THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOES TO INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL JUMP
THE BEST BASKETBALL SHOES TO INCREASE YOUR VERTICAL JUMP
Are you a basketballer in need of hops? Do you think you can jump higher with more dunk ability? What if we told you that it's possible? Yes, by changing your shoes to the type that grants you the advantage. Again, can basketball shoes be used for walking? Various shoes are built of different styles and patterns. The differences play unique roles in games. For instance, better defense, speed, hops, among others. As a basketball player, the best shoe is one with your legs' explosion energy to propel your body vertically higher towards the basket.
While a football score is defined by a shoot in the goal, basketball needs a dunk or jump to the basket. When jumping, you're likely to fail or succeed. Among the things that matter most are your shoes' cushioning. Therefore, dunking is very essential with shoes providing cushion to your feet. It helps jump highly without straining your toes plus no worries for tension in your leg joints and muscles. Besides, some shoes are readily meant to add you more inches in your jump as they pad the legs. Let's look at the top ten basketball shoes for jumping higher. Pay attention to see What basketball shoes make you taller! Lets get started.
What basketball shoes are best for jumping?
Nike Kyrie 5
Nik Kyrie 5 sneaker was named Kyrie Irving. He was the basketball rookie and legend in 2011. The shoe is made from the best materials by Nike. Looking at the upper, it has a highly durable and breathable mesh, which dries up quickly when washed. The breathability is great for preventing sweating. For this reason, a player experiences less or no slipping at all. It also has a double lockdown. Beneath its surface, it has a cable network connected to the sneaker's lower end and the laces. The most interesting feature is its Air Zoom Turbo cushion. Such an air unit has tensile fibers that compress and return to normal when pressure is applied to them. It’s better advanced with a wider forefoot air zoom unit for bouncing and support.
Pros
Tough rubber outsole
Highly breathable upper
Features a double lockdown
Has an air Zoom Turbo for cushioning
Cons
Traction takes longer
Hard to wear
Under Armour
Under Armour own a name among the most popular basketball footwear. ngFrom its features, we can say it's underrated as likened to other companies like Nike and Adidas. For example, it has a better traction duo than other US Sneaker brands. Its rubber sole is tough, giving it an enhanced grip on almost all basketball courts. Additionally, the herringbone pattern makes the grip even stronger despite the surface's slipperiness. No other sneaker sole pattern outshines the herringbone. The shoe has the Under Armour’s proprietary HOVR for cushioning and more hops. It’s crucial for bouncing. In other words, it’s a shock absorber. The cushioning is foam-based, created by Dow chemical and Under Armour.
Pros
HOVR cushion
Herringbone pattern
Tough rubber outsole for better grip
Highly breathable upper material
Cons
Heel counter digs to your skin
Needs breaking
Adidas Harden
For all sports, Adidas goods are the best, more so for basketball. The name was acquired after James Harden’s death. He was an Arizona basketball player that was a rookie achieving greatness in 2009. At first sight, you’ll see the sneaker featuring an innovative lockdown. You can think it’s a double only having laces and eyelets. It has four eyelet columns with a patch. It gives an option of either letting laces closer to eyelets a typical lockdown or making them further from each other. The outsole is built from tough rubber with an unorthodox pattern that improves its grip when moving. Moreover, it has a fractal traction structure to engage in multidirectional motion. It again has a boosted cushioning that gives a bouncy impact. The boost cushion is a foam type from TPU- it’s entirely made of smaller foam pallets, compressed whenever there's pressure applied.
Pros
Boost cushioning
Tough rubber outsole for grip
Highly durable
Has various lockdown options
Cons
It’s heavy
Its traction isn’t the best on slipping surfaces
Nike Air Versatile
Nike Air Versatile is another great sneaker with a dual lockdown feature. It has laces for its basic lockdown with the popular FlyWire at the bottom where cables link with the insole- gives a sandwich feel to the wearer. From the name Nike Air, it’s loaded with a small Air Zoom unit at the heel. Despite not being two units or of full length, it still enhances the player's dunking ability. It also has a rough rubber sole that serves better than the translucent types. The traction is of the herringbone pattern, though not 100%.
Pros
Breathable upper surface
Air Zoom cushioning
Dual lockdown
Tough leather outsole
Cons
Inadequate traction pattern
Back digs into a wearer’s skin
Adidas Crazy Explosive Primekit
What basketball shoes make you taller? Well, it’s the Adidas crazy primekit. Its upper is made of breathable material, with a thicker boost sole. These features are excellent for ensuring an energy return when you’re landing. It generally has a sock-like construction making it unique. Unfortunately, its traction isn’t good. Its translucent rubber sole doesn’t favor service in slippery surfaces. However, it has a modernized traction pattern that betters the grip. It also has a boost cushion, similar to the earlier mentioned Adidas. It's among the basketball shoes to make a player jump higher. The lacing pattern is outstanding because it offers a great lockdown as it covers a big area.
Pros
Boost cushion for protection
Digitally designed traction system
Highly breathable upper
Sock-like construction
Cons
Eyelets come out
Tough rubber sole could be better
Nike LeBron Soldier 12
If you’re a fun of shoelaces, then Nike LeBron won’t be your type. Most people love them because they save you time for tying them and untying when removing the shoes. Some sports shoes are known to come having laces, and you will have to use them that way. The Nike LeBron shoe has an already setup lacing system. It’s the hook and loop lockdown with straps moving from ankle to toe. This Nike’s upper is built from battleknit with a tough material toecap- canvas or leather. It’s highly protective and durable. Its phylon midsole, combo air zoom unit at the heel and air-zoom unit at the forefoot provide the best convenience for dunking.
