NB Freshfoam Lav ? Anyone have them? Thoughts?

Hey guys. Just wondering if anyone has these yet and can give a quick review, as TW hasn't released a review on these and there are no customer reviews yet.
 

Big Bagel

Professional
I love my pair so far. I've only taken them out a couple times, but I'm very happy with them. The feel like a better cushioned and more breathable 996v3 if you've been wearing those like I was. If they hold up then I'll definitely be buying them again in the future. But like I said, I've only taken them out a few times so far since it's been cold-ish, rainy, and we had the holidays. It's my first pair of shoes with the sock thing and I've been very pleased.
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
So far, not bad. Cushy foam that you feel more on the court than you do when trying them on at home. It's a good blend of cushion and stability. I don't think it's perfect, but I think everyone will have his/her own opinion on that. Fits better on me when the 996v3. Uppers are light, breathable and form fitting considering it's one piece. No signs of wear on the outsole, yet. I've played around 5-6 times in these, all 1.5+ hours. So far so good.
 

loosegroove

Hall of Fame
So far, not bad. Cushy foam that you feel more on the court than you do when trying them on at home. It's a good blend of cushion and stability. I don't think it's perfect, but I think everyone will have his/her own opinion on that. Fits better on me when the 996v3. Uppers are light, breathable and form fitting considering it's one piece. No signs of wear on the outsole, yet. I've played around 5-6 times in these, all 1.5+ hours. So far so good.

Can you compare by chance to Asics Gel Resolution or Wilson Rush Pro? Good to hear that they are actually cushioned, because forefoot cushioning in the 1296 (and reportedly the 996V3) was definitely lacking. I'd be willing to try a pair out if there is enough positive feedback.
 
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XFactorer

Hall of Fame
Can you compare by chance to Asics Gel Resolution or Wilson Rush Pro? Good to hear that they are actually cushioned, because forefoot cushioning in the 1296 (and reportedly the 996V3) was definitely lacking. I'd be willing to try a pair out though if there is enough positive feedback.
I've tried the Gel Res 7s and never could get heel to cup my heel securely enough for me to buy them. The Lavs don't have the most security heel for me, either, but way better than Gel Res for my foot.

Lavs are more cushy than Gel Res for sure. Never tried the Wilson Rush Pro. And forefoot cushioning in the 996v3? Ha. (None)
 

loosegroove

Hall of Fame
I've tried the Gel Res 7s and never could get heel to cup my heel securely enough for me to buy them. The Lavs don't have the most security heel for me, either, but way better than Gel Res for my foot.

Lavs are more cushy than Gel Res for sure. Never tried the Wilson Rush Pro. And forefoot cushioning in the 996v3? Ha. (None)

Sounds good to me. Maybe I'll grab a pair for my next shoe, but that will be a while as I just got some GR7s. The heel slippage issue has never been a major concern for me with the GR7, though I can understand how it could be for some, and it definitely gets better after wearing the shoes for a bit.
 

NoChance

Rookie
I'm hoping that as NB gets production going, they will offer the shoe in a 4E width. I wear their 1006 in a 4E, but would try the LAV if I could get a wide version.
 
What about size? My normal shoe size is 10.5. For the longest time, I have used Gel Resolution at 11 to avoid toe jamming. What's the size recommendation on this one?
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
What about size? My normal shoe size is 10.5. For the longest time, I have used Gel Resolution at 11 to avoid toe jamming. What's the size recommendation on this one?
I wear 9.5s and went to a 9.5. The Lav is a tad bit longer than the 996v3s. 996s were tight on me, Lav is just perfect in length.
 

airchallenge2

Hall of Fame
They look very good. I already have 6 pairs of tennis shoes in my rotation, so I'm not in a rush to buy them. However, I'd get them if I was looking for a new pair.
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
Yeah, but it seems like a lot of shoes are getting ridiculous like that. At least if you play on hard courts you should be able to get 2 pairs for 150 thanks to the durability guarantee.
The shoe is quite heavy. I'm guessing they really beefed up the outsole... not with a lot of tread, though - just a lot of rubber. The tread seems somewhat shallow. I bet these will bald and then become unplayable before the midsole is every exposed. But who knows!? They've only been out for a month.

