Not Your Average Review: Adidas Harden Vol. 2

Earlier this year, James Harden and adidas dropped his second signature shoe, the Harden Vol. 2. The shoe currently retails for $140 and comes in a variety of colors.

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Style

When it comes to style, I prefer the Harden Vol. 1 over the Harden Vol. 2. James Harden’s second signature looks like a sleeker version of the Dame 3’s, instead of a continuation of his own line. The placement of adidas’s 3 stripes looks more professional on his first sneaker and I’m not a huge fan of the way adidas’s custom lacing systems look.

There’s a reason why Damian Lillard went away from the custom lacing system with his latest shoe.

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Performance

Compared to Harden’s first shoe, the Vol. 2 is definitely an upgrade. The leather toe cap was removed and a sock-like upper added, making this shoe extremely more user friendly.

His second signature sneaker also features more Boost, which allows for increased responsiveness. The custom lacing system should be a bonus for potential buyers. However, the Vol. 2 does feature a new fractal traction pattern, which, according to buyers, doesn’t seem to give any better traction (and in some cases worse) than the Vol. 1.

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Overall

If you’re looking for performance sneakers, the Harden Vol. 2 isn’t a bad choice. The price point is on the lower end of average and the sneaker is definitely an upgrade on the court when compared to the Harden Vol. 1.

Although, if you’re looking to save money, the Dame 4’s and Kyrie 4’s cost less, look better, and don’t sacrifice anything the Harden Vol. 2 offers.