The Nike Zoom Hyperdisruptor – Black Lotus Performance Reviews

Nike Zoom Hyperdisruptor - Pink/Breast Cancer Awareness

The Nike Zoom Hyperdisruptor

Introduction

It has bee a stellar season for Nike Basketball. From the Hyperdunk and Hyperfuse to all the signature models (Lebron, Kobe, KD), each release has exhibited great on court performance. As the calendar turns to 2013 and the Spring/Summer season is just around the corner, the latest flood of releases is trickling through. Expanding the Hyper line is one of the lightest Nike Basketball shoes every created. Based around a one-piece and a Fuse constructed upper, the shoe features the largest Nike Zoom units ever equipped in a Nike Basketball shoe. Will this be a Hyper shoe to remember? Or is this just another shoe to throw into the Hyper line? Right in time for March Madness, our latest Performance Review looks at the Nike Zoom Hyperdisruptor.

One of the lightest performers this season is the Zoom Hyperdisruptor. The features include the following:

One piece upper with Hyperfuse and mesh construction
Cushioning provided by a Phylon midsole with Nike Zoom units in the heel and forefoot
Rubber outsole with herringbone traction pattern
Molded heel counter for support and lock down
Minimal padding for light weight performance

Aesthetics and Styling

The Hyper line is characterized by futuristic stylings, with sharp and sleek lines. There is no doubt that the Hyperdisruptor fits in well, but for this design, there are a couple of influences from the 2012-2013 catalog. First is the obvious – the Hyperfuse 2012 foundation (midsole and outsole shape) looks very similar. The heel counter takes a page from the Kobe 8 System, while the fixed tongue is from the KD V. As a team shoe, the initial run of color schemes represents the Nike endorsed colleges, and for this Performance Review, the special Pink Breast Cancer Awareness color scheme is the choice.

Sharp lines and bold styling characterize the Hyper line

Sharp and pointy lines make up the Hyperdisruptor from the side. The collar of the shoe has a slight rise to make the shoe a mid cut, while pointy sections are found from top to bottom. A contoured rubber sole is found on the underside, dominated by the herringbone pattern. The toe cap has three diamonds molded into the rubber. On the lateral side, there is an outrigger with the “NIKE ZOOM” branding, with the medial side having some of the herringbone creeping along the wall. The main section of the forefoot area is molded with a herringbone pattern with five deep diagonal flex grooves running through. Four of the flex grooves have diamond shards on the edges and the fourth one shows off the forefoot Zoom unit. At the mid foot, more diamonds are found with a crossing traction pattern. The heel area continues the diamond theme with an inset diamond at the center, again showing off the Zoom unit. More flex grooves cut through the center diamond and another “NIKE ZOOM” logo is finely printed on a horizontal groove towards the medial. The shapely outsole is supported by and equally shapely Phylon midsole. Zig-zaging around the base, the midsole has pointy areas all around and is finished off with a pink Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon on the lateral heel.

A one piece minimal upper shows off all the layers of fuse at the toe box. Here, the toe cap is reinforced with maximum layers of Fuse, which are raised and come to a point. The sides of the forefoot have more maximum layers also coming up to a point. Making up the rest of the toe box is a lighter layer around the sides and a silver Nike swoosh on the medial. Finishing off this section is exposed mesh with no layers close to the throat line. For the sides, the light weight construction is observed with a more open look. The quarter panels are made of soft mesh, with no layers of Fuse. A large grey Nike swoosh logo covers the lateral side.

At the rear, the first signs of stability are observed. A molded heel counter has the diamond/net shape design, extending to the sides. This counter is placed on maximum layers for Fuse for all the support needed. Moving up the heel, the mesh base makes up the Achilles lobe and collar sides. To keep the shoe light, padding is thin and soft, while the lining is a smooth synthetic.

An expansive lacing system is made up of 11 eyelets on a reinforced eyestay. Standard flat laces keep the light weight theme. The eyelets on the body of the shoe are sectioned in pairs and have the raised, maximum layers of Fuse for support. The collar eyelets have the same construction but are not paired. Stitched on and fixed, a thin mesh tongue is stuck in place. The tongue is very thin with little padding on top. A lace holder sits underneath the plastic “HYPER DISRUPTOR” logo. To round out this latest Hyper shoe, a foam insole with four graphics printed on the heel covers the Zoom units on the footebed.

