Lifestyle

Reebok Zig Kinetica Concept_Type 1 review: A head-turner

Unusual look for performance sneakers

Published

December 17, 2019

Clinton Jeff

If something has an underscore in the name, it must be pretty interesting right? Here we have a really special pair of sneakers to check out from Reebok — these are the Zig Kinetica Concept_Type1

A quick backstory

The Zig Kinetica system started out way back in 2010 when Reebok released their first sneakers with the ZigTech design called the Reebok ZigPulse.

These sneakers came in a bunch of colorways. Reebok even started advertising them along with Lewis Hamilton to really show off how cool these new ZigTech sneakers were.

Reebok got a whole bunch of celebrities onboard with the ZigPulse so the sneakers had a bit of a buzz around it. However, as popular as they might have been at the time, we never really heard much about it since then.

Fast forward to today, almost a decade since the first Zig sneaker launched, the Zigtech makes a return in the form of a reworked Zig Kinetica system with the Reebok Zig Kinetica Concept_Type1.

One look at these sneakers and you can see how they have a really avant-garde, edgy vibe. I guess that’s to be expected from a show with an underscore on its name.

An absolute head-turner

Honestly, these sneakers look gorgeous. In fact, the first time I heard about this sneaker was when I saw someone post an on-foot shot of them, and initial reaction was daaayuuumm those are some sweet-looking sneakers.

Reebok partnered with Garbstore founder and designer Iam Paley, who is the artistic brains behind the design.

He’s also the designer behind the Garbstore x Reebok “Outside In” Collection back in 2014, when they flipped the uppers to inside out on a few Reebok Classic flagships sneakers. So when you hear Ian Paley, you know it’s going to be an interesting design.

Wearing the Zig Kinetica out, they really turn heads. Especially if you wear them to the gym where they most definitely stand out vs the ocean of regular gym sneakers out there.

It’s a neat combination of clustered materials that make up the upper, ensuring the sneaker doesn’t look anything at all like everything else out there.

There are three colorways, but I think I got the best looking one. There’s also a slightly more formal colorway that has a black outsole, and one that has a white outsole.

The white colorway has suede that will definitely be more prone to dirt and smudges so you might be better off getting the black colorway instead.

Still, most of the upper is a mesh material — which is also quite hard to clean.

To be more precise, the Concept Type_1 features 15 individual segments that make up the upper on each pair. Each layered on top of each other to make up the final design.

There are segments with suede overlays that seamlessly surround a very breathable mesh upper. The fused overlays actually look quite nice, especially when you notice how they worked the lacing system into them up top.

This is actually a little hard to see in photos or videos but there really is nothing else above or below the mesh. There’s no cloth or fabric. It’s just the mesh by itself.

The mesh has a durable, tough feel to it, with a bright metallic shine that really glistens in outdoor sunlight. It almost gives these sneakers a different look between indoors and outdoors.

There’s also one more interesting aspect to the upper – an adjustable strap that goes right across the midfoot area.

I love how the strap extends a little past the upper, and hangs over the outsole.

It’s an interesting design decision that adds to the stylish but messy design across the upper. But there’s a functional aspect to them as well since they help secure your feet within the shoe.

The toebox area is overlaid with two suede panels so you don’t have to worry about your toenails ripping through the upper.

That being said, I really would not recommend wearing these sneakers without socks because the shoe is mostly see-through with all the mesh panels on the upper. Unless you really want to show off your feet.

The cool thing here though is that you can change up the look of the entire shoe with a pair of colored socks — so that’s fun.

Speaking of which, the inner sockliner is made of a really interesting fabric material that’s quite comfortable.

The ankle area of the Concept_Type1 weirdly has no foam or cushioning around the edges which is a little uncomfortable. It’s suede, so it doesn’t irritate your skin in case you’re wearing this with no-show socks, but it definitely is a weird new sensation.

I was irritated by the lack of padding in the ankle area since I wear no-show socks, but if you wear regular socks this probably won’t be an issue.

I should mention though, as you go lower, there is a little cushioning on the upper towards the lower, ankle joint area, but that’s about it.

Apart from that, you have the Reebok logo on the lateral side of the shoe — in this almost blue-ish color. You’ll also see it on the tongue as well.

All in all, the design of these sneakers is definitely unique. It looks great and will definitely stand out. Reebok did a great job choosing Paley as their partner because they’ve created gorgeous sneakers.

All that suede though will be hard to keep clean so keep that in mind if you’re going to be using these as actual training sneakers.

Alright, let’s move on to comfort.

Performance sneakers all the way

According to Reebok, these are sneakers designed for fitness classes, 5K runs and even casual wear.

I’m not entirely sure you can pull them off as casual wear though. You might look a bit off wearing these in the office, or on a night out. But hey, if you can pull it off, way to go.

