Get a Rose Anvil Micro Adjust Belt here - bit.ly/4bZlg27

Videos like this make me want a series on skateboarding shoes, too.

That high top ankle support myth was settled 20 years ago in the basketball shoe world

There's been loads of meta-analysis studies on low vs high to do with ankle injuries and been shown no difference. One of main the reasons that basketball has ankle injuries is because its a stop and start sport and puts more pressure on the Achilles. Also just being a physical sport in general and jumping and landing with high forces. If you also are trying to limit the Range of Motion of your movements then this can lead to your muscles being weak going beyond that range and could lead to injuries. The main factors are to strengthen your ankles and trying to reduce the chances of injuries in the sport although through time played and many factors, you'll always have an injury. Learning to land safely, reduce impacts, strength training, recovery and many more variables could help to reduce the chances of it happening. This is also without other factors and variables of others players hitting you from the side as the human body isnt designed to take side impacts well. We are designed to move in forward motion.

I appreciate that there's actually something interesting going on with that shoe. It looks a lot better made than a lot of sneakers.

The reason LeBron is doing lows is bc his others weren’t selling and the kids want lows now. Tryna catch that Kobe crowd

Low Top Basketball shoes have been around for more than 50 years back in 68 with the Puma Clyde and in 69 with the Adidas Superstar. High Top offering ankle protection is a myth in basketball shoes. It just has the placebo affect of people thinking they are safer, all the ankle stability a shoe needs is in a strong heel counter. Almost everyone is playing with low tops now, not just Lebron

I really really really want a hand made dog collar from you guys. I feel like that's the next thing that should come after belts. My dog deserve to look fly.

One of the best videos you’ve put out. Long time watcher - every episode is a slight improvement. Channel is much more professional now than when you started. Awesome.

Welcome Caulin! This is one of my favorite KZfaq channels. You guys out great videos. I hope you guys could do a teardown and history on the nike foamposite one or foamposite pro one day. Thanks guys

High tops does not protect your ankles, it's just placebo effect. I will say it one more time louder, HIGH TOPS DOES NOT PROTECT YOUR ANKLES! Like Caulin says at 12:42, it pretty much comes from good heel lockdown. Also "cable systems" or other similar gimmicky terms are.. just gimmicks, the lacing itself (lace loop positioning, does the holes go higher towards the ankle that allows extra lockdown? etc.) Saying that the extra material on top provides protection is the equivalent of saying wearing long sleeves shirt protects your wrists (I mean look at those freaking hi top Converses). When that ankle rolls, that's your whole entire body weight that goes on it, you think an extra cut of material with lacing can handle that? See how snowboots are constructed? Now that kind of padding actually protects your ankles but guess what? You can't move an inch in those damn things. Even if ball shoes provide that much padding and restriction, it will just carry the stress over to other joints like your knees since you can't move those ankles. Simple science. Ankle protection starts from the base, it should be wide at the forefoot at your pinky area (also called an outrigger) and good heel containment. Example of a ideal constructed shoe are the Jordan 13s, if you come across them at a store (which isn't hard these days) slide them on, try to roll your ankle outward and feel the effect of that outrigger, sure they are mid top but my point stands, that extra inch of leather ain't gonna no jack vs your whole body weight, also did you know MJ himself wore the low cut version of 13s in his games? ('98 finals, game 2 to be exact). Proper footwork and technique is also important, IYKYK, sloppy footwork is just asking for trouble. Also proper ankle strengthening and training matters, shoes can only do so much. If you want actual protection, go for ankle braces (look at Steph Curry's braces, those are absolute beefcakes of braces) and don't waste time and money on "hi tops". High or low top is purely aesthetic whether you like it or not. Look for how a shoe is constructed, the lacing that will secure your heel to the footbed/heel lockdown, wide base at the front, stable heel cushion that does not sink down (it puts stress on your achilles tendon *cough cough* Kobe 8 Protro), upper material at the outrigger that properly stop your feet from sliding off of the footbed on hard lateral movements/plants, cushion that are not too high off the ground and that's pretty much it. I personally prefer low tops because it gives my ankles the freedom to do what it's made for, constricting it just makes me feel awkward with every movement, which does not inspire confidence. It's the exact opposite for other people, having something at the ankles gives them secure feel which inspires confidence, in either cases, extra material or not, it doesn't do anything in term of actual practicality. As for the Lebron 21s specifically, the soft heel cushion could be a factor that leads to heel instability. The base and outrigger could've been bigger or wider too which would've helped.

