2006 Shoe of the Year

      Lebron vs MJ vs Kobe vs Wade, who would win? That's basically the question to answer for 2006 Shoe of the Year. On the hardwood, Wade took home the championship for the Miami Heat. Kobe scored 81 points. Michael became an NBA owner. Lebron advanced to the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. But all of those accomplishments don’t necessarily translate into success in the shoe business. While all of them are nominated for Shoe of the Year, it is LeBron James that is awarded with the best shoes in the business as his Zoom LeBron IV bests a field of Air Jordan XXI, Nike Zoom Kobe I and Converse Wade 1.

      Dwayne Wade led the Heat to a championship while claiming the Finals MVP. More impressively, Wade has led the Converse brand out of obscurity and onto the national stage. Just 2 years ago, anything Converse related basketball shoes would've been laughable and straight to the clearance rack as soon as they are released. While not as high tech as the others on this list, the Wade 1 is a perfect blend of practicality and performance at the most reasonable price for the masses. Sometimes you don't need a lot of hype or gadgets to make a great shoe and the Wade 1 is a great example of that. What the shoes lack is good ankle support so big men and post players alike are not likely to purchase this shoe. After about 20 wears, the shoes lose some of the edge it had when brand new. But this lack of durability is expected at a shoe of this price range. The Wade put Converse on the map. The only question remaining is can he carry it to a whole new level in the years to come? Will the shoe be able to compete with the big boys in terms of highest performance and comfort as well as value? When that happens, the Converse Wade will once again compete for this award.

      In the meantime, Mike's Brand got a new trick up his sleeve. The Air Jordan XXI has an innovation that had the industry buzzing long before the shoes were released. Interchangeable air sole units seem like a great idea. One for performance, the other for comfort. Why didn't anyone think of this before? Along with the carried over IPS cushioning, the usual great looks and a complete luxury/performance package, the XXI easily makes the finalist for Shoe of the Year. It even does all of this without significantly increase the weight of the shoe - just how often do you see that in today's market? So why doesn't it win? Because the very thing that made it a must buy also brings its downfall. After half a year of wear, we honestly can not distinguish a big enough difference between the interchangeable Air sole units in the shoe to make it worthwhile changing. At $175, this is a huge disappointment as that is a major selling point of the shoe. Perhaps a better implementation of the unit is to come in the future? But in the meantime, it is hard to root for a shoe with a gimmick that you felt deceived by. Such skepticism is not unfounded. In the past years, whatever happened to the Carbon Fiber under the shoe inserts? If it was the greatest thing since slice bread in the Air Jordan XVIII, why not carry it over in future models? If you think back far enough, the circular design on the soles of the Jordan VI was suppose to provide the best traction according to Nike. Well, we've not seen it since the VIII. Proven technologies (like Zoom Air for example) do not come and go. Until interchangable pods improve and remain a stable feature of Jordan flagships, it is easy to write it off as a gimmick.

      Kobe is an easy target to hate, and there are plenty of haters. His shoes however, carry an awful lot of respect from enthusiasts. The latest implementation and officially his first signature (if you don't care to count the Huarache 2K4 and 2K5), is truly a gem. The Air Zoom Kobe I is a simplified water down light-weight performance shoe with a touch of comfort and class. It uses much of the successful formula carried over from the Huaraches but more refined and manageable on the court. It feels a little more grown up than the 2K4 and 2K5 and a tad more solid and stable on the court. So why did it not win? The fit is an issue. It is very hard to truly find a perfect lock down fit in this shoe. The ankle support is another. This makes the shoe very one dimensional and guard oriented. Basically, if you are a big man, you are left out of the loop. Overall, there simply wasn't an over dramatic improvement from the Huarache 2K4 & 2K5 to award this shoe the top prize.

... and the winner is:

      There are dream houses and dreams cars. If there is one concept that shoe designers would dream about, chances are it is something similar to our Shoe of the Year for 2006. Imagine every good thing that has happened to Nike basketball in the past 7 years. Now squeeze that into one all around package with a kick ass design, world class comfort & luxury, top of the line performance and you'll have the Zoom Lebron IV's.

      Most of all, this is a statement shoe. This is Nike telling the world: we've a shoe that you all wish you can build but can't copy even if you tried. As bold as that may sound, we have to agree. Creating an innovative, performance oriented, comfortable yet engaging shoe with broad mainstream appeal is one of the toughest tasks facing any shoe manufacturer. The Lebron IV is a shoe built from the ground up with a mold formed strictly for beauty and performance. Nike hits the mark by pushing the envelope once again. They brought back a proven technology. They injected into the lineup a refreshing and creative design. They added all the bells and whistle like Zoom Air, breath ability, full length inner bootie, ankle straps, lace cover strap and it is no wonder they emerge from the crowd with the best shoe of the year.

      The Lebron 4 is not without fault nor is it perfect. Some of the minor issues include: laces stuck to the Velcro easily tears apart when you pull it off; too bulky and heavy for guards; ankle strap tend to rub against each other as you run since they both enclose on the medial side. Nevertheless, for one year at least, it quenches the thirst of shoe enthusiasts everywhere. At $150 retail, there are more practical choices, but with 2006 Shoe of the Year, it is easy to root for an emotional one.