Our verdict

The Jordan Tatum 1 is the first signature shoe for Jason Tatum. Even as the older sibling of a series, this model left us in awe with its incredible style and visuals. What's more, its materials managed to balance average durability and breathability. We loved its forefoot design, as it's grippy, resistant, and bouncy, thanks to its Zoom Air unit. Its lightweight nature allowed us to run up and down the court, and its court sensibility makes it suit guards' typical playstyle, just like Tatum himself. However, the lack of rearfoot support in this Jordan was quite disappointing. Its unsteady structure made us lose confidence in our playtests.

Pros

  • Durable and grippy forefoot rubber
  • Quite lightweight structure
  • Definitely a lot of court feel
  • Bouncy forefoot
  • Durability and breathability balance
  • Truly a bang for the buck
  • Eye-catching style

Cons

  • Not very stable
  • Rearfoot lacks grip and durability
  • Not for outdoor use

Audience verdict

78
Decent!

Who should buy

Jay Tatum fans, this is your call! The first model of your favourite hooper is here! Even if you're not a fan, we believe you should get this shoe if:

  • You're looking for something lightweight with loads of court feel.
  • You're a quick-feet player who loves fakes (ball fakes, crossover steps, or any kind).
  • You're looking for an affordable model to play indoors.
  • You want to look your best whilst you hoop.
  • A bouncy forefoot is all you need.

Jordan Tatum 1_02

Who should not buy

Affordable shoes usually have to give up some features to keep their price low. You'd normally think this model decided to use less quality materials, but that wasn't the case. Nevertheless, we found its overall structure to be quite wobbly. If you don't want to be worrying about unsteady landings, you should have a look at the Jordan Luka 2. This model offers great support and grip, we definitely felt surefooted during our wear tests!

If streetball is your thing, these Jordans are a no-no. Trust us, the white material wouldn't last a week of aggressive playing. Also, you'd need some more stability for that! If you don't mind changing brands, then you might want to try the Adidas Dame 8. Just try to avoid dusty courts if possible!

Jordan Tatum 1_cutinpieces

Breathability

Breathability is a key point regarding footwear: be it running, hiking, walking, or anything in between! No matter what, we always make sure we study each model's ventilation.

In order to carry these tests out in the lab, we use our smoke machine, our microscope, and our light. Let's get started, then! Smoke machine, we choose you!

Not bad... not bad at all! As you can see in the video, there's a constant flow of smoke throughout the whole tongue. If you pay close attention, you can see a little bit of it coming out of the toebox too, which is great news! Compared to the Reebok Shaq Attaq, which scored a 1/5 in breathability, the 3/5 of these Jordans sounds like music to our ears.

This is most likely because of the upper's material, so let's dive into that. Microscope, we choose you!

Jordan Tatum 1 Breathability_1

We can clearly see two layers in the picture: a blue one and a green one. The outer one has big gaps which would definitely allow plenty of airflow; nevertheless, the inner one is tightly woven. That's why the smoke had such a hard time coming out of the shoe.

Jordan Tatum 1 Breathability_2

Wow, wait a second! There seems to be yet at least another layer under the first green one we saw in the previous picture. This is definitely the brand's doing in order to improve durability, and we love it!

We love using different tools to study every aspect of each shoe. In this case, we could see how the light happily went through the upper's woven material. Even though there are multiple layers, this explains why this model has got a better score at breathability compared to the average.

We trust in the multiple-layer armour to perform nicely on our durability tests, too. Let's check it out!

Test results
Tatum 1 3
Average 2.5
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Toebox durability

Time to test this pair's durability: Dremel, we choose you!

Let us tell you a little bit about this test. It lasts 12 seconds, and our tool goes at the speed of 10K RPM at 3.2N. We always put the rolling tip in the exact same spot. This helps us when we want to compare different shoes, as we keep the coherence in our tests. In this very specific case, we also slightly moved our Dremel away from the white layer.

Why? Well, because that white overlayer that works as this shoe's protection is not all around the toebox. It's more like a tough detail!

Jordan Tatum 1 Toebox durability_4

As you can see in the picture, the white layer resisted our tool's attack. But the mesh... got meshed up (so sorry about the joke). Our Dremel obliterated the blue layer, but the green underprotection held up, not letting the tool make a hole.

