Methodology

The credibility of a spec database is the rigour of its sourcing. Here's exactly how BasketballShoeSpecs handles every shoe we publish.

1. Sourcing the spec data

• Primary source: the manufacturer's product page (Nike.com, Adidas.com, JordanBrand.com, Underarmour.com, Puma.com, NewBalance.com, Anta.com, LiNing.com, etc.). We capture cushioning name, drop (mm), weight (oz), cut height, traction pattern descriptor, surface rating, signature player, and US MSRP.
• Secondary source: manufacturer's media kit when available (typically wins out for weight precision, since product pages sometimes round).
• Cross-check: WearTesters or YouTube spec callouts only when manufacturer data is missing or contradictory — and only as a flag, not a final number.
• Resale data (collectables): StockX 12-month median + GOAT 90-day median, observed at the time of cataloguing. Data is encoded as a band (low–high), not a point estimate, because resale markets are volatile.

2. Normalisation

Manufacturer pages disagree on units, descriptors and rounding. We normalise everything to:

• Drop in millimetres
• Weight in ounces (US standard for basketball footwear)
• Cut height in three buckets: Low (≤ ankle bone), Mid (mid-collar), High (full ankle wrap)
• Surface rating in three buckets: Indoor, Outdoor, Both — based on outsole compound + manufacturer's marketed use
• Width fit in three buckets: Narrow, Standard, Wide — based on last + manufacturer's available width fitments

3. Tools and calculators

Every interactive tool reads from the spec database — there's no hidden rules engine. Match-scoring, durability composites and resale-band adjustments are documented inline on each tool page.

4. What we don't claim

• We don't claim "best in class" or "ranked by performance" — those are editorial opinions and we don't publish editorial reviews.
• We don't claim live prices. Amazon's affiliate operating agreement requires prices to refresh daily; we don't quote prices in body copy.
• We don't claim resale-tracker numbers are tradable quotes. They're seed-data ranges. Verify with StockX or GOAT before transacting.

5. Errors and corrections

If you find a wrong spec, email us. We'll correct the record on the public page within 5 business days and credit the source.