Diadora Speed Blushield 5 AG

FloridaAG said:

Report from the Court. Extremely plush and cushioned. My feet have not been this happy for over 2 years when I last wore the original Asics Court FF. No rubbing or toe iritation and very stable

Definitely heavy and noticeable. If you qant a light shoe look elsewhere

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tennisboy2121 said:

I finally wore out my last pair of Asic court ff. By far my favorite shoe of the last ten years or maybe ever. I have never used Diadora before. I am definitely intetested in hearing more about them. How is it for sliding?

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FloridaAG said:

Report from the Court. Extremely plush and cushioned. My feet have not been this happy for over 2 years when I last wore the original Asics Court FF. No rubbing or toe iritation and very stable

Definitely heavy and noticeable. If you qant a light shoe look elsewhere

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FloridaAG said:

I have never worn the Mizuno. My last shoes were the Gel Res 8s so I can compare. For me, these are much more comfortable. Less discomfort in forefoot and toes. Less heel slippage although I used the heelock method on my laces. More bounce from the foam-cushion. I think they are wider and feel slightly heavier to me

Overall for me based on one day on the Court, I strongly prefer these but time will tell

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JGads said:

Good to know. Heel slippage issue on the 8s was rough.

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JGads said:

Good to know. Heel slippage issue on the 8s was rough.

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FloridaAG said:

Report from the Court. Extremely plush and cushioned. My feet have not been this happy for over 2 years when I last wore the original Asics Court FF. No rubbing or toe iritation and very stable

Definitely heavy and noticeable. If you qant a light shoe look elsewhere

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tomato123 said:

Before that was the Wave Exceed Tour 4 at size 10.5 for over a year, which may have actually been the cause of my achilles issues because I wasn't aware of the "heel counter" factor and mistakenly thought I could live with the slight slippage.

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PD1978 said:

True to size or fit large?

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JGads said:

Curious what you mean by a heel counter factor with the Mizunos? Like not totally locked in? I have the Mizunos and they seem to be pretty good.

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Power Player said:

Should have my pair tomorrow. I am looking forward to these. I can handle a little extra weight if the comfort is there. I sized down in the SCBs and will stay with that size for the Diadoras.

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the_faceless_player said:

These shoes are criminally under rated. The Fly 3 are also very good and are the one of, if not the best sock style shoe on the market IMO.

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JGads said:

Oh? You have both these and the Flys?

The one thing that has given me some pause is in the customer reviews on these shoes as well as the Flys, someone talks of them narrowing the toebox angle on these editions. I do have a problem with many shoes funneling inward too sharply, cramming in my outer toes. Curious how that'll be here.

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FloridaAG said:

Can only speak for myself but the toe box is very wide from my perspective. Roomier than the Gel Res 8s for sure

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JGads said:

Good to know. GR8 pinched at the sides. With that extra length off the toe of the GR8 I really needed to go half size down to be locked in but then once you did that it was murder on the outer toes. Good to know that wouldn't be the case here.

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JGads said:

Oh? You have both these and the Flys?

The one thing that has given me some pause is in the customer reviews on these shoes as well as the Flys, someone talks of them narrowing the toebox angle on these editions. I do have a problem with many shoes funneling inward too sharply, cramming in my outer toes. Curious how that'll be here.

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the_faceless_player said:

I play tested the 5 before it came out and would have kept them if they had sent me my usual size. I own the Fly 3. I haven't had any issues with the toebox angle in the Fly 3 (it is not quite as roomy as the Speed 5 though). That issue is basically the reason I have abandoned Nike for the most part bc most of them feel like Elf shoes to me the last few years. Initially, the Fly 3 have an odd crease in the upper right behind the medial drag patch that was more annoying than anything but it went away after a few hours of use.

The Fly 3 has almost the same amount of cushion as the Speed 5 but in the sock style upper I prefer. The upper over the foot is absurdly well cushioned compared to any other sock style shoe out (Uber 4, Lav, etc). They have been plenty stable for me and grip the court well. I torched the outsole of the Speed FF2 in 5 sessions and these are already obviously more durable. The Fly 3 have become my go to shoe for singles hitting. Just wore them hitting with a D1 commit today and they performed fantastic. They really are a unique blend of sock style fit with more cushion and support than typically found in those type of shoe. I'd also take them all day over the upcoming Lav V2 I spent 2 months testing.

