The first Zoom Rize launched back in 2019 was among my favorite shoes to play in and it’s a serious package for virtually any player. The time has finally come to put out a comprehensive Nike Zoom Rize 2 review and break down what exactly has changed, and if it’s still the amazing performer the 2019’s predecessor was.
Since I’m in Europe and most countries there are still on some sort of lockdown, this will be an outdoor-only review. I’ve been playing in the shoe for over 3.5 months now and I’ll break down the fit & comfort aspects, on-court performance, value for the price, versatility, and changes from the first shoe.
High jumpers especially – pay close attention!
SHOW TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. SPEC SHEET
click to enlarge the sheet
GET THE ZOOM RIZE 2
II. 1-MIN REVIEW ?
Short on time? Here’s the speedy version: the Nike Zoom Rize 2 keeps the traits of the 1st shoe that impressed hoopers but also applied a few tweaks that arguably make it an even better choice.
It will depend what you value more.
I’d say the Zoom Rize 2 came off as more comfortable, even for my wide feet. True to size will be the best option for most.
Traction was phenomenal and even if you can’t get the EP version, the standard version still offers durable outsoles that should last you multiple seasons outdoors.
Cushion was nothing short of fantastic, as the midfoot & heel sections felt even bouncier than the 1st shoe’s. The forefoot felt a little mushier.
All-around support was fine but the second sneaker does feel higher off the ground, so people who are used to lower profile stuff might need some adjusting time.
If you’re not feeling too sure about the stability, just grab the first Zoom Rize instead. Or, if aiming for something more recent, the KD 14 felt the closest to these two shoes for me.
> The full review is below
III. FIT & COMFORT
Do they fit TTS or should you go up/down? How comfy are they? Anything else to know fit-wise?
SIZING: PRETTY STANDARD STUFF
Starting with the need-to-know first, the Zoom Rize 2 definitely has a more narrow construction compared to the first shoe. It’s not a night-and-day difference but enough to make me concerned due to my wide a** feet.
Regardless, I went true to size and after some adjusting time, any other option would’ve likely been detrimental.
Most regular/narrow footers will be fine with their regular size and many people reported the shoe doesn’t fit super snug – there’s a little bit of room left there at the front and sides.
If you’re aiming for a tight, complete one-to-one fit, going down half a size is also an option.
For wide footers though, I’d still recommend true to size for most. Sure, they feel very snug for me even after a couple of weeks but going up from there likely would’ve caused length issues and containment could’ve been slightly compromised.
In an ideal world, I would’ve liked the shoe to be just a bit more forgiving laterally and medially, as there’s barely any breathing room there for me. Luckily, the upper handles the forgiveness thing for me and made sure my foot coming in contact with the insides didn’t cause major discomfort.
And I’ve got a very strong case of wide feet, no joke. If I’m good with my true size, most of you fellow clown-footers should be a-okay as well.
Still though, ordering a couple of different size pairs and returning the unneeded one is the safest option, since not everyone might like a very condensed fit.
COMFORT: THE 1ST ZOOM RIZE ON STEROIDS
With some changes done to the upper and the shoe’s platform, the 2nd Zoom Rize brings very similar vibes the 1st shoe brought but there are a few changes that make it an even better experience comfort-wise.
Firstly, the shoe feels and is, lighter due to the material changes and a more narrow platform. While I didn’t have complaints about the first Zoom Rize’s weight at all, I’ll gladly take any weight reduction I can get.
While not a major difference between the two shoes, the Zoom Rize 2 feels lighter and a little quicker while making a more aggressive movement, albeit it’s still the same insanely fun ride underfoot, smooth steps 24/7, a similar amount of internal padding, and the overall feel is super close, for a lack of a better explanation.
Most people will enjoy running and jumping around these and will be able to do it safely. Foot containment is still solid despite the more minimal upper, I’ve never had any heel slippage or any other issues. Well done so far!
IV. TRACTION
All about the grip: its effectiveness on various surfaces, sensitivity to debris, and outdoor durability
BE AWARE OF MULTIPLE VERSIONS
Now, there are a few outsole options to go with when getting the Zoom Rize 2. There’s the regular option with standard solid rubber (the one I got) but there’s also an EPÂ version that comes with more durable XDR rubber.
You can also slap an XDR rubber outsole yourself if you buy the shoe in the U.S. via Nike By You. So if you’re playing mainly outdoors, the logical option would be to either track down the EP version of the shoe or go with an XDR outsole when you’re customizing the shoe on Nike By You.
2022 update: the shoe is no longer available on the Nike retailer, so if you’re aiming for that EP version, GOAT or StockX sneaker platforms are your best bet.
PERFORMANCE & DURABILITY
I’ve got the shoe in Europe through my local sports retailer and even though I’ve got the regular solid rubber option, I don’t have many complaints about it.
