Air Jordan XIX

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Notice the elastic loop holder underneath the pull tab at the rear. It helps to keep the heel strap in place during play. It is hidden from view when enclosed, but it is that kind of attention to detail that makes you realize why this is a top-of-the-line flagship shoe.

Even the buckle at the rear has received a second thought. The two settings shown here allows the player to adjust the tightness of the strap fit. The perforated holes in the background may only be a design element that is normally not seen, but it is nevertheless a nice touch that the wearer will take notice every time the strap is readjusted.

      The actual production version of the XIX's strap is a last minute improvement from the earlier sample versions. Instead of using magnets to hold the rear together like the Air Jordan XVI, final production used a Velcro strap instead. This change is necessary since the magnets had a tendency to come undone during high level competition. Using a Velcro based system, the shoes could be more easily adjusted for better fitting as well as a guaranteed lock down.

      We had initial apprehensions about the lace cover strap system due to previous experiences and concerns. The XVII lace cover was very difficult to snap in to place and often popped out of its place to come undone. The XVI magnet shroud was often too lose to provide adequate support. Past Jumpman shoes like the Team J had a very narrow fit and it was nearly impossible to hook on the lace cover without upgrading the to half a size larger.

      But on the Jordan XIX, the ease of use has been drastically improved. The buckle in the rear has two built in settings to allow for a more customizable fit. Those with narrow feet has the option of using the inner loop hole to provide a tighter enclosure. The factory setting using the outside loop hole provides just the right amount of slack for the average player. It may not seem like much but such attention to detail deserves a big thumbs up and shows that JB has definitely learned from past issues related to lace cover designs.