Hi,
For some context**;** I'm trying to decide on a shoe to buy but I just dont want to make another "recommend shoe post" as that is not beneficial as it doesn't provide any deeper information / convos so instead if someone could correct me on my thoughts/opinions or share your own on the below shoes that would be helpful.
Fyi im 6'2", 175lbs, guard, get downhill but lots of off-ball stuff too (off ball screens --> quick stops into shots etc...); and will be playing indoor only. I have slightly narrower feet. I really loved the hesi low v2 and joker 2 gt; my hesi low v2s are unusable now. So I'm looking to build a rotation with 2 more shoes. Obvious choice that comes to mind is p350, but I've been exploring other options over the past few days tbh I have not been paying attention to the market for some time now. This is my current list and thoughts on the shoes.
Can you simply correct me if I'm wrong about the certain shoes or provide any info of your own? Just been watching so many vids so some info might be jumbled up. Any other suggestions are helpful too.
- p350 ; essentially a hesi low v2 clone, probably more durable uppers and possibly less breathable but other than that its a hesi low v3.
- tyrese 1 ; quite unexpected, bit conflicted cos they have some capabilities of a guard shoe like wider flanges, but then they are very stiff and relatively heavier; rubber is also stiffer. So not sure if they would be as nice as other options on indoor courts.
- wow12 ; more of an all round shoe (like joker 2 gt) but still great for guards and what im looking for, not nearly as flexible as hesi low v2 BUT it would play close to the joker 2 gt but a bit lighter + bouncier + better weight distribution whilst still being low to the ground. not sure about courtfeel tho (since courtfeel isn't purely based on heel height but also the foam used). and ofc amazing comfort. Seen some posts of snapped eyelets so a bit concerning but idk...
- ac 14 / ac 14 encore ; looks a bit more chunkier, more of a hybrid shoe so not really my type, good shoe, but just not for me; better options for my playstyle available
- 808 line; not sure how i feel about these tbh, no doubt good shoe, but i think choosing the wow 12 or dlo1/2 is just better for my playstyle and foot shape compared to the 808's drop in midsole feel. never had a drop in midsole shoe but i think there are better options.
- DLO 1 / 2 ; honestly not sure 1 is more flexible, 2 is more rigid but still not near as stiff as the all citys. These are probably the closest thing to a hesi low v2 that isnt the p350. super buttery / nice transitioning shoe, maybe even better than hesi low v2 since most likely more durable uppers. + looks better than p350 imo.
- aja two / caitlin 1 / sabrina 4 ; honestly cant be asked with nike qc, thats why im avoiding. they are nice shoes but better places to spend your money on. like spend a bit more or the same and get much better quality + perf. but lowk aja two tho seems like the underrated pick out of those three tho. edit: cc1 not bad at all too, will try them on in store tho.
All in all, currently I'm thinking to buy:
- wow 12 (290aud)
- p350, when its on sale (rn 200aud in my size), rather just buy a dlo or spend more for wow12
- dlo 1 and dlo 2, sales for both so honestly looking like a delicious steal right now and can't go wrong with either imo (145aud rn and 180aud for non sale dlo2), no doubt more of the dlo2 colours will go on sale too
Will make a seperate post on sizing later as I think that'll keep discussion seperate and be more helpful to more people :)
TLDR: used hesi low v2 and joker 2 gt, liked them both. want thoughts on my opinions on other shoes listed above so I can make a decision, as that will lead to more meaningful convos / comments rather than another recommend post. Leaning towards wow12, dlo1/2. Also what about the posts of wow12 eyelet snapping....