My opinion of the Concept_type1 is that they are performance sneakers all the way, and you definitely feel that the second you slip them on.

They’re not exactly super comfortable because of the thin upper, so it literally feels like you’re wearing mesh.

The mesh parts weren’t done solely for aesthetics. They’re supposed to help with performance too to allow for airflow. It definitely does a great job at ventilation making this sneaker perfect for a summer run.

But all in all, there just doesn’t seem to be much padding, which means that this just isn’t as comfortable a sneaker as other options in the same price range. It’s not too bad, but it does leave you wanting a little bit more.

Take the tongue for example. It’s a slim paper thin fabric that’s its barely there. Reebok has other sneakers with a similar design, like the Sole Fury, which still managed a more comfortable neoprene tongue. It hugged your midfoot with a good amount of elasticity, so this is a weird oversight for them.

Coming to the insole, the Floatride Fuel cushioning isn’t exactly the most lush in terms of comfort. These are performance training sneakers after all. The cushioning, along with the outsole and overall design is really meant to propel you forward instead towards workouts instead.

Just like the Adidas Ultraboost 20, the outsole is U-shaped, so the sneaker positions you to lean forwards.

But like I mentioned with cushioning earlier, the Zig Energy Shell (or the zig-zag portion of the outsole), together with the Floatride Fuel cushioning inside, is a lot sturdier than the Boost outsole on the Ultraboost, so it’s not as comfy.

The Floatride Fuel is soft though. You can actually feel it through the liner groove on the sole. Reebok is also using a special kind of sole here called the Zig Energy Band which is supposed to expand and contract like an elastic band to help with a springback response while you’re running.

The heel sits a couple of millimeters lower than the insole, which ends up supporting the medial arch of your feet, and adds to the comfort while you’re running.

At the back of the heel area, you’ll see that the outsole does ramp up and has “ZIG” written on it.

The insole also curves around your foot, instead of underneath or being flat, which adds to the comfort factor.

If you were lucky enough to try the ZigTech sneakers back in the day, you’ll appreciate the familiarity of the outsole.

However, all that being said about the great support, there’s still that issue of the cushioning around the ankle area. Rather, the lack of it.

It’s weird because the upper wraps around your entire foot so well, but because of the minimal padding around the ankle area, these sneakers just aren’t as comfortable as they could have been.

Fits true to size

In terms of fit, the Reebok Zig Kinetica Concept_Type1 fits pretty true to size but then again I have pretty wide feet. There’s also the advantage that the mid-foot fit is adjustable thanks to the midfoot strap.

With its lacing and that strap, the upper literally hugs each part of your foot.

If you manage to get the perfect sizing, you can actually remove the strap which gives you a sneaker that has a much cleaner design in my opinion.

The strap is pretty easy to remove, and I know this is subjective and all but I actually really do prefer the look without it.

Is this your Sneaker Match?

Reebok says the design of the Zig Kinetica is inspired by Kinetic Energy — hence the name — which kind of sounds like your usual marketing fluff. Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object during motion. In this case, it’s you in those sneakers.

So is the Reebok Zig Kinetica Concept_Type1 the best performance sneakers out there?

Well here’s the thing.

These are most definitely one of the best looking training sneakers out there. They are definitely very unique. And the overall sneaker itself is quite nice and supportive as a performance sneaker.

However, at the same price you have the new Ultraboost 20 which is a lot lighter, more comfortable, and more reassuring to wear. If you’re looking for sneakers that can take a beating, there’s the Ultraboost.

Don’t get me wrong, these sneakers are pretty comfortable but they’re a little high maintenance and not as durable and comfortable as the Ultraboost 20.

But if you’re looking for a really unique looking pair of stylish, fashionable training sneakers, this is the way to go.

With these sneakers, you’ll definitely stand out versus everyone else, and they’re still pretty comfortable — just remember to wear full length socks with them.

Entertainment

Now Playing: Hoppers

Spectacular fun ride with Daniel Chong at the helm

Published

March 22, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

Courtesy: Disney Pixar

There is a part of me that wants to say, if you want a feel-good, wholesome movie experience, go see Disney Pixar’s Hoppers.

But on the flip side, if you want an absurd, humorous, nonsensical-yet-totally-makes-sense dark comedy masked in an animated adventure, then you especially need to see it.

We can always argue that Pixar titles — and animated films in general — cater to adult audiences.

However, slotting in We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong to helm this latest Disney Pixar masterpiece makes for a spectacularly unique ride.

It’s interestingly odd for a Pixar film, though not so far removed from the family-friendly, “happy ending” trope that feels unrecognizable.

I just personally loved Chong’s approach, driving the narrative with unpredictable humor, sharp twists, and a sci-fi premise that, come to think of it, isn’t actually theoretically impossible.

It’s so entertaining that you briefly forget you’re watching a Pixar movie. There are no dull moments and just a great ride from start to finish.

