Ballin’ Out In The BALL’N All Out
For my first experience hooping on the streets of New York City, I knew I had to come in style. So when the rest of the Dime crew and I headed to Tribeca’s Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, I decided it was time to bust out some fresh kicks.
But instead of rocking a pair of the new adidas adiZero Crazy Lights or Nike Zoom KD IIIs, I decided to try something new and laced up a pair of the BALL’N All Outs.
Let me start by saying that the All Outs are not your typical shoe. For one, there are hundreds of tiny holes and an unusual grey-on-grey colorway. But it’s what is inside the shoe that stands out the most.
Like all of the shoes from BALL’N, the All Outs are made with d3o technology. In order to avoid going all Bill Nye the Science Guy on you, let me summarize: d3o is a free-flowing gel inside the shoe that hardens on impact to absorb shock. If you don’t believe me, peep this video of BALL’N founder Rodney Jeter slamming his finger with a hammer:
So with the All Outs laced up and ready to go, Team Dime took the court together for the first time against a group of high school kids so annoying they made Jar Jar Binks look like a fun guy to chill with.
Things got off to a slow start as the high schoolers jumped out to an early 7-3 lead thanks to strong post play from the tall kid who ended every sentence with “yo.” Not a good start, yo. Team Dime made a late run, but the high schoolers finished the job.
While my jumper, lungs and pride all took a hit after game one, my feet felt surprisingly good. The All Outs gripped the pavement well, allowing me to change direction with ease. Most impressive, though, was their shock-absorbing ability. While most of my outdoor playing experiences end in my shins feeling like they are splintering into a thousand pieces, the d3o must have been doing work because my legs felt fresh.
Refocused after the initial setback, Team Dime returned to the court again and managed to reel off three straight victories, including a gratifying win over the pesky teens.
BALL’N may not have flashiest kicks or players hawking their shoes (Ron Artest is the lone NBA player signed to an endorsement deal), but the company has its focus in the right place: providing a comfortable shoe to play in.
“We’re just trying to carve out our own little niche,” Jeter told DimeTV. “The great brands out there – Nike, adidas, Reebok – we’re not in those guys’ ballpark. We’re just trying to do our little small thing, find our little niche. Just add something new to the shoe game.”
So if you’re more concerned with how your feet feel than how they look, try giving BALL’N a shot.
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July 14th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
panchitoooo says:
how much are these going for? i would be shocked if they cost more that $50. i love dark colorways cause i tend to rough my shoes up. they kind of look like a pair of And 1s i had long time ago just more supportive.
i seen the BD shoes at champs last week going for $30, was going to get em but decide to watch horrible bosses instead…well worth it!
July 14th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Scott says:
that figure thing was crazy!
July 14th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Martin Kessler says:
They’re selling for $84.99 online at http://shop.balln.com/The-AllOut-Grey-Grey-The-AllOut-Grey-Grey.htm
July 14th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
abpin says:
The d30 technology seems iffy, but that’s just me. Maybe if someone else explained it more thoroughly, rather than repeating the same words over and over, I’d understand it better. I don’t know if having the gel hardening on impact is a good idea. It seems like it’s going to cause more foot injuries, specifically on the heel.
Oh, and that hammer looked like rubber/plastic. Haha.
July 14th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
panchitoooo says:
the hammer looked like it came from a Toys R Us toolbelt that i bought my nephew last christmas.
huuuwhat!!! $85 for a off brand shoe that no one knows about? im sure i’ll see them at Champs early next year for $35, i’ll get em then.
for a shoe that claims not to be in the same ballpark as nike, adidas, and reebok they sure made the price the same. i dont understand how they expect to make a profit on these shoes. $85+tax+S&H=over $100…guess they think everyones Balln. add Ron-Ron as the spokesperson and you’ll understand why this company wont be around in 5 years
July 15th, 2011 at 11:10 am
CCB says:
I remember when dudes would try something just because no one else had it. Nike has manipulated the mindset of people so much that guys won’t even give another shoe a try. Dudes used to want to be trendsetters, now dudes just follow trends. Why call the guys kicks OFF brand? He just isn’t dumping 300 million into advertising so it is a less known brand. The shoes are all made in China by the same factories.
Now do I think the shoe is dope? No. Would I buy it? No and it’s okay to say that. But I’m not going to disrespect hard work by name calling the brand. BTW the shoe actually looks like the Under Armour Micro G. I wish the cats luck. Oh and the price point: Cats will pay 190 for the Retro Foams by Nike and not blink, but a cat lists his shoe at 85 and people criticize? If he priced it at 50, you’d call it cheap. If you price it at 100 it’s ridiculous. If small biz people spent time trying to make Nike heads happy, they would never start a business.
July 15th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
panchitoooo says:
@CCB
“off brand” meaning not name brand. Nike has great technology behind their expensive shoes and Balln has orange gel for $85. you say dudes used to be trend setters but even you admit you wouldnt buy these shoes making you just another person who follows trends. im all for trying new shoes brands but im not going to waste $85 for unknown results. when i can get 3 Nike, Adidas, and Reebok shoes at Champs for the same price i get 1 pair of BallN shoes for.
if they priced it at $50 then i would call them MINE but if they stay at $85, i’ll go somewhere else. the fact i have to pay for S&H kills the price. on top of that i dont ever remember me thinking “Artest” when i have the ball in my hands or even on defense.
people buy old school shoes cause they’re classics and remind them of the past. like buying an antique car and driving it only on Sundays.
i wish their company as much luck as you i just think they are going at it wrong. if a father and son walk into a shoe store you think a little kid will pick some grey on grey shoes next to name brand shoes? and even if he does how many parents are going to dish out $85 for a product they never heard of. move on to the high school baller who goes to the store and sees all his favorite shoes in his favorite colors. and of course hes in high school so he dont got $85 to spend on some shoes hes going to wear out at the end of the season. moving on to the avid shoes collector who rocks shoes you havent seen before or for a while. shoe collectors may buy these shoes like you said “trend setting” but they’ll be ashamed to tell anyone the price they got them for.
small biz people dont need to make Nike heads happy they have to make the general consumer happy to be profitable and im not happy with the price. i agree the shoes are far from dope meaning they arent making you happy eitheR,
STAND RIGHT THERE