Love this. I just got the LeBron 21s in this colorway on a deep discount a couple weeks ago. Makes me happy to see the tech like this. Appreciate y'all's work. 🙏

Just letting you know there’s,like a smudge or something on the lens as 0:27 in the bottom left quadrant of the screen. Also at 0:55 and some other b-roll.

There have been low top versions of Lebrons since at least the Lebron 9. Love the series though, and hope to see more, including some stuff from Adidas, Anta, and others! Not gonna outdo Nightwing and Weartesters, but could be a great supplemental source of information!

I can't believe you are doing basketball shoes, but NOT doing Shaq shoes. I have said this many times on your videos. Get some older Reebok Shaq shoes and get some new Walmart Shaq shoes and compare them. Let's see if Walmart Shaq shoes are any good at all.

Definitely appreciate having Collin’s knowledge for these vids. Hope to see more of him with you.

I love that The Used hoodie! They’re one of my favorite bands and still making amazing music! For anyone who used to listen to The Used, look into their recent releases, it’s really good!

Collin can go back behind the camera again.

Nice video, always appreciate when people get into the guts of shoes. One thing tho, the most influential aspect of a basketball shoe when it comes to ankle sprains and rolling an ankle isn't it is a high, mid or low top, it's actually the width of the base of the shoes. This is why you'll see an outrigger in pretty much every modern day hoop shoe. This and how stacked the midsole determine the actual stability of a basketball shoe. Just something to take into account for your future basketball shoe series.

maybe important to note that pros tend to have custom versions of their shoes that are nothing like the retail versions tho

I dont actually think for a second, that Basketball players have the same shoes as the ones for regular people. They have to wear more advanced, more "real" technology on them. (They don't cut cost on "their" shoes)

1:56 Bro WHAT?! GILBERT ARENAS AND STEVE NASH BOTH HAD LOW CUT SHOES IN 2005-2006! JOHN STOCKTON WAS WEARING LOWS IN THE 90’S. Clyde Frazier was hooping in lows in the 70’s!!!! SNEAKER NERD MY ASS!

best upgrade basketball shoes need (and many other sport sneakers too) is wide toe box. It's not like football shoes, where narrow boot helps kick the ball in some techniques. For basketball, handball, tennis, it's the opposite. You benefit with wider floor contact area.

The cables are just glued on and not anchored to anything?

As a sneakerhead and basketball fan...I love this episode! Should be a series with this style

Jordan already wearing some low top PE's back then starting with the Jordan 2

I have the 21s and loveplaying in them good cushion support is good wide base

Very nice breakdown, hope to see more of these on sneakers. Nice to see all of the cables are actually underneath the leather layer, but yeah, disappointed that they didn't go at least through the midsole. High cut basketball sneakers don't necessarily mean good ankle support these days, you said it, a good heel lockdown will give that support.

I don’t understand why you just don’t take the laces off before you start cutting.

Love this one.. he's excellent and very informative just like you ... and he's 100% right about the history and changes

I come from a biomechanics headspace with sneakers (10+ years selling performance and fashion sneakers). This is easily one of the most interesting footwear channels. What I would do to work with you guys 🤯. Besides, how many times can a influencer channel describe sneakers as "comfortable" 🤦

again, there's an endless amount of tech and leather variations in soccer cleats that would provide a TREMENDOUS amount of content that would be interesting to see

This was really fun to watch, looking forward to more, I was pretty burnt out on the boot content

This is what I imagined when I saw a Rose Anvil video claiming to have the resident sneaker nerd. Loving it even when I’m not even into sneakers or basketball shoes. More like this please. Great job keeping the channel growing and improving!

the cabling locking system on my SIDI shoes and boots actually works for cycling and motorcycle very well

The Converse Weapon, is still, in my opinion, the greatest basketball shoes of all time!!!

I'm not really a sneakerhead, but Caulin's presentation style and delivery + knowledge got me hooked on the series already. I definitely can't wait for more!

Great video. Really liked your style of teaching about the shoes.