And yeah... all premium shoes are well into the mid 100s now. *sigh*
 

mike schiffer

Semi-Pro
My first official tennis shoe was 14.95 froma Mom & Pop sports gear shop back in the 70's.....Nike Canvas shoe that wore and fit well....Yeah it's a "back in the day" story however it does not mean 150 buck tennis shoe's make sense........Support Tennis Wearhouse....there are good deals here...and a load of smart info about our sport...
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
I don't buy freshly released tennis shoes anymore since ~10 years ago precisely because of the price creep. I usually buy the previous models at marked down sale price.
That's my strategy usually, too... but this was was too enticing, I had to have it on day 1. So I pay the premium. :-(

But hey, I don't regret buying it. At least not yet.
 

Big Bagel

Professional
That's my strategy usually, too... but this was was too enticing, I had to have it on day 1. So I pay the premium. :-(

But hey, I don't regret buying it. At least not yet.
Same, with the 996 I'd always buy the old colors once it got on sale, but this time I went ahead and bought it almost right away, and I'm loving them so far.
 

Boomersooner

New User
4.0 all-court, 54 yrs old (still a good mover, but the day after singles can hurt!), stuck between size 9.5 and 10. Spectacular shoe! Went with 9.5 and the fit is perfect--snug but extremely comfortable. Stability so far is top notch. But the defining characteristic of this shoe is the fresh foam. It puts boost to shame. Under heel, it is very cushioned; in the forefoot, it is still cushioned AND very responsive. Most cushioned forefoot I've ever used in fact. I hated the 996v3, I tried the ss flytefoam and found them meh, and the zoom zero killed the top of my feet. This is a keeper, and I'm gonna order the new orange color soon.
 

jacob22

Professional
The foam cushioning sounds nice and attempting. Unfortunately, I can't imagine buying a shoe named after this mug...
 

SC in MA

Professional
I'm a long time Asics Gel Res user who's been looking for a replacement because I'm an in-between size with the Gel Res7.

Although I recently bought a pair of the Asics Court FF that works for me in a 1/2 size down, I've very interested in the FF Lav after seeing and reading all the positives.

I hope to try them on at a local store on Sunday. If I like them, I may just buy a pair, even though I usually buy my tennis shoes once they are on sale.
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
I'm a long time Asics Gel Res user who's been looking for a replacement because I'm an in-between size with the Gel Res7.

Although I recently bought a pair of the Asics Court FF that works for me in a 1/2 size down, I've very interested in the FF Lav after seeing and reading all the positives.

I hope to try them on at a local store on Sunday. If I like them, I may just buy a pair, even though I usually buy my tennis shoes once they are on sale.
Make sure you get to try them on a hard floor. Between carpet and hard flooring is between, "oh, nice" and "wow!" (at least for me)
 

SC in MA

Professional
Today I went to a local tennis shop to check out the FF Lav.

Unfortunately, they used to carry NB, but they don't now, other than existing inventory. They did have 996v3's on clearance, so I tried them on and bought a pair.

11D is my normal size, but the most comfortable 996v3 for me was an 11.5 2E.

Does anyone know if the FF Lav sizing is similar to the 996v3 ?
 

PierreMBK

Rookie
Today I went to a local tennis shop to check out the FF Lav.

Unfortunately, they used to carry NB, but they don't now, other than existing inventory. They did have 996v3's on clearance, so I tried them on and bought a pair.

11D is my normal size, but the most comfortable 996v3 for me was an 11.5 2E.

