So last season with the Kyrie 4, this was a sneaker that I really enjoyed playing in, which is odd because I wasn't a huge fan of the Kyrie Signature line, but I thought Nike came correct with the 4s. I mean, the materials were awesome, the traction was solid, and the cushioning wasn't perfect, but it was comfortable for the most part. And this year with the Kyrie 5, it just looks like a more slimmed down version of the 4s. I mean, if you're looking at them in my hand right now, the 4s just look way bigger than the 5s. However, the 5s have some new features like this Lotus Flytrap lacing system in the forefoot, as well as zoom air in the forefoot, which to me makes a lot more sense than the zoom air in the heel of the 4s. But with the Kyrie 5s, an upgrade over the 4, and should you pick them up? That's what we're going to find out. But first, I got to shout out our sponsor for today's video, Season. These guys make extremely unique looking basketballs that

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All right guys, let's get this review started as always by talking about the thing that stood out to me the most with these. When somebody asked me about the Kyrie 5, what is the first thing that crossed my mind? What's the first thing I'm going to tell them about this sneaker? This one is easy for me. It's hands down, no question, the traction. Now it's funny because the Kyrie signature line has kind of been known for its really solid traction over the years, and while a small number of people did experience some issues last season with the 4s, I thought the traction there was solid. I had no issues whatsoever, but this year with the Kyrie 5, it's a totally different story. Initially, straight out of the box, the traction was just awful. I'm talking straight ice skates across the floor.

I was sliding with absolute ease. I mean, you guys have probably already seen these videos on my Instagram. I'm sliding like a madman out there, and at first it was funny.

I mean, I couldn't believe how awful the traction was, and then I realized that playing with traction this bad is no fun to play basketball in. I mean, when you have slipping this terrible, you don't feel confident, you don't feel like you could pull off any of your moves, and you just feel limited out there. I mean, when I was in transition going up for a pull-up, especially 1-2 pull-ups, my left foot, which is my plant foot, would slip a lot of the times when I was wearing the Kyrie 5, and this would affect my whole shot because it would just throw my entire body off balance. Whenever I would try to do those herky-jerky

Kyrie Irving change-of-pace style moves out there, it felt like I was running in mud, and the traction was a step behind whatever I was trying to do. Now, some people have messaged me, and they've told me that they've been getting great traction with the Kyrie 5s, and I believe those people. I mean, I've talked to people personally whose opinion

I do value. They said the same thing. The traction has been great for them on the 5s, but I've also talked to some people whose opinion I also value. They're like me. They think the traction has been awful for them. So, what this tells me is that the Kyrie 5 just has an inconsistent experience. I mean, on some nights, on some floors, the traction did work for me at an average level. It wasn't anything spectacular. It was just solid, and that's when I thought things were starting to break in and just starting to work for me, but then I would go out the next night on a different floor and have a setback to where the traction was terrible again. So, if I could go into a store and pay my own money at Foot Locker and get a pair with bad traction, that could happen to you just as easily. However, you might be lucky, and like some of those other people I talked to, and get a pair that does work for you. I mean, it's really just a gamble, but if you're a person who can only buy one pair of shoes every 6-12 months, I mean, is it really worth the risk getting a shoe that may or may not work for you? To me, it's not. Alright, now that I got that off my chest, let's switch gears here and talk about something that I actually liked about the Kyrie 5, the cushioning. For the first time ever, Nike has finally put Zoom Air in the forefoot of a Kyrie Signature sneaker. If you've been a fan of the Kyrie

Signature line and it's low-to-the-ground feel that provides a great amount of court feel, you're going to feel right at home here with the 5's, but with an added benefit of

Zoom Turbo in the front, which doesn't really offer too much bounce or explosion, but does offer more than what we're used to from a Kyrie Signature sneaker, and it's a welcome addition that, in my opinion, is an improvement. Now, as far as that new Zoom Air Turbo technology in the forefoot, like I said, it isn't anything spectacular, but it does get the job done.

It's definitely a more low-profile version of Zoom, which actually really works for this sneaker because it kind of serves as a middle ground between a traditional Kyrie setup and a traditional Zoom Air setup. So, if you're someone who loves Zoom, they like the fast-responsive nature of it, but they also want to feel extremely low-to-the-ground, the Kyrie 5 is exactly what you're going to be looking for. Another thing that I really liked about the

Kyrie 5's was the fit. I went to the size with the 10.5, and that provided a snug one-on-one experience that I feel like could have been a little more comfortable had there been a better use of materials, but overall, the fit sat pretty close to my foot, really thanks to that Lotus Flytrap lacing system. I mean, that thing really sucks your foot into the shoe. In fact, I found that the midfoot was actually a little too snug, so what I ended up doing was tying up the forefoot as well as the collar area up super tight, just like

I normally do in any other sneaker, and plus, these laces are super long, so you can really tie these things up extremely well, so if you're one of those people out there with a really wide foot, especially in the middle of your foot, you guys are probably going to want to go up half a size, but for everyone else, I recommend going true to size. It will be snug, but give it time to break in, because I think it'll be worth it, because for me, these fit like a glove. As for the materials, the Kyrie 5 is pretty much entirely made up of mesh, which is fine, I mean, it gets the job done, but there were times where I did feel the materials kind of bending against my foot. It wasn't uncomfortable, it didn't cause any discomfort, because again, it is just mesh, but it wasn't a seamless experience, and the fact that Nike is charging $130, there are a lot better options out there in terms of materials in that price range, so if you're ranking all the $130 or less sneakers in terms of materials, the Kyrie 5 is on the lower end of that spectrum, but by no means would I call these bad materials, it's just, there's a lot better options out there.

Alright, the last thing I want to talk about is the support. Not much has changed over the years with Kyrie Signature sneakers in terms of support. You're pretty much going to get the same experience here with the 5s you would with any other Kyrie Signature sneaker, that being a low profile, guard-friendly setup. The rounded out sole, which has kind of become a staple in the Kyrie Signature series, is awesome yet again, and if the Kyrie 5s are anything, it's a smooth sneaker. I mean, I could only imagine what these would feel like with full-length zoom, but even with just a unit in the forefoot, the heel-to-toe transition is absolutely buttery. It was really a joy to play in, especially in transition, especially if you're a quick guard, you're really going to enjoy this setup, so if you're somebody who wants to feel in control without missing a step, the Kyrie 5 should definitely be on your radar. At the end of the day, the Kyrie Signature line is one of the most popular line of Encore sneakers out there today. They're decently priced and provide solid performance across the board, and not much has changed here with the Kyrie 5s, but due to the problems that I had with the traction, these probably won't be finding their way back into my gym bag anytime soon, but if you're someone who just enjoys Kyrie sneakers, or someone who wants a fast, responsive, and smooth setup, these should work out for you, just as long as you get an outsole that sticks to the floor, but remember, you might be like me and get one that doesn't.