Prose: Jake Sittler (@jtsittler)
Before this year, the Venomenon line of the Kobe Bryant signature shoe collection was relatively unknown amongst American hoopers in the states. An Asia-only release since 2011 (much like LeBron’s Ambassador models), the Venomenon typically features a heavy-duty (sometimes XDR) outsole for outdoor use and a durable Fuse or synthetic upper. It’s the more industrial sibling compared to the Kobe signature line.
This year, the fourth Venomenon model finally saw a U.S. release, and I was excited to test out a shoe that’s typically only been available overseas or off eBay. I was also looking forward to hooping in a low top once again – my preferred type of peformance shoe – and I had high hopes for the shoe in general given the generally positive feedback I’d found online.
It turns out that my hopes for this shoe were realized, and I came out with a very well-rounded low top that will stay in the on-court rotation for the near future.
Fit
The upper is comprised of a synthetic Fuse material/Flywire combination and is coupled with a carbon fiber heel counter to make up the majority of the upper key upper technology. 6 eyelets take care of the lacing setup.
To me the fit was good on all fronts, yet not quite great. The shoe fits naturally in the toes with little to no pinching in the toe box. I went with my normal 11.5 and they fit nice and snug. The Fuse upper will take a little time to break in and become flexible in order to move and crease with the foot, and I noticed some interior slippage my first couple times wearing them. The slippage remained a slight issue for me, and I believe it’s because the upper just isn’t that flexible like a thinner, softer synthetic or leather would be (I felt the same way about the CP3.VI).
Also, the heel counter is fairly thin and not super rigid, which allows for a little bit of slippage in the heel. It’s not unnerving and I still felt comfortable with it, but I couldn’t quite get perfect lockdown on high speed moves (like pull-ups in transition).
Heel-Toe Transition
Transition is very smooth, aided by Zoom forefoot cushioning and a TPU shank under the midfoot. The shank isn’t overly rigid if support is a main concern of yours, but it does give good flexibility. There’s no slap from heel to toe, and I have no real complaints.
Cushioning
The tech specs include a Zoom Air bag up front that spans the width of the forefoot(slightly larger than the traditional Kobe met bag, I might add) encased in an injected Phylon midsole. The Zoom bag is high quality and plays low to the ground and responsive. The heel feels fairly firm (the whole midsole itself is pretty firm overall) but maintains court feel and stability.
The Venomenon is excellent laterally thanks to the low-profile midsole. In terms of the outsole, the rubber compound is slighly more firm than a normal outsole (it is NOT XDR in the purple/volt colorway I tested though). This affects traction more than cushioning, but it’s worth a mention as the outsole will just feel slightly more firm when you try it out.
I mentioned the TPU shank earlier in the article, and it’s really not a rigid, supportive shank in my opinion. It has a few cutout areas underfoot and provides a nice fit – you can feel some support just by slipping it on – but my arches have been a little sore after the last few wearings and the shank may be the culprit.
All in all, I was a fan of the cushioning setup. It tends to feel like a firm tennis court shoe and left a little to be desired from a straight comfort standpoint, but it was still very good. The biggest improvement would simply have been a beefier midfoot shank.
Traction
Nike’s Blade traction pattern is geared for outdoor courts but it works perfectly well on indoor ones too. You’ll get that reassuring stop and squeak, and both linear and lateral traction are solid thanks to the deep-grooved, multi-directional pattern. The hardness of the rubber needs to be broken in a little at first though, so on the first wearing it might not quite feel perfect yet.
I had been interested to try the Blade pattern after seeing it on the H.A.M. Low this summer and I was pleasantly surpised with it.
Materials/Durability
For $120, you get Fuse, Flywire, a decent Zoom bag, a special traction pattern and a quality outsole/midsole combination. Some would say that the materials aren’t quite as “premium” as the main Kobe line, but I like this tech combination pretty well.
Overall, the Venomenon is good in terms of value and I have no concerns about the longterm durability here. I came away impressed with the build and quality from day 1.
For a model making its U.S. debut, I was pleased with how the Venomenon performed. If you’re looking for a low that won’t break the bank, the Venomenon is a great choice in a market that doesn’t currently feature many low tops. It’s a well-rounded shoe – good, not great on all fronts – but I think it’s a good, durable choice for a guard.
The Gym Rat Review 
Thanks for the review!
I thought the Venomenon series are outdoor specific shoes. Why didn’t this one come with an XDR outsole?
Do you know why the outdoor shoes hardly have any ventilation when it’s aimed at the Asian market which more often than not sees a whole lot of the sun. If I were Nike, I would make sure these outdoor shoes have more vents on them.
Have you ever tried the Jordan B’Mo? The traction pattern is the same. It also uses the Nike Blade system. I’m considering those but there are no reviews of them anywhere.
