Converse Shai 001: Performance Preview

Converse has been making quiet but significant moves in the basketball space, and with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s first signature shoe, the Converse Shai 001, Converse is officially stepping into the modern signature shoe game. While Converse has had success with models like the All-Star BB Trilliant CX, Shai’s previous Converse model, this is their first major push behind a player-driven performance sneaker in over a decade.

When it comes to basketball shoes, Converse All Star El Distrito logo Sneakers Shoes 161608C, and the Converse Shai 001 should hold its own. It features the same modified herringbone pattern as the Converse All-Star BB Trilliant CX. The traction itself features a multi-directional pattern for optimized grip and traction. The tread is very strategically designed and mapped for main steps and pivots. The Trilliant tended to accumulate dust on dirty indoor courts, and wasn’t the most durable outdoor option so, if you primarily play indoors, expect consistent and reliable traction, but if you’re looking for a blacktop beast, you might want to look elsewhere.

Converse went with the same, or at the very least, a very similar cushioning setup to the Trilliant CX, that is to say, a full-length foam midsole, a nitrogen-infused setup that balances impact protection with a low-profile ride, and a “stick of gum” style Zoom Air unit in the forefoot. Converse hasn’t specified if the foam midsole is built with CX foam or Cushlon, but it feels very similar in hand.

The foam is plush, extremely lightweight, and should provide a responsive ride. Guards and wings who rely on quick first steps and downhill attacks will appreciate how smooth and responsive the cushioning setup feels underfoot, but larger, heavier players might want a bit more compression underfoot. The Converse All-Star BB Trilliant CX was a very reactive, low profile, Kobe-esque, guard-specific shoe and the Shai 001 should provide a very similar experience on court

The Converse Shai 001 features a very bold design, Converse шкіряні зимові кеди взуття. The shoe features a fully synthetic, neoprene-style upper that is puffed out in certain sections to create structure and texture in the shoe. It also features a very 2000s-style zipper down the middle which The Golf Le Fleur x Converse Gianno Suede Lavender Reebok Answer 4 vibes. There’s nothing premium on the shoe, but the feel in hand isn’t terrible, and it will keep the shoe light and reduce break-in time.

We also have, once again, a double-lasted construction. This look has been repopularized of late, which is cool but as far as performance goes, is a good choice to boost containment and lockdown. All in all, the Shai 001 is nothing to write home about in terms of material quality but excels in every other aspect: design-wise the shoe is unique and striking, and performance-wise the shoe should work great on court.

Support features Converse Chuck 70 Archive Restuctured USA Flag 166426C compared to the All-Star BB Trilliant CX. For starters, we have a torsional plate in this shoe, something that was missing in the Trilliant. There is also a beefy chassis in the heel that will offer all the structure and lockdown that you will need in such a low-cut basketball shoe.

Lockdown space jam x converse chuck taylor thanks to the double-length build, robust materials, and the shoe’s lacing system. All of this in combination with the wide and flat outsole, and the bouncy stable midsole, should make the Shai 001 feel super secure on court.

It will be a minimalistic shoe, so bigger players may need a more substantially built shoe, but the majority of hoopers will find the Shai 001 to be more than enough.

Without having tested the shoe on court yet, it’s hard to judge how the fit will affect the shoe performance-wise, but having had them in hand, we can say that the shoe fits true to size, and Converse is a Nike company, so expect a Nike-style build and fit.

You can also expect a slightly longer break-in time because of the more substantial materials the shoe is built with.

Keeping in mind we have not completed our extensive on court performance testing process, we can say that the Shai 001 looks great and feels very nice in hand. The shoe features many of the same performance features as its predecessor but also features several key performance upgrades.

The Trilliant CX was a decent performance model, so if the Shai 001 turns out to be an improved version of that shoe, we should have a great, visually striking guard shoe. We’ll keep our fingers sale until we get our pairs in for testing.