Jordan Tatum 1 Toebox durability_3

This is what a hole looks like. Hello, Under Armour Charged Assert 10! Our Jordans scored a decent 3/5 in our durability test, but this poor UA pal... couldn't get any more than a 1/5.

Test results
Tatum 1 3
Average 3.8
Compared to 51 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Toebox durability
5

Heel padding durability

If you've ever played or watched basketball, no matter which level or competition, you definitely know just how much and how often players jump. And not only jumps, but dribbles, cuts, explosive moves... All this means there's constant rubbing of your foot and sock against the heel of the shoe you're wearing.

To know more about this, we're going to perform our heel padding durability test. Dremel, once again, we choose you!

These Jordans have us saying: "Not bad, not bad", after every test! Once again, an average score: 3/5. Let's have a look at the shoe's inner lining after our Dremel went all in.

Jordan Tatum 1 Heel padding durability_3

We can clearly see some damage, but not as much as in the UA Charged Assert 9... this one got completely obliterated by our tool.

Jordan Tatum 1 Heel padding durability_2

Now that is scary. It looks like someone just bit it!

Test results
Tatum 1 3
Average 3.7
Compared to 48 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel padding durability
5

Outsole hardness

Breaking from its "not bad, not bad" status, the Tatum 1 has transformed into "wait, really?" after we checked its outsole hardness. We choose you, durometer!

Jordan Tatum 1 Outsole hardness_1

At 61.3 HC, this shoe's score is way lower than average (24% more precisely). Outsoles that get a lower score in hardness are usually less durable but have better traction.

But wait, there's a very important thing that you must know before we move on. We always put our durometer in the same spot, and in the case of this shoe... it'd be measuring the midsole material. As you can see, the pink parts of the outsole are the rubber pods, the ones that will give you better traction. The rest is the material of the midsole (white) working as the outsole.

Jordan Tatum 1_06

This... isn't gonna have a happy ending regarding durability.

Test results
Tatum 1 61.3 HC
Average 81.7 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
58.4 HC
Outsole hardness
91.0 HC

Outsole durability

As we were saying before, this model is a bit special. If we look at its outsole, we can see there are two different colours: pink and white. The pink parts are the rubber pods, which work on traction, and the white part is an extension of the midsole material.

We grabbed our Dremel again, and after this test we realised how different regarding durability these two outsole pieces are.

The first step of our outsole durability test was done: keep our Dremel rolling on the rubber pods! As you can see, our tool didn't quite damage the material. We were really happy about this, but there was something even better... at 0.4 mm, our gauge told us this wasn't even a scratch! It's an impressive 60% less than average, just wow!

Jordan Tatum 1 Outsole durability_4

This is what it looks like after the test. Can you even spot where the dent is?

We moved on to test the white part too. After all, most of this shoe's outsole is made of this white material. Even though the pink rubber pods are in the forefoot, the rearfoot doesn't have any of these protective pieces.

Jordan Tatum 1 Outsole durability_3

We could already anticipate the lack of durability. Not only because it's a material that is more on the softer side (check the outsole hardness section), but also because of all the debris flying around on our video.

To sum up: do not wear these Jordans outside! Streetball will ruin your them.

Test results
Tatum 1 0.4 mm
Average 1.0 mm
Compared to 39 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

As we were saying before, this shoe's outsole has two different parts. To measure its thickness, we grabbed our calliper and went for the pink rubber pods.

Jordan Tatum 1 Outsole thickness_1

At 3.1 mm, it's thinner than average. But we're not really worried about it. Why? Well, because it showed outstanding durability on our Dremel test!

Test results
Tatum 1 3.1 mm
Average 4.1 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Outsole thickness
8.5 mm

Weight

During our playtests, we felt agile and ready to change directions at any moment thanks to the Tatum 1's light nature. Even before taking it to our lab, our feet could already tell that this model is ideal to move around the court swiftly.

Jordan Tatum 1 Weight_1

At 11.6 oz / 329.0g, these Jordans are way lighter than average, which is a feature that we absolutely love.

