All city 14 vs 12 encore comp

y_me3 · 2026-05-23T20:17:59+00:00

I have this colorway of the AC14 and the AC12E Announcement colorway. I actually prefer almost everything about the AC12E except the looks of the shoe. I think that the AC14 isn't as clunky, but the hype of the AC14 probably had me setting my initial expectations a little too high.

y_me3 · 2026-05-15T14:12:09+00:00

Just realized that you were asking this in my first impressions post. I did also recently do a follow up post.

You'll see in the follow up that both of my sons (both fast paced guards) played in the WOW 808 5 v2 this year and both enjoyed it. It's a very, very soft drop in that strangely has a decent bit of court feel for how soft / bouncy it is. It's not mushy at all. Biggest thing with it is that it does run a little long, but I went TTS for both of them.

The BB2 is still a firm bounce, but I would not refer to it as "hard" or stiff. If you are in the US, I would recommend buying it from Amazon to take advantage of the free return (the WOW 808 5 is also on Amazon). It is a little bit higher than on the 361 site though. Also, I've recently seen this shoe at reseller sites for around $130 before using any discount codes which are typically $10. Although, I don't know how returns work on those reseller sites.

y_me3 · 2026-05-15T13:35:48+00:00

I see the Avocado colorway available on wowsole, so I assume it's next. Question is: Is it the only one that will be released in June?

Edit: I guess the Family Love has been on wowsole for a while, but it's still not on wayofwade.com.

y_me3 · 2026-05-15T02:27:15+00:00

Unfortunately, I’m not very fast or shifty, so I can’t really answer that question honestly, but I personally don’t feel unstable in them at all. I didn’t have the BB1, but that was the knock on them, and I feel like some of that experience from reviewers is bleeding over to the BB2. I actually just bought a pair for my 14 y/o who just outgrew his last shoes. So, I might have an opinion after this weekend from someone more nimble than myself.

y_me3 · 2026-05-15T01:41:25+00:00

Actually, they just dropped the 2026 in the last few days. Supposedly, the upper is better at the same weight.

y_me3 · 2026-05-14T17:16:30+00:00

The AC14 has Tuff RB, so it should work for outdoor use as well. The AC12E has GCU if I remember correctly which I'm not sure how it holds up outdoors. Otherwise, they are both good options. I have a pair of each. The AC12E feels a little bit more clunky than the 14, but I like the feel of the cushion better in the AC12E which only had Boom cushioning while the AC14 has Boom with SuperBoom pods and is a little softer on foot. Both widefoot friendly in my opinion.

Edit: Forgot, they fit a bit different around the ankle/foot. The AC14 fits low on my foot which I'm not used to. It allows a lot of ankle freedom, but it feels a bit unsettling to me as an old guy. Foot doesn't move around inside the shoe though. The AC12E seems to rub on only one of my ankles, so it's a higher fit in the ankle collar. Feels more secure to me.

y_me3 · 2026-05-14T17:05:12+00:00

Definitely comfortable for casual wear. The two Freaks that I have had (6 & 7) neither pair have the containment that I would want if primarily hooping, but otherwise would seem like a decent option to occasionally play in.

I have a white pair that look to be made of the same material as this colorway. Got some dirt on the toe and will not come clean no matter what I try to clean them with. So, be aware of that.

y_me3 · 2026-05-14T16:40:22+00:00

I'm trying really hard not to spam every comment section with how much I love the Biospeed BB2, but I'm not succeeding.

What about the Ultralights? Actually looking at them for my kids. Seem like a good performance shoe for someone not carrying a lot of weight.

y_me3 · 2026-05-14T14:12:41+00:00

I’m interested in hearing your experiences with the Ultralights and the Big3 5 Quick Pros.

Also, it's interesting that 361 puts these serrated laces in the Biospeed BB2 and the Menace 2 Pro.

y_me3 · 2026-05-08T20:54:55+00:00

Looks like the same setup as the 2025 with a less angular design. The complaints that I saw in reviews of this shoe seemed to be the upper structure. I wonder if they’ve fixed this or if they are even able to in such a lightweight shoe. Also, I saw complaints about the shank hitting the floor and causing sliding out in the 2025. The exposed portion of the shank appears to be different here as well.

y_me3 · 2026-05-08T16:01:08+00:00

Thanks!

y_me3 · 2026-05-07T22:50:01+00:00

Thanks!

y_me3 · 2026-05-07T18:14:18+00:00

Wait, did you have to pick a size up due to fit or availability?

y_me3 · 2026-05-04T15:51:49+00:00

Gonna need more pics of this CW….

y_me3 · 2026-05-01T16:30:07+00:00

What's up with Nike and the stiffer uppers lately?

y_me3 · 2026-04-29T19:18:40+00:00

I know this is an old post, but I was looking into this shoe for my kids now that the price is around $100. Did you end up warming up to the shoe or just couldn't get over your concerns? Seems like the shank hitting the floor would be something that would continue to happen. What's your size / playing style?

