Skechers SKX Nexus Review: A Solid Sports Shoe That Doesn’t Sacrifice Comfort For Performance

We know that basketball isn’t a particularly popular sport here in Malaysia, but it would be remiss to say that there are no basketball enthusiasts in the country at all. In fact, we know that the sport is gaining traction here, albeit slowly. So it makes sense that Skechers would like to try its hand at this emerging market.

That’s right, the Manhattan-based footwear company recently branched out into the world of basketball shoes, and Malaysia is the first of many Asian countries to receive this new line of product. We at Hype were fortunate enough to be among the lucky few to receive the new kicks for review. Here’s what we think of them.

As with any other team-based sport, a well-rounded basketball team requires a variety of players, each with their own speciality that, in turn, requires specific equipment that enhances their game. This is why Skechers debuted four different sneakers in the Skechers Basketball lineup, but for the purpose of this review, we will focus on the SKX Nexus.

Design

Compared to other sneakers on the market, the SKX Nexus isn’t all that different from any other shoe. It features a multicolour design of white/black/red and black/pink/purple/green with a solid mesh upper and a thick padded body. The various colours can largely be seen on the outsole of the shoe, which does give some reasonable height.

On its side, you will notice the special “S” emblem, which is Skeckers’s latest logo for its new basketball line-up of sneakers. Directly on the heel is the plain Skechers logo. If you choose the black version of the shoe, you will find it to be a singular colour all the way through the shoe’s upper, while the white variation has a mix of its three colours all throughout the shoe. The shoe does feature a meshed upper, allowing your feet to breathe easily.

Comfort

Skechers has always been advertised, if not touted, as the maker of the most comfortable shoes on the market. The brand has built a reputation on being the best option for daily use, long walks, or casual runs and jogs. However, being a sports-orientated shoe, the SKX Nexus had to trade off some of its comfort for durability and protection so that it – and the foot it is protecting – can last longer.

After a while, you do feel the rigidity of the shoe and how it squeezes your foot, the fact that there isn’t much wiggle room in them, as well as its stiff and almost unmoving upper. You do feel a little numbness and perhaps even discomfort on your transverse arch. Other than that, these shoes are great.

Though there are some concessions when it comes to comfort, that doesn’t mean these shoes are just awkward – far from it. The moment you slip these on, you are immediately greeted by an absolutely pillowy collar that nestles your feet in foam padding. There’s also thin padding that lines the shoe’s upper that starts from the tongue and extends all the way to the toe box, providing you with an all-around pillowy sensation. While on the topic of the upper, the sneaker features a lightweight and breathable mesh upper that allows flow in and out for a more breathable performance. 

The sneaker also comes packed with the Skechers Resilient Move Foam insole that provides additional support. With all of these combined, you have a comfortable sports shoe that can easily be your daily sneaker. However, it is worth noting that, though this is the lightest sneaker among the collection, it’s still substantially heavier than your average running shoe. This comes down to the aforementioned rigidity necessary for competitive play or the added thick outsole, which we will discuss in depth later. This is enough to turn some people off, but if you don’t mind it, then these shoes might work for you.

Performance

Though it may seem like a normal, slim and sleek sneaker, there are surprisingly a lot of things happening under the surface of the SKX Nexus that you wouldn’t even notice until you pay attention to it. As mentioned earlier, there are four shoes in the Skechers Basketball line-up, with each of them designed for a specific type of play. Being the most lightweight compared to the rest of its siblings, the SKX Nexus is designed for those who prefer speed and agility on the court, and these shoes deliver on that role.

What helps enable this pair to excel on the court is the durable performance outsole by Goodyear. This is an amazing feature that provides exceptional grip and stability regardless of the terrain, while also allowing you to quickly pivot on the often slippery court. Pair this up with a 5-GEN foam midsole with torsion plate, and you can speed about all over the court without tripping or losing your footing. 

The weight, as mentioned previously, is not insignificant. You will feel it pull your feet down whenever you raise it off the ground. However, you can argue that this might be a good thing, as it does keep you grounded and stable if you are performing on the court. Additionally, the Goodyear outsole is exceptionally capable of absorbing the shock on your feet, making it great for those constantly jumping or dunking hoops.

When testing, we did find two major flaws in the shoe that kind of go hand-in-hand. This shoe is said to feature a heel lockdown function that works in conjunction with the collar. But throughout our use and testing, we found that this doesn’t really work. There were a lot of instances where we’d feel the shoe slip off slightly from our heel, which is quite dangerous, especially in a game of basketball.

It doesn’t really help that the laces constantly loosen up, if not come undone outright, more times than any other shoe we’ve tested. This might not be a problem with the different versions of the shoe; it’s still a major blow and perhaps a design flaw, especially if you’re more inclined to the lightweight version of the shoe. In short, it fails to do what was boldly advertised, which is something we found quite disappointing.

Overall, though, the Skechers SKX Nexus is an absolute blast of a shoe to wear that takes comfort and performance to the next level. Being a basketball shoe, it was not designed for everyday use, but thanks to absolutely lovely padding that encases your feet in a lovely, pillowy sensation and a Goodyear outsole that absorbs excessive shocks, you’d be forgiven for using it all the time. There’s a little bit of pain or numbness in your feet with prolonged use, but it’s to be expected from a shoe that’s meant to be rigid and sturdy enough for competitive play. But the easily-loosened laces is a worrisome issue, which he hope Skechers keeps note of moving forward.