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Earlier this week, Jordan Brand flew Complex — along with several other media outlets — to Nike HQ in Beaverton, Oregon, for something they called the Jordan Flight Forum. It served as the unveiling for three signature models: the Fly Wade 2 (Dwyane Wade), the Melo M8 (Carmelo Anthony) and the CP3.V (Chris Paul). Each represented a different aspect of Flight — Fly Over, Fly Through and Fly Around, respectively. And seeing that we got the technical and aesthetic breakdown on each shoe, we figured we'd share the 10 most important things we learned. You're welcome.
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1) The Fly Wade 2 is NOT lighter than the Fly Wade. Sacrilege, we know. How DARE a shoe company release an evolutionary followup without making it lighter than its predecessor? But, as designer Mark Smith pointed out, the goal isn't simply to make a lighter shoe, but to make a better one. And with four-layer Hyperfuse on the upper and an all-new Lunarlon sole, it seems as if they did. Which brings us to our second point...
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2) The Fly Wade 2 is not technically an Air Jordan. Yes, it's a Jordan. But the Fly Wade 2 isn't actually "Air" anything. The cushioning is provided by a basketball-specific Lunarlon midsole, supplemented by Phylon in the heel and an Ortholite sockliner. Switching to Lunar from the original Fly Wade's Air bag allowed them to shave millimeters from the ride height, which improves stability.
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3) Dwyane Wade likes anodized colors. While the other colorways of the Fly Wade 2 are nice, apparently this was Dwyane's personal favorite. Can't say we blame him. That's gonna pop something lovely under the arena lights. Look for the first two colorways to hit on December 7 for $140.
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4) The new Wade logo can be viewed at any angle and it still means something. The "D3" basketball logo from the original Wade is gone, this new stylized W is in. Turn it through 360 degrees 90 degrees at a time clockwise, and it goes from a W, to an E (East), an M (Miami) and a 3 (jersey number). Serendipitous? Perhaps. But it should work until he changes his number or team, like some other Heat we know.
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5) You can see Carmelo Anthony's game in his shoe. When designer Justin Taylor sketched out the Melo M8, he put Melo's game right there on the side. If you follow the patent from front to back, you have the catch and post in the front, where it dips, the quick move where it rises up, then the reset and explosion to the basket at the rear. Makes sense, right? The Flywire is there to support Melo's power game.
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6) There is no shortage of Air in the Melo M8. From the Max Air bag in the heel to the caged Zoom in the forefoot, there is plenty of Air, and it's all visible. The forefoot Zoom serves a double purpose, as the cage helps provide the support of an outrigger. If you're a big dude looking for signature Jordan product, this is your shoe.
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7) Melo approved. There are a number of Melo-specific details on the M8, from the new shield logo on the insole to this signature label on the tongue. It reads: "BRN IN BKLYN. MFD IN BMRE. MODEL# 7." It's understood that a signature shoe is co-signed by the user, but sometimes it's nice to have it literally spelled out. The first colors of the Melo M8 hit shelves on October 12 for $135.
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8) Chris Paul likes light. The new CP3.V is 20 percent lighter than earlier CP3 models — helped out by liberal use of Flywire and synthetics. It could have been even lighter, but one thing Paul insisted on was the Achilles pad — and what CP3 wants, CP3 gets. The 61 triangular cutouts on the upper honor his grandfather, Nathaniel Jones, who was murdered at 61. Paul scored 61 in his very next game in tribute, and each of his signature shoes have included a 61 reference.
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9) No Air here, either. Much like the Fly Wade 2, the CP3.V is Airless. Unlike the Wade however, the CP3.V does not use Lunarlon. Instead, it relies on Cushlon ST II and CMP (Compression Molded Phylon) placed strategically through the midsole to provide different densities exactly where it's needed. This Podulon system has been refined through each of CP3's shoes. Jordan Brand Creative Director Andre Doxey repeatedly referred to "Lightweight Propulsion" throughout the presentation, and that's exactly what they've provided.
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10) Hit the brakes. Speed isn't all that counts in Chris Paul's game — he has to be able to stop and change direction just as quickly. When watching him play, it was noted that he used the inside of his forefoot to slow himself, dragging his back foot. They played up that element on his earlier shoes, and have continued to refine it in the CP3.V. If you look towards the forefoot, that grey extension is where the brakes start. The CP3.V will go on sale on January 11, 2012, and retail for $120.
