6 Best Adidas Basketball Shoes

Adidas is a widely known brand, so making it as its top in any category is no small achievement. Among all the hoopers we’ve analysed in our lab, the Harden Volume 8 has earned our gold medal as the best basketball shoe overall thanks to its fantastic playability and positionless design.

In our lab, we found out its breathability and toebox + heel padding durability are all really high, as the shoe scored a 4/5 on those 3 tests. During our wear tests, we realised its tough materials bent alongside our foot with no problem, so our transitions and fakes were always smooth. In fact, this Adidas pair didn’t even need a break-in period, proving it's comfortable from minute 1.

Apart from shielding the top of our feet, the Harden Vol 8 also protected our underfoot with its fantastic shock absorption and bounce. Its Jet Boost foam cushioned our harsh rebound landings and made sure we were pushed right back up with its springy nature.

Overall, we believe this hooper is a top performer, but its armour-like design has a price: it’s heavier weight!

The Adidas Dame 8 felt so comfortable that moment we stepped into it. The underfoot felt soft and was a total angel. This shoe also delivered so much stability that it greatly boosted our confidence. The shoe also delivered a solid protection against rollovers. These benefits erased all doubts that this is indeed the best shoe for comfort that Adidas has to offer.

Using our HA durometer in the lab, we learned that the midsole is way softer (20.3) than average (26.6). This meant that our foot got the pampering that it deserved during harsh landings and sharp cuts.

Using a calliper, we learned that the midsole platform is 119.0 mm wide at the forefoot while it’s 99.1 mm wide at the heel. These numbers add 5.7 mm and 8 mm to the average. The Dame 8 is really serious when it comes to stability.

We are glad that we never had to worry about ankle rolls while wearing the Adidas Dame 8. After testing its resistance through manual twists and other manoeuvres in the lab, we gave this shoe a score of 4 out of 5 for rigidity. The rigid structure surely helped with stability. 

The Adidas Dame 8 is unfortunately not the most flexible hoop shoe there is. Our assessments revealed that it needed 41.9N of force to bend at 90 degrees, making it slightly more resistant than the average shoe which only needed 40.9N.

The Adidas Trae Young 3 was a shoe to remember as far as stability is concerned. It was so good that we now think that it’s the best among all other Adidas shoes in this aspect. Aside from stability, we were also impressed by the durability of its outsole and the softness of its midsole.

The shoe’s wide platform and rigid base worked together to deliver stability like no other. Our calliper in the lab measured the platform to be 122.2 mm (average is 113.8 mm) wide at the forefoot and 105.1 mm (average is 91.5 mm) wide at the heel. After giving it a good twist in the lab, we could only give this shoe a perfect 5 for torsional rigidity. 

The outsole was definitely suitable for continued outdoor use. Our HC durometer gave it a rating of 88.0 when the average is only 81.7, which means that the outsole is hard and pretty resistant to abrasion. The results of our Dremel test on the outsole just confirmed its durability. Our high-pressure Dremel drilling only resulted in 0.7 mm of damage when the average could go as high as 1.1 mm.

Comfort was also a highlight of this shoe. We enjoyed a nice feeling underfoot because of the softness of the cushioning system, which our HA durometer pegged at 22.5 when the average is 26.4.

If there was something that we think needed to be improved, it would be the outsole’s grip. It was way too sensitive to dust, and there was a need to keep on wiping.

The results of our wear and lab tests have proved that the D.O.N. Issue 5 is the Adidas pair with the best support. Not only does its design offer great stability and containment, it also bites the court wonderfully!

One of the key points of this hooper is the incredible support it provides on the midfoot, where the Three Stripes logo offered us a snug fit during our games. Additionally, it scored a perfect 5/5 on our torsional rigidity test, which means it was ready to protect your ankles from instability… and it did!

But that's not all. Its heel counter got a 3/5 on our stiffness test because we felt it was pliable only from the middle up. It features a solid TPU clip on the lower part that kept our Achilles in place, so we didn't even remember what heel slippage felt like. In our experience, this design allowed the shoe to be comfortable and offer a snug fit at the same time.

One thing that made us feel a bit concerned was the lack of durability of its outsole. We wouldn't use this Adidas to play streetball regularly, as the harshness of outdoor courts might end up destroying it sooner rather than later.

At £100 per pair (the average is £140), the Harden Stepback 3 from Adidas is surely not the cheapest out there. Still, we consider it as the most valuable budget pick among all shoes from the Three Stripes because of three things: (1) the amazing durability of its outsole, (2) effective impact protection, and (3) impressive stability.

The Dremel tests we did in the lab ended up like laughable jokes for the Harden Stepback 3’s outsole. Our Dremel drilling didn't even make a significant dent on it! The damage is only 0.2 mm deep, which is far better than the 1.1 mm of damage incurred by the typical hoop shoe.

When it comes to impact protection, this Harden shoe is not to be overlooked. Our feet were effectively kept free from pain during our games. Our lab assessments only confirmed the comfortable softness that we enjoyed on the court. Our HA durometer gave the midsole a rating of 21.6 when the average is as high as 26.6.  

We attribute the stability that we enjoyed to this shoe’s amazingly wide platform. Using a calliper, we learned that the platform is 117.0 mm wide at the forefoot while it’s 96.4 wide at the heel. These numbers mean that, compared to the average, the platform is 3.7 mm and 5.3 mm wider.

Players who love well-ventilated shoes should stay away from the Harden Stepback 3, though. It only got a score of 2 over 5 in our in-lab breathability tests.

Sold for only £100 a pair, the Dame Certified from Adidas is certainly one of the more affordable kicks out there (average price is £140). But the goodness that it offers does not stop at its price. This Adidas hoop shoe also delivers a lot of stability, support, and durability. Because of all these benefits, we consider this model as the Adidas shoe with the most value.

The shoe’s stability is ensured by its pretty wide platform. Our calliper measured its platform to be 120.1 mm wide at the forefoot when the average is only 114.0 mm. It is also a bit wider than the average at the heel, 95.6 mm vs 91.7. The extra space provides allowances for splays during harsh movements.

The lockdown is also worth noting. Its heel counter got a 4 out of 5 for stiffness. We felt its secure grasp around the rearfoot at all times. 

Our Dremel in the lab was no match for the sturdiness of the Adidas Dame Certified. Its heel padding and upper materials got a perfect 5 and a 4 respectively for being so resistant to abrasion during our tests. We have no doubt that this shoe lasts long.

A serious letdown was the breathability of the upper. It only got a 1 out of 5 during our smoke test. And the toastiness that we had to endure during the test games was so real!