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JGads said:

Wow, that's some pretty high praise. You mentioned the Speed FF2s - I have them, and I do like them, I just don't love them as I loved, say the SS2 or the original Court FF. Needed to half-size up for a comfier fit width wise. Not having the durability issue you had but the Speeds I have are for clay so a different story there maybe. Very good info. Any further comparison to the FF2, fit and performance wise, aside from the durability? But some great notes above already which I'll keep for future reference. Always struggling with shoes. Speeds and the Mizuno Exceed 4s are the best of the bunch for me right now, rotating them.

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the_faceless_player said:

I like the stability of the Fly 3 more than the Speed FF2. The Speed FF2 feels like it has a narrow sole profile compared to the Fly (and the Uber 4) and there are times on lateral changes of direction where I feel like my foot pitches over the sole as a result, leading to less stability and some slipping. I also find I have to lace them with a heel lock to secure my heel all the way. The Speed FF2 does make it stupid easy to slide into shots on hard court but I am less confident in them during singles bc I just feel like the base under my foot is too narrow when I plant and change direction. I also just don't love how much TPU Asics insists on using on their uppers (they ruined the original Court FF for me when they coated it entirely in rubber on the 2). The Fly 3 just feels more natural IMO. The Fly 3 and Speed FF2 are similar in breathability just bc the Fly has a dense layer of foam in the middle of the sock liner layers.

The Fly 3 is so well cushioned inside that sock upper that I can tighten the laces as needed without fear of them digging into my foot. It also has an interesting double flange eyelet at the top helps create extra security around the ankle.

Right now the Fly 3 is my go to for singles and I use the Uber 4 for doubles. My Asics have a little life left so I will use them a bit more but with switching to our gritty outdoor courts they will probably be totally shot in a week or 2.

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JGads said:

Man, that narrow sole profile as well as the foot pitching just over the sole are precisely my complaints with the Speed FF2s, so you have my attention here. Thanks for the detailed response. Last Qs and then I'll leave you alone: would you choose the Blushield 5s or these Fly 3s if you had to choose one? You said you love both, just wondering if one of them gets the slight edge. And is the Fly a recommended half size down just like the Blushield 5? Same size in both? Cheers.

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the_faceless_player said:

I lean toward the Fly 3 just bc my preference is for sock style uppers these days (I hate adjusting tongues ) and I don't find I need the bit of extra toe box width the 5 has. I don't feel like I'm really sacrificing much if any cushion in the Fly vs. the Speed. I went with my usual size 10 in the Fly 3 and it feels great. My Speed 5 test shoe was a 10.5 so hard to judge, but I bet I would have considered going to a 9.5 if I was buying it. In the Fly I personally don't feel the need to size down.

Hope that helps!

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RickySpanish said:

I'm a huge fan of the fly 2s. I was going to try the fly 3s but was hesitant because I wasn't crazy about the styling and the lone review wasn't too good. I went with the Speed 5 but haven't tried it yet. I'm pleased with the fit at least. I think Diadora is on FIRE with their shoes. I have a pair of GR8s and Mizuno wave 4s to compare. I think the GR8 are extremely overrated. The Mizunos are definitely great shoes for their lighter weight. But there is something about the comfort of the Diadora flys 2s that when I put them on I want to keep them on all day.

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RickySpanish said:

I'm a huge fan of the fly 2s. I was going to try the fly 3s but was hesitant because I wasn't crazy about the styling and the lone review wasn't too good. I went with the Speed 5 but haven't tried it yet. I'm pleased with the fit at least. I think Diadora is on FIRE with their shoes. I have a pair of GR8s and Mizuno wave 4s to compare. I think the GR8 are extremely overrated. The Mizunos are definitely great shoes for their lighter weight. But there is something about the comfort of the Diadora flys 2s that when I put them on I want to keep them on all day.

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Power Player said:

Got my 5s and they are currently on my feet. I will play tennis with them later today. Impressions so far:

Well they are much better than the Adidas Solematch Bounce, which I removed immediately after feeling the arch.

The fit is real nice on my wide feet but surprisingly a little narrower than I expected (narrower than sole court boosts in the same size). I loosened the laces a little up front and tightened them down more towards the tongue and that seems to work great. I typically have to do this, as I have pretty wide feet. I also use the deeper “ankle lock” holes for my final tie off. I think the reason they say to size down is because these shoes are pretty long. The length seems a half size bigger to me, even sized down. So while my big toe is a bit over a thumbnail length from the front of the shoe, it’s nothing I have not dealt with before. For the record, the SCBs in the same size are only a thumbnail’s length - essentially the SCBs toe box is almost tailor made for my feet. That said, I wonder if they are a bit too wide sometimes as I can feel the SCBs inside seams rub against my foot in uncomfortable ways at times when I am playing. The Diadoras hug my feet tighter and I am curious how that will translate to the court. It very well may be a better fit, especially when they break in.