I’m not sure why they didn’t put XDR on every colorway – I believe the YOTH colorway has it but not sure about any others. To me, it’s unacceptable that they used it on one but not the other. I’m not an industry guy (yet) but I can’t imagine it’s too much more money to include XDR unless that foam compound is really a premium material.
As far as ventilation, I think the main reason is most of the time a well-ventilated shoe has a lot of mesh. And mesh doesn’t hold up at all outdoors, mostly because of lateral support. You’ll get a lot of blowouts on the side with mesh outdoors. Hyperfuse, unless it’s mesh based, isn’t really ventilated well and these Venomenon have layered Fuse and no holes. A lot of times even if you do get a perforated shoe, it’s backed with cloth or the inner bootie and doesn’t really allow for much ventilation.
I haven’t played in the B’Mo but I do know it’s supposed to have a more rugged outsole and a more solid compound.
Thank you very much for replying.
mesh doesn’t hold up at all outdoors, mostly because of lateral support. You’ll get a lot of blowouts on the side with mesh outdoors.
What do you mean by that? I don’t really understand it. My English is limited sorry. The material used on the upper shouldn’t be an issue for me as the outsole is the only part of the shoe that connects with the court. Besides the court, I don’t see any other difference between playing indoor and outdoor. Please advice
Playing outdoors just wears out shoes a lot faster than playing indoors – probably because of a worse playing surface and just length of time people usually play outdoors – so outdoor shoes will sometimes have a thicker, tougher upper than your “indoor” basketball shoes. Like the Kobe line for example, the Kobe 8 uses Engineered Mesh on the upper. But when you play outdoors and traction isn’t as good, you put a lot of stress on the upper when you change direction and that EM isn’t going to hold up as well as a thicker Fuse upper. That’s why you usually have some more layered Fuse uppers on outdoor shoes and give up some of the ventilation. While the upper doesn’t touch the court, it’s harder to stop and change direction outdoors (and playing outdoors is usually more dirty/physical/rugged) it does put more stress on the upper than playing inside in my opinion. Hope that helps.
This colorway of the Venomenon does have XDR… @sneakernews: A new Nike Zoom Kobe Venomenon 4 is headed our way in a Green Abyss – Sea Spray – Anthracite http://t.co/hEu0mQhYdd
I’m trying to find usable and long lasting basketball shoes for outdoors. Which of the these best fit what I’m looking for the most- jordan cp3 vi or vii, hyperdunks, Adidas streetballl 2.0, hyperfuse, d rose 4.5, or hyperdunks. Thanks
You can probably rule out Hyperdunks for sure, and probably the Rose 4.5 because of the thinner cushioning. Your knees will hate you if you play outdoors in those too much. Of the others, the Streetball 2.0 are the only ones technically built for outdoors, but you have a bunch of other durable models.
Both CP3s have very thick, sturdy uppers and deep grooved outsoles, as well as some toe drag protection. CP3.VI does it with a Fuse upper, CP3.VII is synthetic leather with a tacky, durable finish.
Hyperfuse are durable through the upper and have a substantial, supportive midsole – which is good for outdoors.
Or, you have the Venomenons in the XDR version. Probably the best compromise between durability and overall comfort. Fit is secure too, something you especially need outdoors if the court is slick or worn. If you want a mid though, I’d lean towards the Hyperfuse. Just a slightly more modern shoe than the Streetball 2.0 – which I haven’t played in. Another one to look at would be the Zoom Crusader in the XDR version.
Do these run true to size like if I bought a 12 in cp3 7 and that’s to big should I go with normal 11.5 in these.
I bought the cp3 vii last year in size 12 and they were a bit big should I go with normal 11.5 in these.
I almost never go larger in a hoops shoe. Went true to size in these
Hi guys hope you respond im looking for a nice shoe with durable traction and ive read that these would be nice outdoors. What do you think may suit me i have a slightly wide foot any suggestions?
Check out the Zoom I Get Buckets review on the site – the Venomenon isn’t super narrow but the Get Buckets should be even better.
I have it narrowed down to the kd 7, kyrie 1, this venomenom, the run the ones, the cp 3 7 & 8, the rose 5 and the crazyquick 2.5 low and the hyperrev 2015. What do you think would be best or which one of these do you prefer and one last question will you be reviewing any of the elite/playoff series from nike/jordan? The cp.3 8 ae seems to be a great fit for you as well as the superfly 3 po. Really hope you reply though thanks for the reviews your site is one i visit frequently.
