What's good!
As always, it's Daumantas from the Baller squad. Today, we're doing a performance review on the newest member from Nike's Greater Than series - Nike Zoom G.T. Hustle 2.
Does the rebrand of the G.T. Run bring more than aesthetic changes? There's only one way to find out.
Let's get it!
MATERIALS
Like many of Nike's recent basketball shoes, the Nike G.T. The Hustle 2 offers a minimal and lightweight upper construction made out of the textile and mesh combination, which doesn't feel premium in hand but does all the good things when on the court.
A mesh toe box, paired with a bunch of massive ventilation holes in the tongue, prevents the shoe from accumulating extreme temperatures in an intense game scenario. Meanwhile, a synthetic leather overlay wrapping around the lower portion of the forefoot, combined with robust textile side panels, adds a good amount of containment without hurting flexibility.
CUSHION
Nike GT The Hustle 2 proves its worth by being one of the strongest performers in the current Swoosh's basketball lineup in this department.
A low-profile cushlon midsole is boosted with a full-length, top-loaded Zoom Strobel unit to create one heck of a versatile platform to meet most player's demands. This particular Zoom Strobel showcases some serious bounce power and responsiveness while still being low to the ground and offering a solid court feel. This setup allows you to lift off the floor faster using the stored energy and keeps your stamina bar charged up longer during an intense game.
Due to the evenly distributed Zoom Strobel's performance, you do get the same amount of explosiveness in the back too, while a thicker foam layer creates just enough impact protection, which should be enough for more athletic or bigger dudes out there.
TRACTION
It's probably the quietest traction pattern to debut this season, but that doesn't stop the Nike G.T. Hustle 2 from getting the job done on the court.
A unique outsole design features multiple individual pods, as each one of them houses its own herringbone pattern. In addition, the outsole is built from a dual rubber compound. The top and bottom portions feature a softer and tackier translucent rubber, while the center pods use a solid rubber compound, which does feel thicker.
Despite an unusual outsole structure and less ground coverage than usual, the pattern worked surprisingly well by providing grippy multidirectional bite and instant stopping power even on a dusty court, with just a few quick wipes from time to time.
When it comes to outdoor usage, a softer rubber and the pod setup is not a good combination for rough surfaces.
FIT
Visually, the silhouette does look quite bulky, yet the Zoom G.T. Hustle 2 shares the top spots with the market's lightest performers.
Straight from the get-go, the adaptive and lightweight materials instantly conform your foot, and securely wrap around it to create a second-skin sensation without the need for a break-in process.
A mid-cut collar is stuffed with plush foam padding inside out, which not only gives you tons of comfort but also allows you to securely lock your heel onto the platform. In addition, a lightweight body, along with a bouncy cushion tooling underneath, makes you feel explosive and speedy with every step.
When it comes to sizing, a regularly shaped silhouette will allow most of the players to go true to size, and for those with wider feet, we recommend going up half a size with these.
SUPPORT
While the Zoom G.T. Hustle 2 isn't the most supportive shoe in the current market, an essential package they offer will be enough for most players.
The combination of sturdy textile side panels and foam side walls is in charge of side containment, whose strength depends on how hard you crank the laces.
A low-profile midsole noticeably flares out in the forefoot section, adding extra lateral stability and precision when foot planting or hard cutting. And much like the recently reviewed Nike Zoom Freak 5 - G.T. Hustle 2 does not feature a torsional plate, but that won't cause any stability issues for most.
VERDICT
Inspired by the legendary Nike Talaria running shoe, the unique design of the Nike Zoom G.T Hustle 2 hides a stunningly versatile wearing experience.
The new silhouette from the Greater Than series is exclusively built for speed and explosiveness. The ultra-lightweight framework gives the player complete freedom over its movements, as a low-to-ground yet explosive platform, combined with a reliable traction pattern, ensures maximum efficiency with every step.
Grab these basketball kicks at www.baller.lt
