Nike LeBron Soldier 11 REVIEW – Nike’s Huge Statement
So the Soldier 10 was a really decent performer for bigger and stronger players, including me as well. However, this model received tons of negative feedback from ligter players – rock hard cushioning, too heavy construction and so on.
That’s why they were a truly heavy duty sneaker for the “real man”. But enough talking, we’re here for one reason – the Nike Soldier 11 Review & Scores.
After testing these bad boys for the past 2 weeks, I can strongly say that they have something for you all out there. Let‘s get it!
MAIN SPECS
TECH: ZOOM AIR
TYPE: HIGH TOP
COLORWAYS: 2+
FIT: TRUE TO SIZE
RETAIL PRICE: $140
BD RATING: 8.6/10
BEST PLACE TO BUY: FINISH LINE (50$ OFF!)
PERFORMANCE
MATERIALS
SOFT, PREMIUM & LIGHTWEIGHT
This particular colorway features very soft and nice for your foot Mesh with Nubuck overlays on the sides, heel area & the toe cap.
First of all, the upper felt super nice, it’s hard to even compare this to the soldier 10’s upper. The soft Mesh makes sure that you’re receiving great transition while moving. It has some ventilation holes to give a decent amount of breathability- not the best ventilation out there, but I didn’t receive any suffocating. On top of that, no more pinching or hurting your ankles due to this soft Mesh
Now the nubuck is even more awesome. That’s why, if you have an opportunity, I highly recommend you to pick this colorway over the one that features a budget upper (ballistic Nylon instead of Nubuck). Of course, more premium setup cost $10 more, but for this enjoyable performance & fit I’m not mad about that at all.
Nubuck on the soldier 11 is perfect, it really is. Super soft, gives you that premium feel and after a quick break in time it’s even more enjoyable. Also, it adds quite a bit of support & more structure for the upper, so containment isn’t a problem.
CUSHION
NO MORE HEXOGENS
This time, Nike decided to already proved setup – heel and forefoot ZOOM Air units. So, no more hexogen style Air units in the soldier line.
Personally, I do prefer this setup over the old one just because it’s way more forgiven, more responsive and overall softer.
So, if you had a hard time feeling the ZOOM Air units in the Soldier 10s or even you were not able to feel anything at all, it’s no more a problem in the Soldier 11s. Lighter & smaller players will enjoy this setup as much as heavier dudes. Maybe not as much, but will enjoy nonetheless. It slowly becomes a versatile shoe, does in it?
Now, if you’re anticipating to receive that super bouncy or plushy ride, then I got bad news for you. The Phylon isn’t one of the softest ones, so no crazy bounce like on the adidas Crazy Explosives. However, responsiveness is really a sellout point of this cushioning. That’s why this setup suits every type of player. Also, I didn’t felt high of the ground and that’s another reason why guards should give it a try.
TRACTION
We have nice looking triangle style traction patter which actually works pretty decent. We’re still waiting for a game changing traction that will beat the famous herringbone pattern. Nike cmon, I know you can make it happen.
This colorway has a translucent rubber which does compromise some of the performance. So, if you all about the traction but still want to rock soldier 11s, then wait for a colorway with solid rubber.
However, it still manages to offer solid traction on clean courts – no slippage problems (just a few small slips here or there), great bite to the floor and really awesome move coverage.
Although, as with others Nike models with translucent outsoles, dusty courts will be a pain in the as IF you ain’t gonna keep them nice and clean. With proper wiping they will perform at the level where you can feel confident in any situation.
This time ruber compound is super durable, so it make Soldier 11 an ideal hoop shoe for outdoor players.
FIT
NARROWER CONSTRUCTION
Soldier 11’s shilluate seems to be almost the same as the 10’s. However, they feel much lighter on your foot, it’s even hard to tell that this is a Soldier line sneaker.
Of course, the inside of the shoe is A1 – tons of padding in the heel, premium & thick insole. The upper is much improved, although, the textile Mesh & Foam combo performed amazing on the Soldier 10 as well.
While mobility is improved quite a bit, other main aspects didn’t go anywhere. In fact, lockdown is even better due to that extra strap on top.
For wide footers I don’t see any other option to just go true to size. But for narrower or regular feet owners, I still recommend going half a size down since materials are going to loosen up after a while.
SUPPORT
A SMALL IMPROVEMENT
So it seems like Nike is adding one additional strap for each year’s model. That means the Soldier 12 will have 6 straps? Probably not, it just no space left for one more strap.
That new strap on top of the ankle area does its job great. I do notice a better ankle lockdown, so it really works. For those players who love strong, manly lockdown in every area, then this is the #1 option for you.
I’m a huge fan of this strap system – it always gives you a super nice lockdown and it’s super easy to adjust or tight them up whenever you need.
Other than that, there’s an internal and external heel counter that keeps you heel locked in, supportive upper with nice premium vibe to it, two beefy outriggers and Phylon extension on lateral sides to protect your foot from rolling over the foot bed- a full package which works as a charm.
