The Reebok Stepback – Black Lotus Performance Reviews

Introduction Last season, Reebok made a big comeback introducing the Zig Technology.Â* With their fading star Allen Iverson removed from the limelight in the past couple years, Reebok made a splash signing first pick John Wall and subsequently releasing the exceptionally performing ZigSlash.Â* After the Fall 2010 release, Reebok has been quiet on the basketball front, and now the second basketball shoe featuring the ZigTech has surfaced.Â* For our performance review, the little known Reebok Stepback is put through the paces on the hardwood. The second basketball shoe featuring the Zig Technology, the Reebok Stepback was released with no publicity.Â* The features include the following: Reebok ZigTech outsole Upper comprised of suede and patent leather In between mid/low cut for versatility Stability plate above the outsole Second Reebok basketball release featuring the Zig Technology Aesthetics and Styling Aesthetically, the Stepback follows more of a trainer style than a performance basketball shoe.Â* The design and styling is not too brash, and as with the case with most Zig related shoes, the Zig outsole is the main point of attraction.Â* For styling nubuck, patent leather, and synthetic leather are joined by an integrated plastic eyestay.Â* The use of multiple materials keeps the shoe from falling into the extremely "plain" category, but overall the look can be described as standard.Â* At the end of the day, the design and style of the Stepback is more than appropriate as a team based shoe. Unlike the ZigSlash, the Stepback is designed with a lower cut, <a href="http://www.vibramksoshoessale.com/vibram-five-fingers-classic-c-5.html"><strong>vibram five fingers shoes</strong></a> similar to the Nike KD III.Â* Gone are the heel notch and inner bootie, as the shoe has a more traditional style.Â* To start, the tried and true ZigTech sole makes up the lower half.Â* On the outsole, the segments are cut with a herringbone pattern in each segment, while the now signature wavy midsole is observed on the sides.Â* As with most Zig related shoes, a stiff shiny plate is connected from the midfoot through the heel for stability. On the upper, the various materials used add style to the otherwise simple shape.Â* At the toe box, patent leather takes up the lateral side, while nubuck makes up the medial.Â* "V" shaped perforation holes are present at the throat line which completes the toe box.Â* The medial side is made up of nubuck on the front half, with tiny ventilation holes running to the midfoot.Â* The Reebok check logo takes form through the plastic eyestay as well as a synthetic leather strip on the collar.Â* Conversely, the lateral side is made up of a unique shiny patent leather, with an ingrained elephant skin-like pattern.Â* This side is dominated by the Reebok logo, in the form of a the plastic eyestay and synthetic leather material. At the rear, the heel counter is made up of the shiny patent leather.Â* For reinforcement, a synthetic leather strip extends the length of the heel (and also forms the check logo on the sides of the collar).Â* Moving to the collar, the shoe rise slightly and is lined <a href="http://www.vibramksoshoessale.com/vibram-five-fingers-kso-c-3.html"><strong>vibram kso</strong></a> with a soft white synthetic.Â* Padding is ample, and a bit on the hard side. So far we have mentioned very little styling features, but coming back to the front, the lacing system and tongue offer a hint of style.Â* This version of the Stepback is packed with grey and white patterned laces.Â* The laces run through an eyestay system which consists of a plastic middle section (where there are 4 eyelets) finishing on the collar with the final 2 eyelets.Â* For the tongue, the predominately mesh padded design is split with a large nubuck strip running through the middle.Â* There we see the "Reebok" logo printed on the large lace holder.Â* At the top of the tongue, a diamond shape pull tab adds a nice touch.Â* To finish of the Stepback, the tongue is lined similarly to the collar and a standard white "Reebok" insole is place on the footbed. Comfort and Fit With little obstructions, slipping into the Stepback requires little effort, which can be aided by the tongue pull tab.Â* Fitting is true to size, but for those with wide feet, there is some discomfort around the small toe area.Â* The slope of the toe box is narrow and what also must be considered is some pinching felt below with the ridges of the Zig sole.Â* The fitting is neither too snug or too loose as it is not about pressure or tightness anywhere, but the most prominent theme that will arise with shoe – the rigidness.