XFactorer
Hall of Fame
So, here are my thoughts after 2 nights (4 hours) with this new beast.
I normally wear a 9.5 in the Vapor 9/9.5 series. I got a 9.5 in the Vapor X. Initial reaction: Darn, too tight. But I wore them for about an hour before match time. They were a little stiff, especially the bumper guard on the median side of the toes. It pushed in rather uncomfortably (at first).
Went out to the courts and hit for a bit with them. It softened up nicely and felt OK, but still not to the level that the 9.5s soften up and fit better (they're also tight out of the box). Didn't notice the weight as anything dramatically different. The footbed felt higher on the lateral sides. Cushioning was average. Traction was there, not too much, not too little.
The cleverly camouflaged shank plate irks me, though. After 2 hours of though hitting, I've slid on the mid foot plate enough to exhibit wear. This is the same as the Cage line. Didn't notice it with the previous Vapors, though. When you catch it just right, you get a little extra slide before the outsole grips the court and stops ya. It's a little uncomfortable to know that that can happen when you least expect it.
The uppers felt a little more harsh inside - but I also wore some socks that weren't as cushioned up top (Elite basketball socks). On the second night, I wore the Nike tennis socks and didn't notice the upper anymore. I was also playing social doubles, so I didn't tight the laces as tight. And speaking of the laces, it gets caught on the 2nd set of Adaptive Fit 'fingers' from the top - so it can be tricky to tighten or loosen. I don't see this as a long term problem, though.
The Adaptive fit system, the eyelets closest to the toes are not glued onto the shoe - so when you flex on your forefoot, the Adaptive fit 'fingers' splay outwards. Not a deal break, just looks unfinished. Doesn't have much impact on the performance, though. The fit up top will be just fine for a lot of folks. The length is a little shorter than I expect, even after the shoe warmed up and softened. The width feels about the same.
Overall, it's an update that you'll get your money's worth on. I expect the new outsole will last longer, but I'm a little frustrated by the mid foot plate that is susceptible to skidding on the court. This probably won't happen for everyone, but it's happened to me with the current Cages and the new Vapor X. The new toe guard material has to be proven worthy, though, it's rather thin compared to the outgoing model. But it's also a new material I haven't seen on a Nike shoe. Perhaps an innovation, perhaps a flaw. Time will tell.
If you've had outsole durability issues with the Vapors (and your not unrealistic in your expectations of the shoe), the new Vapor Xs will likely last a tad longer. I think it's a worthy update. They kept the good things about the Vapor line (the Adaptive fit, silhouette, feel) and updated what needed to be updated (outsole).
I normally wear a 9.5 in the Vapor 9/9.5 series. I got a 9.5 in the Vapor X. Initial reaction: Darn, too tight. But I wore them for about an hour before match time. They were a little stiff, especially the bumper guard on the median side of the toes. It pushed in rather uncomfortably (at first).
Went out to the courts and hit for a bit with them. It softened up nicely and felt OK, but still not to the level that the 9.5s soften up and fit better (they're also tight out of the box). Didn't notice the weight as anything dramatically different. The footbed felt higher on the lateral sides. Cushioning was average. Traction was there, not too much, not too little.
The cleverly camouflaged shank plate irks me, though. After 2 hours of though hitting, I've slid on the mid foot plate enough to exhibit wear. This is the same as the Cage line. Didn't notice it with the previous Vapors, though. When you catch it just right, you get a little extra slide before the outsole grips the court and stops ya. It's a little uncomfortable to know that that can happen when you least expect it.
The uppers felt a little more harsh inside - but I also wore some socks that weren't as cushioned up top (Elite basketball socks). On the second night, I wore the Nike tennis socks and didn't notice the upper anymore. I was also playing social doubles, so I didn't tight the laces as tight. And speaking of the laces, it gets caught on the 2nd set of Adaptive Fit 'fingers' from the top - so it can be tricky to tighten or loosen. I don't see this as a long term problem, though.
The Adaptive fit system, the eyelets closest to the toes are not glued onto the shoe - so when you flex on your forefoot, the Adaptive fit 'fingers' splay outwards. Not a deal break, just looks unfinished. Doesn't have much impact on the performance, though. The fit up top will be just fine for a lot of folks. The length is a little shorter than I expect, even after the shoe warmed up and softened. The width feels about the same.
Overall, it's an update that you'll get your money's worth on. I expect the new outsole will last longer, but I'm a little frustrated by the mid foot plate that is susceptible to skidding on the court. This probably won't happen for everyone, but it's happened to me with the current Cages and the new Vapor X. The new toe guard material has to be proven worthy, though, it's rather thin compared to the outgoing model. But it's also a new material I haven't seen on a Nike shoe. Perhaps an innovation, perhaps a flaw. Time will tell.
If you've had outsole durability issues with the Vapors (and your not unrealistic in your expectations of the shoe), the new Vapor Xs will likely last a tad longer. I think it's a worthy update. They kept the good things about the Vapor line (the Adaptive fit, silhouette, feel) and updated what needed to be updated (outsole).