Running, walking, or going for a defensive balance when the opposing team gets the ball and you need to sprint across the court were never a drag for us. This shoe worked as a tool instead of an obstacle, helping us reach the attackers quickly and effectively. Don't let the NBA and its impressive plays fool you, having a good defence is just as important as being a good attacker when you play ball!

Test results
Tatum 1 11.61 oz (329g)
Average 13.83 oz (392g)
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
11.29 oz (320g)
Weight
17.46 oz (495g)

Cushioning

Heel stack

At 28.0 mm, these Jordans' heel stack is pretty close to the average.

Jordan Tatum 1 Heel stack_1

Normally, we would just say here what our feet felt: close contact to the court, more controlled moves, easier and more precise dribbles. But we need to mention that, as stated previously, this shoe doesn't have any rubber pods at the heel. This means that the material is less durable, which would be compensated if there was more of it, but... with a lower-than-average heel stack, it's definitely not the case.

Jordan Tatum 1_03

If you're looking for an affordable option but you want it to be more durable overall, including a harder rubber in the outsole, we believe you should have a look at the Under Armour Lockdown 6.

Test results
Tatum 1 28.0 mm
Average 29.3 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
23.6 mm
Heel stack
38.4 mm

Forefoot stack

According to our durometer, at 21.9 mm the forefoot stack is just average.

Jordan Tatum 1 Forefoot stack_1

After our measurements, you can most likely tell that we're not talking about an extra cushioned shoe designed for centres. Just like Jayson Tatum himself, this model is made for forwards with a quick and aggressive playstyle. The court closeness that this shoe's low profile brings is what let us move around in the blink of an eye. It also made sure it was possible for our feet to follow our quick decisions, as sometimes you need to react at the speed of light when you're on the court.

Following Tatum's steps (quite literally) his shoe lets you go for your best attacks, but also for your finest defence. The player himself has a very important role in his team's defensive strategy, and this could never be possible for a forward if his shoes dragged him down along the court.

Test results
Tatum 1 21.9 mm
Average 21.7 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
15.5 mm
Forefoot stack
29.2 mm

Drop

The forefoot and heel stacks didn't have that big of a difference. At 6.1 mm, this shoe's drop is average.

Jordan Tatum 1 Drop_1

You can see it clearly in the picture of our cut-in-half shoe. The heel is slightly higher, aiming for impact protection, yet the forefoot and its rubber pods are closer to the ground.

We found this combination fantastic for crossover steps. It was not only the low stack that helped us control our moves. The rubber pods at the forefoot also made sure our feet stopped right where they should in our fakes. Slipping would totally ruin the jab step.

Test results
Tatum 1 6.1 mm
Average 7.6 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
4.0 mm
Drop
14.8 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

At 27.3 HA, our durometer had it clear: this shoe's midsole softness is quite close to the average.

Jordan Tatum 1 Midsole softness_1

We can't say this shoe is the most comfortable hooper we've tried. Its rearfoot offers some impact protection, but we don't believe focuses on that. It doesn't have any specific technologies in that area, so it's more like these Jordan's outsole and you against the court.

Just by looking at this video we can clearly see the difference. This shoe's Zoom Air unit protects the forefoot, yet the rearfoot is left with nothing. The softness level and the bounce of the materials is not just easily noticed in the video, but also in our feet during our playtests.

If you're looking for an affordable and comfy pal, we believe you should have a look at the Nike Precision 6.

Test results
Tatum 1 27.3 HA
Average 24.8 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
11.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
38.6 HA

Insole thickness

In order to give us a more comfortable feel, the brand used a thicker-than-average midsole.

Jordan Tatum 1 Insole thickness_1

At 5.1 mm according to our calliper, this shoe's insole focused on comfort, which was very much appreciated taking into account the shoe's structure and design.

Test results
Tatum 1 5.1 mm
Average 4.8 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
0.0 mm
Insole thickness
20.8 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

Remember we were praising this shoe before because of its lightweight nature? Well, this comes at the expense of stability.

You can see in the video that our ankles don't move much, which is thanks to the padded structure and leather piece this shoe has at the back. Wait, we'll show it to you with a video.

So our ankles didn't really feel unsafe, but our foot itself... well, that's another story. You can see in the video how the underfoot moves even if we're just swaying our ankles.

