Li-Ning Way of Wade 8
Released 1/2020, High Top, Dwyane Wade,
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Performance Ratings
9.3
EXPERT RATING
3 reviews
8.6
USER RATING
9 ratings
Performance Summary
An incredible all around performer that comes at a premium price
Pros
Incredible stability and lockdown
Plush and responsive cushioning
Cons
Kind of heavy
Requires some break in
Best Suitable For: Quick players who need a responsive shoe that can keep up
Category Performance Ratings
9.0
Traction
Sticky rubber outsole compound with durable construction. Excellent grip on clean hardwood, slight dust sensitivity and occasional slip from sweat.
9.7
Cushion
Full-length BOOM foam cushioning. Light, bouncy and responsive with good impact protection and solid court feel.
9.0
Materials
Cordura nylon and durable mesh upper with TPU fuse panels. Rugged yet flexible build with season-grade durability.
9.7
Support
EVA and TPU caging with carbon fiber shank, reinforced heel cup, strap and outrigger. Very secure lateral stability and containment.
9.0
Fit
Runs a bit long and fits snug in the forefoot at first. Breaks in well and provides strong lockdown once settled.
100%
Outdoor
Thick, hard outsole compound that held up well outdoors. Good wear resistance and reliable traction on rough courts.
small
large
Sizing
Runs long. Reviewers recommend going down half a size, especially for narrow footers.
narrow
wide
Width
Best for narrow to regular widths. Wide footers can go true size but may feel slightly snug.
Comparison to Similar Shoes:
 Li-Ning Way of Wade 8 |  Nike LeBron NXXT Genisus |  Nike Kobe Protro 3 |  Adidas Harden Volume 9 |  Nike Lebron 23 |  Li-Ning Wade Shadow 7 | Add shoe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expert Rating | 9.3 | 8.2(1.1) | 8.2(1.1) | 8.5(0.8) | 8.3(1.0) | 8.3(1.0) | |
| User Rating | 8.6 | 9.4(0.8) | NA | 9.4(0.8) | NA | NA | |
| Best Price | $225 | $129.99 $150 | $169.99 $210 | $112 $160 | $209.99 | $119 | |
| Type of Cut | High Top | High Top | High Top | Low Top | Low Top | Low Top | |
| Weight | NA | NA | NA | 410g - 420g | 440g - 440g | NA |
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Expert Reviews of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Rating: 9.3 (ranks #1 of 385)
10 - Amazing
1
9 - Great
2
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
0
9.5
February 29, 2020
Overall the Way of Wade 8 was fire! These are just a great hoop shoe and the traction was finally superb. These are a double thumbs up.
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9.2
February 18, 2020
Overall, the Way of Wade 8 surprised me and was a great shoe to play in. They are definitely expensive, but I feel like I got what I paid for in the materials and Carbon Fiber. If these sound interesting to you, I'd recommend trying them out and you might be pleasantly surprised.
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9.2
March 18, 2020
Overall, I fully enjoyed playing in this shoe and it will definitely be in my rotation. It is a very responsive shoe with great traction, cushion, and stability to back it up. The craftsmanship of the Way of Wade 8 is incredible.
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User Reviews of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
User Rating: 8.6 (ranks #195 of 385)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
5
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
8.5
July 22, 2022
The Way of Wade 8 by Li-Ning was not as good as the reviews say. keep in mind that I may have gotten one with issues. The grip was not the best that I have felt. The materials felt quite cheap in my opinion, I personally would've gone with something like the PG6 if you were looking for the shoe in this sort of style.
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9.0
November 29, 2023
Great stability and traction, cusion and ankle protection good as well. They are responsive, after broken in which does take some time. 9/10
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9.0
November 22, 2021
A great shoe overall. There is room for more improvement in cushioning.
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Traction of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Traction Rating: 9.0 (ranks #124 of 385)
User Traction Rating: 8.8 (ranks #174 of 385)
10 - Amazing
3
9 - Great
7
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
9.0
February 29, 2020
The one thing I was most excited about on the Way of Wade 8 was the traction. It was fire! No issues at all and I think they killed it with this traction. It didn't matter if it was a clean or dirty court, it just worked. These are A1.
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9.0
February 18, 2020
I played in the Way of Wade 8 on several types of floors and was pleasantly surprised each time! Previous models have had issues with traction, but these did a great job on the hardwood. I only had issues when I stepped in some sweat which is expected.
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9.0
March 18, 2020
The traction performed incredibly well on a clean court and these have a really nice squeak. The WOW 8 didn't perform that well on dust for me and wasn't too easy to wipe. Overall, traction was incredible just watch out if you're playing on dust.