The narrower profile reminds me a bit of Asics Res when I look down at them. This may just be because I have been looking down at SCBs for 2 years.

Zero heel slippage. I feel very locked into this shoe. Most importantly, no more ankle irritation from that area of the shoe. That was killing me with the SCBs and made the nice wide toebox an afterthought after years of dealing with the ankle rub.

I should add that these look better in person. They are not the best looking tennis shoes I have owned, but don’t put off the bit of “wal-mart“ sheen that they kind of do in the pics. I think they look pretty good, so I am happy with that.

Lots of potential here. I will wear them a couple more hours around the house and then give them a nice court workout and report back.

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JGads said:

Did you go with the black/yellows or the white/black?

Wondering if they'll feel heavy/muddy in play, though doesn't seem to be a complaint. Very interesting that they still feel narrow - and long. What a dumb fit situation. Good luck.

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Power Player said:

White/black - it looks good.

Also since my last post the width is already breaking in. So they are not feeling as narrow now. I'm really liking the fit even more. The extra length is a little odd, but at this very moment they are feeling like gloves. If this translates on the court, I will be quite happy.

Other thing is so far they don't feel heavy to me at all. That may be mental since the longer toe makes them look faster than the SCBs.

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JGads said:

Other things I'd be curious about: arch support, and whether it's fine stock or needs an insole. And whether that extra room at the front causes slippage. I've been dealing with some really thick calluses built up over time at the balls of my feet and when the foot slides within the shoe, it can aggravate.

At this point the two Diadoras are about the only rocks left unturned for me. There are some sweet looking Wilson shoes coming out here (Kaos Swift, they're called) but they'll likely be too narrow. When the dust settles these wide feet will likely still be in the Mizunos or maybe one of these Diadoras. Speed FF2s are solid too but just a wee bit narrow. They say that the Fila Axilus shoe is good for wide feet, too, but we don't seem to have those here in Europe.

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erikm said:

I've been using the Blushield 5s for a few weeks. I usually wear a 12 in other brands, but the Blushield 5 11.5 size is a better fit. When I decided to go with them, I was lucky enough to have size 12 Gel Res 8s in a 2E width, the 11.5 Blushields, and a pair of size 12 Blushields to compare. I didn't weigh them, but I can't really say that the Diadoras felt heavier than the GR8s. They were definitely more locked in, though. I've worn Gel Res shoes for years, using the heel lock lacing, until I started getting achilles problems a few months ago from my last pair of GR7s. Now, I can't wear that pair of GR7s even for a few hours without getting heel problems. Even with the heel lock lacing on both the size 12 Blushields the GR8s, I felt a little slippage. I don't have any with the size 11.5 Blushields. Both brands use exactly the same stock insoles. Since I got the achilles problems, I've been using over the counter orthotics with a plastic heel cup anyway, which gives me better arch support (I have a high arch and instep).
There are a few other areas where I think the Diadoras are better:
- the laces are the right length for heel lock lacing. With every generation of the Gel Res, the laces are too short (for my high instep feet) when I use the heel lock lacing, and they're a PITA to tie.
- The Gel Res laces are really thin. Diadora's hold the knot better, and they don't feel like they're digging into your foot as much.
- The Gel Res outsole ends right at the outside edge of the shoe on the forefoot lateral side. In previous models, I've worn through the outsole there and exposed the plastic shank pretty rapidly, making the shoe feel slick. The Diadora outsole wraps up around that area and also flares a little to provide a wider footprint, which feels more stable.
- the outsole pattern. The Diadora modified herringbone gets thicker where there's more anticipated wear. It corresponds pretty exactly to where I see the most wear in my shoes. The Asics outsole kind of does that, but the logic isn't as clear, with the constant changing of angles and densities, and those pivot points never seemed to me to add anything to at least my tennis movement.
- This is a subtle one: I've always wished that shoe designers could figure out ways to make the logos functional and not just huge pieces of plastic that add weight and reduce ventilation (apart from the problematic resource waste and additional pointless landfill). While they could go further, the Diadoras feel like at least the lower part of the logo adds some lateral stability to the surrounding open mesh. The Gel Res 8 has a dense plastic upper surrounding their logo that provides the lateral stability, so the logo really is just pasted on. It's a modern designer thing - honesty of expression, material and function. Every other part of the shoe tries to achieve that; why not the logo as well, especially since it's such a huge part, area-wise, of the design?
In the past, I've worn Adidas Barricade 7, 8, and 9 (I think), Adidas Solecourt Boost, Asics Gel Res 5, 6, and 7, Asics Solution Speed, New Balance Fresh Foam Lav, and now the Diadoras. Maybe it's recency bias, but in my opinion, the Diadoras compare favorably to all of the previous models and are the best balance, for now, of price, support, comfort, durability, and design.
There's some confusion over the 6 month durability warranty with this Blushield model. I can confirm that they do offer the warranty, and there's a warranty card that's included in the box.

