Sneaker Sunday: Adidas Crazy BYW X

If you’ve read any of my previous “Sneaker Sunday” posts, you might have observed a pretty noticeable Nike’s only slant.  I used to wear Adidas sneakers when I was a kid (because I loved Tracy McGrady) but once I went to Mater Dei (a Nike school), I’ve always hooped, worn and walked around in Nike sneakers.  For this post though, I finally took the leap.  I tried out some Adidas.  This “Sneaker Sunday” post focuses on my trial wear of the Adidas BYW X basketball sneaker.  Below you’ll find my performance review, tested over a couple weeks through multiple rec. leagues games. You’ll also find an overall review based on its style and general feel.  Enjoy…

Performance Review:

First Wear:

Alright let’s get to the bad news first….  On first wear, I was not pleased with these.  They were stiff and rigid and my foot felt like it was being squeezed in a vice.  I removed them after my first game and I could almost hear my feet breathe a sigh of relief.  My heel/ achilles area was killing me throughout the game and upon removal, my pain was instantly relieved.  They just felt too tight. Which shouldn’t have been the case because I ordered these a size up from my normal size 13.  The traction also seemed to be pretty awful but I’ll chalk that up to an extremely dirty floor.  Despite all those negative aspects, I reserved judgment until I got a few more wears in…

Judgement Day:

Two weeks in and these sneakers have not improved.  I really wanted to like these but I’m at the point now where I’m doing myself a disservice by continuing to wear them.  I’ve been slowly trying to break them in by walking around my house and doing my cardio workouts in them but they seem to squeeze my feet so tight that I have to take them off after only a few minutes. Wearing them in my game last Sunday was so brutal that I brought another pair to switch into in case I needed them.  I wore thinner socks to try and loosen my feet up a bit inside but the heel and sides still dug into my feet causing me a lot of pain.  When I took them off at halftime, my feet felt sore and and hurt badly in some spots but the removal of the sneakers and application of tiger balm helped me finish the game (in other pair of sneakers mind you).

General Style Thoughts:

However, there is some good news… These are some funky looking sneakers and as such, they make for an interesting silhouette that stands out and looks very unique on foot.  “BYW” stands for Boost You Wear.  Stepping inside these for the first time, all of that Boost feels a little overwhelming.  It’s almost like you’re standing on a platform.  The platform is made of Boost tech so it’s incredibly comfortable but it does take some getting used to with all the extra bounce you feel.  These sneakers also feature a variety of materials including a knit upper with mesh and suede overlays which I think gives it a really cool and unique look.  Putting on the shoe is a challenge because of the aforementioned tightness.  Apparently, Adidas basketball sneakers are known for their tight fit and I found this to be 100% true (see performance review above).  I struggled to get them on but once my foot slid in, the sneakers fit my foot like a glove.  Unfortunately, as you read above, that tightness never loosened up and it’s my biggest gripe with the sneaker on the whole.

Details:

These sneakers aren’t really for everyone.  I prefer a “strange” or “wild” looking basketball sneaker but others might think these are a little much.  I like the cloud white mixed with a sort of off-white suede. It gives it an understated appeal and gives the shoe a clean look.  However, I am terrified of getting them dirty on the court.  The details on this sneaker are interesting as well.  It seems like there is a face on the heel tab (I have no clue who it is) that I think gives the sneaker a nice, hidden touch that you can only see if you get real close (see pic below).  One of my favorite aspects however is the pull tab above the forefoot which is made of the same soft suede as the overlay.  It really adds to the sneaker in a cool way and it gives it a premium touch.

Conclusion:

I really like the look of this sneaker and the materials used.  It’s a very cool and unique looking shoe.  I just wish it performed better on the court.  Personally, I would not recommend these for basketball.  They run too tight despite me going a size up and they dig into my heel and foot in places that make them painful to wear.  However, I’m not one to waste shoes and I’ll still wear these in a lifestyle aspect.  I’m still hoping they loosen up a bit with wear as well.

Personally, this was a worst case scenario in my dive into another brand.  I’ve always worn Nike’s to hoop in and I was unwilling or perhaps too stubborn to change. I may have picked the wrong Adidas sneaker to try out but I find myself apprehensive to waste money on another model.  It could be something as simple as my foot just isn’t built for a tight fit like Adidas basketball sneakers as I have had foot problems in the past.  Either way, I will probably stick to my Nike’s in the future.

Performance: 3/10

Style: 8/10