The ones that offer a pretty accommodating fit for most foot shapes would be the KD7, CP3.7, Crazyquick 2s and possibly the CP3.8. HyperRevs and Kyries are pretty narrow, and I can’t speak for the Run the One. Rose 5 will depend on the version you buy and the upper it’s constructed of…as for new reviews, I’m gonna have to see how the funds are. Newly married/new house and all that comes with it limit your disposable income haha I’m still playing constantly, just don’t know how frequently I can crank them out. I’m leaning towards the CP3.8 AE for my next one, but the Kobe X and CL Boost 2015 are options too. I have a couple nasty mid foot strains right now too so I’ve been eyeing some Hyperdunk Elites from 2011, which I’d do a throwback review on. Will probably post a ClutchFit/Curry One comparison too since I’ve gotten a lot of questions on it
Thanks for the reply jake. Good luck on your next phase in life! Will try to get the i get buckets if i can find one. Will probably get the crazyquicks and/or the kd 7/cp.3 8 hat do you think is better between the kd 7 and cp3 8? Anyways the hyperdunk elites have a really thin upper though so finding a playable pair may be hard. Or just a suggestion if you want try the adidas real deal retro they are really a underrated one in my opinion they have a nice fit thanks too the assymetrical lacing system and the best traction ive personally tried and you can get them cheap on ebay too some are only $50 bnew! those are my personal favorite. The new uptempo retros seem nice too. Just giving suggestions for a future throwback review in case you’re gonna do one. Thanks for everything man hope you continue this site you really deserve more viewers i guess? You guys are definetely underrated but are in the upper class of reviewers because they are definetely informative and really detailed too!
I would personally lean towards the KD7, I just think the overall package is really good. Cushioning setup is fantastic, it’s comfortable with some support but plenty responsive and low to the ground. Cushioning is compromised in the name of flexibility and low weight a lot of times, but the KD7 got it right.
I’ve been considering the Real Deals, Crazy 2 or Crazy 8 but not sure how the bulkier shoes will feel for me. I’d had a pair of HD Elites before and really liked the big carbon fiber plate as far as support goes. They were expensive at retail and I can get em for basically retail on eBay, but that is still a pretty big hit.
I appreciate the support man, I do feel like my content is high quality but just lacking on the production value. Videos take time and equipment that I don’t have at the moment. But I’m gonna keep reviewing in some capacity and will explore other sites/avenues to get my reviews out there too.
Try the feet you wear man you will be surprised if i may suggest for you though out of those 3 that you’ve stated the real deal, crazy 2 and or 8. The real deal is the sleekest one in my opinion out of those 3 the real deal is the one that doesn’t feel “bulky”. The foam midsole/ feet you wear setup in the real deal/crazy 8 give lightweight support but it was non existent in the crazy 2. It really has a barefoot feel, i would suggest sizing a half down if you have a regular to narrow foot because i have a slightly wide foot and its perfect for me. Really durable too had mine since release day and they still play like new although the foam has compressed a bit it will give you a experience for someone new to the setup.
I have played in all those but if i may real deal = crazy 8 and the crazy 2 is just a disappointment as a retro. I feel that the real deal and the crazy 8 are on par with each other with the real deal having better traction actually the best ive ever had but needs a break in time with the rubber. The crazy 8 is still a great on court shoe and really you won’t be disappointed with either. Just my suggestion don’t get the crazy 2.
The real deals play close to the clutchfit drives in my opinion and the crazy 8’s is its own beast! Hyperdunk elites are amazing imo the best zoom setup ive tries so far it sucks that te upper blew out for me after maybe a year or so.
That’s good to know the Real Deal is slimmer than the rest. And I love FYW – the TS Supernatural Creator might be my favorite shoe of all time, there just aren’t any good ones in my size on the bay haha. I had read that Crazy 2 kind of sucked though, so it’s good to hear firsthand.
Hyperrev 2015 or kd 7? Which one has better fit/support and better zoom bags? You and your team remind me of captain america actually. Always says the truth gives it to you straight but is willing to help anybody out even though it takes away some of their time.
Nevermind the last one ill be getting the hyperrevs instead.
Yeah it just depends on what you value – HyperRev has a more sock-like fit, more flexible and lower profile Zoom bags. KD7 goes with a full volume heel Zoom and normal forefoot Zoom (real responsive), and is sturdier/more supportive through the midsole. Haha it helps having downtime at work occasionally, but I always like to talk the ins and outs of these shoes regardless.
Thanks bro haha damnit it will just have to be a gametime decision haha cant seem to pick will just have to try them on to be sure though seems that the kd 7 is better but i can only find the elite one which is fine i want to try posite in a shoe and with it having the same tooling of the kd 7’s it will probably be solid. The hyperrevs look made for me if i can find them discounted ill pass on the kd’s altogether haha. Am really hoping for that real deal review though you wont be disappointed although the sizing will most likely be your enemy because ebay haha try half down from your true size see how it fits.