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Power Player said:

I logged 2 hours with these shoes and I have to say, so far I am very happy.

Coming from the SCB, they feel less clunky on the court to me. Obviously the digging ankle collar is not an issue with these shoes either.

They thankfully are not too tight. I think I may have 2E Width, I need to get measured again, but I can say that they are just wide enough for me, which is very beneficial because they dont rub my feet but they keep me locked in. I never felt like I was swimming in the shoe. They basically felt like a part of my foot which was nice. As a result I did not feel they were too heavy, even though they are heavier shoes. This is one of the coolest parts - you get all the cushioning and stability without feeling like you have on moonboots.

Since they are a little long, I did notice the balls of my feet slipped a little if I did a dead stop on a sprint, but its not as bad as with other shoes. I feel like this could possibly be solved with some grippier socks (I ordered the solincos to try).

I would say I have never found a perfect fitting shoe for me, so this has to be one of the closest I can think of. The slippage is not so bad for me that I think it will become a problem. I will update if this changes, but it felt pretty minor, all things considered.

The heel cushioning on these is just crazy good. Up front as well. What a great job they did there. Dramatic difference from the SCBs.

As for an insole. I wish I knew more about them. I used to use Superfeet greens, which have a rather high arch (I have pretty high arches and it took some adjustment)and I'm not sure if they helped me or not (its been years). But an insole upgrade with these could take them to another level possibly. Or not. I am open to suggestions there.

Definitely pleased with this purchase since there just are not a lot of options for wide footed players. I'd love to try the Mizunos when they are in stock again as a second pair, but I can definitely say these Diadoras are a winner for me so far.

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tomato123 said:

I feel like the shoe strikes a really good balance between a lot of beneficial qualities without compromising on other areas (e.g. weight, cushioning, stability, etc) and unless there's a compelling need for insoles I think they are fine as is (hopefully), but I'll have to play on court myself tomorrow to see. I've been wearing custom orthotic insoles for the last 2 years and when I walked around with the Blushield 5's with them on, it kind of felt like a different shoe and found myself wanting to go back to the plush and "connected" feel without the insoles.

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Power Player said:

I logged 2 hours with these shoes and I have to say, so far I am very happy.

Coming from the SCB, they feel less clunky on the court to me. Obviously the digging ankle collar is not an issue with these shoes either.

They thankfully are not too tight. I think I may have 2E Width, I need to get measured again, but I can say that they are just wide enough for me, which is very beneficial because they dont rub my feet but they keep me locked in. I never felt like I was swimming in the shoe. They basically felt like a part of my foot which was nice. As a result I did not feel they were too heavy, even though they are heavier shoes. This is one of the coolest parts - you get all the cushioning and stability without feeling like you have on moonboots.

Since they are a little long, I did notice the balls of my feet slipped a little if I did a dead stop on a sprint, but its not as bad as with other shoes. I feel like this could possibly be solved with some grippier socks (I ordered the solincos to try).

I would say I have never found a perfect fitting shoe for me, so this has to be one of the closest I can think of. The slippage is not so bad for me that I think it will become a problem. I will update if this changes, but it felt pretty minor, all things considered.

The heel cushioning on these is just crazy good. Up front as well. What a great job they did there. Dramatic difference from the SCBs.

As for an insole. I wish I knew more about them. I used to use Superfeet greens, which have a rather high arch (I have pretty high arches and it took some adjustment)and I'm not sure if they helped me or not (its been years). But an insole upgrade with these could take them to another level possibly. Or not. I am open to suggestions there.

Definitely pleased with this purchase since there just are not a lot of options for wide footed players. I'd love to try the Mizunos when they are in stock again as a second pair, but I can definitely say these Diadoras are a winner for me so far.

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