Comfort and Fit

Creating an opening for the foot to fit through the Hypersiruptor is a bit of a task as the sticthed tongue leaves the middle of the shoe in a fixed position. Once slipped on, the shoe is a very tight true to size. Laced tightly, pressure is observed from the middle of the foot all the way through to the ankle collar. The laces press through the thin tongue and the upper grips the foot tight all around. Those with wide feet may have some issues merely getting into the shoe and with the overall tightness around the middle. Nonetheless, the upper does have a light weight, thin feel. At the toe box there is ample room in terms of width. Height and length are very close to the toes, but there is no crowding. Around the ankles, the collar has a light weight feel but provides good security. The padding offers some support, but for the most part feels almost as if it is not there. On the back side, heel lockdown is excellent. The molded counter keeps the heels in place with no movement, while Achilles support is comfortable. Next, soft cushioning is provided by the Phylon/Zoom set up. The Zoom bags in the forefoot and heel do have a thick feel and have the signature bounce to them. Combined with the Phylon, cushioning is on the soft side and the shoe feels close to the court surface. Moving to arch support, the hold of the upper and contours of the midsole help to keep the foot from sitting flat. The foot does push through the upper, but for all intensive purposes, arch support is ample in a static position. A very light weight package with a tight fit and comfortable cushioning bed, the Hyperdisruptor looks to speed on to the court.

Performance

Nike Zoom is one of the more comfortable cushioning technologies in the industry today, and can be predominantly felt when stepping on to the hardwood. The court profile of the shoe is low and the foot can be felt pushing right through the Zoom units. Once in motion, the light weight of the shoe is very evident. The shoe has a sock like feel as the player speeds swiftly up and down the court. Heel to toe transitions are fast, and the foot just presses right through the Zoom units on each step, which provide soft cushioning. Performance for the Hyperdisruptor is fit for those looking for speed and quickness. First off, the Fuse upper is very soft and flexible. Because of the nature of the Fues material, the flexing of the upper is depended on each player so there may be a break in time for the foot to get accustomed to how the upper bends and folds. After this period, moving around is just quick with no restrictions. Moving sideways, back peddling, or bolting forward, the upper flexes easy from the toe box all the way up to the ankles. The player can perform quick movements with and without the ball with the same swift feeling. Speed is further helped with the low profile of the shoe. This allows the player to get a better sense of the court, and even though the Zoom units do feel thick, pressing through (especially those who are heavy footed) is not a problem. In fact, this is one instance where the thickness of the Zoom is deceptive. With this established, the Zoom provides comfort while playing off the forefoot and for those occasions where the player presses down on the heel (heel strikes, post ups, landings). For jumps, the Zoom units give a good bounce. Jumping is not very explosive in terms of pushing off the Zoom, but considering the weight of the shoe, rising up does have a slight bounce. Clarified, the Zoom seems to work best in more of a static position, than in an on-the-move context, as the slight bounce is maximized when not moving. For landings, the Zoom and Phylon do offer comfort, but for hard landings it seems as though the foot pushes right through the cushioning set up which is not ideal. Quick, fast, and nimble, the Hyperdisruptor combines featherweight performance with very good comfort.

Considering the light weight build of the shoe, stability is satisfactory. A minimal Fuse upper does a great job of providing a tight fit from the toes down to the ankles and heels. The shoe has a sock-like feel so players who tax their shoes may find the shoe feels as though it is at a breaking point during those intense moments on the court. However, the upper does provide a tight hold around the foot. For the ankles, support is good. Again the tightness of fit comes to play as the collar wraps the ankles very well. The context of ankle support is more to provide coverage in a non-restrictive sense. All in all, this is a great example of a shoe offering ankle support in a very light weight package. Geared more towards agile players than big bruisers, stability for the Hyperdistruptor is based on the fit of the upper.

Molded with the sharp and deep herringbone pattern, traction looks to bring excellent court grip. However, the overall soft feel of the shoe extends down to the outsole rubber. Because the rubber is on the soft side, the traction pattern does not have the signature stop in your tracks feeling. The ability to stop and cut is more fluid and the player does feel the teeth of the herringbone dig into the court when pushing through the Zoom units. Traction does keep the player quick, nimble, and fast, but does not have the aggressive nature of what is normally associated with herringbone based outsoles. Next, ventilation for the Hyperdisruptor is very good. For a shoe that fits and feels like a sock, there are not real issues with moisture or heat. Comfort in this aspect is felt during those long, late night court runs.

Conclusion

The Hyperdisruptor was on full display during All-Star weekend 2013 and during NCAA contests these past few weeks. As the latest in the Hyper line, the Disruptor brings a couple of aspects to the table. First, is the inclusion of the largest Zoom units in a Nike basketball shoe. Second, is the lightest shoe in the Hyper series so far. The result is a quick, fast, and comfortable performer that fits well for guards. Over the past few season, Nike has flooded the basketball market with a slew of Hyper models. As each season passes, it becomes quiet a task keeping track of each successive release. It will be interesting to see how long Nike will continue this run, and when they will transition into a new era. Released earlier this month, the Zoom Hyperdisruptor is available now at the Official Nike Online Store.

This shoe is comparable to:

Nike KD V
Reebok Sublite Pro Rise
Adidas adiZero™ Crazy Light 2