Pros
Highly durable
Hook and look lockdown straps
Best cushioning combo
Cons
Not breathable like others
The hooks are below the standard
Adidas Dame 4
Apart from the court, can basketball shoes be used for walking? Yes, they’re among the best sneakers for playing at the court and casual wear. If you prefer leather and TPU, then find something else rather than Adidas dame. But, people with a liking for breathability and waterproof feature. The upper is from textile material that high breathability and durability. It has a bounce- an Adidas proprietary cushioning made of foam, keeping the feet closer to the surface. In short, it gives a low-ground feel giving you more control. Again, it contains tougher rubber sole for better traction, though it lacks a herringbone.
Pros
Dual lockdown
Breathable upper
Bounce cushion
Tough rubber sole
Cons
Not the best for drier courts
Cushion isn’t very bouncy
Under Armour ClutchFit Drive 3
ClutchFit drive is an Under Armour brand that’s selling fast. It’s popular for shock absorption. Its foam is uniquely mixed EVA and rubber. The foam may be responsible for absorbing shock, but rubber's elasticity brings the bouncy feeling when landing. The upper contains a mix of textile fabric and combo mesh. As a result, the upper remains breathable and durable. Something else you wouldn't wish to miss is the bear-trap lacing system linked to the sneaker's tongue for better grip. It features the best duo for traction, just like other Under Armour basketball sneakers have. It's also packed with a semi herringbone pattern with rubber sole.
Pros
Micro G cushion
Well-packed collar and tongue
Breathable upper
Tough rubber sole
Cons
No flexibility on the heel
No suitability for wider feet
Adidas pro bounce
Adidas Pro is a top choice for athletes in love with maximum tongue and collar padding. It’s available in various colors with a stylish, colorful, and sleek look. It can be worn casually without any questions. Cushioning is well-performed by the Adidas patented bounce technology. Previous users have praised bounce cushion for being firmer than boost though they work almost similarly. You should know that the firmer the construction, the better the bouncing, therefore, reduced injuries during plays. Another characteristic is the upper made of fabric mesh for breathability and leather or TPU for durability. The rubber sole has a spiral pattern to offer grip on courts.
Pros
Cable lacing lockdown
Bounce cushion
Tough sole
Breathable and durable
Cons
Takes longer to break-in
Eyelets are of a low standard
Nike Hyperdenk
Nike hyperdenk has great features for jumping higher, including traction, material, and cushioning. It has a herringbone and tough sole for traction. It only differs from other traction patterns due to its waviness. However, you won't regret buying it. Talking about cushioning, it contains two air zoom units. For instance, one on the forefoot and the other in the heel have a 14 mm thickness, which does well in the rebound effect.
Pros
Tough rubber sole
Dynamic lacing system
Breathable upper
Air zoom units
Cons
No wide feet
Insufficient arch support
Factors to consider when buying sneakers for jumping
Traction
How do your shoes react on various grounds? The different playgrounds include indoor and outdoor courts, which could be clean, semi-dirty, or dirty. Sometimes, a clean surface may be very slippery, making you lose balance and fall. Therefore, one needs an outsole that provides a good grip or having a multidirectional traction pattern to help change movements without control loss. To achieve this, you need a tougher rubber outsole for sneakers. Be keen in case you get interested in the translucent types because some may not deliver as expected. For traction patterns, choose herringbone. However, what's more, essential to note is the distance and depth between the grooves.
Cushioning
Great cushioning is essential for shock absorption and the rebounding force after a high jump. Do you know how to pick a sneaker with a good cushion? Maybe any among the well-known brands like Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour, but ensure its cushion has the most modern cushioning and technology.
Upper material
The upper part can't be overlooked because it serves you through the whole game session without tempering with it. The material choice depends on your expectations of the shoe you desire. If you wish to get one with higher breathability and ready to dry when washed, fabric and mesh-related types are the most suitable. Others in need of durable and waterproof shoes should consider getting TPU or leather material upper.
The bottom line
Sneakers are chosen depending on the type of sport played. Basketball needs shoes that can help jump or dunk higher and cushion a player’s feet on landing. It also gives an advantage in reaching the basket with less efforts. But, can basketball shoes be used for badminton? Well, that's debatable. It's because badminton requires quicker movements form and back. Maybe we can talk about having a better traction pattern for staying in a ready position. You necessarily don't need to jump high in badminton to perform well, unlike in basketball.
Basketball shoes are built from various materials. So, between the upper material and outsole, what intensifies a player's jump? From the above discussion, we've learned that cushioning is a vital feature in basketball shoes. They primarily offer the required bouncing to enable athletes to jump higher. Furthermore, you need a more comfortable shoe. Lacking comfort to play and jump may hinder one's performance, thus affecting the whole team.
Another crucial point to note is practice. Vertical jumping is well done when appropriately practiced. While a shoe might contribute to your jumping, it won't give you wings to fly as you wish. For this reason, it's sometimes not good to depend on marketers for the promises made about their brands, instead go through vertical training for the better of your performance. Don’t be surprised that you can dunk in your socks after a lengthy training period. We are also not suggesting that you get into the court without shoes because it’s harmful.
