First Opinion:
Well, it seems that the D Rose line just doesn’t seem to stop. During the Rose 9, where the Boost was removed, many people thought that Adidas was giving up on D Rose but with the 10, it seemed that things were getting better. Sure, the cushioning is still not Boost, but it still looked the part of a signature model.
With Rose now back in New York, more eyes will be on the Adidas D Rose 11 so I really do hope that they exceed whatever the D Rose 10 brought in terms of performance. Just from a first glance, LightStrike is now featured which, till now, I’m still unsure what kind of feel it would give. Traction is very similar to that of the D Rose 7 so I definitely expect great things from there!
Significant Tech Present in the Shoe:
- Adizero Upper
- External Heel Counter
- LightStrike Cushioning
Materials & Aesthetics (9/10):
If you just had a quick glance of the Adidas D Rose 11, you might think that you were looking at an old model that D Rose used to wear. However, take a closer look and you’ll see what it actually is. But I don’t blame you, the Rose 11 features many details of older D Rose models like the D Rose 4, 7 and even the Adidas CrazyLight.
The D Rose 11 features an updated Adizero Upper. If you don’t know what that is, it is an engineered upper construction by adidas that consists of many different materials layered and put together. There’s a mixture of Mesh, Screen Mesh and Fuse all over the shoe.
The D Rose signature line used to the main attraction of Adidas basketball and even though the line usually had a sporty look, many people would wear them on the streets. But times are different now, and the hype is not there anymore. The D Rose 11 is mostly for on-court only and even in the NBA Derrick Rose (New York Knicks) is the only one who wears it.
Fit (8.5/10):
If you like a super snug fit for your basketball shoe, you might want to go down half a size. The forefoot of the Adidas D Rose 11 has a bit of a roomy toe box and the ankle area lacked achilles pillows that would help to secure your ankle in place. Going with my usual Adidas size, I did feel some minor shifting of my feet within the shoe.
However, if you get the right size and fit for you, lace them all the way up and you will be really secured in a shoe that is flexible and moves one-to-one with your feet.
One surprising thing is that the shoe doesn’t really feel like a high cut shoe at all. You get a level of freedom at the ankle and if you don’t look down at your feet, you might think that you were wearing mid or low cuts.
Support (9/10):
With the fit being a little wonky, you might think that the support on the Adidas D Rose 11 would be lackluster. However, that was really not the case. The support was surprisingly good! The Heel Counter of the D Rose 11 extends to the sides of the shoe which not only help to provide heel support but also lateral support at the same time. Even though the shoe feels like a mid or low cut, I do feel a sense of security when moving around on court in this shoe.
In addition to that, the D Rose 11 also features a wide and flat base with a midsole that wraps up the sides of the shoe. This provided a lot of stability and even if you are making sharp turns, you are safe to go.
Cushioning (9/10):
LightStrike Cushioning… you know what I think of this cushion setup. You just never know what you’re going to get with it. In our previous review of the Adidas Dame 7, the LightStrike was a little disappointing but on the Adidas D Rose 11 though, things were different.
This iteration of the LightStrike cushioning had adequate impact protection for the most part. Some of the BBallEquips Crew even said that it was above average. The heel area is thick and slowly becomes thinner as it goes towards the forefoot. The forefoot area provided more court feel and responsiveness while the heel area provided the impact protection, cushiness and comfort.
Traction (9.5/10):
The traction of the Adidas D Rose 11 is really really similar to that of the D Rose 7. Wavebone or wave traction pattern spreads throughout the base of the shoe and it provided a very aggressive grip on the court, both indoors and outdoors.
Not only that, the way the traction pattern was implemented allowed you to get maximum coverage no matter which part of the outsole you were using. Some areas of the groves are well-spaced whereas others are a little tighter. This meant that dust do get stuck in the groves time to time but a few wipes was enough to get you back to 100%.
Durability of the outsole on the D Rose 11 was also surprisingly good. I’m not saying that it can be your go-to outdoor option but I’m sure this shoe can last you more than all the other signature shoes that big brands have been pushing out.
Final Conclusion: (9/10)
In conclusion, the Adidas D Rose 11 was quite the surprise. With good traction and support, I would say it’s definitely a step up from the Rose 10. The LightStrike may be something that will stay with the D Rose line, but I’m really missing both Bounce and Boost. Just give us one of them! To be honest, I’m really surprised that Adidas is still putting in effort on D Rose’s signature line. I think it goes to show the kind of loyalty and professionalism that they have. Hopefully there are more great things to come!
credit: bballequips
