I have been meaning to unbox, wear, and review these sneakers for sometime now but wanted to wait for the right opportunity. Thankfully, the moment has came as I thought there are no better sneakers to wear to the Immersive King Tut experience than these incredible sneakers from Concepts, Nike, and Kyrie Irving, named “Horus”. I will get into why it is named that and so much more in this blog post review including where to get this so you don’t miss out next time and so much more below. However, before you read below make sure you remember to check out my other sneaker reviews and give a follow on social media (Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook) for more sneaker content! For the on-feet look plus unboxing, check out the video below!
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Background, Concept, Story
If you’re thinking if “Concepts x Nike x Kyrie Irving” sounds familiar, especially on this blog, that’s because Concepts is no stranger when it comes to collaborating with the NBA star. Their partnership started back when Kyrie used to play for the Boston Celtics and since then they have collaborated on numerous projects. One of Kyrie’s interests is in Egyptian archeology, rituals and symbols which he has expressed in the past and Concepts also shares the same interest which is why they are able to further explore and execute amazingly every time they collaborate. They have explored and designed Kyrie sneakers with this theme and incorporating different Egyptian symbols in the past on prior models and I actually own the first pair they did it on, the Kyrie 5 x Concepts “Ikhet”. That sneaker is amazing and if I didn’t customize my Kyrie 6 “Hawk” there would have been a high probability I would’ve added the “Khepri” Kyrie 6 to my collection.
In terms of this collaboration, they mention on different sites different inspirations for this sneaker and the capsule. On Concepts they mention “Feather of Maat”, Maat being the goddess representing cosmic balance, truth, and justice and her feather is said to determine whether someone would successfully and peacefully reside in the afterlife. On Nike’s site it mentions that it takes inspiration from Egyptian ceramics, which I guess can make sense too. However one thing that doesn’t get mentioned which I think is also an inspiration for this sneaker and collection is the God Horus. I will explain more how I see all of this in the aesthetics and design section but those are just my observations and assumptions. I do want to mention that for this release they did have a big capsule that included different clothing and accessories. I actually have one of these items and did a review (and unboxing) which was featured last year. The item is a special New Era hat which was in collaboration with a brand that you most likely have seen on the heads of NBA stars, called The Compound. I actually have the orange fitted and you can check out the review here.
Aesthetics and Design
Where do I begin? This sneaker’s aesthetic is incredible and like any other Concepts collaboration, the details are impeccable. As stated in the above section, they are different inspirations from Egyptian archeology and symbols expressed in this sneaker. The feather of Maat I believe is seen as the pattern you see all across the upper and the ceramics might be displayed via the liner and symbols such as the ankh and lotus flower. I believe the way Horus is expressed is not only though the large Eye of Horus but also not sure if the stunning golden feathers inside the Nike swoosh is to represent Maat or Horus. Nevertheless, it is awesome to see paired with the symbols. In terms of the colours, Concepts states “..rich turquoises and teals, mirroring Egyptian Faience, and contrast with a range of orange tones to convey the desert sands fading into the sky before nightfall.” This is does explain the Egyptian ceramic inspiration but I also think since Horus is the God of the Sky, that turquoise blue is a nod to him, but that is just my interpretation. The colour blocking really is great and not something you see often. Lastly, in terms of tech and performance, you will see there is Nike Zoom Air Turbo on the midsole which is great on court paired with a great traction pattern on the orange outsole.
Price and Place of Purchase
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get the special box from Concepts directly because at the time (maybe even now) they don’t ship Nike products to Canada. However, I was fortunate enough to see these were available on the Nike Canada SNKRS page and I did promote it on Instagram and Facebook because I thought a lot of people would be interested in it (sneakerhead or not). These actually did sit for a while but my size eventually sold out by the time I decided to finally buy it which is why I went with a 12. The sneaker retailed at $180 CAD but I had a 15% discount which I used. Although the sneaker was sold out by the end of the day, you can still grab some other Kyrie sneakers (and gear) including the latest model and customize some via Nike By You.
Size and Fit
As stated before in my review for my other Kyrie sneakers (5 & 6 – 4 will be on here eventually) for the best fit for people with wider feet is to go .5 up. I think people with more of a narrow foot can get away with true to size but from experience my best bet is to always go .5 up. However, I do want to state that because both 11 and 11.5 were sold out at the time I was getting this sneaker I ended up getting a whole size up (12). I make sure to lace all the way up and frankly, the fit is still pretty sturdy and comfortable. There is some space in the toe box area, but even when hooping I don’t ever find myself worried about spraining my ankle or having too much space. However, I’d only recommend a full size up if it is a last resort of getting this sneaker on a great deal, and at that point just add some insoles for the worst case scenario.
Overall
Cop or drop? Definitely a cop! Just look at the details and colour blocking. These are sneakers that not only will help make you and your fit stand out, but it also works well on the court!
Comfort? It’s great, especially when hooping. I was a bit worried since I went a full size up instead of the my usual suggestion of Kyrie’s (going .5 up) but it still fit great. There is a bit of room even when I laced up completely so I would suggest the most optimal fit for those with more of a wider foot would be to stay with .5 up but clearly a whole size up didn’t make these sneakers uncomfortable.
Aesthetic? It’s beautiful! This turquoise is not what you see everyday on sneakers, and I am glad because this colour alone is mesmerizing. In addition the orange provides a great contrast but what really makes this sneaker special is the amount of details Concepts put in with the Egyptian symbols and storytelling.
Packaging? It’s not bad! I say this because I know the box I got was the standard Kyrie 7 box (not the special box from Concepts (which is incredible) but it is nice that it looks really clean and simple on the outside but once you open it you get to see some nice all over images inside similar to inside a locker. It does come with some extra laces.
Price? What I always like about the Kyrie signature line, even with collaborations, is that it is priced less than other Nike signature athletes to hopefully make them more affordable. I know $180 CAD is still pretty high but for what you get with this sneaker, it is 100% worth it.
In conclusion, regardless of how I feel about Kyrie now, I am still thrilled about owning this pair in my collection because I love the creativity and detail Deon Point and his team put into this sneaker and overall collaboration. What are your thoughts? Would you get this on the secondary market or would’ve liked to get it when it released? Let me know in the comments below or on the upcoming social media posts by following on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok so you don’t miss out on other cool sneakers coming out!
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