Earlier we reminded you guys that the Air Jordan 2009 S23 was officially released today at select accounts including Footlocker’s House of Hoops locations and online at the Air Jordan Flight Club. We were there early this morning at the Harlem, New York location to bring you guys coverage of the event. We watched in awe as fanatics braved the frigid temperatures that New York City had to offer, standing in line and waiting for their chance to get a hold of these exclusives shoes. The event was a complete success, as House of Hoop employees took precautions to make sure that order was kept. After all, there’s no telling how crazy an Air Jordan fiend is or how far they are willing to go to get their hands on a pair of limited releases. Approximately 70-some odd pairs were available at that House of Hoops location and thankfully no one who had been waiting there since the wee hours of the morning went home empty handed.

Here is the section where we breakdown the shoe. The first thing we noticed was the oddly shaped box with strong lines that definitely draws your attention. Inside of them layed a beautiful pair of shoes that look to be the next big thing in the Jordan Brand arsenal. One of the first things we noticed about the shoes is that they come with a special cedar foot form that sits inside and traps moisture, keeping the shoes fresh and the right shape when not on your feet. Inspired by the defensive play of Michael Jordan, the AJ 2009 draws also draws inspiration from the sport of fencing, features which are most noticeable along the upper’s pleated panels and wire mesh ventilation. Jordan Brand also introduces Articulated Propulsion Technology, or APT, which was inspired by elements of prosthetic running technology that Paralympians such as Jordan Brand athlete April Holmes use in competition. Hints of this are seen on the shoe’s heel area. The APT energy return system aims to offer support and explosive feedback for an athlete during play with the help of two engineered platforms along the outsole that help to give a propelling sensation. Along with the heel and forefoot Zoom Air Units, there is a third heel Zoom Air unit embedded in the insole for added cushioning. All of these features help establish the AJ 2009 as one of the best basketball shoes ever created.

As the name suggests, the shoes will be limited to 2009 pairs worldwide with 1005 available in the US and 1004 everywhere else in the world. We would also like to thank to people at Footlocker’s House of Hoops for being gracious hosts and allowing us to do our thing and bring you guys pictures that you want to see. Shout out to Greg, Rob, all the other fellas, and the beautiful ladies that work there for showing us plenty of love. And a very special thanks to Melissa from Foot Locker.