Reebok Question Mid review

• a good balance of ground feel and impact protection
• tank-of-a-shoe with a super sturdy upper and outsole (outdoor court approved)
• an exceptionally padded and comfy in-shoe feel
• an iconic silhouette to elevate your style
• a hoop shoe with above-average breathability

Take the Reebok Question Mid off your wish list if you need a spacious toebox. We recommend checking out the Adidas Harden Vol. 7 and Nike Cosmic Unity 3 instead.

Also, players who move a lot on the court and require a light basketball companion may have to look elsewhere. The Reebok Answer IV,1.8 oz lighter, is a fantastic alternative.

In the lab, we saw that the heel tooling is just as thick as what we usually see in hoop shoes. To be more specific, our caliper measured it to be 31.4 mm thick.

What makes this part of the shoe noteworthy is the Hexalite technology that's embedded in it. This add-on helped with impact protection without putting on so much thickness. 

However, those who really want well-pronounced impact protection are still going to be happier with the LeBron 20 from Nike.

Just like the heel area, the forefoot is also just around the average when it comes to thickness. Our caliper measured it to be 21.1 mm thick. 

We got to enjoy a decent amount of court feel through this setup.

Based on the stack measurements above, we measured the shoe's drop to be 10.3 mm. Having such an elevated heel made our landings feel very well cushioned.

At 30.3 HA, the shoe's cushioning foam is definitely on the firmer side. This firm tooling allowed us to gain control over our movements, no matter how fine they might have been.

At 4.5 mm, the removable insole of the Reebok Question Mid is just as thick as any other insole. We just appreciate the sponginess and comfort that it made us feel when we were stepping on it.

This shoe fits true to size for those who have medium-sized feet. Players with wide feet will have to size up, especially since the upper material does not flex that much to accommodate more foot width.

In addition to that, our caliper showed that the toebox is 101.8 mm at its widest. This figure does not fall far from the average. 

At the point nearest the big toe, the toebox is only 73.5 mm. This figure is considerably lower than average, which is bad news for wide-footers.  This practically means that the shoe tapers significantly toward the tip, which might translate to a more cinched feeling for those with wide feet.

The sidewalls are made of materials that offer just enough flexibility to provide support without being too restrictive. They made us more confident to do side-to-side movements and even make swift changes in direction.

Because of the rigidity of the base, running in this hoop shoe felt safe. Twisting our feet became the least of our worries. When manually assessed in the lab, we were left with no other choice but to give it a solid 4 out of 5 for torsional resistance.

Upon giving it a good squeeze, we felt that the heel counter was not too flimsy and not too stiff either. It truly deserves the 3 out of 5 that we gave it for its stiffness. On feet, the heel counter gave a balance of lockdown and some level of flexibility.

We felt totally stable while wearing the Reebok Question Mid because its platform was seriously wide. It opens 115.4 mm in the forefoot, providing enough space for splays and inevitable shifts when in motion.

The heel area of the platform is amazingly a lot wider than average at 96.9 mm.  Given this much space, it's virtually impossible to slide off the footbed! Not once did we have to worry about painful foot twists.

In the lab, we gauge a shoe's flexibility by measuring how much force is needed for it to bend at 90 degrees. We found that this Reebok hoop shoe needed 41.7N, which is just around the average.

The average flexibility is not something to complain about, really. We felt that it gave just the right combo of support and freedom of movement.

If there was something that we didn't like so much about this Reebok shoe, it would be its weight. At 16.9 ounces or 479 grams, it is significantly heavier than the typical hoop shoe. Because of its heaviness, our first steps were often an effort to make. 

The Reebok Question Mid is a strong pick when it comes to breathability. This Nike shoe scored a 4 out of 5 from us when we saw that its upper material easily allowed smoke (hence, air) to pass through and escape. This rating makes this shoe better than most basketball shoes on record.

Reebok Question Mid (4 out of 5) vs Under Armour Curry 10 (5 out of 5)

In our light assessment, we saw that light shines through the numerous vents in the mesh tongue. 

Using a microscope we got a closer look at the mesh and the perforations that contributed greatly to this shoe's breathability.

The holes can be clearly seen in the closeup shot below. 

The Question Mid offers a good deal of durability. While our 12-second Dremel test eroded the colored first layer of the toebox, it barely made a dent in the next layer. This result gives us more confidence in this shoe's longevity.

Compared to the damage that the Adidas Harden Stepback 3 from the same Dremel test, the Reebok Question Mid is still structurally unscathed.

Amazing. This word perfectly summarizes the durability of the heel counter padding after getting a perfect 5 in our durability test.

If only it could, the heel counter padding might have already been laughing at the Dremel test we performed on it. The test did not even leave any noticeable marks!

To the touch, the outsole of the Reebok Question Mid felt really firm. And this made us feel exceptionally confident playing on an outdoor court, even on a harsh asphalt one!

When we used the HC durometer to assess the hardness of the outsole more objectively, we learned that it is indeed harder than average at 89.9 HC. This is by far one of the hardest rubbers in our lab!

We subjected the outsole to 22 seconds of high-pressure Dremel drilling. 

The resulting dent of 0.9 mm is slightly lower than average. Given this result, we can say that this shoe is OK for occasional outdoor use.

At 4.8 mm based on our caliper measurements, the outsole of the Reebok Question Mid is slightly thicker than average. This only increased our confidence in using this shoe outdoors once in a while.

But if playing outdoors is more the rule than the exception, the Nike Cosmic Unity 3 offers a better experience.

Traction was one of the highlights of this shoe. Stopping on a dime was never a problem and the tread pattern that is etched on the sole had multidirectional coverage.

This shoe's grip also did not falter on whichever surface we played. Indoors or outdoors, this shoe can bite as hard as it should to keep your movements grounded and well-supported.

Being 14.3 mm thick, we can really say that the tongue is generously padded. Not only did the thick tongue provide comfort on top of the foot but it also enhanced the overall fit and lockdown of the shoe.

The non-gusseted design of the Reebok Question Mid allowed us to move more freely. Additionally, the unattached tongue also helped with ventilation.

This basketball shoe from Reebok has no heel tab whatsoever. Fortunately, this is not an issue in our experience because it was quite easy to put on and take off this shoe.

The spongy insole is a removable feature of the Reebok Question Mid, allowing some versatility should there be a need to wear orthotics during a game.