Jordan Tatum 1 Performance Review

First Opinion:

When I first heard that Jayson Tatum was getting his own signature shoe, I did not know what to expect. We look at the Jordan Zion line and the Jordan Luka line and in terms of the design language, tech and shoe structures, they are vastly different. So when the Jordan Tatum 1 was unveiled, I was thoroughly surprised. That see-through midsole area with the sleek overall shoe structure, this was a futuristic shoe that to me, design wise, surpassed the Zion and Luka line. Of course, what’s important is to get into the performance. It looks good, but will it play good?

Significant Tech Present in the Shoe:

• Multi-Material Upper
• Forefoot Zoom Unit
• TPU Chassis 

Aesthetics & Materials (9/10): 

As I talked about before, the most eye-catching thing on the Jordan Tatum 1 will definitely be the see-through midsole area of the shoe. It looks like they hollowed out the midsole and only left the skeleton/frame there at the midfoot. That, coupled with the sleek shoe structure, reminds me of an enhanced Nike G.T. Jump. 

The materials on the Tatum 1 can vary slightly depending on the colourway but for the most part features a Leno Weave upper coupled with synthetic overlays and a bit of leather at the heel. The shoe is lightweight and very breathable, but could have potential durability issues for some. Nothing premium, but it gets the job done.

To me, the shoe is still on the sporty looking side, so you will probably not be seeing them on the streets casually. For now, it seems that only Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) himself has been seen wearing the Tatum 1 and I believe that if he is very successful in these 2023 NBA Playoffs,more people will start to wear them.

Fit (9/10):

If there’s one aspect that is simple about the Jordan Tatum 1, it would have to be the Fit. The Tatum 1 fits true-to-size in general but it is a little narrow. Wide footers, I’m pretty sure you’ll need to go up half a size but don’t just take my word for it, it’s still better to try them out in stores.

So the TPU Chassis that goes around the mid area of the shoe actually spans from underneath the shoe to the lateral side of the shoe. I feel that given the hollowed midsole, this TPU Chassis actually is the one giving the shoe the structure it needs. 

At the heel, there is adequate padding and the flexible upper coupled with the traditional lacing system, makes for a very snug one-to-one fit. Once laced up, you won’t be slipping within the shoe whatsoever.

Support (7/10):

This is where I feel the Jordan Tatum 1 had a lot of points deducted. Yes, there is a TPU Chassis providing lateral support during cuts and change of directions or quick stops. Yes, the shoe moves one-to-one with your feet due to the upper. There is also a slight outrigger and a flat base to provide additional lateral support and stability. BUT, the support on the Tatum 1 was just not great. 

Why? The Tatum one has a hollowed midfoot area and your feet will be resting mainly on the heel and your forefoot. The TPU Chassis is supposed to provide a bit of support for your arch but it just wasn’t doing the job. This means that during your motion, whenever your foot is twisting, a lot of that pressure goes to the arch of your feet. Usually, this torsional support is provided by a traditional shank plate but that is not something found on the Tatum 1. That, together with the upper being so flexible, after hours of play, there were some complaints of arch strain. 

Also a point to note, it seems to be unclear if the Tatum 1 has a Heel Counter or not. When the heel portion is squeezed, it seems there’s none, however, while playing in the shoe, there is still some semblance of heel support.

Cushioning (9/10):

Cushioning on the Jordan Tatum 1 is probably its strongest point but it also depends on what you are looking for in a basketball shoe. Whatever is left of the midsole is Phylon and this can be found mainly at the heel. At the heel, the impact protection was pretty decent but not something that will blow you away. 

At the forefoot, there’s a large Zoom Unit that is quite uncaged in my opinion. It also works in tandem with the TPU Chassis to provide you with a low-to-ground, very responsive cushion setup. Usually with such a large sized Zoom Unit, the bounceback will be quite significant. However, the Zoom Unit is not one that has a high air pressure so it is still not as thick as those crazy voluminous units you might find in recent Nike basketball shoes. 

The court feel at the forefoot is great. The impact protection, again, is not something that will blow you away, but it is adequate and gets the job done.

Traction (8.5/10):

Traction on the Jordan Tatum 1 got me a little puzzled. It’s not a totally new technology whatsoever, it’s just that the performance was a little underwhelming. The Tatum 1’s traction pattern is a little unconventional. At the forefoot, there are two sections of rubber with thick traction groves. At the heel however, the traction pattern was carved out from the foam, kind of like the recent Under Armour shoes that feature Flow Cushioning. Rubber is usually removed from the outsole to reduce the overall weight of the shoe.

As the UA Curry models’ traction performed really well, I was excited to see how the heel traction would fair. However, it could be the traction pattern or the rubber but the heel traction on the Tatum 1 was just not amazing. I could also be that Jordan Brand is focusing more on forefoot traction instead of the heel as the heel traction usage is lower? Whatever the case, the heel traction did not really grip the court very well. 

At the forefoot however, the rubber portions worked pretty well, gripping the court whether you are stopping your motion, V-cutting or changing your direction during a crossover. The groves are also wide apart so dirt does not get stuck easily. That said, the rubber compound used do allow dust to stick to it a little. 

One last thing to note is the durability. After a few hours of wear, it seems that the shoe is not holding up very well as there’s a little fraying in the groves. 

Final Conclusion: (8.5/10)

Overall, the Jordan Tatum 1 was a pretty disappointing shoe in my opinion. Do not get me wrong. It is a very solid performer, however, there’s just so much promise when I saw the shoe, versus how it ended up performing. I guess for a first signature model, I would say it is quite well-built and maybe they could have just gone with a simpler setup and focused more on the actual performance. The way I see it, it seems a little gimmicky but we will see how it develops in the next iteration!