Nike Kyrie Infinity Review 2023
Here is the summary of the Nike Kyrie Infinity Review. For a detailed review, continue reading!
Shoe Specs
Release date: November 2022 | Size: True-to-size | Weight: 370-390g | Top: High Top | Lockdown: Lace up | Midsole: Zoom Strobel + Zoom Air + Phylon | Material: Textile
Infohoops Verdict
“Nike Kyrie Infinity is nice, minimal in the forefoot, and super cozy and comfortable in the back. It has an excellent build and cushioning setup. Kyries 8 is a light-feeling shoe, and you feel responsive and enjoy playing on a clean court.”
Other Experts Say?
“I enjoyed the cushioning. To feel lighter on my feet, I prefer shoes that are responsive.”
“Kyrie 8 is so shifty; they must make shoes where the foot will not slide out of the footbed. So yeah, the Kyrie 8 has phenomenal lateral containment.”
“If you can catch these on sale or not, I think it’s a great buy, and I would recommend this shoe as far as the price point and everything that you’re getting within this model.”
“These shoes will give you more grip on corners and make you take turns better. In general, these shoes are really hard to get unstable, and they’re hard to roll just because they have so much stability in the midsole.“
Pros
- Excellent traction
- Bouncy in the forefoot area
- Good supportive structure
- Great build
- Incredible cushioning setup
- A lot lighter than average
- Smooth heel-to-toe transitions
Cons
- A bit narrow
- Not durable for outdoor
Detailed Nike Kyrie Infinity Review
As indicated by our tests, the Kyrie 8 model has the most cushioning tech out of the line. The Kyrie 8 has a phylon midsole, a U-shaped zoom unit in the heel, and a sizable Zoom Strobel in the forefoot.
Kyrie 8 is a fantastic shoe with great traction and great support and has more tech than the Kyrie 7 because of the Zoom Struggle.
They fit perfectly lengthwise, but you could go one size large if you don’t like a snug fit.
As per our expertise, these are slightly softer than the older Kyrie models like the Kyrie 2 and the Kyrie 3, which were stiff like a rock.
The shoe’s weight is also slightly lighter than average, especially compared to the older kyries like 6 and kyrie 5.
The cushioning setup is the best cushioning setup that the Kyries have ever had– a feature that makes this model stand out.
Another outstanding part of this shoe is that it has got a full-length phylon. Also, we have the very large volume zoom stroble unit in the forefoot, which is super bouncy. There’s a good amount of compression, and it feels nice.
The traction pattern is of rubber, and we definitely wouldn’t say it’s the best traction like top topped here, but it’s good, and you will have a solid bite when playing on a clean court.

What’s Exciting About Nike Kyrie Infinity?
The cushion and the build are the two most exciting aspects of Nike Kyrie Infinity.
It gives you modern lightweight materials that feel like it’s coated in TPU, so it’s got a scratchy feel.
The shoe doesn’t feel like a soft knit, but it still has the properties of a knit-in there, just with the strength of plastic– the best of both worlds.
The back section has premium materials and suede lined with leather. The upper has these lockdown wings right at the forefoot and midfoot section.
Based on our first hand experience, it wraps down through the heel area of the shoe all the way around, so you got this whole rear lockdown– this gives you true ankle support.
Colorway
The Nike Kyrie Infinity is made of structured mesh on the front, suede on the back with genuine leather lining, and synthetic leather on the tongue, back, and lacing system.
There’s a little bit of everything here, which we appreciate.
The first colorway we tried has a suede ankle portion lined with leather, but other colorways appear to use a leather ankle lined with synthetic leather instead.
Both options are excellent, and you shouldn’t be too worried about making a choice. Leather is easier to clean and maintain than suede, so choose any other colorway if that is important to you.
The insanely large tongue is sewn separately because the shoe is made with a standard lace and tongue construction.
Main Facts
- Colors: Excellent
- Material: Good
- Design & Style: Eye-catchy
- Expert Reviews: Good
What Other Experts Say?
“There are not a lot of colorways. There’s the sue bird one, this one, and then the black ice one. The Kyrie 8 still looks great.”
The Sole Brothers
Traction

The Kyrie Infinity’s traction pattern is very similar to that of the Kyrie 6 and Kyrie 7. The pattern has been carved into the rubber and is quite aggressive.
The shoe has an excellent traction which is further enhanced by the shoe’s lockdown and support.
The traction is multi-directional and it’s the herringbone pattern which stays the same throughout the entire outsole.
As far as dust goes, it also doesn’t pick up dust that much. Though it picks up dust a little bit but not that frequently, and also, it’s a very easy wipe.
It may not be a good option for durability since rubber is super soft, and the grooves are thin and deep. So we suggest do not play with the Kyrie 8 on an outdoor court
Main Facts
- Pattern: Herringbone
- Grip: Excellent
- Use: Good for inner court use
- Maintenance: easy to clean
- Expert Reviews: Positive reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“The traction did not have a good bite at first. However, after breaking them in, it began to perform much better.”
The Sole Brothers
Heel-to-toe Transition
There is a phylon in the midsole itself, but there is a standard zoom unit in the heel, so the heel unit looks like it will be a little U-shaped.
In the back, you will find it poking through the outsole, but if you take out the insole, you can also see it as an impression.
The forefoot does have a Zoom stroble unit; however, it’s different than the Zoom turbo Strobel that we’ve seen in the Kyrie 6’s and the Kyrie 7’s
Main Facts
- Flexibility: Amazing
- Outer sole: Rocky and smooth
- Torsion support: Excellent
- Heel Compression: Not too bad
- Expert Reviews: Positive reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“Heel to toe transition is very seamless and very comfortable.”
Foot Doctor Zach
Cushion