Does anyone know if the FF Lav sizing is similar to the 996v3 ?
Yep, approximately same width. So if 2E is better for you than regular D go for 2E with the Lav. For me the regular D is ok (and 2E doesn't exist/isn't sold in France :-( ). I'm in between size with shoes in general, between 10.5 and 11. As my Asics are 10.5 I ordered the same with NB but it was too short for the 996v3 and a bit short for the Lav. I returned the shoes for free thanks to the fair policy of tennis warehouse and ordered a new pair in 11. I'll see.
I preferred the comfort of the Lav but in general, for my first impression I preferred the feel of the 996 I don't know why. But maybe in real condition on a tennis court I would prefer the Lav.

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Boomersooner

New User
Today I went to a local tennis shop to check out the FF Lav.

Unfortunately, they used to carry NB, but they don't now, other than existing inventory. They did have 996v3's on clearance, so I tried them on and bought a pair.

11D is my normal size, but the most comfortable 996v3 for me was an 11.5 2E.

Does anyone know if the FF Lav sizing is similar to the 996v3 ?
The Lav is sized more like other brands than the 996. I'm a 10D and the fit is perfect. Tight(ish) for 30 minutes, then so comfortable. It's the best shoe I've used for tennis in the last 25 years.
 

PierreMBK

Rookie
Hi, I have a question for those who own the Lav. I just received my pair from Tennis Warehouse and I find it quite tight in the forefoot, not because of the width but more because the top of the shoe in the forefoot seems very low and I find my big toe a bit pinched. Otherwise the length is good, long enough. Did you experience this?

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Anyone have experience on how fresh foam cushioning holds up over time? Nike Lunar Foam always seemed to die on me after 2-3 months
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
Hi, I have a question for those who own the Lav. I just received my pair from Tennis Warehouse and I find it quite tight in the forefoot, not because of the width but more because the top of the shoe in the forefoot seems very low and I find my big toe a bit pinched. Otherwise the length is good, long enough. Did you experience this?

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Nope. I experienced a little tightness in the uppers width wise only during lateral cuts. It's loosened up after the a 3-ish times of playing in them.
 

XFactorer

Hall of Fame
Anyone have experience on how fresh foam cushioning holds up over time? Nike Lunar Foam always seemed to die on me after 2-3 months
So far so good for my pair. I've had them for 2 months now. I don't know if I'm just accustomed to the cushioning now or if it has 'deflated' a little, but the foam is still squishy. The sensation, because it's not new to me any more, isn't as "wow" as it was on day 1, but I have no complaints about how it's holding up. It's still comfortable on court. I haven't never experienced it bottoming out. With the Lunar Vapor Tours, the heel cushioning would bottom out and Lunarlon would compress and never rebound over time. Nothing like that in the Fresh Foam.
 
So far so good for my pair. I've had them for 2 months now. I don't know if I'm just accustomed to the cushioning now or if it has 'deflated' a little, but the foam is still squishy. The sensation, because it's not new to me any more, isn't as "wow" as it was on day 1, but I have no complaints about how it's holding up. It's still comfortable on court. I haven't never experienced it bottoming out. With the Lunar Vapor Tours, the heel cushioning would bottom out and Lunarlon would compress and never rebound over time. Nothing like that in the Fresh Foam.

Sounds awesome. I wore the predecessor to the 996 (851), the 996v1 and v2 but it seemed like the fit got tighter and tighter. I'll have to give them a try. I'm somewhat concerned about forefoot tightness though. I have a fat foot.
 

PierreMBK

Rookie
Sounds awesome. I wore the predecessor to the 996 (851), the 996v1 and v2 but it seemed like the fit got tighter and tighter. I'll have to give them a try. I'm somewhat concerned about forefoot tightness though. I have a fat foot.
If you're in the US, you can order/buy the wide version of the shoe. They sell 2E in addition to the standard D ;-)

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PierreMBK

Rookie
Well I decided to keep my pair in 11, size looked better than 10.5 (such as my previous Asics Gel Res 7) in which I felt a bit pinched. I'd give a try to this shoe. Despite the 1/2 size up it remains a bit tight (width, cause length is good this time). Hope it will open up after playing as many of you guys said.

