Nike Caitlin 1
Released 10/2026, Low Top, Caitlin Clark,
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Performance Ratings
8.8
EXPERT RATING
5 reviews
NA
USER RATING
0 ratings
Performance Summary
Pros
Excellent Traction
Responsive Zoom Turbo
Cons
Break-In Time Required
Mixed Breathability
Category Performance Ratings
9.4
Traction
Translucent herringbone outsole with multi-directional tread and sticky rubber. Excellent grip on clean and mildly dusty courts, but requires wiping when dusty.
8.9
Cushion
Cushlon midsole with top-loaded forefoot Zoom Turbo. Starts firm and breaks in to a lively, responsive ride with noticeable pop.
8.4
Materials
Opticast mesh upper with TPU nodes and thin overlays. Lightweight and holds shape, with mixed breathability and occasional heat buildup.
8.6
Support
Internal and double heel counters, wide rubber outrigger and moulded shank plate. Delivers strong torsional rigidity and reliable lateral stability.
8.5
Fit
Snug out of the box and loosens with wear. Good lockdown when laced; length is slightly long for some.
50%
Outdoor
Indoor-first translucent outsole with deep tread. Performs well for occasional outdoor sessions but long term durability is limited.
small
large
Sizing
Runs true to size for most players. Wide footers should consider a half size up for toe comfort.
narrow
wide
Width
Midfoot is fairly generous while the toe box tapers. Best for narrow to regular widths; wide feet may need half size up.
Comparison to Similar Shoes:
 Nike Caitlin 1 |  Li-Ning Way of Wade All City 13 |  Li-Ning Way of Wade 11 |  Under Armour Curry 11 |  Li-Ning Wade Flash 2 |  Puma All Pro Nitro | Add shoe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Rating | 8.8 | 8.9(0.1) | 8.9(0.1) | 8.7(0.1) | 8.3(0.5) | 8.5(0.3) | |
| User Rating | NA | 9.2 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 9.0 | |
| Best Price | $140 | $149 | $225 | $109.97 $160 | $119 | $78.97 $130 | |
| Type of Cut | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | |
| Weight | NA | NA | NA | 340g - 340g | NA | 380g - 400g |
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Expert Reviews of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Rating: 8.8 (ranks #43 of 416)
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.2
September 28, 2026
The Nike Caitlin 1 is an absolute elite performance basketball shoe. Traction, materials, cushion, fit, and support all check the boxes. It plays like Kobe-level performance at a much lower price and should do very well.
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9.2
Sunday at 04:03 PM
They're awesome. The Nike Caitlin 1 nails stability, pop, and traction in the midsole and outsole. The main drawback is the long fit and toe taper that require break-in or sizing attention.
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9.0
Sunday at 03:58 PM
The Caitlin 1 has been fantastic and gets better with wear. It feels like a modernized Kobe 6 and is my favourite Nike basketball shoe right now. It excels in traction, fit, and support, while cushioning improves with wear.
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8.4
October 6, 2026
The Nike Caitlin 1 is a guard-focused shoe that closely mimics the performance and feel of the Nike Kobe line. It delivers excellent lockdown, lateral support, and court feel, though players will need to occasionally wipe the translucent outsole on dustier courts to maintain its strong traction.
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8.0
September 29, 2026
Overall, I really enjoyed playing in the Nike Caitlin 1. Traction is great, and cushioning is fantastic. Comfort is also good. The main downside is heel lockdown and ankle support, but the shoe is fun to use.
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User Reviews of the Nike Caitlin 1:
No user reviews so far
Traction of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Traction Rating: 9.4 (ranks #37 of 416)
User Traction Rating: NA
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
September 28, 2026
The traction is excellent. The herringbone pattern grips well on linear and lateral movements. It picks up dust but still performs nicely on multiple courts.
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10.0
Sunday at 04:03 PM
The traction is very good. The full-length, multi-directional tread grips well and only needs an easy wipe when it picks up dust.
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10.0
Sunday at 03:58 PM
The traction is utterly fantastic. It grips from every angle and performs well despite being translucent and oddly silent.
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9.0
October 6, 2026
The translucent rubber outsole provides very strong traction on clean and moderately dusty courts, but it requires consistent wiping to prevent sliding on dustier surfaces.
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9.0
September 29, 2026
The traction has been excellent for me. It picks up dust but still allows hard stops with no slipping.
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Cushion of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Cushion Rating: 8.9 (ranks #112 of 416)
User Cushion Rating: NA
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
September 28, 2026
The cushioning is nice once broken in. It uses Cushlon with a top-loaded forefoot Zoom Turbo. It takes time to break in but becomes responsive and snappy.
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9.5
Sunday at 04:03 PM
The cushioning is lively and responsive. Cushlon with the Zoom Turbo gives a lot of pop and a comfortable underfoot feel.
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9.0
Sunday at 03:58 PM
The cushioning is firm at first but breaks in over time. Cushlon softens in the heel, and the large-volume forefoot Zoom gives good court feel and coverage.
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8.0
October 6, 2026
Designed with a quick, guard-focused setup, it combines a responsive midsole for low-to-the-ground court feel with a bouncy forefoot Zoom Turbo unit for adequate impact protection.
