Adidas ZX Flux Adv - Black

Review No. 2

Looking for an affordable and casual pair of sneakers that you can wear everyday? The Adidas ZX Flux Adv boasts a simplistic design and offers a great range of colourways. Retailing between $100-$120 AUD the ZX Flux line is comparable to Nike's Roche Runners, a great economical pair of sneakers for any casual occasion. 

Its soft mesh design provides great support, offering flexibility in foot and toe movement. The plastic three stripes along each side protrudes outwards,  highlighting the Adidas brand. Along the heel, the shoe exhibits a transparent plastic cap which visualises as an ankle support, but also emphasises the mesh and offers a great tonal balance. The tongue is a rubbery plastic which rests very well with your feet, resembling a sock hence it's quite comfortable wearing the Flux's without socks. 

The shoe runs true to size and we definitely recommend wearing them in as the mid sole is rather tight when new. The original flux range (black, blue and grey) suits well with both men and women styles and are usually warn with dark jeans or tights. Coupled with a few sprays of hydrophobic liquid, the shoe can be water tight in light rain. We also noticed that when you walk in damp weather, the heel cap shows condensation inside but disappears once it dries.

In terms of comfort, the Flux's don't compare well relative to what's available in stores now. The mid sole is not of boost technology and resembles a pair of Nike Roche. If you're looking for comfort, then definitely try on a pair of Adidas' with boost technology, there is substantial difference but comes with a higher price. However, if you're just looking for an affordable and easy pair of runners , then the ZX Flux is definitely a great choice, especially with so many colour options. 

We at Couple of Kicks managed to purchase The ZX Flux Adv in Black for only $55 (AUD) from The Iconic. They were happy to honour us the new sale price and offered a partial refund as the shoe was originally priced at $120. The cheapest price we've seen in stores was at DFO, which had a range of sizes in the black colour-way for $69. We recommend not to pay full price for these as we have seen many sales offering good discounts, especially with new colour-ways and differing designs being offered.

At well below $100, the ZX Flux Adv is a great pair of sneakers to work in. Offering simple but great style and comfort, it's a great pair to have in your collection. Although it doesn't compare well with other shoes on the market, its choice of colours and designs coupled with its amazing price is definitely something you won't want to miss out on.

Summary

Good:

• Large range of colours and design 
• Relatively comfortable and easy casual wear option
• Great price 

Bad:

• Large price differences across retailers ($60-130)
• Lacks sole support

Ratings and Specifications

Design: 3/5
Comfort: 3/5
Price: 5/5
Availability: 5/5

Brand: Adidas
Line: ZX Flux Adv
Colour: Black
Price: $120 (RRP)

We hope this review will help you purchase your next pair of sneakers. Feel free to recommend us sneakers to review. :)

Couple of Kicks 

Adidas Ultra Boost 2.0 - Triple White

Couple of Kick's very first review!

Dubbed the 'World's Best Running Shoe' by Adidas, the Ultra Boost 2.0 Triple White colour-way arrived in stores in July as a General Release (GR). Available at most stores including Footlocker and Adidas Performance, stock ran out fast! With a small amount of women sizes still available, getting your hands on a pair proved to be difficult.

Couple of Kicks managed to source two pairs from the Adidas Performance Store as well as an online retailer for $240 (AUD). We considered ourselves lucky as we missed out on the original release date. With an all white design and gradient stitching around the toebox, the tongueless runner offers great all-round support and cushioning for your feet.

The three striped cage nicely emphasises the iconic Adidas brand and complements the shoe very nicely, adding a nice touch of detail. From the wearer's point of view, the grey gradient roughly resembles a rectangular shape with breathable holes stretching from the toecap to the laces. The knitting and cushion around the heel tab and collar provides a snug fit around your ankles, preventing any ankle slips. The elevated heel tab also looks great with the plastic ankle tab but also helps with putting the shoe on. However, we found that the tongue and laces tightens up your front foot, so going half a size up is recommended here. Alternatively, many sneakerheads have opt to wear them with loose laces. It's definitely recommended to try on a pair for sizing before purchasing.

