Photo by Albi Quito (2021)
Fellow ballers, let me introduce Stephen CURRY‘s latest signature shoe to you. Technically, this is Under Armour’s eighth iteration of its very popular Curry line but it’s also kind of not. The Baltimore based sports giant introduced Curry Brand as an independent brand in late 2020, which actually made these the debut shoe of UA‘s new legacy brand. So let’s check the “newcomer” out 😁.
Design
From a visual standpoint, these unfortunately did not quite grow on me. The silhouette just reminds me too much of a lifestyle or running shoe. They just do not quite give me that “Game Time” vibe. Other than that, the color options are also pretty basic as far as I have seen. The „Feel Good Flow“ that I have tested, is the “craziest” colorway to date. However, let‘s wait and see what future releases look like. A „We Believe“ colorway is allegedly set to drop. This actually sounds very intriguing as it pays homage to that fun 2006/07 Golden State Warriors team featuring Baron DAVIS, Stephen JACKSON and Monta ELLIS among others. While the look is not quite my favorite, the technical specs however are awesome. With 331 g, these are straight up lightweights. I get to that in detail in a minute but let me say, that UA did an exceptional job designing one of the lightest current models in the game.
Materials
Let’s get this right from the beginning. These are meant to be lightweight performance shoes and the materials are clearly selected to cater to that theme. So fans of premiums like leathers or suedes, those are heavy and you will not find any of that on the Curry 8s. I can understand that this could be somewhat of a letdown as these hold premium pricing, however I think the tradeoff is actually well worth it. These come with a lightweight knit, that feels really nice on foot as it moves well with any kind of movements and basically behaves like a sock. Having to compare it to other types of shoes, I would say these remind me a lot of how many runners feel nowadays. The new Currys are really comfortable and flexible with synthetic reinforcements where needed. My only concern is durability though. It has not happened to my pair yet, but given how soft most of the upper is, I would not be surprised if the knit would show some tears or holes earlier than later. Apart from that, I personally really liked the setup a lot.
Traction
This is the best part of this shoe and it really is in two ways. Firstly, UA completely followed through with that lightweight theme and got rid of the rubber outsole, providing another element that manages the shoe’s overall weight. Secondly, UA Flow, “an industry-changing cushioning platform” as Under Armour calls it, does not only serve as the midsole foam but is also the outsole at the same time and this to my surprise, does not only grip the floor really well but is also fairly durable. The foam outsole provided some really good and consistent bite and allowed me to stop and go as I wanted to. There was no sliding or slipping. Traction is top notch on these and durability is surprisingly good as well, given that there is no rubber to protect the foam. I think these could withstand a good amount of blacktop action. Personally, I still would not make these my primary outdoor option though.
Cushion
UA intended to provide cushioning that doesn’t sacrifice court feel. With this mission statement, the Curry 8s did not disappoint in delivering that. Yes, this is not necessarily the softest ride but I think Under Armour really found the sweet spot between too soft and too hard. I really enjoyed how these would give me feedback in every step, while offering some bounce in the forefoot and solid impact protection in the heel. Easily my favourite Under Armour cushioning setup so far.
Fit
I have gotten some mixed feedback about these. I agree, they start off being a bit snug. For me however, not to an extent where I had to go up in size. But I definitely suggest trying them on. With all those mixed opinions out there, you will definitely have to find your size yourself. If you have a wide foot though, I would certainly recommend going up at least half a size. Just keep in mind that the knit is very soft and stretchy and that the shoe could somewhat expand once it fully breaks in. So sizing is key as you definitely don’t want to end up with a sloppy fit. In general though, these are really comfortable and I really appreciated the padding in the achilles area.
Support
Support is a little tough with these. I was not experiencing any heel slippages but some minor lateral movements on hard stops or cuts despite having those synthetic panels along the medial and lateral sides. With all its advantages, it just feels as if the upper is a bit too soft and lacks the rigidity to provide some actual feedback. As I mentioned above, it just somewhat behaves like a second sock, so I had to lace them up tighter than I normally like to, to get that feel that I prefer. Once I made the necessary adjustments, it felt a bit better and I got more confident running around in these. Lateral stability is not an issue. Even though these don’t have an outrigger, the base is pretty wide and you feel quite stable maneuvering in these.
Bottom Line
Steph Gonna Steph. And even more so in this model, as the Curry 8 is straight up fire 🔥. Only Steph’s hot shooting hand could provide more heat. So you are looking at a really well rounded performer. It is light, comfortable, provides good court feel and top notch traction, which is really the highlight of this shoe. Yes, support was kind of tough for me but somewhat manageable and the only other concern was durability, which did not yet seem to be an issue after a couple of weeks of testing. Is the premium pricing justified? I think it is. For EUR 160,- you will get a top tier shoe with lots of good features and innovations like that rubberless outsole. And also don’t forget, that this is the shoe of the player that single-handedly changed how this game is played today. I think that counts as a premium argument as well 🤷♂️.
Feedback
What’s your experience with the new Currys? Let me know! Find me on Instagram & Twitter under @ONEtothe2 or comment below!