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SC in MA

Professional
Well I decided to keep my pair in 11, size looked better than 10.5 (such as my previous Asics Gel Res 7) in which I felt a bit pinched. I'd give a try to this shoe. Despite the 1/2 size up it remains a bit tight (width, cause length is good this time). Hope it will open up after playing as many of you guys said.

I hope the FF Lav works out for you. As a former Gel Res user, I'll be interested in your feedback.
 

PierreMBK

Rookie
I hope the FF Lav works out for you. As a former Gel Res user, I'll be interested in your feedback.
I played my first training session and match with the Lav and it's a really nice shoe. Very dynamic and low to the ground particularly in the forefoot. It reminds me my past Ubersonic 2 in this point but it's a different shoe since the forefoot is more cushioned so more comfortable. The fit is quite snug at first and the top of the shoe quite low. I felt a bit tight with my big toe after 1 hour of playing. Generally I'm between 10.5 and 11 and when I choose 11 it's long and large enough but in this shoe I feel I don't have much space. Maybe I should have tried 11.5 (but for me it was inconceivable).

I will be a bit tight such as in my past Ubersonic 2 in 10.5. I'd prefer to have a 1/2 size up to feel more comfortable.


Compared to my Gel Res 7 I felt more comfortable as concerned the width, it's more "open". And the overall shoe is more soft and flexible compared to the Gel Res. The cushioning isn't too soft which is a good thing and quite important particularly in the heel. I felt a bit surprised by the heel to toe drop which is just huge (I checked and it's 12 millimeters, more than my running shoes) and you feel it. If you walk in the street it's not very comfortable but when you're playing it's actually quite good. I felt really dynamic particularly to come to the net or go to a dropshot.

It's definitely more dynamic than the Gel Res and more comfortable (nice midsole cushioning and outsole more soft/flexible, better heel to toe drop which is quite inexistent in the Gel Res 7, width more open in the forefoot, less narrow).

I found the cushioning a bit less comfortable than the gel court FF but more responsive as the gel cushioning is quite soft and not very responsive.

Otherwise very nice shoe for tournament match, very stable and very good cushioning. Your feet is well wrapped also.

My only regret is not having tried a 1/2 size up i.e. 11.5 instead of 11 (my Gel Res 7 was 10.5 such as my Gel Court FF in which I feel the forefoot area a bit more roomy).

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PierreMBK

Rookie
I definitely love the Lav. I won my second match with this shoe and felt really good with it. It's about the same feeling as my past Ubersonic 2. Very dynamic and performance oriented shoe.

First I was a bit afraid by the weight of the shoe. It's more than 15 onces lol, amazing weight... I was really concerned about the weight before ordering the shoe. My Ubersonic 2 was about 13 ounces but they lasted 3 or 4 months after intensive practice and tournament matches. The cushioning was almost dead (flattened) and holes in the internal forefoot area.

In the Lav I feel really secure and quite speedy, probably thanks to the quite snug feel and the booty construction. A bit tight in the forefoot with my personal soles (which are a bit thick). The shoe is really stable and well cushioned. Traction is nice also. I didn't have slippery issue.

I wondered where the weight came with this shoe as the upper seems quite light. Actually most of the weight come from the midsole cushioning and the outsole. Hope it will last more than my Ubersonic 2.

I'm also trying the new Wilson rush pro 3.0 in parallel and definitely prefer this fresh foam Lav which I find more responsive and better for tournament matches.

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teekaywhy

Professional
Got some D width Lavs. I am a EEE in most shoes and have a hard time finding shoes that fit comfortably.
That said, I usually wear 9.5 EE in NB as I"ve had the 996 V1, V2 and V3.
The D width is surprisingly comfy with minimal pressure on the outside of my feet. Definitely firm but compliant cushioning. Feels slightly better than the 996 in that regard.
Low drop and low to the ground which is ok.
Have to admit, that after using Nike's lacing systems over the last year or so, the shoe does seem to not fit as snugly as I'd like.
But no complaints whatsoever in terms of cushioning or comfort.
LAV>Zoom Zero for sure.
 
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