Last season I saw Puma athletes across the NBA leave the Clyde All-Pro and I was confused. Why are they leaving one of the best shoes in the last five years for what appears to be an inferior shoe, at least tech wise? After getting a pair, the question on my mind is this – why play in anything else?
Traction:
It’s an odd pattern, everywhere you look it just says PUMA again and again. It’s contoured in a way I’ve never seen before. I didn’t have high hopes.
Just goes to show that rubber compound is the most important factor when it comes to traction. The bite is phenomenal. The first time I wore them was on a dusty court and everyone else on my team was complaining about how slippery it was in the paint. I legitimately had no idea what they were talking about. I then tried out a pair of DON Issue 2 and nearly killed myself.
The Court Rider is a top class traction with a solid rubber compound. Don’t expect it to last forever if you play outside, but it will last MUCH longer than anything Nike currently makes.
Cushion:
Rider Foam. It just doesn’t sound special, but I’ll be damned if I don’t love it.
There’s a nice thick cut of this high density foam through the entire shoe. It’s not going to keep you low to the ground like a Kyrie, but it’s going to keep you feeling well protected the entire time you’re playing, no bottoming out like you’ll experience in a shoe with Renew or Light Strike foam.
The Rider Foam is also very responsive, it gives better court feel than Bounce or Cushlon. You won’t experience any lag on your first step, on the hardest change of direction or any other move you can make.
Now a lot of people are saying the shoe is stiff and too firm. So I have the feeling that to get the most out of this cushion you need to be a bigger guy. I’m 6’4” 225lbs, to me this cushioning feels great. If you’re a small guard, it might not work quite as well.
It’s simple. It’s effective. It’s perfect.
Fit:
One of my favourite things about this shoe is the fit.
Lately I’m finding a lot of shoe designers take the easy way out for lateral support in the forefoot. Just make it narrow so the foot can’t move. Luckily Puma didn’t cut this corner. The Court Rider is wide enough to be legitimately comfortable in the forefoot, without having any dead space in the toe box, a rare and beautiful thing.
Length is true to size. If you’re buying these sight unseen just stick to your our normal size and you should be good to go.
Support & Lockdown:
Another home run. Reinforced synthetics around the toe box keep you locked in. While the plastic on the logo stops your mid foot from going anywhere.
It’s the rare shoe that I put on and feel fully supported by them before I even tie the laces. Even rarer is the reality that I can tie these laces tight without creating any pressure points or cutting off circulation.
It also has a really nice arch support. My PG5, DON 2, Cosmic Unity and so many other shoes are flat inside. Crippling my foot within minutes and leaving my feet in agony for days if I play for a couple hours in them. Not the Puma though. The cushion and arch support combine for a beautiful, pain free, experience.
Materials:
It’s not the most minimalistic shoe out there. It’s a low cut so it’s light enough, but it’s not setting any records.
It’s also not the most breathable. The synthetic leathers and plastics make for great support but not much breathability. The mesh is thick and durable, but you won’t feel a draft.
I think it might be the only thing that could be improved upon in this model. That being said, I can’t see it being as supportive or durable if you do. It’s a trade I’m happy to make. My feet rarely feel too warm anyhow.
In conclusion — the Court Rider costs $120 CAD at retail. Right now I’ve seen some on sale for as low as $70. There isn’t a single offering from Nike, Jordan or Adidas that retails for less than $190 that I would recommend to someone else before the Court Rider, and that’s the KD 14, a shoe I personally tried on and immediately said ‘nope’ due to the fit.
Take price out of it, this is the best shoe I’ve played in all year. Put price back into it, apart from the Clyde All-Pro, it’s the best shoe I’ve played in in a decade. If you said I could have a life time supply, but could never wear another shoe, regardless of what may yet come. I’d take that deal without hesitation.
Thanks for reading!
~ Clinton aka Phoenix, for HS.
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