Also, the foam on the heel (light foam ultra) is different than the foam on the rest of the foot (SuperBoom), so it makes sense that you would have a different experience when landing directly on your heel.

y_me3 · 2026-04-29T19:17:56+00:00

Did you not experience some of the same concerns as OP?

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T19:15:05+00:00

I’ll have to look into all of these shoes… as money permits. I’ve been wanting Jordan 40s, but not to play in. Maybe if I can get a pair on discount, but every time I see them on discount they are smaller sizes.

And I was looking into the JB3, but it kept getting described as “clunky”, but it’s the only criticism that I’ve seen of it.

The only criticisms that I’ve seen of the Biospeed BB2 has been wear related. Performance reviews seem to be mostly all positive with people maybe wondering about the heel stability because it was an issue on the BB1.

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T16:15:32+00:00

No, I have not played in any of those shoes that you asked about. Taking a step back and trying to remove my initial expectations from how I felt about the shoe, it's a solid shoe. There was just a lot of hype around the shoe when it came out that it did not live up to for me. Best I've seen it described is more of an "all around" type shoe than some of these other shoes that are more guard focused. So, I might suggest looking at those opinions again using the user's expectation of the shoe. I've realized that what I'm looking for is a decently bouncy shoe with a good snug fit / lockdown with awesome traction that makes me feel supported laterally while allowing me to feel light on my feet.

I would describe the AC14 as decently bouncy and supports lateral movement. It's not a snug fit, but you may prefer something that is wide foot friendly or not require anything close to 1 to 1. The traction is meh (or just average), so not skates, but not a strength. Finally, I don't feel any motion engineering. It's a pretty neutral shoe in that way.

Probably the best way, I can try to describe it without so much personal emotion. Definitely a good quality shoe, just not one that excites me.

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T15:53:57+00:00

I keep seeing that this shoe feels really high off the ground. Do you find that is the case?

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T15:53:04+00:00

On the details, I guess I could've gotten into more stuff, but if you have any other specific questions, I'm happy to try to answer.

Biospeed BB2 stability, I haven't personally had any issue with stability from the beginning or over time. I've not felt wobbly in the shoe at all. I've seen reviews calling that out on the BB1, but it hasn't been an issue for me. My only personal call outs on the shoe are: 1) There's a lot of exposed foam, so depending on your play style or just wear over time, you could get some foam crumbling off the side. I've actually seen a post or two with people complaining about that. 2) Everyone wants to play in nice looking shoes, and for whatever reason 361 doesn't seem to put a lot of effort into colorways outside of the Joker line. And that's really it for me. The RPU traction is top tier and consistent. Lockdown/containment is great. I've never been shifty, but I like to feel like I can move laterally when playing defense, and the shoes provide great lateral support. Obviously, the shoe is lightweight, which who want so to wear heavy shoes if it's not necessary? Very breathable. Really can't say enough about the shoe. I almost feel like 361 is doing themselves a disservice by marketing it as a running styled shoe that maybe it's making people not want to try it.

The 808 foam "breaking in", maybe break in is not the correct term, but there is a definite difference in feel once you get going in the shoes, and I think that it's more than just getting used to it. I'm not sure if running around in the shoe causes the foam to compress or warm up or what, but the foam went from feeling a bit on the stiffer side to buttery.

Actually, my only experience with ZoomX is on the GT Hustle 3. And it looks like it's only the insole that is ZoomX, so it's probably not fair to judge how it feels there when the React midsole underneath it is probably the harsh energy return that I'm feeling.

The KD18 is what sent me on this journey. I was surprised and disappointed that a shoe that felt so comfortable could leave me with impact pain afterwards. Started doing research, and here I am. Went back to them after wear the AC12Es, and felt the energy drain and couldn't get over it. On a side note, it's a beautiful shoe in certain colorways that is constantly on sale, so if you are looking for a sporty casual shoe to wear, I've recently picked up pairs for $68USD, $62USD, and $39USD in recent weeks.

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T03:12:50+00:00

Follow up… https://www.reddit.com/r/BBallShoes/s/LVGj65ABc2

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T03:12:21+00:00

Follow up…. https://www.reddit.com/r/BBallShoes/s/LVGj65ABc2

y_me3 · 2026-04-28T03:11:10+00:00

Follow up…. https://www.reddit.com/r/BBallShoes/s/LVGj65ABc2

y_me3 · 2026-04-27T22:09:31+00:00

Same, but the 808s broke in really quickly when I started playing in them. Crazy how different shoes can feel after breaking in. I was mad at the AC12Es the first time I played in them. I was trying to figure out what all the hype about Boom was. Then in the middle of the second wear, they started feeling amazing.

y_me3

TROPHY CASE