Our verdict
Russell Westbrook is back on the scene with his second takedown sneaker, which has been debuted by multiple NBA players this season so far. The shoe is a dependable performer all around, and plays best on indoor hardwood gyms but is still capable outdoors with less longevity. For the recreationally competitive player who wants a decent pickup without banking the bank, this shoe fits the profile well.
Pros
- True to size
- Comfy, snug fit
- No break-in period
- Close to ground contact
- Breathable
- Impressive lockdown
- Light
- Affordable
Cons
- Outsole needs constant wiping
- Not for outdoor play
Jordan One Take II review
The Jordan One Take II is a decent performer. It has a commendable fit, lockdown, and traction, but is weighed down by its mediocre cushion implementation. I would have really appreciated this basketball shoe to be a bit more durable to be an outdoor choice but unfortunately, the traction design is unable to last longer outdoors.
At the cheaper price, the One Take II is a solid get for any casual hooper looking for a reliable sneaker that is dependable but doesn’t expect a top-tier performer.
Who should buy it
Do buy the Jordan One Take II if you are a player looking for a dependable budget basketball shoe that rides extremely low to the ground and has reliable traction.
Who should NOT buy it
Consider other basketball shoes if you:
- preferred a cushioned shoe (in this case, consider the Nike Lebron 18)
- want a shoe that can also be used for outdoor courts (the Nike Cosmic Unity is worth checking out)
Comfy, snug fit
One of the main highlights of One Take II was the outstanding fit. Comfortably snug with no dead space, on all types of movements my foot felt locked in straight out of the box. True to size worked for me as a slightly wide footer which I’d recommend for most people as the fit of the shoe feels very generic.
My one knock on the fit is the forefoot is slightly but not terribly loose, and is hard to tighten based on the lacing not providing a ton of pressure even when pulled tight. The heel loop provides for an easy time to get the shoe on.
Noticeable but average cushioning
The cushion on the One Take II was okay - one top-loaded forefoot Zoom unit in the forefoot that felt to have an initial bounce in the first few minutes of playing but was forgettable afterward.
The cushioning still does provide impact protection, but does not give much bounce-back or plushness and feels firm over time. The foam used across the rest of the shoe provided adequate impact protection but otherwise did not give any bounce back.
The minimal cushioning setup did allow for a closer-to-the-ground ride though.
No break-in time is needed!
The fit, lockdown, traction, and cushion all clicked right out the box which was an awesome experience to enjoy. The materials used throughout the shoe are fairly soft and elastic which helps any break-in go smoothly/largely unnoticed. Depending on the type of material you’re hooping on you may need to wipe the outsole a bit but other than that it should be good to right out the gates!
The One Take II is the wrong choice for outdoor play
I would recommend the Jordan One Take II only for indoor play, due to the thinner diagonal pattern used on the outsole. The shoe will still play the same outdoors and actually hold up decently well in terms of performance, but after using it for a dozen outdoors sessions I would expect the traction design to wear down significantly.
Dependable grip but needs wiping
The Jordan One Take II has good multidirectional traction from the herringbone-like diagonal grooves on the bottoms of the shoes. I tested the shoe in both some workouts on an indoor court as well as several shootarounds on an outdoor court and the traction held up fairly well in both conditions.
Despite the indoor gym floors being on the dirtier/dustier end(think local community gym), the traction had a good grip and only required some wiping from time to time. Dust does pick up somewhat quickly on the outsole, especially in the circular pattern under the forefoot, but luckily wiping works very efficiently on the outsole and does not feel cumbersome to refresh the outsole.
Weighs slightly light for a basketball shoe
The One Take II weighs 11.3oz/320g, which sits comfortably on the lighter end for basketball shoes (the average basketball shoe weight is 13.6oz/386g). This was certainly felt while playing in the shoe with the upper & overall build feeling minimalistic with no excess weight felt anywhere else along with the shoe. Its weight sits just a tad lighter than the popular Nike KD/Nike Kyrie/Nike PG/Under Armour Curry releases.
Ventilation is commendable
The upper of the One Take II uses a mesh-like upper which is very solid in terms of breathability. While one might not say it’s the most premium of materials, it, more importantly, gets the job done in regards to ventilation in a lightweight manner. Simplicity did well!
Positive marks for lockdown
Lockdown, for me, was another favorable aspect of the shoe to me. The heel has a molded thin plastic outsole which served me well, providing light sturdy lockdown without adding any difficulty in getting the shoe on. The mesh-like material implemented across the upper did good in holding my foot firm on the footbed with aggressive lateral and forward movements. An excellent budget implementation of lockdown that worked beautifully!
Cheaper price
The retail price for the Jordan One Take II is $100, which is on the lower end of basketball shoes (the average price is $133). For this relatively cheaper price, I think they’re a solid get - nothing spectacular across the board but no major flaws either and should satisfy a wide range of players.
