BEAVERTON, Ore. (December 8, 2009) – Nike (NYSE: NKE) and Kobe Bryant today announced the debut of the Nike Zoom Kobe V, the brand’s lowest-profile and lightest basketball shoe to date. Bryant challenged Nike to make his signature shoe even lighter and lower than the Nike Zoom Kobe IV he debuted during his 2008-2009 championship season. Nike responded with the Nike Zoom Kobe V, which features a 10 mm forefoot profile and weighs 10.6 ounces – one ounce lighter than the Nike Zoom Kobe IV.
“I wanted to push the envelope with a shoe that meets the demands of my style of play,” Bryant said. “The Kobe V is lighter, lower and more stable. Nike has done it again.”
Different sports, similar demands
The initial inspiration for Kobe’s low-profile shoe came from an unexpected place: the soccer field. “I watch a lot of soccer and have seen how the best footballers in the world make sharp cuts at top speed in lightweight, low-cut footwear,” Bryant said. “The demands they make on their feet and ankles aren’t that different from what I’m doing on the court, yet nobody assumes they should play in high tops.”
With Bryant’s observation as inspiration, the Nike Sports Research Lab conducted hundreds of hours of testing to create a low-profile shoe that did not compromise stability or lockdown. By modifying the medial arch and sculpting the external heel counter, Nike researchers created a shoe with exceptional performance that moves with the foot and allows for multi-directional cutting. An enhanced outrigger provides lateral stability, while the de-coupled heel maximizes contact surface. The shoe also features a glass/carbon fiber weave shank plate for mid-foot control and rigidity.
“The journey from a high-top to a low-top basketball shoe is far more complex than simply cutting off the ankle collar, as we demonstrated with the Nike Zoom Kobe IV,” said Matt Nurse, Senior Researcher with the Nike Sports Research Lab. “With the Kobe V we constructed an even lighter-weight support system that provides superior, one-to-one lockdown while moving with the foot, not against it.”
Click here for the Nike Press Release.
December 10, 2009
4:56 pm
Eric
man am loving this exact kobe 5 shoe. i kinda like them more then the 4s. lets just hope this shoe can be remembered as a championship shoe also
December 10, 2009
5:39 pm
Roberto Blanco
Damn!!!!
I cant wait to have a fresh pair!!!
so much technology!!!
December 10, 2009
6:08 pm
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December 10, 2009
6:42 pm
Steven
The V’s look SiCk!!!! i can’t wait til January! Let’s get that RING!!!
December 10, 2009
7:46 pm
Sergio Camacho
So when is this shoe going to be released, I can’t wait
December 10, 2009
9:13 pm
freshprince
i like the kbv joker cw the best so far..do prefer the iv though!!!
December 10, 2009
9:56 pm
Bryan Tan Bautista
i hear yah man… this shoe rocks! Hope they win another ring this season. but i want the chaos color way. Does anybody know where i can get my hands on a pair of kobe V chaos?
December 10, 2009
9:58 pm
fnmamba24
wonderful design, I love how you can NikeiD the shoe with the Kobe CODE…fantastic!
December 10, 2009
10:13 pm
R3NST3R
u like this more than iv? u serious?!
December 11, 2009
4:39 am
Aaron
love it!
December 11, 2009
9:16 am
Jossy Syuryadinata
This shoes is going to be so phenomenal like the previous one…..Greatest shoes for the greatest player on earth…the Black Mamba….number 24….
December 11, 2009
12:56 pm
Kobe24
the new kobe 5 are awesome i already got a pair already man there awesome
December 11, 2009
5:24 pm
Waunie Wilson
Cool design on the bottom
December 11, 2009
11:34 pm
Mochi323
Looking forward for these to come out. I love all the little details in these kicks, the light weight, the nike zoom air and the flywire . Its all HEART baby… I can’t wait
December 13, 2009
3:44 pm
len1427
def looking forward to get these shoes, feel like the iv were an amazing shoe, hoping that these are even better.
December 14, 2009
12:46 pm
Nareg Burr
Cant wait for the chaos edition to come out!!
December 14, 2009
6:07 pm
pDub
Even lower cut & an ounce lighter?! Didn’t think they can go dat far, really would test your ankle. Still like the KB Hurrache 2K4 most… ok I know it wasn’t his official sig kickz, but I still play in them till now.
December 14, 2009
11:18 pm
Chris
These are real slick!!! I’m getting myself and my son some of these!!!
December 15, 2009
4:55 pm
Brandon LaVelle
Im most definitely getting these as soon as they drop! I already designed my away and home versions on Nike iD! lol
December 15, 2009
5:43 pm
jackson
sweet as hell look amazing
December 17, 2009
1:38 am
mamba1
need these for my collection
December 18, 2009
1:28 am
panos oik
i prefer kbziv to kbzv however i would like to buy it!!!
December 18, 2009
4:05 am
panos oik
however i don’t know if the kbzv sole is good enough for outdoor activity like the hyperdunk were!!
beucause i play both type of courts and especially at school!!if someone know i would like tou inform me please!
December 20, 2009
7:23 pm
Martin Miller
can’t wait to get a pair of sweet shoes !!!!
December 20, 2009
7:24 pm
Martin Miller
can’t wait to get a pair of those sweet shoes !!!!
December 23, 2009
12:08 pm
panos oik
the only thing that i don’t like is that in kbzv cuts the nike swoosh…….