Couple of Kicks rates the Ultra Boosts (UB's) as one of the most comfortable pair of runners. The insole provides an extra level of comfort on top of the boost foam, living up to the Ultra Boost name. We also found that it was a great idea to remove the insole and wear it with other sneakers, as the additional support really helps with long periods of walking. We did notice that the shoe is rather loud when walking on hard floors as the Continental rubber sole creates friction.

Having recently taken the Core 2.0 Blacks on holiday to New Zealand, the UB's took a great beating. The continental sole handled all types of terrain very well. We took the shoes on hikes and long walks without feeling the need to rest our foot. We even tried walking on mud and ice, which ultimately caused some slips and trips but that's not what they're designed for. All in all, a great pair of runners for walking, running and hiking.

We have always seen people wear UB's with light and tight denim jeans to show off the shoes in public. Many have also been seen wearing zippered and ankle length chinos and for the ladies, it looks great in leggings or skinny jeans. The runners are quite versatile in terms of styling.

In comparison with other runners, the Ultra Boosts lean towards the expensive side. For $240 AUD RRP with other colour-ways including collaboration styles, fetching a lot more on the resell market. In comparison, other Adidas and Nike Runners retail between the 150-200 mark, with a few exceptions (Nike Flyknit Racers $220). There are also other 'boost' sole runners available at lower prices like Pure and Energy Boost.

Even so, we definitely recommend the extra $$$ in terms of comfort and style. They're easy to wear and by far the most comfortable. Alternatively, those who would opt for cheaper options can consider Nike Flyknits, ASIC Gel Lytes, Adidas NMD, Nike Pegasus, Nike Lunarons and the likes, with prices around $200.

In short, the Adidas Ultra Boost Triple White is a great performance runner as well as a casual street wear option. It offers great support, style and design for your feet and Couple of Kicks definitely recommend grabbing a pair if possible. But at $240, it may be a little expensive for some. Those who have tried on the shoes have described it as "walking on clouds".

Summary

Good:

• Great Adidas Design - The plastic cage blends well with the stitching. 
• Comfort on another level 
• Style versatility
• Great for running or casual wear

Bad:

• Noticable walking noise
• Steep price 

Ratings and Specifications

Design: 4/5
Comfort: 5/5
Price: 2/5
Availability: 2/5

Specifications:
Brand: Adidas
Line: Ultra Boost 2.0
Colour: White/White/White
Price: $240 RRP

If you like our reviews, feel free to recommend us sneakers to review in the future. :)

In the meantime, why not check out the engineering behind the "world's best running shoe".

28.8.16

Couple of Kicks 

coupleofkicks118@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: Couple of Kicks are not affiliated with or sponsored by any brands. We simply provide our own review and opinions based on the products we've purchased and tested. 

Couple of Kicks - Review Platform

Sneaker Reviews 2016

We are two university students who recently started a collection of sneakers across several brands. We'd like to provide our own opinions and review a few sneakers that we have managed to purchase.

We noticed that sneakers are becoming a hot topic recently with many releases causing major lines and camp outs at local retailers. Having missed out on a couple of great sneakers, we started to mix and match and purchase sneakers that we liked.

We are by no means affiliated with any brands or major sponsors. We would like to share our opinions so that individuals can make an informed decision on future sneaker purchases, especially when they're quite expensive. 

Our Ratings:

Design: Rated out of 5 - General design, colour and contours of the shoe.
1 = Would not wear or look at
5 = Outstanding

Comfort: Rated out of 5 - How the shoe feels on foot, running and walking.
1 = Not comfortable and would not wear again
5 = Don't want to take them off

Price: Rated out of 5 -
1 = Cannot afford and would not consider
5 = Very affordable and would purchase immediately

Availability: Rated out of 5 - How easy it is to purchase a pair.
1 = Impossible
5 = Available at most stores

We hope to share our views of the latest sneakers to the general public and hope we can support and build upon the sneaker culture within Australia.

NMD R1 - Onyx Grey & Peach Pink

Cheers,

Couple of Kicks No. 118
Contact: coupleofkicks118@gmail.com