What’s up everyone! We’re back at it and this time we’re featuring the BrandBlack J Crossover 2, Jamal Crawford’s signature shoe. A little more than a month ago, the good folks at BrandBlack hooked us up with a pair and it’s easily been one of my current favorites. We did a close up feature on the shoe earlier (click here) and at that time there was no news yet of its availability locally, but we’re happy to announce that you can grab your own pair very soon at Titan! For now we just want to share our experience with the J Crossover 2 and how it performed on court. Let’s get to it!
CUSHIONING
BrandBlack features their very own Jetlon cushioning technology which outperforms the industry standard EVA foam. Off the box it felt super comfortable right away. It was soft and you could feel already feel that bounce in it just by walking. It felt a bit like zoom or micro g which I liked right away. On the court it gave you a comfortable ride all the way and it was very responsive, giving you that bounce you need. Whatever rubber and foam mix they came up with here sure is working. One of my favorite parts of the shoe definitely. Everything was smooth.
FIT
They fit true to size. The JC2 features a woven upper from the midfoot up to the forefoot which is one of the highlights of the shoe. I definitely love playing in woven uppers and this setup was just perfect in terms of fit. Lockdown on the midfoot was great and really hug your foot in at all times. The forefoot allows you to be free without sacrificing support. The woven material molds to your foot but does not restrict any movement. The heel features a heel counter that works well with the synthetic leather material that wraps around your ankle well. It is also well padded inside around your ankles so it hugs it in pretty tight without causing any pain. The top lace loops wrap around the top of your ankle, which helps keep your foot down and keep it from moving. Loved the fit on this one and I didn’t have any issues with slipping in any of my runs.
MATERIALS
As mentioned above, the JC2 features woven uppers combined with synthetic molded leather around the heel area which both feel good to play in as well as look good to rock off the court. BrandBlack’s designs incorporate high fashion without sacrificing its performance on the court. The woven uppers just feel great on the foot and require zero break in time which is always a good thing. They’re also constructed well that they can hold your foot in during cuts and stops but at the same time allow it to move freely.
TRACTION
The JC2 uses a different kind of pattern that I haven’t really seen in any other shoe. The outsole is divided into 3 main segments with each segment running in a different direction. It’s sort of like herringbone but using wider lines. The important thing is it works well on the court. Traction was very good and provided good grip in all directions. Making cuts, sudden stops and changing directions were not a problem at all. Overall, the traction pattern works.
SUPPORT
You have everything you need in terms of support in the JC2. The midfoot offers great lockdown, keeping you on the footbed at all times. The synthetic leather around the ankle and heel counter provide stability and support from slipping. There are plastic wings along the sides for added support during lateral movements to keep your foot from moving side to side given the material used on the upper. It also features BrandBlack’s Force Vector technology, which is the midfoot shank found on the outsole for added stability. Maybe the only thing I noticed is sometimes the woven uppers felt like it stretched a bit more than I wanted to during hard stops and it sometimes felt like my foot could go over the footbed along the forefoot area. It wasn’t a major issue and overall it still got the job done.
Overall, I really loved the J Crossover 2. It’s a very comfortable shoe to play in and it definitely goes in my top 5 right now. Cushioning was good and responsive and gave you that bounce effect. Fit was perfect and the woven uppers were just a joy to play in. I think this shoe is perfect for guards who play quick, but it can also accommodate different types of players and foot shapes given its woven material. Overall, a solid shoe from BrandBlack and a good start to its basketball line.
The BrandBlack J Crossover will be dropping really soon at Titan so keep it here for updates and news about the brand. Who’s excited?
BrandBlack J Crossover 2
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Cushioning
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Fit
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Materials
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Traction
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Support
OVERALL:
BrandBlack may be new to the basketball shoe game, but their attention to detail and performance is seen on the J Crossover 2. A solid shoe to hoop that a lot of players will love playing in.