Jordan Brand has been known for its high quality in terms of both aesthetics and performance. Will the Melo M9 continue to carry this? Here is my detailed review on the Jordan Melo M9.
MATERIALS: 4.5/5
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| A combination of leather and synthetics were used in the Melo M9. Past meets present and I love it |
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| In this particular colorway, you can see the scuffing from the grind of ball games that I've clocked in. |
I love how Jordan brand used leather and placed it on areas that could be a problem if plastic materials will be used. In this colorway, you can see a combination of leather on the upper and patent leather on the toebox. Although some might be turned off from the scuffing on the toebox, it didn't bother me personally since these are situations that you can't control especially when you are an active player. There is very minimal break-in time in this particular model since leather conforms easily. Breathabilitywise, there is a mesh tongue and a neoprene inner bootie.
Cushion: 4.5/5
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| The black area in the outsole is where you can find the zoom cushion in the forefoot. |
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| A large Zoom bag can be found in the heel. |
This is the part where I think personally could make you like this shoe or not. Don't get me wrong, I love Zoom cushion but in this particular model, you can see a black section on the forefoot where the Zoom is. However, this black section is a bit slightly raised than the rest of the outsole. The reason why I said that this is critical in your choice was because I had an experience wherein after I recovered from a nasty flu, obviously my body was out of shape and still finding my balance and all. That's also the same time where I'm playing in a league during weekends. There were times that I trip when catching up on D due to instability because the forefoot is slightly raised. However, when your body is in tune or in good shape, you wouldn't mind this at all. With that said, I guess people who just ball maybe once every month would feel this instability. But if you play regularly or in good shape, you will enjoy every moment you play in this shoe. Even the heel area has a large zoom bag and if you are a guard who plays most of the time on his toes, you will find this beneficial.
TRACTION: 4.5
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| You will never go wrong with a herringbone traction pattern. |
Herringbone pattern is used on the shoes' outsole. This covers from heel to forefoot so you can trust that this really bites the floor especially in good court conditions. From curls to quick stops or even jab steps, you can be more confident in pulling these moves since you won't slip. Even on outdoor courts where dust is present, I can say that this shoe hold up pretty well. I even played on a real dusty court and it was able to bite the floor although you need to swipe the bottom of the shoe from time to time but not to a point where it ruins your game.
FIT: 4.5/5
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| Once you lace them up to the top, you can feel that lockdown fit. |
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| An outrigger is present to help prevent ankle rolls. |
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| Padded collar and heel notch. |
Fit is true to size with adequate wiggle room on the toebox. The neoprene inner bootie gives you that snug fit. Support is provided by Flywire and once you lace them up to the top, you can feel that superior lockdown fit. A padded collar and on the heel notch adds that additional comfort. Stability is taken care of with a placement of an outrigger and a plastic shank plate for torsional support.
PRICE: 4/5
This is an older model since the Melo line is now on it's 10th shoe so you can find these on sale. And when you find these, I suggest that you consider copping this because it really performs well on court.
CONCLUSION:
The Jordan brand continues to give us quality shoes and even though it could be pricey at times, you can be assured that it will be worth the purchase. I really enjoyed playing in this model and even though there can be some instability issues in the forefoot especially if you are not used to playing in this type of setup, a bit of conditioning and I'm sure you will enjoy playing on this as well. After all, what's the use of purchasing a good basketball shoe if you are not going to use it on court.
GRADE: 4.4/5
ANALYKIX GRADE:
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