{"id":252713,"date":"2012-12-04T16:28:07","date_gmt":"2012-12-04T22:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nicekicks.com\/?p=252713"},"modified":"2018-05-13T18:02:40","modified_gmt":"2018-05-13T22:02:40","slug":"10-things-you-should-know-about-the-air-jordan-xx8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-air-jordan-xx8\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Things You Should Know About the Air Jordan XX8"},"content":{"rendered":"
There was a ton of fun facts that were relayed to the media during yesterday’s launch event of the Air Jordan XX8<\/strong>. Between president of Jordan Brand, Larry Miller, and co-designers Tinker Hatfield and Josh Heard, jewels about the XX8 were dropped consistently in regards to the creative process, the actual design and aesthetics. After learning a lot ourselves in the past 24 hours, we’re here to share with you the?10 Things You Should Know About the Air Jordan XX8<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Everything that looks simple is not always, well, simple. We only get to see the finished product. “In terms of difficulty, it ranks up there with the Air Jordan XX3, which was, at the time, difficult because of its TPU that had to be pieced together without wasting a lot of material,” said Tinker Hatfield, co-designer of the XX8. “The Air Jordan XX8 is made with materials that people usually don’t associate with basketball.” Tinker Hatfield and Air Jordan XX8 Co-Designer Josh Heard both stated that this was the most tested shoe they’ve ever created. Heard mentioned that a slew of 5-on-5 games in the Bo Jackson building on the Nike campus were a big part of the XX8’s wear testing. He let it be known that he approached each and every player multiple times with questions about irritation, hot spots and other things until they were 100% comfortable with it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jordan Brand continues to get lighter and lighter with its flagship shoe. Co-Designer Tinker Hatfield stated that the Air Jordan XX8 is the lightest Air Jordan to date, weighing in at 13.5 ounces. That’s down a couple of ounces from the Air Jordan 2012, which weighed about 15.5-17.4 ounces?depending on which modular midsole was used. The combination of?Dynamic Fit technology, Schoeller mesh (a Swiss fabric) and?the?stretch-synthetic attribute aids in keeping this sneaker extremely light in weight.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As with every Jordan model, the Jumpman logo is ever so present, this time, appearing on the tongue. However, Jordan Brand implemented a new logo as well. The new graphic, which can be seen on either side of the shroud’s inner side, is simultaneously shaped as the #2 and #3. Therefore, any way you look at it, the infamous #23 is represented.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The outsole is where the most unique, performance enhancing attributes are found on the XX8. Heard described the outsole as a “protruded, piston-type underfoot” that features Zoom Air in a never-before-used way. Jordan Brand was able to “unleash the Zoom” (as Heard put it) by placing foam all around the Air bag and bringing it out about two millimeters above the rest of the outsole. It’s as if you’re literally stepping directly on the Zoom Air bag, which makes the shoe extremely responsive and bouncier than most basketball shoes. The Zoom Air Bag placement and the innovative Jordan Flight Plate helped Hatfield and Heard eliminate bumps and hots sports while covering three main attributes: compression, deflection and moderation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The idea to switch back to the roman numeral titles seems to be an idea mentioned by Larry Milller, who returned to the brand as president of Jordan this past July. However, Tinker did mention that the move was also influenced by the blogosphere and others that give their opinions about the brand. “We listen to the people in the blogosphere, and it seems people wanted us to get back to naming these shoes like that,” said Tinker. “We’re simply listening to the streets.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although the XX8 was co-designed by Tinker Hatfield and Josh Heard, the former’s prints are undoubtedly all over the design of this shoe. Tinker is a well-documented, avid fan of the Nike SFB Boot and this silhouette, which was repeatedly said to be inspired by a standard military boot, mimics the boots Tinker wears when motorcycling. It features what Tinker called a stovetop, high top cut and is something “you’d more than likely see in battle.”<\/p>\n “Michael always speaks about sports being like a battle, and this is a representation of that.” Tinker Hatfield stated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In addition to the XX8 being the lightest and most tested Air Jordan ever, it is also the highest cut sneaker the brand has ever created. It is a whopping eight inches off the ground, although the shroud can be peeled down for a low-top kind of feel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the most consistent statements from media at the?Air Jordan XX8 launch event was that it looks very similar to the Nike Son of Glove, Gary Payton’s signature shoe. In our conversation with Tinker, he agreed to the notion of it being compared to Payton’s signature, but said aesthetically is where the comparisons should stop. “Philosophically, the XX8 and the Gloves are somewhat the same, but the technology incorporated into the XX8 is different,” said Tinker. “It’s lighter, faster and more technical.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Josh Heard and Tinker spent a few minutes discussing the original colorway. Both said they wanted a stealth, tough-looking shoe that should look nasty and intimidating on court. Yet, they also mentioned that this shoe will see more colorways (over 20) than any other basketball shoe they’ve created, including an upcoming bamboo makeup. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Everything you need to know about the Air Jordan XX8.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":252919,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1225574],"tags":[1212586,1225811,1225452,1225575,1204422],"cultivate_rss":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n10. Besides The Air Jordan XX3, The XX8 Was The Most Difficult Air Jordan To Create.<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n9. The XX8 Is The Most Tested Air Jordan Ever Created.<\/h3>\n
8. The XX8 Is The Lightest Air Jordan Ever Created.<\/h3>\n
7. Jordan Brand Introduced A New Logo On The Air Jordan XX8.<\/h3>\n
6. The XX8 Is Super Responsive Because Of Its Industry-First Jordan Flight Plate And Protruded Zoom Air Bag.<\/h3>\n
5. Jordan Brand Returned To Roman Numerals After Listening To The Blogosphere And Streets.<\/h3>\n
4. The Air Jordan XX8 Is Inspired By A Military Boot.<\/h3>\n
3. The XX8 Is The Highest Cut Basketball Sneaker Ever Created.<\/h3>\n
2. The Air Jordan XX8 Is?Philosophically Similar To The Nike Son of Glove.<\/h3>\n
1. Jordan Brand Will Incorporate More Colorways On The XX8 Than Any Other Shoe They’ve Created.<\/h3>\n