Zipping straight from outer space onto the basketball court, the adidas adiZero Crazy Light looks like the work of some frighteningly brilliant minds. It promises to help players become bolts of lightning on the court, and our Fullcourtfresh.com review here shows that, once again, adidas got it right.

adidas uses Sprint Web technology on these shoes to cut away all excess material from the upper of the shoe, leaving you with what is basically a high-tech gladiator sandal with nylon mesh in between the strips. However, durability and playability are still foremost, as with all adidas shoes. Everything in this shoe feels very minimalist, but everything that matters is there. The Crazy Light comes equipped with a well-padded collar that wraps around your ankle, lateral support around the edges of your feet, and metal grommets for the shoelaces to make sure that wearers don’t end up tearing into the upper as they strap themselves in.

This shoe also receives top marks for support and cushioning: the Sprint Frame that runs from the back of the heel to where an adidas Torsion System plate would usually be found creates a very light, responsive platform for faster and more aggressive ballers to play in. Again, adidas cuts down on the nice-to-haves so that the Sprint Frame is the only thing that comes in between the wearer’s feet and the EVA cushioning in the midsole. This lack of obstructions between foam and foot makes these shoes very comfortable even for hard landings. The result is a very springy, bouncy, quick-cutting shoe that helps the wearer be the first to reach the ball or the hoop at fast-breaks, drives, and rebounds.

The shoe comes with two sets of removable sockliners: the adiZero Crazy Light and the adiZero Crazy Comfort. Since both sets provide crazy levels of lightness and comfort, the choice of sockliner really depends on the wearer’s preference.

So, is light really right? With so many shoes coming out that either bank on extra support and padding, or go low-cut for lightness and freedom of movement, how does a high-cut basketball shoe built for speed fit in? The answer lies in the mentality behind the shoe: with nothing left but what is utterly essential, players can get into the adiZero Crazy Light and expect nothing to come in between their game and the basket. The shoe supports the player; the amazing stuff that happens during the game is up to the person wearing the shoe.

These shoes were built not only for point guards or slashers, although they are obviously a large segment of the target market. Big men who rely on speed and finesse will love the cushioning and responsiveness on these shoes as well. People looking to buy the adiZero Crazy Light should think about getting them a half size smaller than their usual adidas size, unless they have wider feet, as these shoes were built for narrower feet. Also, the product tag on these shoes comes with a label that reads “for hardwood use only”, but our tests here at Fullcourtfresh.com show that the adiZero Crazy Light is also remarkably grippy on painted cement courts.

Photos by Andrew Pamorada