Nature vs. development

The premise is a familiar real-life dilemma we’ve seen for decades. In Hoppers, the suburban town of Beaverton where our protagonist Mabel lives, is under constant development.

Specifically, there’s the “Beltway Project”, an initiative by Mayor Jerry Generazzo, to connect residential areas to the town center via an elliptical highway.

As in reality, progress comes with collateral damage. In the film’s case, it’s the animals living in the local greenery.

Mabel isn’t going to let that happen. The movie quickly establishes her origin story in the first few minutes.

It shows how her relationship with her aging grandmother formed her special bond with “The Glade”. This lush forest was their favorite hangout as Mabel grew up. And that’s where she begun appreciating and caring for animals deeply.

Years have passed, and Mabel is now a fervent college student activist stopping at nothing to ensure the animals she grew up with can still live peacefully.

She has done a lot, from petitions to convincing people to support her cause. Without that many teammates by her side, she ultimately confronts the mayor herself. This is where she gets challenged to “make something happen” in 48 hours to convince the mayor to call the project off.

From ‘real’ to ‘sci-fi’

At this point, the movie dramatically switches from grounded reality to high-concept sci-fi. Mabel accidentally discovers her professor, Dr. Sam Fairfax, has developed an ambitious machine capable of transferring your consciousness into a robotic animal.

It was meant to observe animals harmlessly from a closer POV, and I guess you can give the professor the benefit of the doubt.

The entire scene reminded me of Jordan Peele’s Get Out briefly, but the tone shifts when Mabel ends up transported into a robot beaver body herself.

There’s an undeniable, hilarious callback to James Cameron’s Avatar here, from the disorienting “syncing” process to Mabel navigating the world in a body that isn’t hers. The only difference, obviously, is she isn’t a blue alien but rather a cute, child-visual-friendly beaver.

She finds new hope with this tech. But just as she thinks she can simply “communicate” with nature, she is slapped with the reality that in the wild, it’s survival of the fittest.

Logic takes a backseat

From then on, logic takes a backseat, yet it’s the kind of film where suspending your disbelief actually is helpful.

The “pond rules” were the only remaining glimmer of scientific accuracy but then, soon, you realize it would have been total chaos in the pond community just from a food chain standpoint.

Mabel gets introduced to King George and the inner workings of the community. There’s even a later chase when a flock of seagulls carry Diane, the gigantic shark referenced as the group’s “apex predator”, which is obviously impossible.

There’s just so many dumb rules (or lack of) that the internal logic made up for an even funnier film. It’s like Zootopia logic, but cranked up to an even more non-sensical level.

Dilemma

Anyway, Mabel discovers that the cause of the animals’ exodus are fake noise trees blasting high-pitched sounds. These are all the work of Mayor Jerry, doing it on purpose so the Beltway Project gets finished.

Mabel’s audacity leads to an Animal Council meeting, which was unlikely to begin with. Here, the leaders who each represent major animal classes come together.

The Insect Queen and her eventual Insect King son Titus get presented as the real antagonists, with a thirst for domination.

Mabel merely suggested scaring the Mayor back, but the animals decide on a dark uprising. With this, Mabel soon realizes the mayor is in danger.

The conflict is triggered further by her own human instinct when she kills the Insect Queen who annoyingly got into her face. This moment sends Titus into a vengeful rage even more.

This deepens Mabel’s dilemma as she now ironically has to side with the humans — including Mayor Jerry — while navigating the animals’ survivalist and territorial tendencies.

Standstill, unlikely team-up

However, after a long chase, and attempts to communicate with the mayor funnily with her impromptu-formed rag-tag squad, Mabel’s robot beaver eventually gets caught.

The Animal Council eventually discovers the humans’ experimental tech and turns it against them. Under the tutelage of Titus, the animals hold the scientists hostage and forces them to create a robotic clone of Jerry.

Titus’ goal was to use the mayor’s own noise trees meant to scare the animals away from The Glade against the humans gathered for a rally.

Just when all seems lost, the real Mayor Jerry shows a sudden flash of compassion. And perhaps with some Messianic complex involved, he hero-balls his way into a robotic beaver himself for a last-ditch effort to stop Titus.

A lot happened in between, presented with a hefty dose of comedy that keeps you guessing the characters’ fates.

Ultimately, the other animals realize Titus’ purely selfish and evil goals, and his plan backfires when he gets eaten by the Amphibian King.

In the end, the animals team up to destroy their community dam to flood a wildfire inadvertently started by Titus moments earlier.

Then, it’s a classic happy ending: The Glade is restored as a protected area, Mabel and Mayor Jerry reconcile, and the protagonist graduates with a job offer from Dr. Sam herself.

Absurdity ’til the end

The absurdity does not even end when the credits roll. In the post-credits scene, we see the elderly man Mabel previously encountered, who mistook her petition form for a grocery list.

