Analyzing The Craze Around The 2011 Hyperfuse

There has been great interest shown this season in the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse 2011. Everyone and their momma have a pair, so I finally decided to pick up a pair and see how they differ from the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse that came out in 2010.

For the most part, both shoes carry the same weight and shape. This is a good thing because designers from Nike have reserved a lot of the elements from the 2010 model and included them in the 2011, while making adjustments.

The key things that most basketball players look for in a shoe are traction, breathability and durability. These kicks happen to encompass all of these features by bringing together a synthetic base layer to provide the structure of the shoe, mesh windows in areas where the foot heats up most, whereas, durability comes from uniting all the materials used in this shoe together into one.

Thankfully, they had decided to stay with the same pattern of herringbone traction that was used in the previous model for the 2011’s. I’ve played with these shoes in the worst of gyms and experimented by performing sharp cuts and the grip on these shoes did not fail. If traction is of a primary concern when you’re shopping for your next pair using a bunch of shoe coupons, you won’t have to worry in this case.

One of the components of the Zoom Hyperfuse 2011 that happened to be a turn off was the top of the heel counter. In comparison to the 2010’s, it is much stronger and provides superior support; however, this comes at a cost. For the first couple of times wearing this shoe, it would be wise to either double sock or wear really cushioned socks to minimize abrasion, which happens as a result of the two W shaped counter. This would be the key area where the 2011’s do not surpass their predecessor.

An enjoyable feature found in this season’s most worn shoe, is the Nike “bulb” that has been placed on top of the midsole. It seems to provide more protection when a player is coming to a quick stop laterally. It is soft enough to provide comfort and cushioning, yet strong enough to hold the foot from turning right over at sudden stops.

The outriggers and zoom air units at the forefoot and heel, on this shoe and other Nike basketball shoes have also been a vital part of the shoe’s design and brought great value to its responsiveness and prevention of foot injuries.

This shoe would be a great fit for guards or even forwards that are nimble and do not require too much cushioning in the heel. Heavier players should look into the Nike Air Max Fly By, which have been sported by the likes of Blake Griffin.