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Cushion of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Cushion Rating: 9.7 (ranks #11 of 385)
User Cushion Rating: 8.6 (ranks #167 of 385)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
3
8 - Good
3
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
10.0
February 29, 2020
This cushion setup is called BOOM and it performed exactly how it sounds! These are more responsive and slightly less plush than the Way of Wade 6. It feels great on foot and provides a soft and responsive setup.
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9.0
February 18, 2020
These use BOOM cushion which is similar to Boost without being as soft. This cushion setup is great at absorbing impact similar to Nike Zoom Air which really impressed me. Outdoors they shined where the blacktop was very unforgiving and definitely held their own.
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10.0
March 18, 2020
They are using full-length BOOM cushioning here which has to be one of my favorite cushion technologies. It looks pretty similar to Boost, but this feels lighter and more comfortable. It is plush, soft, and a really nice bounce to it. There is also good impact protection and court feel. It had everything I wanted in a cushion setup and is incredible.
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Materials of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Materials Rating: 9.0 (ranks #21 of 385)
User Materials Rating: 8.6 (ranks #137 of 385)
10 - Amazing
3
9 - Great
5
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
0
9.0
February 29, 2020
The upper was a super durable mesh which this is probably the nicest mesh I've seen on a shoe. It is durable and supportive, so I think that these will last you for a full season. They take a little bit of time to break in which I didn't have an issue with. Overall I think these materials are dope.
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9.0
February 18, 2020
The main material used here is Cordura's Nylon with some TPU fuse panels for added durability. The material didn't stretch much which overall made these a great build for basketball style moves. There was nice flexibility, but with strong support to back it up.
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9.0
March 18, 2020
In the forefoot and most of the upper they are using a Cordura fabric which is known for its durability. It has a rugged, durable feel without being thick. It feels soft and supportive which conforms to your foot well. I was slightly disappointed they couldn't use the Boa lacing system here, but the traditional laces work well.
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Support of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Support Rating: 9.7 (ranks #1 of 385)
User Support Rating: 8.9 (ranks #120 of 385)
10 - Amazing
7
9 - Great
2
8 - Good
2
7 - Average
0
6 - Subpar
0
5 - Poor
1
10.0
February 29, 2020
How can I put this... EXCEL-EN-TE! Looking at the support on these I can't complain about anything. The heel cup was made after a race car seat and I just felt locked in the whole time. The strap on these is also functional and works great.
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10.0
February 18, 2020
The support on these is Hall of Fame level. They were very supportive without being too restrictive. Using EVA and TPU caging helps a lot with lateral cuts and changing direction. These also feature a Carbon Fiber shank which wasn't too much for me and broke in well.
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9.0
March 18, 2020
The lateral containment was incredible and I had no doubts about it. The plastic coming up the side with the foam and the strap really lock you in. The lateral stability is great too with an outrigger and a wide base. There is good ankle support too because the materials around the area are very rigid. One thing I didn't like is how high the ankle piece comes up on the back.
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Fit of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Fit Rating: 9.0 (ranks #22 of 385)
User Fit Rating: 7.8 (ranks #307 of 385)
10 - Amazing
2
9 - Great
4
8 - Good
1
7 - Average
1
6 - Subpar
2
5 - Poor
1
9.0
February 18, 2020
The lockdown here is great and very secure all the way around. I liked the traditional lacing system here as opposed to the Boa-style lacing which I find just adds unnecessary weight.
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9.0
March 18, 2020
The fit in the forefoot area was a little snug at first but broke in well. One issue I had was a piece of the foam was rubbing the side of my foot, but I was able to loosen the laces and it fixed the issue. The strap on the front tightens your forefoot very well. Overall the fit was great after breaking in.
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Durability of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
User Durability Rating: 8.8 (ranks #112 of 385)
10 - Amazing
5
9 - Great
0
8 - Good
0
7 - Average
2
6 - Subpar
1
5 - Poor
0
Outdoor of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
Expert Outdoor Rating: 100.0 (ranks #27 of 385)
User Outdoor Rating: 60.0 (ranks #163 of 385)
Good (100%)
5
Fair (50%)
0
Bad (0%)
2
good
February 18, 2020
These were great outdoors even on a dirty court in the winter. The outsole held up well and the wear looked similar to what it would look like after playing on an indoor court.
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good
March 18, 2020
These should be okay for outdoor use. The outsole material is pretty hard and thick.
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Width of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
very narrow
1
slightly narrow
3
regular
5
slightly wide
1
very wide
0
regularly wide
February 29, 2020
Wide footers can probably go true to size, just be prepared to be a little snug.
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Size of the Li-Ning Way of Wade 8:
very small
0
slightly small
0
true to size
4
slightly long
7
very long
1
½ size large
February 29, 2020
If you have a narrow foot I'd say go down half a size. I did and it fits me perfectly.
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½ size large
February 18, 2020
I'd recommend going down half a size because these fit a bit long.
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½ size large
March 18, 2020
These run a little long and I'd recommend going down half a size.
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