Â* From the plastic eyestay to the patent leather the shoe feels as though there is little give.Â* Thankfully, the lower cut (which gives freedom of movement) and the fact that the shoe does not entirely crowd the foot, keeps comfort at a satisfactory level.Â* At the back end, the heel is not completely locked down, but the collar is high enough to give some ankle protection.Â* The main feature of the shoe aesthetically is also what makes the feel of the shoe <a href="http://www.vibramksoshoessale.com/specials.html"><strong>five fingers discount</strong></a> unique.Â* Equipped with the ZigTech sole, the footbed is contoured and the ridges and segments within the sole can be felt.Â* Insole cushioning is on the hard side, but is needed to get the most out of the ZigTech.Â* Those looking for plush comfort might not find this aspect favorable.Â* Wrapping up, the Stepback has a rigid feel all around, with the unique feel of the ZigTech sole on the footbed. Performance Getting on the court, the Stepback definitely needs a break in period.Â* The shoe is stiff and even after numerous game session, the shoe may have to be worn casually to really get the performance benefits.Â* Those who are familiar with any ZigTech shoe will feel at home.Â* As the ZigTech outsole was introduced as a training/running shoe, the Stepback naturally feels pushes towards moving forward.Â* Running is comfortable and smooth, as the ZigTech outsole works perfectly for heel to toe transitions.Â* Transitioning to jumps and jump shots also has some fluidity, and while landing, the ZigTech sole absorbs the impact evenly, albeit a bit hard.Â* Unfortunately, for players who use lateral movements and like to slash (a la Derrick Rose and Dywane Wade), the shoe may present some problems.Â* This is because the flexibility of the shoe is limited by the plastic eyestay, which runs through the middle.Â* Couple this with the patent leather and thick nubuck, and being nimble is not a quality that would best describe the shoe.Â* And the last aspect that presents problems is with lateral transitions.Â* Since the Zig sole is extremely tight and rigid, there are delays moving sideways, especially observed on defense.Â* A great positive of the shoe is the responsiveness of the ZigTech sole.Â* If the player can find the comfort zone, they can properly activate the sole for their style of play.Â* However jagged and inconsistent the shoe may feel, for the right player, the combination of rigidness with the low cut freedom could be what the doctor ordered. When evaluating stability, performance is exceptional to a fault.Â* As mentioned early, rigidness is the overbearing quality of the shoe.Â* The upper materials hold up well for the most taxing movements, and down below, the ZigTech sole is solid.Â* Stability is perfect for those players who tend to play with subtle movements such as a shooting guard that can get a shot off without too much movement, or simply a spot up shooter that needs to create space with a simple jab step. Traction performance for the Stepback is a strong area.Â* The unique feel of the ZigTech is similar to the Adidas Puremotion in the sense that the surface area of the sole that makes contact with the hardwood will rarely be even.Â* Because of this, the performance will not revolve around grip, but rather feel.Â* And with the rigidness of the rubber, traction works best to player who like to stop and start, and who are have relatively heavy steps.Â* <a href="http://www.casualphorum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1865225#1865225"><strong>Timberlan d Men's Field Mid Gore-Tex Premium Boot | Men's Hiking Boots</strong></a> Moving to ventilation, the shoe is performs well.Â* The shoe is very standard with discomfort from heat and sweating being non-issues. Conclusion With Reebok attempting to make a larger impact in the basketball performance market, it is with great surprise for them to release the Stepback with very little marketing.Â* Ultimately,Â* the Stepback will be compared to the Zig Slash, and even though it may not hold up to the performance standards, the shoe was not hyped or even promoted to begin with (the shoe is not even available at the official Reebok Online Store).Â* In the end, the Reebok Stepback may end up as a trivia question -Â* “what is the second basketball shoe to carry the Reebok Zig Technology?”Â* For those who can not get enough of the ZigTech feel on the court and need a perfect summer casual performer, the Stepback may be the answer.Â* With limited availability, the Reebok Stepback is available a select retailers now. This shoe is comparable to: Reebok Zig Slash Nike Air Max Flight '11 Peak Jason Kidd III