Jordan Tatum 1_013

The forefoot was fine, yet the mid and rearfoot didn't feel that great to us. We could feel the lack of arch support, and the fact that this model is designed for Tatum himself, focusing on the forefoot with the snappiness of its Zoom Air Unit because of his playstyle, which means the shoe's design doesn't revolve around the heel.

We caught it in this video. Can you see how the rearfoot slips when we go for a backdoor cut? It's subtle, but to us this is game-changing.

Consequently, we believe you should go little by little with these hoopers. Try them out if you have the chance (even better if it's on a clean court) and see how you feel with them. Don't go for crazy jumping moves against other people (such as rebounds where you unavoidably hit other players most of the time) right off the bat. Give the shoe and your feet some time to test its stability.

It was definitely not the best for us, so please be careful!

Torsional rigidity

A 3/5 in our torsional rigidity test is an average score in many categories. But in basketball? Nuh-uh, getting less than a 4 in this aspect might be dangerous.

As you can see, the shoe bends quite easily with our hands, which means it's less stable. It's got two big outer wings that surround the midfoot. This piece was what initially gave us hope, but in our torsional rigidity test and wear tests, we found out it was not supportive enough.

Jordan Tatum 1_012

The shoe bent with our hands and feet pretty easily, and this piece didn't stop it. Also, if you pay close attention to the sides, you can see there's a gap, which definitely didn't help regarding stability.

Test results
Tatum 1 3
Average 4.4
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Heel counter stiffness

A 3/5 in our heel counter stiffness test was not a result that different from what we expected.

The shoe's leather material surrounding our ankles definitely added some support. We didn't have to deal with heel slippage and our ankles felt okay. Not great, but safe enough for us not to be constantly checking them.

Test results
Tatum 1 3
Average 3.6
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1
Heel counter stiffness
5

Midsole width in the forefoot

Its midsole width in the forefoot is close to the average, just slightly narrower. At 113.3 mm, our calliper confirmed what our mid-sized feet felt: a nice fit.

Jordan Tatum 1 Midsole width in the forefoot_1

Test results
Tatum 1 113.3 mm
Average 114.6 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
106.2 mm
Midsole width in the forefoot
122.2 mm

Midsole width in the heel

Most likely to add some support, the brand went for a snugger fit in the ankle. At 83.1 mm, our calliper explained why we didn't have any heel slippage problems.

Jordan Tatum 1 Midsole width in the heel_1

Test results
Tatum 1 83.1 mm
Average 90.2 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
80.0 mm
Midsole width in the heel
105.1 mm

Flexibility

Stiffness

Despite what its big white TPU outside wings might tell you when you look at them, this shoe's structure is not the most supportive. It was not hard to make it bend with our hands in our torsional rigidity test, and our feet had the same experience.

Jordan Tatum 1_05

To know a little bit more about its flexibility, we grabbed our gauge and checked how much force was needed for this shoe to reach a 90-degree position.

At 33.3N, it accompanied our moves smoothly. This meant that our heel-to-toe transitions were delightful, but that's not all. We also found this flexibility great to practice our shooting mechanics. In such exercises, it's important to be aware of the whole foot movement, especially the bending of such at the ball.

Test results
Tatum 1 33.3N
Average 39.0N
We use an average of four tests. The video shows one of those tests.
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
17.6N
Stiffness
67.2N

Grip / Traction

Oh, boy. We're finally here, and there's A LOT to talk about.

First of all, this shoe's outsole. As we mentioned before, it's got some white parts and some pink parts. The white part is the midsole material, which is softer. And the pink pieces are the rubber pods, which are harder. (Based on our Dremel tests, as they were conducted in both parts).

Jordan Tatum 1_010

This could mean the shoe offers a great balance, but not at all! You see, the pink parts are the ones that make sure you don't slip around when you run up and down the court. We can clearly see for a moment our heel slipping in one of your in-n-out moves, just check the video bellow.

So the white part is... well, just there. It's true that this kind of design is great to reduce the overall weight of the shoe. But it sacrifices not only durability, but also traction. We can easily tell the Tatum 1 has been created to fit Tatum himself and his playstyle.