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9.0
September 29, 2026
The cushioning is plush and bouncy. Zoom Turbo gives the shoe a subtle forefoot bounce and a smooth transition from front to back.
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Materials of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Materials Rating: 8.4 (ranks #109 of 416)
User Materials Rating: NA
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
1
8 - Good
3
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.5
September 28, 2026
The materials feel great. Opticast mesh with TPU nodes provides breathability, structure, and quick break-in. Up close, it looks and feels amazing.
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8.5
Sunday at 04:03 PM
The upper materials are strong but not very breathable. The Opticast TPU feels a bit gimmicky, and the layers trap heat.
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8.0
Sunday at 03:58 PM
The materials are thin and lightweight. Opticast overlays protect the layers and keep the structure while the upper moulds to your foot with wear.
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8.0
October 6, 2026
It features a high-quality, soft mesh upper overlaid with unique Opticast nodes that conform to the foot while remaining rigid enough for containment, alongside an adequately padded tongue that prevents lace bite.
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8.0
September 29, 2026
The optic upper has a textured, snake-like feel. It holds shape well and is flexible. Breathability is about average.
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Support of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Support Rating: 8.6 (ranks #151 of 416)
User Support Rating: NA
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
2
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
0
9.5
September 28, 2026
The support is also excellent. An internal TPU heel counter, wide outrigger, and a top-loaded shank plate give great lockdown, torsional rigidity, and lateral containment.
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9.5
Sunday at 04:03 PM
Support is excellent. The double heel counter and moulded shank give rock-solid lateral and torsional stability.
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9.0
Sunday at 03:58 PM
Support is fantastic. The outrigger and double-lasted forefoot add stability and containment. Lockdown has been impressive with no heel issues.
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9.0
October 6, 2026
The shoe delivers excellent lockdown with zero heel slippage, featuring a rubber outrigger that prevents the foot from rolling over on hard lateral movements and a shank plate for strong torsional rigidity.
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6.0
September 29, 2026
Ankle support and lockdown are weaknesses. I experienced heel slippage and had to switch to thicker socks to improve containment.
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Fit of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Fit Rating: 8.5 (ranks #87 of 416)
User Fit Rating: NA
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.0
September 28, 2026
The fit is snug initially but loosens with break-in. With the laces cranked down, I had no heel slip and solid lockdown with about a thumb's width of toe room.
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8.5
Sunday at 04:03 PM
The fit is long with a tapered toe and mild to moderate heel slippage. The uppers need a break-in to soften and improve lateral comfort and containment.
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9.0
Sunday at 03:58 PM
The fit is snug and secure with no heel slip or dead space. The upper loosens slightly with wear, so I retighten my laces mid-game.
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8.0
October 6, 2026
The shoe offers a snug, near 1:1 fit with a half-bootie construction and no dead space in the toe box.
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8.0
September 29, 2026
The fit has a bit of wiggle room in the toe box and heel. No pinching, and it breaks in easily.
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Durability of the Nike Caitlin 1:
User Durability Rating: NA
10 - Amazing
0
9 - Great
0
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
Outdoor of the Nike Caitlin 1:
Expert Outdoor Rating: 50.0 (ranks #135 of 416)
User Outdoor Rating: NA
Good (100%)
1
Fair (50%)
1
Bad (0%)
1
good
September 28, 2026
I took these on three courts, including an outdoor shootaround. The translucent outsole collected dust but still performed well, and the upper should hold up outdoors.
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fair
Sunday at 04:03 PM
Not an outdoor-focused shoe. The deep tread depth helps for occasional outdoor use, but it's primarily an indoor-first outsole.
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no
Sunday at 03:58 PM
I wouldn't use these outdoors. I don't think they're going to be super durable.
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Width of the Nike Caitlin 1:
very narrow
0
slightly narrow
1
regular
3
slightly wide
1
very wide
0
slightly narrow
September 28, 2026
The shoe tapers at the toe and runs a bit narrow. Wide footers should go up half a size.
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slightly wide
Sunday at 04:03 PM
The midfoot is pretty generous, but the toe box is very tapered. Wide footers may want to go up half a size.
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regularly wide
Sunday at 03:58 PM
If you have a wide foot, try them on in-store. The upper is forgiving enough to accommodate wider feet.
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regularly wide
October 6, 2026
Extremely wide footers should go up a half size.
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regularly wide
September 29, 2026
Width is about average. I had a bit of wiggle room in the toe box.
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Size of the Nike Caitlin 1:
very small
0
slightly small
0
true to size
5
slightly long
0
very long
0
true to size
September 28, 2026
If you are a wide-footer, go up half a size. Otherwise, go true to size if you're a regular footer.
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true to size
Sunday at 04:03 PM
If it were me, I'd go true to size on these.
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true to size
Sunday at 03:58 PM
I would go true to size. That's what I've gone with on every pair, and I've had no heel slip or extra toe space.
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true to size
October 6, 2026
The shoe breaks in nicely for narrow, normal, and slightly wide feet when sticking with your true size.
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true to size
September 29, 2026
For most people, I suggest going true to size.
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