Converse Wade 2.0 Review

The Converse Wade 2.0 is third “numbered” shoe in Dwayne Wade’s signature line. The shoe made its first appearance in the Skills Challenge during the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas. Converse and Wade’s plan was to debut the shoe during All-Star weekend and have Wade wear the shoe on court for the remainder of the NBA season and through the playoffs. Unfortunately things didn’t pan out the way they were supposed to. Wade missed much of the second half of the season with a dislocated shoulder and returned for a short playoff series in which the Miami Heat were swept by the Chicago Bulls.

I was hesitant to take this shoe for a second test run after my first wearing. Right out of the box, these shoes were extremely stiff and uncomfortable. If you’re like me and like playing in low cut /no-show socks, this shoe will kill the area around your ankles the first couple of times that you wear them. The leather on the shoe is very stiff and hard around the ankle areas. It took a while to break them in. After getting past the breaking in point, the shoe performed quite well. Converse’s Foot Strike Management cushioning system delivers pretty well for smaller guards and forwards. I didn’t feel like the cushioning would suffice for a bigger, heavier position player. The mesh tongues provide good ventilation and allow for good breathability although it is not the best I have seen.

The embossed side of the wade serves more functional purpose than just being a part of the design of the shoe. The sides are made of a stiffer material which hugs the sides of your ankles and provides great support. This part of the shoe is very stiff during the initial wearings, but gets better as you break the shoe in. The Wade 2.0’s rounded edges at the front and the back of the shoe are great for any guard or speed player. The way the shoe is curved definitely makes you feel faster when you are running or making hard cuts to the basket.

Through 10 testing sessions (5 indoor/5 outdoor), I found that the Wade 2.0 provides much better traction on the hardwood rather than the asphalt. The lacing system provides a pretty good lock down fit, but I did feel a little bit of front to back sliding within the shoe from time to time.

In conclusion, Converse’s Wade 2.0 delivers well for smaller players. From a style standpoint, I definitely feel like the 2.0 is by far the best looking of all the shoes thus far in the Wade signature line. The shoe looks great casually and on the court. The retail price is not nearly as scary as most other signature shoes. The shoe originally retailed for $110, but can now be found marked down at various retailers as low $60-$80. Finsihline is currently offering the Wade 2.0 in a variety of different colors, including some that are exclusive to only Finishline, for $60. Not a bad deal for a signature basketball shoe endorsed by a marquee NBA player. Like its predecessor, the Wade 2.0 is also available in a low top version. Here’s a list of Wade 2.0 mid colorways that were released:

*Black/White/Red
*Black/Yellow/Red
*White/Blue/Red (All-Star)
*White/Navy/Yellow
*Black/White/Gray (Finishline Exclusive)
*Gray/Black/Red (Finishline Exclusive)

Colorway Tested: Black/White/Red
Tested on: Hardwood & Asphalt

Final Analysis:
Comfort & Cushioning: B+
Support: A
Traction: A-
Breathability: A-
Overall: B+