Jordan Ultra.Fly 2 REVIEW – When History Meets Present
Today we‘re looking closer at the Jordan Ultra Fly 2 which took the inspiration from one of the most iconic Jordan retros – the Jordan 15. Packed with newest, up-to dates features, like knitted sock like upper, top- loaded forefoot & midfoot ZOOM Units, the new generation Ultra Fly model looks more than promising.
Let’s get it!
MAIN SPECS
WEIGHT: 402 g. / 14.2 oz
TECH: ZOOM AIR, WEBBING LACE SYSTEM
TYPE: MID TOP
COLORWAYS: 13+
FIT: TRUE TO SIZE
RETAIL PRICE: $125
BD RATING: 7.7/10
BEST PLACE TO BUY: FINISH LINE (LOW VERSION) | AMAZON
PERFORMANCE
MATERIALS
NOT YOUR TYPICAL SETUP
This one is interesting, we got the sock like knitted upper with huge Fuse overlay that covers the majority of this upper. It seems like the Jordan brand was trying to make something new, but personally, I don‘t think it was a good idea. I‘m not saying that this upper sucks or something, it just both of these two materials doesn‘t go well together, in my opinion.
What I mean about this is that both of these materials hinder each other’s performance & best abilities. The knitted upper does feel incredibly good, I‘m not going to lie. It‘s super soft, perfectly adapts to your foot & gives you that one-to-one fit and it‘s stretchy. Everything what you would expect from it, doesn‘t it? However, this Fuse backing takes away some stretchiness, especially in the toe area where I prefer to be softer.
Now the biggest flaw of this upper would be lack of ventilation. There‘s no space for air flow due to fuse backing, so it gets pretty hot inside of the shoe after a longer session of playing ball. But if you don‘t spend too much time playing then this shouldn‘t be something to worry about.
Let‘s talk about positives. While this upper has some noticeable flaws, the positives still overcome all the negatives. As I mentioned before, one bootie knitted construction offers incredible comfort level & gives you that lightweight feel. On top of that, the Fuse overlay adds huge amount of support in all areas, so your foot does feel contained and locked in. Finally, durability is what every single player will appreciate and it‘s something that you can‘t achieve with just a knitted upper.
CUSHION
BEST TOOLING FOR THE PRICE
Looking at today‘s basketball sneaker market, the Jordan Ultra Fly 2 is one of the best options for the money that you can get right now. I mean, for $125 you‘re getting top-loaded ZOOM Air & Phylon setup. That sounds like a signature sneaker if you ask me.
Two ZOOM Air units in the forefoot and heel area does get the job done perfectly as you would expect. Really solid impact protection is something what I appreciate the most being a big man.
You can actually feel the forefoot unit which does a phenomenal job by making your landings soft & bouncy while still keeping responsiveness on a very high level. So for that reason guards will enjoy this setup as much as bigger dudes out there due to responsive ride and the rounded midsole which makes a heel to toe transition nearly perfect.
TRACTION
REQUIRES CONISTANT WHIPPING
If you’re a heavy wiper who wipes his outsoles every single position or so, then it’s all good for you. Now for anybody else, this might cause a small discomfort at first because it takes some time to get used to consistent whipping since the pattern does attract ton of dust and you really don’t want to slide all over the court.
Once your bottoms are clean, the traction comes right back to beat mode and you’re ready to ball hard again. So this isn’t a deal breaker. Just a quick wipe, one extra second and you’re good to go.
Outdoor ballers I’m looking at you now. The rubber compound is durable enough for outdoor usage which makes this shoe a perfect option for you.
FIT
SNUG AS HELL
Straight out of bat, you will be dealing with super snug fit. As a semi-wide footer, I didn’t receive any problems with that – my feet didn’t suffocate, there wasn’t any comfort issues or something to that nature. Quite frankly, I kind of enjoyed it since the shoe really becomes as a part of your body & gives you more natural range of motion.
However, I’m pretty sure that wide footers will have some pretty major issues dealing with this narrow construction. So going half a size up is a must for you. For anybody else, true to size is the best way to go.
Finally, we have that famous ankle collar which happens to be a true pain in the ass for any type of foot. I mean, you really need to be mentally prepared before putting them on, I’m not joking. The one bootie construction & completely not stretchable ankle area is probably the best way to spend your free trying to stick your gad damn foot.
Of course, after a solid break-in time the ankle area does loosen up, so it gets a bit easier to put them on. But it just simply not enough.
SUPPORT
FIT MATTERS THE MOST
The Jordan Ultra Fly has a few traditional support features, like both external & internal heel counters to ensure very solid heel lockdown, as well as prevent from heel slippage. A torsional shank underneath the foot for additional support and stability. And a webbing lace system which is probably one of the best lacing systems in the business.
So the key factor to squeeze the most amount of support is a proper fit. If it’s possible, visit your local retailer and just try them on for yourself, decide which size fits you best and then let the shoe do its job. If you don’t have a chance to try them, then just follow my recommendations.
Now, the most exciting part for me was the lacing system. The straps actually go underneath the upper, each one spreads out into two pieces by creating something like a web that goes all the way to the heel area. So that way you’re greeting almost 360 degree coverage. Pretty incredible.
OVERALL
Although the Jordan Ultra Fly 2 has definitely some room for further improvements and it isn’t a perfect shoe, they’re still impressive, especially for $125. Premium quality, Jordan brand’s famous padding inside of the shoe, two ZOOM Air units, knitted upper and really impressive support. That’s a pretty long list for a non-signature sneaker.
You can’t even compare them with the last year’s model since the Ultra Fly 2 made an enormous leap in terms of performance while keeping the same price tag.
If you’re looking for a killer outdoor performer which not going to break your bank then these are your best target to pull the trigger.
GRAB THEM NOW ON FINISH LINE
GRAB THEM NOW AT AMAZON
Hope you enjoyed my Performance Review on the JORDAN ULTRA.FLY 2. Will you be picking them up? Let me know!