OVERALL
So the Nike Soldier 11 is a well-rounded performer for any type of player.
I think that $140 is a golden price range for these shoes and what they can offer on court – durability is super solid, so they will last for quite a bit of time. And with a few tweaks and improvements on every category, this makes a very great deal.
Big dudes will love them so much due to beastly support and great amount of impact protection. As for the guards, the Soldier 11 offer tons of responsiveness, light & mobile construction and solid traction to go with, so I recommend you to give them a shot. They have something for everyone.
GET THEN NOW ON FINISH LINE (50$ OFF!)
Hope you enjoyed my Performance Review on the Nike LeBron Soldier 11. Did you cop them already?
I am thinking about what basketball shoes to get for the upcoming season I am a SG/SF I prefer good impact protection my top prospects are Jordan 31 low lebron soldier 11 and kd 10 which do you think is better is there any other good options you would recommend thank you for your time
Hey, Tom
From those 3 options I would recommend you either the KD 10 or Jordan 31. They’re both phenomenal sneakers, despite one problem – inconsistent traction. Personally, I highly suggest you to throw an eye on the KD9 – better impact protection, solid traction and way smaller price, so you’re getting more by paying less. Another option that I recommend you to check is the adidas Crazy Explosive – beastly performance in all areas and my most favorite sneaker to hoop in.
Hope my answer was helpful!
i played in the hyperdunk 2016 flyknit this past season what do you think I will like/what shoes are similar I could accept a little less bounce in cushion if necessary
Oh, okay. So the best fitting shoe for you would be the KD9 or KD10. They both have a lot of common with the Hyperdunk 2016 flyknit – that narrow construction, very similar Flyknit upper (kd’s models feel softer & more adaptive) and full-length zoom air setup which performs similar as well, just again, KD9/10 offers a bit more bounciness. I think you won’t regret buying one of these two.
Ok thanks
No problem, man.
The LeBron soldier XI looks quite big and solid, so I was wondering if it would fit me as a point guard?
I mean you could try, but there’re plenty of guard-oriented kicks out there, like the Kyrie 4, PG 2, Dame 4 or Curry 4 that will suit you much much better than the LeBron’s.
How should I wash them ???
Try to use tooth brush with soapy water or one of those shoe cleaners, like Crep or others. Also, I heard, tooth paste is great stuff to bring back that icy white.
Hi
How do u think about the straps `s durability? Does it maitain the adhesion for a long time ?
Btw, thank for your review statement.
Hey man,
Never really had an issue with the straps on the LBJ 14’s. The adhesion is still good after this whole time, so you shouldn’t be concerned about it. Obviously, the straps aren’t as sticky as from the day one but it still does its job great.
Do girls wear soldier 11 the white white pink ones or is that only a boy shoe
Hey Jennifer!
Yes, no doubt. It’s probably one of the most popular ball sneaker alongside the Hyperdunk line in the WNBA.
hey Daumantas! big fan of the site, you are my go-to for b-ball shoe reviews!
because of your reviews I got the CE ‘17 for indoor hooping (which i love but unfortunately don’t get many chances to ball inside since covid) and D Rose 8 for outdoor (best shoe ever?!)
these days i’m mainly an outdoor hooper. i’m a little older (33) and kind of a point big man (think al horford or draymond) so i need lots of cushion but also like to have some guard-like response in the front. i’ve spent the past few days scouring your site for info and ended up landing on the D Rose 8— and man are they perfect. absolutely love these shoes but unfortunately can’t find another pair online in my size (9.5) 🙁
anyway, bc i don’t want to wear my new D Roses down too fast, i’m looking to get another pair of outdoor shoes in the mix.
trying to decide between D Rose 5, D Rose 6, Soldier 9, Soldier 11, and UA hovr havoc— which do you think is the best choice for an older, point center who only plays outdoors?
thanks!
What’s good Isaiah?! Love to hear from our biggest fans! Always a confidence boost to keep going.
Now talking about your list, for me, there’s no brainer – D Rose 6 all day. A great all-around performer with proper BOOST injection, and outdoor capabilities. Shouldn’t feel as far off as the D Rose 8. Also, something from my favourites, you should check the Nike Zoom BB NXT. Again, all the aspects are top-level, crazy cushioning, and beastly traction that withstands harsh surfaces. They should be easier to cop as well but might be a bit more expensive.
hey man, thanks so much for your reply! went ahead and pulled the trigger on Rose 6s and they are great— very similar to the rose 8s!
now i have my eyes on the BB NXT, gonna snag a pair whenever i see a good deal on them. i also found some Zoneboost on sale for $40 so i snagged those and plan to make them my i other indoor shoe bc idk how they will hold up outside. have you tried the zoneboost? thanks again for the response and the great website my guy!!
Yoo, shocked how I was able to completely pass on these… I’m low key loving the design as much as the tech sheet. Looks kinda beastly… Did you try them already? I would like to know if these Zone BOOST’s are worth the attention. If so, I may even snatch a pair myself for a performance review, cuz none of the main reviewers have done it. Let me know bro!