The traction pattern is very close to the original shoe. A radial pattern with proper spacing and deep grooves dominates the outsole and these gripped the floor well at all times.
Consistent, not annoying when it comes to dust piling up inside, and fairly durable.
Whether you’re a shifty guard or a big center, I feel like there’s enough multi-directional bite for everyone here, especially outdoors, as you’re coming to contact on a rougher surface.
Perhaps a little less reliable-feeling than the first shoe’s but that’s purely based on feel to the touch. I doubt there will be any major difference between the two durability-wise.
The rubber is still tacky, fairly strong and the grooves are deep enough to beat today’s standard indoor-focused competition.
V. CUSHION
How’s the impact protection? What about step comfort and energy return of the foam? Is it stable?
If you’ve checked my review of the first Zoom Rize or any review of the shoe for that matter, you know the cushion packed there was nothing short of awesome.
Good news, the Zoom Rize 2 follows the same formula, just with a few small tweaks.
There’s a beefier forefoot Zoom Air unit now which feels almost the same. It’s thicker but covers a little less ground this time.
Despite that, it’s still super comfortable, gives some of the most explosive-feeling energy return there is today and impact protection is still great.
To go along with the Zoom unit at the front, there’s also a foam midsole that’s just as insanely comfortable as on the 1st shoe. However, the forefoot/midfoot & heel sections are now more distinctively separated, giving more room for both the Zoom unit and the midsole to compress, making things even bouncier.
Seriously, if you love cushion and bounce in your step, there’s hardly a better setup in mind when it comes to keeping things efficient, not slowing you down, and offering enough stability to keep this crazy setup in check.
This is as versatile as it gets while offering this much UUMPH underfoot.
You’d probably have to play in the Zoom Rize 1 and then the 2nd shoe right after it to notice some sort of difference underfoot. Well guess what, that’s exactly what I did.
Things are very close but I’d say the Zoom Rize 2 is a tad bit bouncier at the midfoot & heel sections while a little mushier at the front.
The only downsides to this type of setup are the lack of any real court feel and a small compromise in stability. The second shoe does feel like it rides off the ground a little higher and the narrow tooling doesn’t help stabilize the ride.
Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not saying I was unstable. I’m just saying if you had to put the two shoes against one another, I’d give a slight nod to the first shoe stability-wise.
HOWEVER, on the practical side, I don’t think a lot of people will notice a big difference. I’m a very explosive player myself – never once I felt in danger or lacking confidence before making a move. Part of that was the lateral TPU piece that cages the forefoot Zoom and comes up halfway to the midfoot/arch area.
The thing is, you’ll just have to get used to this elevated ride if you’ve been playing in less cushioned, lower profile setups before. Once you do that, I don’t think you’ll want to come back.
This cushion should be the benchmark in nailing down the balance performance-wise while offering as much cushion as possible. It’s that good.
VI. SUPPORT
All about lateral & medial stability, foot containment, torsional coverage, and anything else security-wise
While losing a little bit of structure due to the more minimal upper materials used, I still think the shoe is still supportive enough for most players & play styles.
There aren’t a lot of features packed here but if you’ve got the fit right for you and you’ve got used to the elevated ride, you shouldn’t have issues. The earlier mentioned lateral TPU cage straps you in laterally and makes sure the cushion isn’t overly unstable.
That same piece also adds some torsional support as it comes up to your foot’s arch area.
There’s also an internal heel counter for heel & ankle coverage which works well along with Flywire cables for further lockdown. While the base of the shoe isn’t that wide, it’s still wide enough to keep things safe in my opinion.
But if we’re talking about an ideal scenario – I do think there are more nimble setups for the shiftiest of guards out there that emphasize stability more.
But then again, I don’t think you should be going with such an elevated ride, to begin with, if you’re looking for a very fast, low-profile setup.
I’ve never personally rolled an ankle or slid out of the footbed in these. I was completely fine and never felt something was lacking. And with that, the lesser weight and more minimal structure of the shoe made things even less restrictive.
I’d take that over half an inch of extra stability personally. Whether you will – that’s up for you to decide.
VII. THE BUILD
What are the upper materials and how do they feel on foot? What about the build’s reliability and value for the $$$?
BUILD OVERVIEW
The upper is mainly a lightweight textile with a haptic print texture on the lateral & forefoot sections on the shoe. There aren’t any real Fuse/TPU overlays for more structure but my guess is that was done to shed as much weight as possible.
The tongue is a foam-backed textile material, the midsole sidewalls are TPU and the sole portion is all rubber.
The shoe uses a standard lace & tongue construction with no inner booties or anything in that nature.
PERFORMANCE & RELIABILITY
I don’t personally feel like the haptic print texturing does anything for the shoe performance or durability-wise despite what Nikey says on their website. Looks cool, sure but where does the increase in durability come from? I’m not sure.
