This year the Jordan Jumpman Pro came back in the spotlight for its 25th anniversary and we had to include it in our review section. This model is the very first sneaker released under the Jordan Brand flagship in 1997 aside from Michael Jordan’s signature lineIt was also the first team model for the brand and it featured most of the tech specs of the Air Jordan 12 that was released around the same time. It was followed by other models like the Jordan Jumpman Pro Quick and the Team 1. The Jumpman Pro became a favorite of many sneakerheads due to its cool looks, versatility and the cheaper price point compared to the retro line. The shoe made a comeback in 2017 with a few tweaks to the midsole cushioning and again in 2019.
How They Fit
It was the black and yellow pair from 2019 that we came across recently and we decided to take a closer look on how it feels more than 20 years after its release. Out of the box they feel very solid and as stylish as ever, with a soft tumbled leather that seems to be an upgrade to the 2017 releases. They fit true to size with a roomy forefoot so getting your regular size is the way to go with these. They feel a bit stiff at first which is not a surprise given its heritage but they break in pretty fast.
Upper
The upper of the Jordan Jumpman Pro is made of synthetic leather upper with a wavy pattern that reminds us of the Air Max Tailwind IV from 1999. The design is typical to the retros from that era with a standard lacing system and ample padding in the tongue and around the area. There isn’t much air flow in these but despite all this, we gave them a try on the basketball court for our Jordan Jumpman Pro review and they did actually pretty good. However, as with most of the other retros we can only recommend these for casual wear.
Sole Unit
Over the years Jumpman brand have played around with the specs for this shoe as they deviated from the original setup from 1997 when they retroed this shoe. While the original featured a full Zoom Air midsole, for the editions from 2017 and onward this feature was only present in the forefoot. The heel area cushioning was replaced with a softer EVA unit and then for this pair we came across with an actual Air Max unit. The Air units are supported by a Phylon foam that we are used to seeing on Jordans. The Jumpman Pro features a TPU shank in the midsole for added stability and performance on the court. The herringbone pattern does a great job in terms of traction both indoor and outdoors. All this setup makes for a comfortable shoe that can be worn all day and it can even do some damage on the basketball court.
Bottom Line
To sum up our Jordan Jumpman Pro review, this is a sneaker that holds a special place in any sneaker collection. It is a major piece of heritage for the Jordan brand, being a stylish choice for any sneakerhead and not only. The specs on this shoe still makes it relevant on the basketball court even if there are a lot more performant shoes out there. It is a durable, versatile shoe that can be worn for every day, in school, on the court or just casually.
