SHOE REVIEW: Nike Lunar Hypergamer

When I first saw the Nike Lunar Hypergamer (Let’s use Hypergamer for short) at one my regular sneaker haunts, I must admit I wasn’t all that impressed. It was pretty much an all black shoe with dark purple accents. I was somewhat intrigued with the fact that this was the first basketball shoe (to my knowledge) to use the “Lunarlon” cushioning technology usually found in the latest crop of Nike running shoes. Intrigued as I was, it still wasn’t enough for me to try on a pair.

Fast forward a month later and my interest grew when I got a glimpse of the “Camo Pack” release of the Hypergamer which came in several color ways. This was enough to motivate me to make my way to my local Nike store (Titan 22 - Katipunan) to try on a pair. The shoe impressed me enough that I found myself investing some of my hard earned cash on a pair.

The Lunarlon cushioning technology was later used on the Jordan Fly Wade 2.

And now on to the review:

STYLE

If you opt for the non-Camo edition, the Hypergamer can easily be worn casually with a pair of jeans or shorts. However, the Camo edition is a bit “louder” in the “LOOKS” department and may not be suitable for some fashion conservatives. If you plan to use these “kicks” for ballin’, the Camo edition is a “LOOKER” and will steal away some appreciative glances from the Hyperdunks and “J’s” that occupy the same court. But be warned, your game needs to be “decent – to somewhat good” if you plan to play in these since they give off a real player’s shoe vibe or risk having people poke fun at you for being just a “wannabe” with cool kicks.

Rating: 3 out of 5

One of the nice things about the Hypergamer is the material used for the upper.  Even after two league games, they still look like they just came fresh out of the box.

PERFORMANCE

The Hypergamer is light on your feet like the Nike Hyperfuse since they pretty much share similar uppers. However, the Hypergamer has better cushioning than the Hyperfuse due to the Lunarlon technology which I describe to be like a lighter Air Max system. The fit around the foot is very snug. I learned the hard way not to lace them up tightly like other shoes as they won’t loosen (which is a good thing) as you play.  As my feet started to expand, this cut off some circulation which made it very uncomfortable to even walk. To get the right fit, I had to walk around with laces untied and loosened so I could gauge exactly how tight I needed to have them (for game play) without sacrificing comfort. Once I got the right fit, they were awesome and felt like a part of your foot. The stability of the shoe impressed me as well. You could cut, jump, spin, and pivot with confidence. The shoe is ideal for both a quick guard / small forward’s style of play due to its lightweight and snug fit while post players will enjoy the great cushioning and stability.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The soles are a little dirty as they've had a couple of games under their belt. The herringbone pattern is simple yet very effective as traction is excellent on the hardwood.

OVERALL

The Hypergamer is a shoe that pleasantly surprises. However, off the court “wear-ability” is where it may fall a bit short. Unlike shoes like some Kobe / Lebron models or Air Jordan Retros, where one can wear it out on the street or on the court and still give off the same “cool kicks” vibe, the Hypergamer isn’t as versatile and you may end up having to decide which one to buy, the non-Camo for walking around or the Camo edition for the court, making you feel that all that thought isn’t worth it prompting you to move on to something else. But if you’re looking for a great court shoe that rivals the Nike Hyperdunk and Hyperfuse, the Nike Lunar Hypergamer is definitely worth the investment.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5