Adidas Crazy Light 2: Breaking Down Basketball's Lightest Shoe

Adidas has outdone themselves yet again.

The soon to be released Cray Light 2 is the lightest sneaker in the world, weighing a mere 9.5 ounces. This is about 10 percent lighter than the next competitor, a truly jaw-dropping disparity.

As any sneaker-head knows, the lighter the shoe, the higher the vertical leap and the quicker the lateral movement—giving any athlete that wears them a competitive edge.

The shoe is already a hit, with all 48 McDonald’s All-Americans sporting them last month in the biggest game of their lives to date. While I have yet to personally give these puppies a test-run, Mike Brouillet of Hoopsvibe.com has and it sounds like the shoes are going to be an absolute hit with basketball players:

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What’s even more impressive is the fact that while the Crazy Light 2 got even lighter than its predecessor, it’s also stronger.  Traditionally, I've found lighter basketball shoes give me less support and carry a higher risk of injury due to poor ankle support. I’ve got the scar tissue in both ankles to prove it. This is no flimsy shoe. It’s a rugged, durable, incredibly supportive sneaker that just so happens to be ridiculously light.

 

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Grades:

Performance: A

How can you not like a shoe that is the lightest of all-time yet still provides strong support for your ankle? This is the basketball players dream and any player looking for a competitive advantage should give these shoes a test drive.

Colors: C

The black and red style—an obvious nod to Derrick Rose and his Chicago Bulls—are OK, but the neon green?

I don’t understand people’s obsession with exotic colors of shoes these days and no team’s jersey will match that shoe.

Design: B+

It’s a rather simple look, with the cool three-stripe design in the heel of the shoe. I love the subtle scheme that blends in with the color of the shoe as well.

No complaints here.

Expect the shoe to be in stores on May 24, retailing for $140. To catch a sneak peak of them in action, Jrue Holiday of the Philadelphia 76ers will be wearing them during the playoffs.

I can’t wait to try them out.

Follow Eric Ball on Twitter.