As is the case with most shoes, the Nike Zoom Ascention is fitted with an outsole designed from a hardened rubber material that provides the wearer with extreme levels of traction during use. The use of rubber in a basketball shoe’s sole unit ensures that when properly used the wearer doesn’t have to worry about constant slippage while the shoe is in use. This, when considered in tandem with the herringbone pattern of the outsole makes the shoe a beauty when on its natural terrain; things like falling, slipping and things of the like simply don’t happen because of the shoe’s innate ability to grip the ground and hold on despite quick movement and other things that may be taking place. Those who like to make sharp movements don’t have to worry while doing so in this shoe; it will be able to handle it and will do so very well.

The midsole of the shoe is designed to give the wearer support as well as comfort the arches of their foot while the shoes are being used. The material in the midsole is designed from a phylon material; this material allows the shoe cushions the wearer’s foot and allows them to have a bit more spring in their step while on the courts; this is especially useful for those who like to feel a bit more responsiveness while the shoe is in use. Also, it should be mentioned that the phylon material runs the full length of the shoe; this makes sure that the foot of the wearer is thoroughly cushioned and has ample protection while the shoe is being used for the more rigorous activities. The material may require a bit of breaking in when it is initially purchased, simply due to the Phylon’s dense nature; this isn’t the worst thing and considering the shoe’s use may not even be thought of by some.

The upper on the Nike Zoom Ascention is a flurry of activity and materials; this is what makes the shoe stand out though. For starter’s the majority of the upper is designed from a mesh material; the mesh enables the shoe to provide the level of comfort and a fit that will be discussed later in this section. The mesh throughout the shoe also has high-tensile stitching that enables the shoe to function in such a way as to provide the wearer with what they need in terms of air-flow and ensures that the wearer doesn’t have to worry about excess heat while the shoe is on foot. The material used in the forefoot and the heel slightly differ; the majority of the shoe provides the wearer with a comfortable foam material that also works to give the wearer what they need in terms of comfort.

In terms of weight, the shoe has a design that allows it to weigh as little as possible while still providing for the various parts of the wearer’s foot. That isn’t to say that the shoe itself is lightweight, rather, that Nike cut down on the weight of the shoe dramatically. The upper of the shoe uses foam material with a mesh overlay; this feature of the shoe when considered by itself could add a substantial oz. to the shoe's design. It doesn’t though and keeps the shoe on the wearer’s foot while feeling heavenly at that. The rubber in the outsole is also kind of thick, which is a feature that should also make one wonder about the shoe’s weight; it still doesn’t and does it’s best to serve it’s intended function. With that being said, this is still a bit on the bigger side, due to the materials being used, so one shouldn’t purchase it and expect for the shoe to be non-existent on their feet.

The mesh upper on the shoe allows for a decent level of airflow to be made available to the wearer while the shoe is on foot. Nike has always done a rather decent job of designing shoes that provide the wearers with what they need in terms of breathability; don’t know how, but this just seems to be a gift of theirs. The upper of the shoe, despite all of the foam that was used to provide the shoe with a sort of cushioning effect, allows the wearer’s foot to have a decent level of airflow while in use and does so relentlessly; seriously, it’s almost as if the shoe actively works to provide the wearer with the level of airflow that it does. It should be mentioned that it does so despite all of the cushioning that is present throughout the shoe’s design.

Nike did their best to give the shoe that comfortable feel that they love when the shoe is in use on the basketball courts; they partly succeeded. The upper of the shoe has that cushioned effect that is provided by the foam material that is positioned throughout the design of the shoe; this material allows the shoe to be extremely comfortable in some areas. The use of the foam on the outer sections of the shoe was a great idea simply because of the fact that wearers are running up and down a court for extended periods of time and may or may not have to cut (quickly at that); a sharp cut with no cushion won’t be very comfortable for wearers of the shoe at all. The sole unit of the shoe is designed to be as comfortable as possible for the wearer of the shoe but does so in a somewhat half-hearted way. The Zoom cushioning provides the wearer with a bit of comfort, but not much for some reason; this is accompanied by the shoe’s use of the Phylon material that simply takes a while to break in.

This is a basketball shoe by all meanings of the word. The upper of the shoe is a bit raised so as to ensure that the wearer has a bit of ankle support while making sharp movements in the shoe; this is increasingly important and painfully obvious simply by looking at the shoe. The shoe has a bit of flair from the material that is in its design and the colorways that are incorporated; the shoe comes in a base color but, the use of carefully placed stitching makes it look somewhat vibrant while in use. It has the popular Nike swoosh logo in place throughout its sides so that people have a very clear understanding of who designed it as well. The sole unit of the shoe is also 2-toned, primarily because of the use of the Zoom tech and the phylon; one is displayed in a lighter color than the other. All in all, this is an attractive shoe, for it’s intended purpose; it probably won’t be of much use if worn outside of it’s intended use.

The shoes are inexpensive and we all understand what that means; it isn’t made from the highest quality of materials. The upper of the shoe, being made from a mesh material and equipped with high tensile stitching works and serves it’s intended function; after a few uses, the material in the stitching does begin to come apart. The stitching doesn’t completely take away from the shoe’s usability though; it will still serve its function and provide the wearer with all that they need in terms of use mainly because of the aesthetic use of the material. Something to note is that it does provide the wearer with a decent level of durability when used to make rather sharp movements; this is required due to the nature of the shoe itself. The rubber outsole of the shoe will definitely hold up with extensive use; the outsole is rather thick and, if taken care of correctly will work to provide the wearer with high levels of functionality for very extended periods of time.

