On lateral movements, my foot regularly shifted within the forefoot area of the shoe. I’d say the forefoot fit would also be compromised, but I never got a secure fit in the forefoot to begin with. If I loosened up the laces to relieve that pain, the fit in the heel was compromised. The sections of midsole foam that wrap up onto the upper make things pretty cramped, but the dealbreaker, for me at least, is the shank plate, which I could feel pinching the sides of my feet with every step. The shoe is outrageously narrow in the midfoot area. I went true to size, and length-wise, it was just right. The fact that this shoe costs $160 makes the material choices even more egregious. The bottom line is the materials are cheap and not very strong. This wouldn’t have been as big of an issue if I had been able to get a better fit (spoiler alert: it didn’t happen) or if the midsole would have cradled my foot in the forefoot a little bit more like the original Cosmic Unity did. My main issue was with the textile base – it doesn’t provide any kind of structure or support. In the back of the shoe, the collar uses a felt-like material, with a lot of foam rising from the midsole to help with containment. The Nike Cosmic Unity 2 features a thin textile upper with some fuse overlays in the lateral and medial forefoot areas. This is where things start to go downhill. It’s a real shame I didn’t like the rest of the shoe because this is about as good of a combination of traction and cushion as it gets. The shoe is also crazy flexible in the forefoot, so the spring-like effect of the Zoom is felt even more than it would be otherwise. The star of the show is the Zoom, and the foam is a great supporting act. The foam compound used here is softer and less bulky than what was used on the first Cosmic Unity, but it’s not plush like a React or Cushlon setup. Just like the original model, these feature a full-length Zoom strobel unit, which provides a ton of responsive cushion while retaining a ton of court feel. The Nike Cosmic Unity 2’s cushion is its other standout feature. It’s as good of a traction setup as you’ll find on the market today. If you’re into a squeaky traction pattern, you’ll find it here.īetter yet, the rubber compound used is effective and durable indoors and outdoors. The pattern is multidirectional, keeping you covered on every movement.

Traction is the Nike Cosmic Unity 2’s best feature. Does this year’s follow-up match the standard set by the original? In a word? No. The Nike Cosmic Unity 2 looks to build on that repertoire by keeping the same cushion setup but with a different upper and aesthetic design. It provided a low-to-the-ground ride while still having the springy feeling of Zoom Air courtesy of the Strobel unit. The Nike Cosmic Unity was a famous basketball shoe when it was released. AND1: The Best Shoes of a Legendary Brand.Best Basketball Shoes for Power Forwards.Best Basketball Shoes for Small Forwards.Best Basketball Shoes for Shooting Guards.Best Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support.Best Basketball Sneakers for Players with Flat Feet.

Nike cosmic unity review