Fellow Cage 3 exiles...to which shoe are you going?
- Thread starter red rook
- Start date
I like the cage 3–still have 4 pairs in rotation, two nearly new—and have tried/will be keeping the cage 4. Cage 3 was supportive, had traction that did what I wanted, and was just durable enough for me. It fit my narrower foot well too. Not quite enough cushion for super long days on court, but I wouldn’t say it was lacking. The cage 4 ups the support and durability for me and has similarly responsive traction. It maybe doesn’t slide as easily, but it’s still in my wheelhouse there. Cushioning is much greater, and despite the scale it feels light...probably because it wraps my foot securely and flexes with it well. Really impressed by the update, and I think it improves upon the strength of the 3s. Not always is an updated shoe a better shoe (vapor 9.5 to X for many folks), but IMO it is here.
MUFCbmwBear
Rookie
Stocking up on Cage 3s. Have 5 pairs now, rotating 3 with two on ice.
Znak
Professional
Huh, I know he has his custom mold but yeah that strange. Maybe he'll be back to the 4s during match play?
Znak
Professional
He did have his modded cage 4s at the AO, but by that image it looks like the 3 no? Or maybe it's the 4s and it's just the angle.
innoVAShaun
Hall of Fame
E36BMWM3
Hall of Fame
He played with the zoom cage 3's last night
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Cage 3's were decent, moved on to Zoom Zero's but not as comfortable especially in the upper. I went back to Asics currently SSFF for practice and Court FF2 for matches. Likely will get some GR8's.
Znak
Professional
Yeah I saw, I wonder what he didn't like about the 4s.
taydbear7
Semi-Pro
Is that Carlos Moya in the last picture?Little zoomed in...
Znak
Professional
Yea!
mohammed_saad401
New User
Loved the Cage 3's. They ran a bit short but in your perfect size, it fit better than any other shoe I've ever had. Soft upper, breathable and the durability was right up to where it was needed.
I'm a grinder on courts and they took the beating like a badass.
Bought a couple of them, but now they're almost out.
Same question, which shoe to go to?
I want to go for the Stycons, as i prefer the glove feel.
Are they durable as well?? The uppers i'll be fine with, I'm concerned about the outsoles.
I'm a grinder on courts and they took the beating like a badass.
Bought a couple of them, but now they're almost out.
Same question, which shoe to go to?
I want to go for the Stycons, as i prefer the glove feel.
Are they durable as well?? The uppers i'll be fine with, I'm concerned about the outsoles.
TagUrIt
Hall of Fame
I used to love my Cage 3's until I didn't. I tried the Cage 4's shoe laces broke from initially trying them on! I tried the Vapor X Knit and never looked back. They are comfortable as hell, my only gripe is the soles aren't as durable as the Cage 3's and I'm not a toe dragger or slider.
mohammed_saad401
New User
Yeah i hear that about the Vapor's, a lot!! But a slider and a big toe dragger here
Cage 4's just seem too bulky. And the bulkier the shoes, the more you drag.
notawindowcleaner
New User
I went to the GP turbos. I loved how stable the ZC3s were, but I needed more cushion. I actually figured I could use a custom full-length Zoom cushion from my old basketball shoes and used those in my ZC3 before I got the turbos, so now I can switch between them when I feel like it.
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Znak
Professional
I've been thinking about the GPs as well, do you have a bit more comparison b/w the two of them?
jangotango
Semi-Pro
I used the Cage 3 for the better part of two years before the Cage 4. Now I'm on the Revolt Pro 3.0, which I feel are super similar, if not better. Same plastic-rubber "cage"/overlay, pretty light, and a bit more stable since the midsole is more continuous. The sizing fits me much better than Nike, and I've yet to have any hotspots or slips in the shoe. The only edge the cage has is that it felt a tad faster due to the air units, but it's negligable.
Lukhas
Legend
I bought a pair of Court FF2 on sale about a year ago, but with the lockdowns I haven't really even had the opportunity to put a hole in them yet. It's roomier in the forefoot but still tightens well around the ankle, the laces kind of suck, it's more expensive than I would like; otherwise it's very well put together. I think that my biggest annoyance for a slider like me is that the outsole is significantly grippier than the Cage 3. Now the Cage 3 had very slick outsoles overall, but the Court FF2 has near perfect grip; I'd appreciate if they had a bit more give to them on hard stops.
Considering where most brands are headed, I don't know what my next pair of shoes is going to be. Maybe the Revolt 3.0/3.5; I had played with the first iteration, and the fit was like a more forgiving Barricades 7 to me. They didn't have toebox jamming issues you could read in Barricade 7 reviews or that I could feel while trying out the Adidas offering; but in all honesty I rarely have much luck with the fit of Adidas shoes. The first Revolt was also very noisy. I'm worried about the uppers of the Revolt 3.5 not being up to the task: they don't seem very substantial, and I frequently break laces on slides. That being said, I always put some goo on the medial side of the shoe anyway for protection...
We'll see. For now the Court FF2 aren't going anywhere yet, both thanks to good durability and due to lack of time on-court.
