Nike Kobe AD Mid

Released 8/2017, Mid Top, Kobe Bryant, 
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8.5
EXPERT RATING
9 reviews
8.5
USER RATING
5 ratings
Amazing traction and great cushioning

Best Suitable For:

Poor ventilation is problematic if your feet sweat a lot

Price Comparison:

Available at 3 shops | Official Retail Price: $149.99
StockX
from $225.00
GOAT
from $275.00
KicksCrew
from $311.00

Category Performance Ratings:

Expert Ratings (9)
User Ratings (5)
Traction
8.9
Cushion
9.0
Materials
7.3
Support
8.4
Fit
8.1
Outdoor
0%

Weight & Sizing:

Weight:
light
heavy
Sizing:
small
large
Width:
narrow
wide

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Expert Rating8.58.7(0.2)8.7(0.2)8.1(0.4)8.2(0.3)7.9(0.6)
User Rating8.59.3(0.8)9.0(0.5)9.3(0.8)8.4(0.1)8.4(0.1)
Best Price$149.99
$120
$159.99
$102.97
$170
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$59.99
$120
Type of CutMid TopMid TopMid TopMid TopMid TopMid Top
Weight340g - 360gNA450g - 460g330g - 350gNA360g - 380g
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Nike Kobe AD Mid Review

Pros:
Very good traction
Well-balanced cushioning
Cons:
Stiff suede upper material
Break-in period

Performance of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

The narrow (and very squeaky) traction pattern of the Kobe AD Mid performs amazingly on clean courts but has slight issues on dust courts. Outdoor use is not recommended as the rubber is very soft and will wear off quickly. The full-length lunarlon cushioning setup with an Air Zoom unit in the heel is universally liked by reviewers. The colorways with synthetic suede upper have very poor ventilation and the material needs a little while to lose its initial stiffness. Overall, the Kobe AD Mid is a solid performer, but at $150, there are better performance options out there.
See all 9 reviews

Expert Reviews of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Rating: 8.5 (ranks #135 of 304)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
5
8 - Good
4
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
Overall, the Kobe AD Mid is a solid performer with phenomenal traction, nice cushioning and solid support. The suede material is a little too stiff for my liking, but hopefully, future releases with a Jacquard or Flyknit upper will fix this issue.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
I think the Kobe AD Mid is the best Kobe shoe out right now! Better than the NXT or the regular AD.
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8.9
December 27, 2017
The Kobe AD is an amazing performer but I just wish they had used a different upper material.
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8.6
December 27, 2017
I think the Kobe AD Mid is an excellent all-around performer on the court. Not surprisingly, it’s one of my top five for the year due to its great overall performance.
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8.5
December 27, 2017
The Kobe AD Mid is a beautiful and comfortable shoe that unfortunately suffers from bad ventilation and a small amount of heel slippage. Otherwise, I really like this shoe!
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8.4
January 1, 2017
This shoe feels very different than any other Kobe shoe I ever played in. It provides less responsiveness and court feel than other Kobes. It seems like after his retirement, Kobe wants a little more cushioning and a more "old school" vibe from his shoes.
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8.2
December 27, 2017
This is a very well performing shoe but there are no standout features. Great pickup for Kobe fans, but there are cheaper shoes that perform just as well.
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The shoe plays and performs really well. Traction was awesome and the cushion was solid — especially for guards. Ventilation and material quality are where the Kobe AD Mid’s could improve.
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The Kobe AD Mid is a beautiful shoe. The only real complaint I have is with the lacing system digging into my foot.
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User Reviews of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