Why? Well, you see, the better your technique and the more experienced you are in basketball, the less you might use your rearfoot. Whenever you jump, you need to land on your forefoot; and most dribbles, cuts, and quick moves also have the forefoot as the base. Accordingly, this model paid less attention to the heel, which has no rubber layer.

Jordan Tatum 1_011

The traction of the pink wavy outsole pattern was great. Despite feeling slightly unstable due to the shoe's overall structure, the rubber pods made sure we could trust them in our wear tests. Nevertheless, the heel was left with subpar traction, as it also picked up dust easily.

This makes the shoe's grip inconsistent... and we didn't like that. What's more, forget about wearing it outdoors. You'll absolutely destroy it in a matter of days.

Size and fit

Toebox width at the widest part

The toebox width at the widest part was, once again, average.

Jordan Tatum 1 Toebox width at the widest part_1

At 101.0 mm, our standard-width feet felt alright. We didn't have any issues, but following our calliper's measurement, we can't recommend this shoe to wide-feet hoopers.

Jordan Tatum 1_014

Test results
Tatum 1 101.0 mm
Average 101.7 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
92.6 mm
Toebox width at the widest part
113.2 mm

Toebox width at the big toe

At 78.5 mm, the Tatum 1's toebox width at the big toe is pretty close to the average.

Jordan Tatum 1 Toebox width at the big toe_1

Our toes didn't get any extra room, but our standard-width feet didn't really mind it. The shoe's structure has a protective layer on the edge, yet the blue mesh is not extremely rigid.

Jordan Tatum 1_09

This allowed us to bend our feet easily, which is something we appreciated when we just wanted to put these hoopers on and go play some ball straight away.

Test results
Tatum 1 78.5 mm
Average 76.9 mm
Compared to 54 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
71.2 mm
Toebox width at the big toe
85.1 mm

Tongue: gusset type

The Tatum 1's tongue is fully gusseted. This added some support to the structure, especially in the instep, but it was not enough for us to feel surefooted.

Jordan Tatum 1 Tongue: gusset type_1

Even though the heel and the tongue do their best to make the structure supportive, it was definitely not enough, as the design itself doesn't focus on this aspect.

Jordan Tatum 1_07

Still, the lacing system did its part. It held this model's flexible profile as much as it could, and we were pretty happy with its performance.

We want to mention that the eyelets in the leather part of the shoe or with a surrounding leather structure made sure we wouldn't rip them apart even if we pulled the laces strongly. Also, this structure has an extra eyelet at the top, which also helped with the overall foothold.

Jordan Tatum 1_08

Test results
Tatum 1 Both sides (full)

Comfort

Tongue padding

At 8.0 mm, this Jordan's tongue padding is also not enough to overcome the general lack of foothold. Nevertheless, even though it's thinner than average, the tongue kept us protected from any kind of lace bite.

Jordan Tatum 1 Tongue padding_1

Test results
Tatum 1 8.0 mm
Average 9.4 mm
Compared to 60 basketball shoes
Number of shoes
1.3 mm
Tongue padding
15.9 mm

Heel tab

As the yin for its fully gusseted tongue's yan, this shoe has got a finger-loop at the back.

Jordan Tatum 1_04

It didn't look or feel very durable to us, but it did its job properly. We also really like how it fits in this model's vibe and colourful structure. Hooping in style, that is!

Test results
Tatum 1 Finger loop

Removable insole

We ADORE removable insoles, and these Jordans are here to tell us they are part of the club!

Jordan Tatum 1 Removable insole_2

The yellow Jumpman logo made us go absolutely crazy! But that's not the only thing we liked about this shoe's insole. It's pretty thick, but it's great news for us that it can be changed, as this model lacks arch support.

Jordan Tatum 1 Removable insole_1

So, if you need your own orthotics or some arch support, you'll have no problems with the Tatum 1.

Test results
Tatum 1 Yes

Misc

Reflective elements

No reflective elements here, but it's not like we expected them anyway!

Jordan Tatum 1 Reflective elements_1

This shoe is NOT made to play streetball with you, so it's not like you'll need some extra visibility. Indoor courts tend to be better illuminated than outdoor ones!

Test results
Tatum 1 No