They can get away playing in low cos they fix their ankle with tapes so well many players do not even tie their laces normally

High tops make you more prone to a high ankle sprain when you roll your ankle compared to low tops. The move, as seen in tennis, is a low top with high lateral support coupled with ankle braces to provide additional support the low top sneaker doesn’t provide.

I’m looking forward to this series

I think it would be interesting to do a series about other performance footwear like soccer cleats etc.

Bro was really upset it didnt go all the way down to the stroble lol

Good stuff yall, we’ve been wanting to see videos cutting technical shoes like basketball for ever! Can’t wait to see what’s next.

2:08 okay, as someone that plays both basketball and soccer I believe that Kobe really took a strange decision. Soccer shoes are low-cut because not only the footwork (as in changing direction) is more intense but you also have to control the ball with the feet, which demands very high mobility. One definetily DON'T need so much mobility to the feet when playing basketball, it will only increase risks of ankle injury. That can be seen through the high amount of ankle and knee injuries that soccer players of all levels suffer, and the increase of severe ankle injuries that appeared in modern basketball I am playing basketball continuosly for 3 years now, and when I started I used simple low tops that I already had for running and training. After every hoop session I would take some antinflamatories and even so wake up the next day with ankle pain, and I had some ankle rolls. Since I started using high and midtops, the ankle pain stopped completelly, no more ankle rolls. At soccer, I play on turf, with turf specific boots, with boots that have a better support at the instep/metatarsal and with better torsion resistance, which I paid way more them I wanted to but cheaper boots are simply too unstable for guys like me. I am 6'1"and 215 pounds, 1,85m and 98kg.

I know it is a big investment, but I would really like to see an episode about rick owens boots or sneakers

Good call on Caulin

Solid job Caulin! Got me way more interested in a pair of basketball shoes than I ever thought I would be. Hope to see you make another appearance with another crazy sneaker soon.

Is high top unnecessary? Not tough say, easy: yes. It’s a gimmick invented in the 80s to sell shoes. Ppl wore chucks, puma Clyde and stan smith in the 60 and 70s. And you can prove high tops increase the risk of ankle rolling when tired by restricting the ankle flexibility but not as impactful as the forefoot stack height. If you need to protect ankle, get a brace. I have been playing in indoor soccer shoes or racing flats and they have allowed me to play much more explosive and safe compared to me wearing Nike basketball shoes. Plus they’re lighter than the lightest basketball shoe, the Kobe 8.

That is intresting take. Ive always prefed lows. Sure like converse back in the day and jordan 1 highs are nice but lows with good heal support way to go.

High top sneakers have always been style over substance. Hell, the vast majority of boots over 6" are style over substance.

for a moment I thought my screen had an issue before I realized there is a random smudge in the middle of the video at multiple points

Please do another Jordan silhouette

Let’s goooo! Thanks for this really love the content. Im happy to find out more about the leather quality of sneakers, especially for the pricier ones. For next suggestions, Jordan 38? Adidas Y3s? The new Anta Kai? Reps?

Not quite the same as basketball shoes but in the hiking world a lot of people have moved to lightweight shoes (not boots) with aggressive lugged outsoles. The theory is that most of your ankle support comes from the heel counter rather than what is above the ankle. Trail runners / (Fell runners in UK) have been wearing this sort of footwear for 50+ years. The UK brand Walsh really was the first to develop this sort of shoe. Other brands like Innov8 as well as the the usual suspects like Nike, Adidas, Saucony etc. then followed.

Colin did a great job on his review, he has picked up on the Rose Anvil style and definitely is relatable and knowledgeable! Nice job

Great idea for a series mate, I recommend you to inspect outsole durability so we know if it’s actually durable for outdoor use

I'd love to see you guys take apart a hard-core, carbon plated running shoe, like marathon running

Um glad there are people highlighting the findings in the medical and sport science worlds that the height of the ankle cut on a basketball shoe has little to no correlation to ankle injuries. A lot of low top shoes still have amazing lockdown, largely due to tech, but not necessarily due to things like these cables. Materials obviously, laceline, shanks, traction, and heel counters all come together to do the job, even in high tops. The sphere tech in the heels of the 21s and the 20s (which were also lowtops but dont have the cables) probably do a lot more than the cables.

