If there's one shoe in the 2004-2005 season from adidas that deserves a serious look, it should be the adidas a³ Forum. Even more so than the signature line a³ Garnett II, the Forum epitomizes what adidas has been doing in the high performance basketball shoe segment. In many ways, we feel it continues where the a³ Superstar Ultra left off. And considering the Superstar Ultra was recalled last year, the Forum has a chance to really step up and fill the void.

      The rule of thumb when it comes to a successful formula is: If it isn't broken, don't fix it. In the Forum case, the changes are merely evolutionary - just simple little modifications that improves on top of what already is world class performance. Gone from the Superstar Ultra is the old a³ system. Instead, the Forum borrows from the Garnett II a new a³ system that is improved in looks and functionality.

      If one didn't know better, the new a³ see through spring like cushioning system looks more like a gimmick. What adidas has done to the system is to actually make it more Nike Shox like. The shoes are a little harder to break in than the Superstar Ultra, which was comfortable straight out of the box. But like the Shox system, the new a³ suddenly springs into life after just a few wears on the court. The bounce in the steps are more pronounced when you do a direct heel-strike-to-toe-transition. We feel this system is now tuned to be a Shox clone and had lost some of the original a³ feel. This may be a blessing for some while a tragedy for others who prefers a Shox alternative. The a³ and adiPrene+ combo is every bit as good as the Shox and Zoom combo found in Nike models. The feel is mushy and soft upon impact from landing, yet upon foot strikes the shoes provide very precise responsiveness to release the energy right back into the next step. This is certainly an improvement from several previous models where our testers complained of lack of resilience from the a³ system over time.

      In the comfort department, we were initially disappointed with the lack of an inner bootie or nicer quality interior lining. However, much of the stripped down interior is by design - to help with fit, breathability and performance. The shoes hugs the feet from the rear on up but gives you plenty of wiggle room for the toes. Thanks to the Velcro strap, the ankle area are securely locked down and protected. These shoes don't feel too high or over-restricted, so it balances protection with flexibility to provide all around performance. The tongue on the Forum feels plush and the heel rises up to provide a good front back resistance against too much movement of the foot. Much of the comfort is derived from the cushioning system but rest of the shoe adds fuel to the fire but supplementing a good solid quality feel. For $100 price tag, that is a heck of a package adidas put together.

      The best part of the Forum has to be the way the shoes are put together to perform on the court. All the individual elements add up to provide a good balance of comfort and performance. We found the grip to be excellent on the hardwood (the traction outperforms the Lebron 2). This combined with good fit and solid foundation gives the Forum and very stable feel even in the most extreme situations. The strap around the ankle area provides that extra level of security and confidence to your game. adidas has definitely been working hard in the kitchen to find the right recipe for a performance oriented shoe.