The Nike Zoom Ascention will provide one with a decent level of protection when in use. The upper of the shoe has a mesh design but has a second layer that’s fashioned from a foam material; when this shoe is put to use on floors such as basketball courts, this second layer will definitely be put to the test. This is said because of the flurry of activity that takes place when one is on a basketball court and the many feet that will be present; there is a high likelihood that one’s foot will be stepped on but, the material in this shoe will definitely prevent the wearer from feeling this while the shoe is on foot. Another thing to mention is the protection that the raised portion of the heel provides; it provides a bit of stability for the wearer’s foot and allows the shoe to ensure that the wearer doesn’t hurt their ankle when making sharp turns. The rubber on the outsole of the shoe also works to give the wearer what is needed in terms of protection due to the thick cut of the material itself; one doesn’t have to worry about the entrance of any materials into this shoe and since it will because don a basketball court, shouldn’t have to.

The materials in the sole unit of the shoe are rather responsive; they at least do their best to be. The sole unit of the shoe incorporates the use of a hardened rubber material into its design. The use of this material allows the wearer and allows for an extremely high level of bounce to be made present while the shoe is in use; this is primarily due to the shoe’s use of the herringbone patterning and the grip that it provides while in use on a court. The phylon material in the midsole of the shoe provides the wearer with a decent level of responsiveness, after the break-in period; before that, it doesn’t really do much to give the wearer what they need in terms of bounce or responsiveness.

The sole unit of this shoe doesn’t really provide much to the wearer in terms of support. The phylon material doesn’t really have the bounce that is necessary for the wearer while in use but, the shoe compensates somewhat with the use of the Zoom tech in the sole of the shoe; this technology is hardly felt though due to the thin level of it that is present in the shoe’s design. The heel of the shoe does have a decent amount of it that is felt by the wearer while in use, but that’s really about it. The upper of the shoe provides the wearer with a decent level of support, primarily in the ankle region; the ankle of the shoe is elongated and is covered precisely by the sides of the shoe. The extended ankle ensures that the wearer doesn’t hurt themselves when the shoe is in use which is something that is completely necessary for a sport such as basketball.

The shoe is designed for use on developed areas; the sole unit of the shoe performs at its peak when used on a terrain that has very little extra components or, in other words, is very level. The flat nature of the sole allows for a decent level of functionality on all of these surfaces and does so due to the patterning that is present in the shoe’s design. The upper of the shoe isn’t really placed in question due to the use of the mesh and the sport that it will be used for; the wearer won’t have to worry about high levels of damage taking place on the foot due to nature of the sport.

One of the best things about this shoe is that it is very inexpensive; seriously, when one looks at the price of this shoe they will be amazed to find out that it won’t hurt their pockets in the slightest. To be honest, the materials used in the design of the shoe and the way that they are assembled totally justifies the price of the shoe. The shoe isn’t “low-quality” it just couldn’t really be compared to the likes of many of the other shoes that are a bit on the higher end of the spectrum. Again, that isn’t to say that this is a bad shoe, because it’s not; it is just rather inexpensive and justifiably so.

The sole unit of the shoe, mainly the outsole, provides the wearer with what they need in terms of traction; to be honest, this is one of the best features of this shoe. The outsole is fashioned from a hardened rubber material that has a herringbone pattern etched into it. The herringbone pattern allows the shoe to function at a very high level due to the fact that the shoe is designed for use on level surfaces; rubber also has an innate ability to stick to surfaces so this was a great choice.

The fact that the upper on this shoe is designed from a mesh material should say it all; this is a very flexible shoe. Despite the use of the foam in the design of the shoe, it still moves with relative ease and does so with dealing a blow to the dexterity of the shoe itself. For a shoe to function as a basketball shoe, movement is definitely required in the upper of the shoe. The sole unit works in much the same way and flexes with relative ease; once the Phylon material is broken in, it moves very easily and, when coupled with the flexible rubber material gives the wearer no hassles.

No one wants a shoe that moves every which way while the wearer’s feet are inside of it. Luckily, the Nike Zoom Ascention isn’t one of those shoes. The upper of the shoe is designed from mesh and it’s understandable for one to look at this material and think that it won’t provide a stable base for the foot; the stitching in the upper works to give the wearer what they need in terms of stability and works to secure the wearer’s foot while the shoe is in use. The sides of the shoe are also raised which adds to the stability of the shoe while on the foot and works to ensure that the wearer has a stable ride. Before this topic is dismissed, the sole unit of the shoe is rather firm and doesn’t move very easily while the shoe is used; the wearer doesn’t have to worry about rollover.

The drop on these shoes isn’t specified but, simply by looking at the sole unit of the shoe, one can tell that the drop is on the higher end of the spectrum. The shoe has a plethora of Zoom cushioning in place in that portion of the shoe that allows for decent transitions while the shoe is in use.

• Zoom cushioning
• High tensile stitching
• Phylon midsole

The Nike Zoom Ascention is an overall decent shoe. The price of it isn’t too high and, when considered alongside other things justifies the purchase of this shoe; it isn’t the highest quality shoe in terms of materials and this can be recognized when one looks at the shoe in its entirety and sees it in action. The traction gained by these shoes is utterly phenomenal and justifiably so.