“The goal is for these shoes to fit like a glove and to feel like you’re wearing nothing at all,” said designer Tinker Hatfield in a promotional video.
Here’s a look at the Black/Red colorway.
During the shoe’s unveiling, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan compared the XX9 to a Ferrari, and Jordan Brand said that the sneakers’ “woven” design draws inspiration from Italy.
The Jordan design team created an upper that provides structure, support, interior comfort and exterior abrasion resistance. Using state-of-the-art weaving machines, the team learned they could provide all four major elements of the shoe in a single layer of material.
The performance-woven upper delivers superior abrasion resistance, along with an entirely new look on the outside of the shoe. The structure and fit of the shoe are engineered through Flight Web tunnels, and strategic panels of stiffer and softer flex to enhance natural motion. The absence of numerous layers and adhesion technologies creates an incredibly comfortable, sock-like interior lining with superior breathability. Using webbed straps that wrap the foot and integrate with the laces, the Flight Web fit system offers superior mid-foot lockdown that moves with the athlete. Woven channels in the upper enhance the Flight Web fit system, while a double-lasted heel helps dampen the impact on hard landings. Articulated padding in the collar adds to the premium, signature feel of the shoe and helps prevent the heel from slipping.
The Flight Plate, which connects the shoe’s heel to the forefoot along the sole and has appeared in previous designs, has been updated for the Air Jordan XX9.
Harnessing the energy of every step for explosive liftoff and optimal energy return, the evolved Flight Plate maximizes the responsiveness of the Nike Zoom Air units in the forefoot and heel through the use of a Pebax moderator plate. The plate provides managed compression and deflection of the Nike Zoom Air cushioning units, creating a larger sweet spot for optimal performance. In this year’s shoe, the forefoot and heel are linked by a tendril – a small bridge of outsole – providing a smoother heel-to-toe transition.
Source: sportsillustrated.com
Article By Ben Golliver