With that thought, I am more of a fan of this upper compared to the 1st Zoom Rize’s engineered mesh. It’s still nothing premium for this price tag but this made the shoe lighter, a little more nimble, and breathable while keeping it supportive.
These took a little less time to fully adjust to my foot compared to 2019’s design which felt a little stiff at first but if we’re talking pure durability, I wouldn’t put these among the most reliable.
But then again, you always have to put things into perspective. I think it’s a fairly durable shoe when you put it aside a Flyknit Kobe A.D. NXT 360.
On the other hand, these wouldn’t be so durable looking when stacked against a full-on leather Zoom Heritage N7.
The shoe is pretty easy to put on too. The overall build looks good, the outsole is durable for gritty outdoor games and if you keep the upper healthy, I think they will last long regardless.
I am seeing small amounts of fraying along the toe area as well as on the bottom of the swoosh but it’s nothing serious. I don’t see these breaking down 6+ months in.
VIII. OVERALL
Closing out the Nike Zoom Rize 2 review: are these worth it? What about the competition?
The Zoom Rize 2 is definitely a successor to the first shoe. A lot of the stuff feels very similar but a few small tweaks did improve certain aspects.
QUICK RECAP
The shoe is comfortable and feels a little more forgiving due to the thinner textile upper, though it does have a more narrow construction.
Traction is still good and looks durable (even the non-XDR version), cushion is still phenomenal but does ride high off the ground. Might take some time to get used to.
Some could make an argument on the 2nd shoe being less stable & supportive but it’s honestly hard for me to agree to that from a practical standpoint. I’ve never felt like there was something lacking.
The upper is nothing special for this price but does a solid job in keeping a minimal break-in period, disposing of unneeded weight, and providing enough containment.
I think it’s more comfortable than the engineered mesh on the first shoe.
If you don’t have either shoe of the Zoom Rize series – I’d honestly say both are solid options. I wouldn’t pick a clear winner here.
And if you think the tweaks made for the 2nd shoe were enough to upgrade from the 1st – go for it! At the very least, you’ll have an experience that’s extremely close to the Zoom Rize 1 and that’s absolutely not a bad thing.
The scores of the shoe are below!
? BUY THE ZOOM RIZE 2
IX. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Not quite sure on the Zoom Rize 2? I’ve cooked up a couple of alternatives that might just be IT for you
NIKE ZOOM RIZE, $140
FULL REVIEW 🛒 AMAZONI suppose some of you might still be a little concerned with the less-than-fantastic stability the Zoom Rize 2 provides due to its elevated ride and not much reinforcing going on throughout the upper.
In that case – you wouldn’t be losing anything if you’d opt for the first Zoom Rize.
Those things are just as awesome as the second shoe. They might be a little bit heavier but you’ll barely feel a difference. They’re just as bouncy, they’re comfortable, and also pretty reliable for outdoor play.
NIKE KD 14, $150
FULL REVIEW 🛒 NIKEFor something fresh that’s widely available at the moment, check out the KD 14! To be fair, to me it feels like this one gives me the closest sensation to the Zoom Rize shoes.
They’re not as insanely explosive-feeling but the full-length Zoom setup is really damn close. Performance-wise, it’s arguably an even better setup.
You’ll also get a comfy upper that doesn’t take long to break in, great traction, and balanced security that doesn’t get in your way. It’s easily one of my favorite KD shoes of all time.
X. ARE YOU DIGGING THE ZOOM RIZE 2?
Your thoughts and questions are invaluable!
That’s a wrap for the Nike Zoom Rize 2 review! I hope you found it useful! As always, there’s more where that came from. If you’re having trouble finding the Zoom Rize 2, the 1st shoe is still an amazing option and I think it’ll stay that way for several more years.
Or, you could check out my ultimate list & guide for the best overall basketball shoes money can buy right now. Find it below!
And of course, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the shoe. Have you tried it? Do you feel different about it? Maybe you’ve got a question?
Leave a comment and I’ll hop onto the conversation ASAP!
XI. NIKE ZOOM RIZE 2 REVIEW: THE VERDICT
My final ratings, takeaways, and recommendations
Nike Zoom Rize 2
$160
Main Takeaways
- Most foot shapes: true to size will be fine
- Regular/narrow footers can go down 1/2 a size for a tighter fit
- Comes in several options: regular (solid rubber) & EP (more durable XDR rubber)
- Still very well-rounded with a few tweaks: lighter, more mobile and a thicker forefoot Zoom unit
Recommended For
- All positions
- Explosive/athletic styles
- Heavier players
Was there a Zoom Rize 3? If not, what shoe replaced the Zoom Rize?
There was never really a direct continuation after the Zoom Rize 2 (no 3rd shoe was ever released), however, judging Nikey and their track record of building off of older shoe lines and rebranding them with fresh names, an argument could be made that their Air Zoom GT line (the GT Run, GT Cut (the 2nd shoe is now out) & GT Jump) is the closest to a continuation of the Zoom Rize.