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AND 1     [ Kg Select ] [ Silky Smooth ]

REEBOK     [ Answer V ] [ X-Beam Franchise ]

REEBOK - ANSWER V

As the signature shoe of one of the most popular players in the league the Reebok Answer V Mid DMX will undoubtedly sell well, but it won't be because of its on-court performance.

by Professor K, posted March 6, 2002

After being very happily surprised by the very good overall performance of the Reebok Answer IV DMX, I was very much looking forward to testing this year's version, the Answer V Mid DMX. But my anticipation quickly turned into disappointment as Reebok seems to have done away with much of what made last year's shoe such a good on-court performer.

The first thing I noticed upon putting on a pair of the Answer V Mid DMXs is how low they are cut. The shoe is cut just a bit higher than a low-cut shoe and at about the same height as the last year's Answer IV DMX Low (I wonder if this year's Answer V Low will be a slip-on?). The upside of this is that, without a lot of material at the ankle, the shoe is very comfortable. The obvious downside is that the Answer V Mid DMX doesn't provide much in the way of ankle support. But ankle support is only one of a few different elements that determines how well a shoe protects the ankle from injury. A lot of research has indicated that the most important factor in protecting against ankle injury, particularly ankle sprains, is the fit of a shoe at the heel, and it is in this area that the Answer V Mid DMX really falls short.

Perhaps recognizing the importance of heel-fit, the Answer V Mid DMX incorporates a velcro heel-strap that, in theory, should allow the wearer to create a customized fit at the heel. The reality that I experienced in testing was that no matter how the heel-strap was adjusted, the fit of the Answer V Mid DMX at the heel was not satisfactory. I felt some heel-slip, but what was really disconcerting was the side-to-side movement that I felt at the heel. The fit did improve after my first wearing, but it never reached the point where I felt total confidence. I was particularly concerned when landing with my weight back, which often happens when I come down after grabbing a rebound, because I could feel my heel moving around on impact. I think the reason for this is that the shoe's heel counter does not extend high enough along either side of the foot, which allows the heel to move sideways when a lateral force is applied. But whatever the technical reason, the net result was that I was worried about injuring my ankles on every test wearing of the Answer V Mid DMX.

Aside from the heel, the fit of the Answer V Mid DMX was very good. The "ghillie" lacing system did a good job of keeping my forefoot locked in place and I felt no internal movement at the forefoot, either front-to-back or side-to-side. An interesting thing about the lacing system is that it starts at about the middle of the foot, it doesn't extend beneath the reflective grey structure at the forefoot. Given the wide base of the Answer V Mid DMX this could be a problem for people with narrow feet. Since the lacing system does not extend beyond the middle of the foot, there's no way to adjust the fit at the forefoot. If you have narrow feet you should make sure to check for any side-to-side movement at the forefoot when trying on the Answer V Mid DMX.

What makes the poor fit of the Answer V Mid DMX all the more disappointing is that the shoe provides very good cushioning performance. While it felt a bit more mushy to me than the Answer IV DMX, the cushioning was still very good. The combination of a DMX I-pak unit, encased within an EVA midsole and topped-off with a sockliner with integrated shock pads provides impact protection and a good amount of cushioning feel. The only question is how long the cushioning will hold up, but I felt no degradation in cushioning over the course of my testing.

The midsole is fairly thick and so the Answer V Mid DMX is not at the level of the Nike Air Flightposite III or adidas KOBETWO in terms of court-feel, but it's not bad. What is a bit strange is the traction-feel provided by the outsole, which is made of a combination of rubber and something that Reebok calls 3D Ultralight. 3D Ultralight is a mixture of rubber, EVA and other materials that is lighter and much softer than rubber. On last year's Answer IV DMX, 3D Ultralight was used at the heel-area of the outsole where traction is not as crucial. On the Answer V Mid DMX it's used at the forefoot, where traction is critical, and the results are, in my opinion, mixed. If kept clean, the outsole provides good traction, but the problem is that it doesn't feel quite right. Perhaps it's the softness of the 3D Ultralight, but something about the outsole makes the shoe feel as though it's going to slip on hard cuts. Another downside is that the material does not appear to be very durable. I would not recommend using the Answer V Mid DMX for outdoor basketball as the 3D Ultralight portion of the outsole is likely to wear away quickly.

To sum up, the Answer V Mid DMX is not quite what I had hoped it would be. While cushioning performance is very good, as is the fit of the shoe at the forefoot, the poor fit and lack of stability at the heel more than nullifies the positives. The shoe is also surprisingly heavy at 20 ounces in a U.S. Men's size 11, which is not a good thing for a shoe targetted at fast, active players. Overall, I got the feeling that there wasn't a cohesive plan behind this shoe. It's low cut is clearly intended for players who do a lot of running on the court (ala Allen Iverson), but it's poor heel stability, questionable traction and weight make it less than ideal for that audience. Indeed, the overall performance profile of the Answer V Mid DMX makes it less than ideal for any player. As noted, I'm sure that its association with Allen Iverson will ensure good sales for the Answer V Mid DMX, but it's a shoe that few will remember beyond this season and many may want to forget.




Who's Worn It
Allen Iverson (G- Philadelphia 76ers)

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