Considering where most brands are headed, I don't know what my next pair of shoes is going to be. Maybe the Revolt 3.0/3.5; I had played with the first iteration, and the fit was like a more forgiving Barricades 7 to me. They didn't have toebox jamming issues you could read in Barricade 7 reviews or that I could feel while trying out the Adidas offering; but in all honesty I rarely have much luck with the fit of Adidas shoes. The first Revolt was also very noisy. I'm worried about the uppers of the Revolt 3.5 not being up to the task: they don't seem very substantial, and I frequently break laces on slides. That being said, I always put some goo on the medial side of the shoe anyway for protection...
We'll see. For now the Court FF2 aren't going anywhere yet, both thanks to good durability and due to lack of time on-court.
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Lukhas
Legend
I had tried the Fresh Foam Lav alongside the Court FF2. I decided in favour of the FF2 because the uppers of the NB felt too soft to me. I thought that they would become pretty loose with time. That being said, I'm pretty aggressive on my footwork so there's a chance it could work for you. The stock insole in the Lavs is actually one of the best stock insoles I've ever seen: pretty thick, firm but also springy and comfortable, nothing like those cheap foam outsoles... and also of no value to me whatsoever since I wear custom orthotics.
Firepandas
Rookie
I am still trying to find the right shoe to replace them unfortunately. I have to say that the Diadora Speed BlueShield 4 play similarly to them. Pretty decent durability (soles and upper) and a traction that is conducive to sliding. Unfortunately the Blueshields ride a little higher off the ground, are a little bit heavier, have way more cushioning, are not as breathable, and don't lock down as well.
I am using the Cage 4's now, although I don't like them as much. They have the durability for sliding like the Cage 3's had, but they ride way higher off the ground, are incredibly heavy, and have the silly rounded heel (just my opinion, I don't like it).
Gel Resolution 8 last me less than 10 hours on court before I put a hole in the upper.....
I am using the Cage 4's now, although I don't like them as much. They have the durability for sliding like the Cage 3's had, but they ride way higher off the ground, are incredibly heavy, and have the silly rounded heel (just my opinion, I don't like it).
Gel Resolution 8 last me less than 10 hours on court before I put a hole in the upper.....
Znak
Professional
I forgot about that shoe, I'll add it to the list in the future, thanks for the recco!
Firepandas
Rookie
No problem. Here is my full review of the shoe http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/tennis-warehouse-playtest-diadora-speed-blushield-4.681266/post-14835893
I honestly probably never would have tried them if I didn't get them for free to review. The key-takeaway is you may want to go half a size down. They widen and loosen up as you play.
mohammed_saad401
New User
i ordered a couple of pairs of stycons, as i was getting them at one third of their original price.
i like the glove like feel and low to the ground ride. also, the outsoles are decently durable.
AND...it fits my foot type, so....
i like the glove like feel and low to the ground ride. also, the outsoles are decently durable.
AND...it fits my foot type, so....
LiamMiguel
New User
I last used Cage 3 in May of 2018 then I switched to Barricades. Used Barricades for a bit then switched to Solecourt Boost while I used KSwiss Ultrashot 2 when TW had that $59 sale in May of 2019. Used SCB until I got a pair of Speed FFs in August and switched to the Cage 4 in October then Vapor X this month (found some at Ross for $30 lol). Out of all those shoes, I would say Ultrashot 2 was the best shoe especially comparing from the Cage 3s. It was stable, durable, and light-feeling which was great to have on the court.
Znak
Professional
Firepandas
Rookie
What a nuanced take...........
mohammed_saad401
New User
lol.. there might be a pretty solid reason to that statement. please enlighten us..
Maverick13
Rookie
I’m gonna try the Vapor NXT, if that doesn’t work I’m going to Yonex. The Rev 4 looks very cage like.
Crimsonchen
New User
I loved everything about the cage 3 except for maybe the cushioning. I bought a couple pairs of the gel resolution 8 and I'm loving those as well. The GR8 feels a lot more comfortable but mine tore apart a lot quicker than my cage 3s
Lukhas
Legend
I saw the GR8 on sale in a French shop (Decathlon) for a good price and tried them. For the life of me, I never managed to wear a pair of these: I have thin ankles and they tend to run too shallow at the ankle for my taste. The GR8 I tried doesn't have it as bad as some of the older models like the 5 where my heel was leaving the shoe behind even when going a size down, but I still don't feel secure in the 8 although the slippage is mostly gone. I indeed am a sucker for booty constructions, they tend to be so secure at the heel. A shame, the price on these really was good; would've picked up a pair or two.
Which area of the Gel Res failed you? The upper seemed pretty thin, but one could always use a bit of shoe glue on the medial side.
Crimsonchen
New User
It was main the bottom outsole and the ankle area on the gel res that wore out so quickly. I have never had a shoe that tore up around the ankle area like the gel resolution. Maybe it was something I did but I'm not super rough on my tennis shoes. I had holes within the shoe where my ankle was. It didn't bother me performance-wise but aesthetically it didn't look great lol. The outsoles also did not last very long and after a few months of playing, they lost pretty much all of the traction patterns on the sole.
I did buy a second pair off the bay and it's actually hasn't ripped up inside the ankle area yet. Even if the gel res doesn't last long for me, they might be one of my favorite tennis shoes in terms of cushioning l, support, and aesthetics
innoVAShaun
Hall of Fame
Just called 1-800-806-NIKE out of curiosity to check on inventory of the Cage 3s. He said they only have 2s and 4s left. We both laughed that they still had 2s.