The Nike KOBE AD NXT is all about speed. The shoe is formed as a system, bringing together Nike FastFit, QuadFit and REACT to answer Kobe Bryant’s desire to get athletes lower than ever to the ground, without sacrificing comfort, and allow for greater court control.
“It is our most technologically advanced basketball shoe we’ve done in the KOBE line, due to the combination of complex components,” says Ross Klein, Senior Creative Director for Nike Basketball Footwear.
Fans of KOBE footwear will notice some themes from past models (the whole philosophy of the line is iterative progress, after all). To wit: The shoe isn’t shy about sharing its secrets. “We wanted to show the heart and soul of Nike — our capacity to put together systems,” Klein explains. “The design of this shoe shows off all the pieces; the ingredients are critical. We want people to see the elements that work together within the machine.”
Control is a crucial characteristic. For this, the KOBE AD NXT marries a new traction pattern tuned to exacting height and angles for indoor courts. A drop-in, full REACT midsole gives the wearer a low, soft stack height with a cat’s claw-like grip to the playing surface. Containing the foot with Nike FastFit allows a broad range of athletes the opportunity to engage with the shoe. Nike QUADFIT supports containment without compromising movement. In its full system, the KOBE AD NXT works like a sports car seat, situating the wearer to play with complete control at fast pace.
The shoe drops August 24.