedplate name for some reason. The plate itself might be flexible but forefoot and back it is stiff which is good for PF suffers. How stiff is it? Think Dame 3 level which is fine for me but not everyone loves that feel or wants that support. I prefer a slightly more flexible ride but it is definitely noticeable especially in the beginning. The stiffest Curry I could think of would be the 3 for reference and they are still slightly more flexible than these despite a true carbon fiber shank.

I’m straining to hold this position. I highly suggest bending the shoe to help with break in. Phylon HOVR side walls add to the stiffness.

Stability is excellent as most Curry’s have been thanks to a nice wide base and outrigger that has been carried over from 4-6

You can see how wide the 7 is especially in the forefoot

Overall the 7 is a very supportive and stable shoe. Well done, maybe a little overdone, but still well done UA!

Containment 
No issues here thanks to the raised Phlylon HOVR and the plastic panels that envelope the shoe on both sides.
Conclusion
Expectations will make or break how you view this shoe just like the Warriors 2019 season. If you’re expecting something ground breaking because of HOVR and Micro G, you’ll be disappointed.. if you’re expecting a “better” shoe or nicer materials because of the price increase, you will be disappointed. However, If you’re expecting a Curry with cushioning on the firmer side with some feedback/ bounce, and a solid all around shoe, you’ll be happy with the Curry 7. I think in any other year, I’d say these have a shot of getting into the rotation but this year I’ve gotten pickier with my purchases and have watched UA go from an eager up start sneaker brand to another brand trying to squeeze out over penny they can out of a shoe. You’ll hear a lot of people say this is the best Curry ever or very Curry since the 2. A better way to phrase it is probably least worst Curry since the 3 or 4 since the 5 snd 6 were duds. Here’s how I rank the Curry line:
  1. Curry 2/2.5
  1. Curry 3 Low
  2. Curry 4/ Curry 7
  3. Curry 1/Curry 3 mid
  4. Curry 5 and 6 (I can’t decide which I like the least overall)

I’d probably even put the 3Zero 1 and 2 around the 3 spot as well.

I’m sure some will question the Curry 3 low placement enjoyed the Curry 3 low a lot and actually place it higher up the ranks than the Curry 7; it’s a little lighter at 13 ounces, just as supportive, cushioning feels similar, it’s a little more flexible, traction is pretty good as well, and it’s super cheap now.

If my review sounds Elliot and Mr Robot it’s because I have been debating how I feel about this shoe. If I didn’t have a large inventory of Curry 2’s and a few 3’s and 4’s, I’d be pretty happy with the Curry 7 since it does everything well. But if I knew I could still get a similar Curry from two or three years ago for $75 bucks or less , I’d be pretty annoyed. Relative to this stellar year of reviewing sneakers ( every shoe has been on the First Team except the Freak 1) the Curry 7 is not something I’d reach for out of this years line up because it just lacks that fun factor that the others have i.e cushioning. However, I cannot deny the fact it performs well In every category ..but yet I can’t ignore the ten dollar price increase and the retrograde materials..do you see the conundrum?

Based on pure how does it perform on court I’ll give it a First Team rating. Happy Thanksgiving UA.

 

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