The Jordan Why Not Zer0.4 is Russell Westbrook’s 4th signature shoe with a completely new design team inside Jordan Brand. Does the shoe live up to expectations? That’s what we’re here to find out. Keep reading for all the details.
My current pair has modified translucent herringbone traction. The traction does the job well whether you play like Russ or not. The shoe does pick up dust easily but a quick wipe and you’ll be good. The traction does fair better than the Jordan Why Not Zer0.3, possibly due to its modified traction that acts like tire siping to grip the court. For those considering playing outdoors, this traction pattern works wonders. While the rubber compound is likely to fray quicker on hard outdoor courts, it definitely does the trick without any concerns.
The double-stacked forefoot Zoom Air helps with responsiveness. Included alongside the cushion is an injected Phylon midsole that provides ample feedback. Although the midsole did start off a little stiff it loosens up. The cushion, while not as bouncy as its predecessor, is sufficient and gets the job done.
Materials
The upper is comprised of different textiles, synthetics, and stitched skins that are lightweight and breathable, which isn’t bad for visual appeal. The interior collar is well padded, as is the tongue. The shoe includes a nicely patterned traction outsole along with an injected Phylon midsole and a double-stacked forefoot Zoom Air unit.
This is a shoe where I definitely suggest going true to size. Yes, even for wide footers like myself. The shoe definitely starts off stiff, especially along with the materials around the collar. I tried lacing a little looser, however I didn’t feel as comfortable or as secure.
Support
The support comes directly from the fit of the shoe. As I stated, once the shoe is laced up all the way, you’re ready to go. Again, the little gripe is how stiff the shoe felt along the upper collar area. The ankle collar should be a little free-flowing but not to the point where the upper doesn’t naturally move along. However, it does slightly loosen and clear up the more you play in the shoe. This goes the same for the midsole as the shoe does initially feel rough especially along the heel area. But the double-stacked forefoot Zoom alleviates that (as long as you land/push off with your forefoot and don’t land on the heel). Definitely an awkward fixture, but once the shoe “finally” breaks in, the shoe does well.
Jordan Brand definitely went in a different direction on how they wanted the Jordan Why Not Zer0.4 to evolve, particularly the upper. This is not to say the brand should stop evolving, it’s just minor modifications are needed to make the shoe more enjoyable from the start.
The shoe felt light on foot, provided better foot containment, and, most importantly, performed well on the court and on the blacktop. The majority of the review had to be done outdoors due to the pandemic. I’ve not had many complaints except for the ample break-in time needed to get to the point where the shoe was enjoyable and manageable to play in. There’s definitely something to build on from this shoe, so here’s to hoping the next iteration makes you jump out the gym, cause…why not?
The Jordan Why Not Zer0.4 is Russell Westbrook’s fourth signature shoe and continues his wild shoe style choices with the initial Upringing colorway. After not liking the Why Not Zer0.3 (specifically the traction), Chris dives into the fourth Westbrook model and finds some details that have him feeling optimistic about its potential on court performance.
