Paul George becomes the fourth Nike Basketball signature athlete to receive his own signature shoe
The NBA All-Star has left endearing, personal touches on his first shoe like the slick pops of color, his chic bowtie logo, and the use of solid materials.
But does it belong on your regular rotation? Nike Philippines gave us a chance to test the PG1s with weekly #FullCourtFerocity training sessions. After a month of active use, we bring you our performance review of PG1.
Traction
On the models we used, the color-way with solid-rubber outsoles, the traction was great. I’ve used it on both hardwood courts and synthetic outdoor rubber courts.
I was surprised with how consistently the shoe performed, considering that [in] the times I played outdoors, there was a thin layer of dust on the court.
I have never slipped nor lost my footing in these shoes. However, I would not recommend playing outdoors in these regularly so as not to quickly wear down the rubber compound.
Cushion
The PG1s feature a bottom-loaded Zoom Air in the forefoot. The midsole is made out of lightweight Phylon that keeps the shoe, well, light.
I found that this setup really helped me move faster. The Zoom Air setup, I found, was incredibly responsive to quick movements and change of directions. In terms of impact protection on landings, the PG1s the don’t offer quite as much protection.
Materials
The PG1 feels incredibly luxurious for its 5,795.00 retail price. I enjoyed the soft-mesh forefoot as I tend to lean on my forefoot a lot while running.
One of the best features that make the PG1s such a steal is the inner-bootie construction. The combination of mesh and neoprene make feet feel like they’re wrapped in soft, high-thread-count blankets.
Fit
When I first heard the phrase “close, one-to-one feel” used to describe the shoes fit, I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant.
Until I put on the shoes for the first time.
Admittedly, my feet didn’t exactly slide into the shoe on the first time I tried them. But when I got in there and strapped it on tight for the first time, I was immediately impressed. The lacing system, which only uses four loopholes, provided great support in tandem with soft, conforming materials. At times, I forgot that I was wearing shoes at all. The strap up front might seem useless until you pull on it hard before strapping it on and feel the welcome extra lockdown on the forefoot.
While some find it snug, the PG1s fit perfectly on me. The only time I felt this satisfied with a shoe’s fit was with the Nike Zoom Kobe V, my all-time favorite basketball shoes.
Support
The main support system on the PG1s is the sculpted midsole which cups the user’s foot. Like other modern shoes, the PG1s are minimalistic when it comes to support features.
Still, the PG1s impeccably stayed with me through every move I made.
Overall
It’s to say that the PHP 5,795 price tag on the PG1s isn’t the only thing that makes it a steal.
Like it’s namesake, the PG1 is an amazing on-court performer that fits amazingly. It responds swimmingly to quick movements and its traction won’t let you down no matter where you play.
