Let's not mince words about the Original XII. From the initial release in 1997 up till the Retro in 2003, I absolutely hated the shoes. Why? The shoes killed my foot like no other pair of basketball shoes I have ever worn. Notice that the "hate" word is not even in the past tense. Earlier this year, I picked up another pair of the AJ XII OG only to reaffirm the painful experience of wearing them on the basketball court. The shoes were designed with a heel counter between the heel and the ankle area in order to stabilize the rear end of the shoe. Instead, it jabs against my foot and causes a discomfort like no other. Needless to say, I had a lot of mixed emotions about the Retro version of the XII. Did that problem get fixed by Nike? Or is it the exact same replica as the original - defect and all?

      Back in 1997, there was a great deal of expectation for the XII. The prior model XI became the quickest-selling and most popular Air Jordan in the modern era. Everyone was wondering what Nike was going to do for an encore? When the "rising sun" inspired XII dropped, jaws dropped. Not in awe but in disappointment. Gone is every element that made the XI special and unique. Replacing the shiny patent leather and clear sole is a plain, simple and bulky leather shoe that was unlike any previous Air Jordan.

      The knock on the XII at the time was mostly unfair. The design needed time to settle in. Before long, critics were silenced and appreciation soon followed. Simply put, the XII was rock solid. It is to this date the single most durable Air Jordan ever built. The problem with the high quality and solid material used was that the shoe was also rock hard to wear. Everywhere you move the stiffness followed. An unpadded area near the base of the ankle area would constantly cut against the ankle. This rubbing can cause a bruise or even a laceration over time. Unlike most Zoom Air shoe that one has come to expect, the OG XII uses an extremely firm and rigid implementation of the technology. All the benefits of the Zoom Air got lost in the shuffle. The combination of these factors makes the XII an extremely uncomfortable pair of shoes and hence my deep dissatisfaction for the shoes.

      That was then. In a span of 6 years, Nike has decided to re-release the shoes as a Retro in the form of Jordan Brand's latest marketing gimmick – a NuBuck Limited Edition Package exclusive to Jordan Brand members. The collection consists of the Jordan XII shoe in black/carolina, the pinwheel hat and a hoody in matching colors for a whooping $200. Nike would like to you believe that $200 is actually a great deal – after all, XII retails for about $135, the fleece $85 (wink wink), and the hat $24. Do a little math and you have saved about $40. Or so it seems. There are no indications that this package is either limited or exclusive. All remaining items unsold to Jordan Brand members will most likely be resold at Niketown or Nike Outlets. If you ask most consumers, they would rather purchase the shoes without the hoody and the hat.

      Yet despite this gimmick, we must admit this is one of more memorable releases by Jordan Brand. The colorway, Nubuck leather and overall look and feel of the XII in black/carolina are simply stunning. Not only is it aesthetically charming, but the designers at Jordan Brand have converted a shoe that is rugged and crude in appearance into something that's soft and huggable. It's amazing what a simple change in material and color can do.

      So has Nike fixed the problem that plagued the OG XII? The answer to that is a resounding yes. The XII Retro is able to rid itself of the annoying issue at the ankle/heel area of the shoe. Instead it surrounds the entire foot with soft nubuck leather that allows much more flexibility at the foot but still maintains the high top feel of the original XII. The Zoom Air is also much more responsive than before. The cushioning is now more comparable to a spongy springboard rather than a flat piece of rock slab. The improvement in overall comfort, performance, look and feel is substantial. For those reasons alone, the XII Retro should prove worthy of its retail price.

      The XII is not without fault. In fact, the downside of the Retro is considerable enough for many collectors to take a pass on the shoes. We are referring to the significant drop in quality and durability of the XII Retro. Upon first look, this may not be evident. However, after just a few wears, the effects of the lower quality materials become immediately noticeable. The OG XII used full rich leather that is all but indestructible. Even at the worst case of miswear and abuse, the high quality leather used on the OG would just become grazed with scuff marks and dirt. The Retro on the other hand is already showing signs of major scuffle and stretched leather that leads to an easily deformed shoe. We can only expect such symptoms to continue over time. It seems like Nike compromised the best aspect of the XII (quality and durability) in exchange for its worst aspect (comfort) and the company's bottom line.

      The result as to which version is better is certainly open to debate. The OG XII was tough and rugged. It was sturdy enough to be played outside as well as indoors. The tough love mentality of the OG is surely to be missed but the pain was also nearly unbearable. The Retro version is a remarkable improvement in comfort and feel. Performance comes at no cost of pain and certainly a much needed upgrade. Looks have improved but at an obvious compromise in lower quality and higher price for the Nubuck package. With countless limited edition shoes and rare colorway releases these days, the $200 price tag of the package sticks out like a sore thumb. Yet despite the hit it has taken on the wallet of the consumers, these marketing gimmicks continue to sell. Until consumers stop buying, expect much more of these "packages" to pop up in the near future.