Kyrie 8 is the most well-cushioned Kyrie shoe we’ve tested. There is a huge amount of padding in the heel area as in the best 90s sneakers.
It is very soft and comfy inside like under the blanket. The upper is soft and flexible in front which makes the Kyrie 8 an even more comfortable shoe.
It’s surprising to see this amount of cushioning because Kyrie Irving prefers low-profile shoes with a lot of court feel and responsiveness.
You will definitely feel that cushion immediately and that’s a huge upgrade from the previous Kyrie models.
The fact is that the use of the zoom unit and Strobel allows the shoe to provide a ton of impact protection and even feel bouncy while keeping you close to the ground, as a traditional Kyrie shoe would.
Main Facts
- Comfort: Great
- Softness: Great
- Material: Good
- Expert Reviews: Good reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“The cushion has a bouncy, smooth, and responsive feel to it. It felt the best in the shoe’s forefoot area.”
SnB PH
Material

The material in the forefoot extends into the midfoot and is extremely thin, minimal, and super soft.
The material feels great on your foot and conforms to your foot very well too. The tongue is an oversized tongue that is very large and goes pretty damn high on the foot.
We got some leather material with a kyrie irving signature which is very thick with so much padding and cozy and comfortable on top of your foot.
Also, the padding in the ankle area feels super cozy and comfortable. The combination of coziness that you get in the back of the shoe and the thermal feel that you get in the front has some leather materials.
For the panels and, in the back of the heel, we have textile material with some stitching. So the overall materials quality is pretty damn nice, and it feels amazing on foot.
Main Facts
- Upper material: Excellent
- Tongue: Fine
- Ankle Support: Good
- Forefoot Flexibility: Good
- Expert Reviews: Positive reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“I enjoyed playing with these materials a lot. They don’t feel cheap while still being thin and comfortable.”
The Sole Brothers
Fit & Lockdown

If you go true to size, it goes right to the edge of the shoe with a very good fit for length. It’s slightly narrow for width, and in the toe box, it’s quite snug.
Also, the materials stretch out over time, so it gets even roomier; if you’ve ever wanted a Kyrie with a bit more of a looser fit, then the Kyrie 8 is a good option.
The support and lockdown are also great, with phenomenal lateral containment. There is leather acting at the sidewall and foam in the midfield.
Then there is an internal TPU heel counter and foam in the heel.
The shoe has two interior straps that wrap around your heel and forefoot, respectively. When you lace up the shoe, you pull your foot into the footbed and secure it by tightening both straps.
Main Facts
- Grip: Excellent
- Support: Great
- Fit: Excellent
- Lockdown system: Great
- Expert Reviews: Positive reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“I had no issues at all with the support and lockdown. It has phenomenal lateral containment.”
The Sole Brothers
Indoor & Outdoor Durability
The traction is excellent and feels even better than in previous Kyrie releases. It bites the floor very well, isn’t affected by dust/debris, and the extra thread that comes up to the sides of the midsole allows for excellent grip at almost any angle.
It’s a soft rubberized surface that is quick enough to push most of the dust out of the pattern. We did notice a slight improvement every day, but it may not be the best you could get.
The traction of the shoe is weaker outdoors than it is indoors.
Nikey, at times, applies a thin layer of coating all over the outsoles that must be burned off. After that, all the rubber needs is heat to start moving better and covering more ground. So you must wait.
Main Facts
- Traction: Excellent
- Durability: Fair
- Maintenance: Great
- Expert Reviews: Positive reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“I bought the EP version, which has a thicker rubber compound on the outsole. Please keep this in mind.”
ShadeSnSoleS
Ventilation
The Kyrie Infinity has textile material with a good amount of airflow. The material is extremely thin, so it felt cool here in the toe box.
But then in the tongue and the ankle area, there’s a lot of padding, so it gets slightly warm. So all-in-all decent ventilation and airflow through the fabric.
Main Facts
- Mesh: Great
- Fabric Quality: Too Good
- Upper Material: Good
- Expert Reviews: Positive reviews from experts
What Other Experts Say?
“The ventilation of the Kyrie is good with thin fabric.”
The Sole Brothers
Best Build Quality Shoes for Basketball Players
Nike Kyrie Infinity is a very responsive feeling shoe with a good rating and nice bounce in the forefoot. The materials are super thin in the forefoot but also very cozy.
The Kyrie 8 does a great job of providing cushy impact protection and responsiveness.
Overall great feeling shoe and the weight distribution of the shoe is very good. It’s not bottom-heavy, it’s not too heavy in the ankle compared to the forefoot, and it’s a very good weight balance in the Kyrie 8.