User Rating: 8.5 (ranks #196 of 304)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
2
8 - Good
3
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
7.6
December 16, 2021
Traction was good and cushion was good, but it bottomed out quickly and hurt my feet on heavier impacts. The materials are really stiff and thick, and they gave me blisters. The ankle support was also really bad. If you're gonna buy Kobe's, get a nicer pair, not these.
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9.0
February 5, 2023
The perfect outdoor shoe, will last ages unless you get gum rubber or translucent outsole
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9.0
March 18, 2023
Awesome shoe, wore down pretty quickly when played outdoors but indoors it was flawless
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8.4
January 17, 2022
User didn't add a summary.
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8.4
December 5, 2022
User didn't add a summary.
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Traction of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Traction Rating: 8.9 (ranks #105 of 304)
User Traction Rating: 9.4 (ranks #49 of 304)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
6
8 - Good
3
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
Traction is super squeaky. On these, that is a good thing! On dusty courts, the traction pattern is not ideal.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The traction pattern is excellent!
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9.5
December 27, 2017
The traction is beastly!
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The traction is excellent and just outside the elite group.
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10.0
December 27, 2017
This traction is beastly!
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8.0
January 1, 2017
On a clean court, the traction is superb, but the traction pattern collects a lot of dust.
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8.0
December 27, 2017
The traction pattern is pretty tight and picks up a lot of dust. After a significant break-in period, the traction got the job done.
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This sh*t was beastly!
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Traction was designed to be a beast and that it was!
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Cushion of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Cushion Rating: 9.0 (ranks #83 of 304)
User Cushion Rating: 7.8 (ranks #238 of 304)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
10
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
2
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
I really like the Lunarlon in the front and Zoom Air in the heel setup.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
I am a big fan of the Lunarlon cushioning. Great balance between impact protection and court feel.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
Full-length Lunarlon with Zoom in the heel gets the job done. Decent impact protection and good court feel.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The Lunarlon in the ADM feels great from heel to toe with a nice Zoom bag in the heel and provides a nice balance of court feel, impact protection, and bounce.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The cushioning setup feels really nice!
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9.0
January 1, 2017
Full-length lunarlon feels super nice. Good impact protection but a little less court feel than what we are used to from the Kobe line.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The cushioning setup is very well balanced and should work for all types of players.
 More details
The midsole is Lunarlon and the heel features a large volume Zoom Air unit. You will not be disappointed with this setup.
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The impact protection in the heel was excellent, and some very nice Lunarlon cushioned the rest of the foot.
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Materials of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Materials Rating: 7.3 (ranks #290 of 304)
User Materials Rating: 7.8 (ranks #244 of 304)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
1
8 - Good
5
7 - Average
4
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
2
8.0
The synthetic suede upper is pretty stiff and doesn't feel as nice as a Flyknit or Jacquard.
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8.0
December 27, 2017
The materials feel cheap, the tongue could have used more padding and the ventilation is pretty bad.
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7.0
December 27, 2017
The materials Nike chose just look and feel unfinished.
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8.0
December 27, 2017
The mesh materials feel like Nubuck which is nice, but the breathability is pretty horrible.
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8.0
January 1, 2017
The material is very firm in the beginning but becomes comfortable pretty quickly.
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7.0
December 27, 2017
Fit and comfort of the materials are above average, but ventilation and durability are horrible.
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For a $150 shoe, a $150 signature shoe at that, the materials used should have been much nicer.
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I think Nike could have done better in this category. Ventilation is bad - this material is like a sauna.
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Support of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Support Rating: 8.4 (ranks #170 of 304)
User Support Rating: 8.8 (ranks #122 of 304)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
7
8 - Good
3
7 - Average
2
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
8.0
Support and lockdown are solid.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
No heel slippage or side-to-side movement. External heel counter and interior heel padding lock you in like crazy.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
Stability and support are excellent with a flat outsole and large outrigger.
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7.0
December 27, 2017
The support wasn't as good as I hoped it to be as I experienced some heel slippage.
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9.0
January 1, 2017
Firm upper, great lateral containment, very nice outrigger that provides a lot of stability.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
Flat base, internal heel cup, and external outrigger provide great support.
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The Kobe AD Mid uses the traditional heel counter and lateral outrigger that we’ve all come to know and love.
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A broad base with a small outrigger keep your foot from rolling and an internal heel counter holds your foot in place.
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Fit of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Fit Rating: 8.1 (ranks #197 of 304)
User Fit Rating: 8.4 (ranks #200 of 304)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
5
8 - Good
6
7 - Average
2
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
8.0
There was some back-to-front slipping in the shoe because I couldn't tie it tight enough.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The overall fit is a strong point of this shoe.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
The fit is really nice.
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9.0
December 27, 2017
I had no movement side to side and no heel slip from the get-go.
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8.0
January 1, 2017
I had a little too much dead space in the toe area, other than that the fit was okay.
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8.0
December 27, 2017
Forefoot and midfoot fit are perfect, but the heel feels too small. The tongue should have used more padding,
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Once you get your size down I don’t think you’ll have any real issues.
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Lockdown was solid. However, the lacing system is too tight and caused me some discomfort.
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Durability of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

User Durability Rating: 8.4 (ranks #174 of 304)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
1
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0

Outdoor of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

Expert Outdoor Rating: 0.0 (ranks #287 of 304)
User Outdoor Rating: 70.0 (ranks #104 of 304)
Good (100%)
2
Fair (50%)
3
Bad (0%)
4
Very soft rubber.
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no
January 1, 2017
Outdoor use is not recommended because the rubber is super soft.
 More details
Outdoor use is not recommended if you want traction that lasts because the rubber is pretty soft.
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Don’t waste your time or money playing outside in these.
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Width of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

very narrow
0
slightly narrow
8
regular
1
slightly wide
1
very wide
0
slightly narrow
A little narrow on the lateral side.
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slightly narrow
December 27, 2017
The Kobe AD Mid is pretty narrow.
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slightly narrow
December 27, 2017
Wide footers can go up half a size but expect some extra length.
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slightly narrow
January 1, 2017
Fits slightly narrow.
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slightly narrow
Wide footers, y’all definitely need to go up a 1/2 a size.
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Size of the Nike Kobe AD Mid:

very small
0
slightly small
3
true to size
7
slightly long
1
very long
0
true to size
Snug in the beginning but the Kobe AD Mid fits true to size.
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true to size
December 27, 2017
Runs true to size, but wide-footers may need to go up a size.
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true to size
December 27, 2017
True to size.
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true to size
January 1, 2017
Go true to size.
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true to size
The Kobe AD Mid runs true to size
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½ size small
The Kobe AD Mid fits snug. I went true to size, but it wouldn’t have hurt if I went a 1/2 size up.
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