If there is nothing around the ankle to support it then it’s never “locked in”. Lows will never protect the ankle from a roll over or a 230lb. Center landing on your ankle. Wrapping dense foam and leather with a snug shoelace is the only way to lock in an ankle and to protect it as much as possible.

Good on ya Caulin. Great job 👏👏

Watch straps would be a great product offering.

High Caulin, please put some lunarlon shoes to the cut with Weston. Of what I already used, it is my favorite technology for cushioning at high mobility sports because it is generally lower than other options. Also, please give Asics some love, they also have great technologies but they are overlooked because they don't hire so many athletes like nike or adidas

I don't wear boots, but I still rock with this channel. I am a sneaker head tho so I definitely fuck with this side of the channel

First of all, high tops were always a design choice and they sold well because the public perceived increased ankle support. There's no evidence that a higher ankle collar actually prevents ankle sprains. The tactile feedback is the only thing really helping you with high tops. The ankle isn't all that high up the leg. True ankle stability comes from a super wide base with a large outrigger, a great heel counter with great heel lockdown, and then the torsional rigidity of the shoe.

Would be nice to see how durable the outsoles are, particularly for outdoor hoops.

I wore LeBrons once and they did feel like a cloud on my feet. It was pretty nice

Great job Caulin! I'll be honest, gonna 😢 when y'all cut up that Kobe reverse grinch.

You guys should cut a pair of regular nikes next to a custom pair version. From what i can see anecdotally the custom nikes be it dunks or AF1 seem to use better quality leather on the customs than the regular versions

It's pretty cool stuff! I love the breakdown... I am a little disappointed with Flywire. I thought it would go all the way down. I own the 21 Tahecian model

I've been wearing your belt every day since Christmas. Pretty good! Wish you made one a bit thicker. I don't like how it easily twists

I really love this kind of dissect for shoes, help you to gauge how many dollar you should spend

I used to play basketball in a pair of low top And One shoes during high school. I rolled my ankles and severely tore ligaments multiple times in them.

I think that darker purple could be Nike's Cushlon foam.

We need a video on slides. Summers on the way I need to know if the "recovery" slides are a real thing.

Your ankle was designed to move freely, lows are always better

Caulin you did great! such a nice video. Thanks.

I have to say for me. I got a pair of LeBron nXXt Gen AMPD and they are incredibly comfy, unlike anuthing else i have worn. It pushes back against you and hold so well with out being tight or restricting.

Players who play off balance are more likely to turn their ankle rather than the shoe they are wearing.

Kinda weird but Id really like to see some cycling shoes, as they use cleats to lock in to pedals and more expensive ones tend to come with carbon fiber soles and boa systems

“Why they don’t work” and then “it’s nice they have them” lol

Advertising on the secondary channel too? damn you guys are ruthless 💰💰💰

Where can we see your full bar drop and ball drop test charts??

I thought it was common knowledge that a high top is not what supports ankle stability. It is the platform an heel counter. Also Kobe is credited for the move to low tops, when it actually was Gilbert Arenas and Adidas, who made that change in his signature line. Arenas even spoke out about that. @roseanvil

Also Thabo Sefolosha always plays in Air Max 90s, so Kobe and LeBron aren't the only ones that prefer low shoes.

Very nice episode and concept 👌

As a hooper, low tops give you much better mobility, than mid's and hi's

Great video what is it gonna take to get you to cut in half a Nike air Foamposite 1???

Great vid colab, keep them going

Great episode. Great data and info. 🎉

I don't wear shoes and I am watching a shoe channel. 🤣 🤣

that dunk over Joker 😲😲😲

Jordan Tatums 1 & 2 if you can. I want to see how well they rank on some of your tests.

Welcome Caulin. Excellent first episode.

any sneaker sponsored by a sports celebrity has to be cheapened to pay the millions they pay to the athlete, so you are not getting what you are paying for a good sneaker you are getting a name.

Yes! Sneakerhead love seeing the quality of materials and technology. Especially when a brand claims premium

Put some aggressive tread on them and you have a great hiking shoe.

I like the New guy!

Breakdown on Kobes would be great! And shows why Kobe shoes are the best Basketball shoes nowadays

I am not a fan of Nike shoes at all, mostly because they are just not wide enough for my foot comfort, but those shoes look awesome. Great video.