Sleeping On The Job: Air Jordan XV

     Long Term Review: The Air Jordan XV came on the heels of one of the best performance oriented Air Jordan ever. The expectations were high as MJ had just finished his career as a Bull and capped it all off with a game winner in Utah while wearing the XIV. The still young Jordan Brand company needed a catalyst shoe to carry the company during Jordan’s 2nd retirement. All eyes in ’99 were on Tinker Hatfield as the Jordan XV was rumored to be the last Jordan he would design. For 12 years, he had came through in the clutch, surely he wasn’t going to fail the Brand now in his farewell shoe. The fans waited. Tinker tried. He tried hard. Perhaps a bit too hard.

      Someone has to say it. So here it goes: the XV was a disappointment. It was a flop. It was Sam Bowie on '84 draft night. It was Brad Sellers bricking a lay up from Pippen's no look pass. Vlade Divac would’ve been proud of the XV performance. Just what exactly happened? 8 years later, it’s still hard to say. The easy answer is that most people aren’t all that fond of clown shoes. But the reality is that the XV is simply a misunderstood shoe that few even comprehend today.

      Inspired by the X-15 fighter jet, Tinker had a lot on his mind when the XV was on the drawing board. He wanted to create something that no one has seen before. He wanted something sneaker fans would remember him by, like Jordan hanging his hand in the air after burning Bryan Russell. The XV was supposed to be the masterpiece that defined Tinker’s career as Jordan’s architect. Instead, it became the painting that never was. The genius had simply outthought himself.

Fighter jet inspired. But the tongue takes quite a getting use to.

      The tongue stuck out like MJ’s tongue during an explosive drive to the basket before a dunk. Great. In theory and on the marketing board. But in reality, people have to LIVE with that clown look with a 3rd leg. Even 7 years after the XV release, the look has not been appealing to the eye. In theory, the wrapped woven material should lock the foot into a good fit. But in reality the support is simply not there. There’s practically no reinforcement along the ankle area or anti inversion technology that can hold up the foot during a nasty spill. On paper, the one piece mold that wraps around the bottom of the foot towards the midsole should be supportive and spring-like. In reality, it felt like a piece of wood plank that didn’t bend. The premise is that the internal lacing system would give the foot a perfect fit. In truth, the laces became too tight, too long and hard to manage. The shoes are hard to get into, and when laced tightly, it also deform the shoe so that it no longer look like a jet fighter but more of a foot binding vice. The interior is hard and sparten. There is nothing there to pamper your feet and the result is a harsh and discomforting ride.

23 ways to make them pay. 6 rings. 15th air jordans.

      It didn’t help that the XV was the only Air Jordan that has never adorned the feet of Michael Jordan during a pre, regular or post season NBA game. Perhaps he shared the same inclination as the rest of us in terms of the appearance? The fact that we can’t even imagine Jordan wearing this shoe makes it even more un-Air Jordan like. The weak colorways released didn’t help either. It was the only Air Jordan to have never used red as a primary supplementary color.

      Okay, we get it. The shoe simply didn’t sell. But after all this time, the shoe has regained some recognition among collectors as its value has slowly climbed back into the $200 range. There are a few things worth buying the XV for other than storing it in your closet. If you must wear it, it is arguably the most durable Air Jordan of all times (comparable to the XII). Indoors or out, you can grind the XV down and it won’t give an inch. The upper woven material can withstand stretching and creases better than full grain leather. Other than a few scuff marks, the rear heel area is indestructible. The only notice of wear in 8 years on both pairs of the XV we tested is the front toe area where the leather had to endure constant creasing from lift offs. The sole wears slowly and has 90% of its tread even after playground use.

The XV is durable and showed very little signs of wear even after 8 years and heavy use.

     For a long term review, it is good to know that a shoe can withstand the test of time. Unfortunately, if you were to add up all the discomforts, the bad design, and shortcomings of the XV. It simply feels like it isn't worth the mold it was built upon. Was Tinker sleeping on the job? Or perhaps he is just way ahead of his time? But after 7 years, we are willing to bet that the XV is a dud and forever known as one of the worst Jordan ever made.