Verdict from 6 experts and 100+ user reviews
6 reasons to buy
- A lot of reviewers say that the Adidas Crazy 1’s traction performs really well due to its classic herringbone pattern.
- The majority of users praise how comfortable the shoes are during wear. One tester, in fact, compliments how good the shoe felt straight out of the box.
- Many buyers repurchase this shoe, commenting that the shoe “brings back a lot of memories”.
- Because of the Crazy 1’s iconic look, many of the users also wear them casually.
- The upper of this Three Stripes basketball shoe is heavily padded, providing a secure lockdown which many of the reviewers appreciate.
- A lot of the purchasers love how long the Adidas Crazy 1 stay clean and how easy it is to remove dirt from the upper of the shoe.
3 reasons not to buy
- There is an obvious love-hate opinion regarding the aesthetics of the Adidas Crazy 1. Majority of the younger crowd express dislike of the shoe’s silhouette.
- Due to the shoe’s material on the upper, almost all testers say that there is no ventilation.
- A few reviewers say that the shoe’s upper creases very fast. This is the same issue with some of the basketball shoes from Michael Jordan’s line.
Bottom line
The Adidas Crazy 1 is a basketball classic that brings a mixed set of reviews. Ballers who have been playing in the late 90’s love the aesthetic, materials, and support that the shoe provides. They also give the Crazy 1 a very high rating. Younger users, on the other hand, dislike the look and feel of these athletic basketball sneakers; saying that the shoe is too bulky for the court. Overall, however, the shoe still features effective traction and comfortable cushioning—enough to give a good performance on court.
Tip: see the best basketball shoes.
Good to know
Kobe Bryant’s shoe line with Adidas was short lived, but it was a profitable one nonetheless. Adidas Crazy 1 was Kobe’s first signature shoe, and it was called the “Kobe 1” back in the 2000s. It featured a molded-shell upper, Adiprene midsole, and a herringbone outsole. For the retro-ed releases, however, the cushioning was changed to EVA. The shoe’s look is deemed very futuristic, and it earns the attention of the public for its unique shape.
Cushion. Older versions of the Adidas Crazy 1 used Adiprene to provide cushion. The recent releases now use an EVA midsole. This cushion gives adequate padding while remaining firm for a responsive bounce-back.
Traction. The shoe’s outsole features a non-marking, full-length herringbone pattern; providing that reliable traction on the court. Since it’s made of thick rubber, the shoe can be used outdoors, as well as indoors. For other colorways, however, translucent outsoles are being used and it is best to limit them to indoor use.
Length and Width. The Crazy 1’s run a little wide in the forefoot. If you have narrow feet and don’t mind feeling the toe box, it is suggested that you go half a size smaller.
Lockdown. Rather than being mainly dependent on the shoe’s lacing system, Adidas Crazy 1’s lockdown power is attributed to its heavily padded upper and double foam collar. Making sure that the wearer’s foot will stay in place within the shoe during use. The padded collar along with the stiff heel counter gives ankle support. While the Adidas Torsion System found in the midfoot, also add to the arch support to the foot.
The shoe’s material varies with every release. But most of the colorways feature a semi-stiff vinyl-type synthetic upper that covers the thickly padded insides of the shoe. Additionally, the shoe’s insides are lined with mesh fabric. The midsole is solely made out of injected EVA cushioning. For the heel counter and the Adidas Torsion System, a sturdy plastic is used to give that needed foot support.
The Adidas Crazy 1’s has more than 10 colorways since its release in 2000. Popularly, many refer to it as the “space cleats”. Its unique physical appearance, however, was actually inspired by the German automobile, the Audi TT Roadster.
On the sides of the shoe, the signature adidas stripes are embossed; complementing the clean lines of the silhouette. On the tongue of the shoe, is an adidas callout and logo. The shoe is great for casual wear as its clean colors are easy to pair clothes with.
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