After she takes care of her business at The Glade, Mabel sweetly fulfills the elderly man’s simple errand.

And handing the eggs, milk, and bread back to the man? Ants.

It’s as if it was a delightful Ant-Man nod, especially with the parallels between the logic there and in the MCU wherein a neurotransmitter is needed to lead ants in performing such tasks.

Perhaps, a final wink from Daniel Chong, whose direction makes up for a spectacularly good laugh.

Entertainment

Dune: Part Three teaser trailer: First look at Robert Pattinson’s Scytale

In cinemas this December

Published

March 20, 2026

GadgetMatch

Courtesy: Warner Bros. Studios

The countdown is officially on as Warner Bros. Pictures has released the teaser trailer for Dune: Part Three.

The epic conclusion to Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” trilogy opens in cinemas and IMAX this December.

In addition, character posters have also been released. Here are some, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures:

The highly anticipated film stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Florence Pugh, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Isaach De Bankolé.

The trailer, meanwhile, gives an excellent first look at Pattinson as the main antagonist of the final installment, Scytale.

In the final movie, the plot jumps ahead 17 years after Chalamet’s Paul Atreides ascended to the throne.

There will be a dramatic change in the tone from the first two films, focusing more on psychological thriller instead of a war epic, given the visuals of the previous two installments.

Atreides is now a battle-hardened Emperor, struggling with the “Holy War” that has claimed 61 million lives.

Worse, Scytale will lead a conspiracy from within that attempts to overthrow the protagonist’s empire.

Pattinson’s character will mess with Atreides’ head instead of pure brawns, in a bid to wear him down. This presents the central conflict of the upcoming film.

Features

Why the OPPO Reno15 5G series is a creator’s essential

4K Ultra-Steady, 50MP groufies, and AI edits in one device.

Published

March 19, 2026

MJ Jucutan

There are two kinds of travel essentials: the ones you pack because you have to, and the ones you pack because they make the story better.

Often, we feel forced to choose between traveling light and bringing the bulky gear necessary to document the trip properly.

On your next trip, the OPPO Reno15 5G Series eliminates that compromise. With a thoughtful mix of hardware and software, it becomes your pocket-sized production crew, ready to capture life as it unfolds.

The crew in your pocket

The first rule of travel is to keep things light, but for a creator, “light” cannot mean lower quality.

Whether you are navigating crowded night markets or chasing the golden hour on a steep, adventurous rooftop, the 4K Ultra Steady feature ensures your footage looks composed even when the environment is chaotic.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by mj (@hemjaye)

This stabilization changes the energy of a travel vlog, turning handheld montages into polished, cinematic clips that are ready for a Reel the moment you hit save.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by mj (@hemjaye)

Capturing everything and everyone

Travel stories are built on shared memories, but too often, the person behind the lens is left out.

Group shots often become a messy scramble to squeeze everyone into a tight frame. The 50MP Selfie Camera changes that outcome with its 0.6x ultra-wide-angle mode

It captures the entire group with sharp detail across the frame, ensuring no one is relegated to the blurry edges.

Even if you need to crop the image later for a specific social media layout, faces remain clear and the background stays defined.

The result is a “groufie” that feels complete and professional

Scroll-stopping memories

We often summarize our trips through collages: layered photos that tell a single story.

The AI Motion Photo Popout tool brings a new dimension to these memories. With a few taps in the Gallery, the subject separates from the background to create a sophisticated, layered effect.

These edits serve as the perfect foundation for Instagram Story covers, Reel thumbnails, or high-quality personal wallpapers.

It’s a subtle digital adjustment that makes a visible difference in how your audience experiences your journey.

Reliability for the modern creator.

A smartphone is no longer just a gadget; it is a creative partner. The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G features a sleek design that looks at home beside a passport or a boarding pass.

It’s light enough for long days of exploration but polished enough for high-end city trips. The reliable battery life supports early flights, full-day itineraries, and even late-night uploads.

You’ll spend less time searching for an outlet and more time capturing the moments that matter.

Which OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is your GadgetMatch?

The series offers variants designed to fit your specific creative style.

Pick the OPPO Reno15 5G if you want a balanced everyday companion, and if you want flexibility and reliability without overcomplicating the process.

There’s the OPPO Reno15 Pro; the choice for creators where photography and videography are the main event, offering enhanced tools in a compact form.

But if you’re a value-conscious traveler who wants a practical entry point that provides core camera and AI features, then the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is your GadgetMatch.

Whichever you choose, the series proves that a travel accessory can do more than complement an outfit. It preserves your stories because it doubles as a content creator’s must-have tool.

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G is now available in OPPO stores nationwide and the OPPO Online Store.

SEE MORE: The art of being in and behind the frame | OPPO Reno15 Pro: Camera Review