New Balance Fresh Foam X CT-Rally

Had worn Gel Res 8 and prior generations previously but switched to the NB CT a little after they released. I wear them in wide and they've been quite lovely. They get a little warm (for me) but otherwise been nice.
 
Worn them on the court today, nice easy hitting session and played (3) tie breaks. My favorite shoe so far, super comfortable, feet don't slide around at all (wearing Thorlos Max Cushion), lock down is very good, and surprisingly feel very light and quick. My feet felt great after 1.5 hours, no issues with pain, soreness, pressure, etc...

Hesi said:
Had worn Gel Res 8 and prior generations previously but switched to the NB CT a little after they released. I wear them in wide and they've been quite lovely. They get a little warm (for me) but otherwise been nice.
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yoka37 said:
I’ve noticed the excessive heat too when weather is 80+ deg F
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I had no issues with excessive heat, and it was I believe 82 with a feels like of about 92 (80% humidity) at 8am. It was warm outside, felt like my whole body was getting baked in the sun but at no point did I even think about my feet.

With all that being said, I am abandoning all my other shoes and going to use these from now on.
 
StringStrungStrang said:
@Hesi and @yoka37 I have to say I am very impressed with the NB Fresh Foam shoes in general - they re very comfortable, absorb shock well and are roomy, especially the wide. They perform quite well too. What I like is that they are very easy on my feet and joints so I can play longer or on consecutive days without issue.
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Same, I am a fan of them on the running shoe side as well. My favorite running shoes the past few years have been mostly from Asics, New Balance, and just a little bit of Hoka. They're also the brands with more wide options too thankfully (a bit of chicken/egg but w/e).

Parabellum said:
Worn them on the court today, nice easy hitting session and played (3) tie breaks. My favorite shoe so far, super comfortable, feet don't slide around at all (wearing Thorlos Max Cushion), lock down is very good, and surprisingly feel very light and quick. My feet felt great after 1.5 hours, no issues with pain, soreness, pressure, etc...





I had no issues with excessive heat, and it was I believe 82 with a feels like of about 92 (80% humidity) at 8am. It was warm outside, felt like my whole body was getting baked in the sun but at no point did I even think about my feet.

With all that being said, I am abandoning all my other shoes and going to use these from now on.
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Yeah great mix of comfort and performance in my experience too. As for the heat thing, I run hot in general...lived in the California sun and Asian humid summers my whole life but always felt more comfortable in shorts in a blizzard. So I'm a bit more weak/sensitive to heat generation with clothes and shoes. I think it's a fine compromise with the general comfort of the shoe, though. Sweat like if Tiafoe and Roddick had a son.
 
I like the CT-Rally too. I've been trying them alongside the Coco CG2. CG2 feels more cushioned for me but the ankle support part of the shoe rubs me the wrong way and it can be painful sometimes. CT-Rally fit me well right off the bat and I don't really think about my shoes at all while I'm playing which is a good sign. I'll have to see how they hold up in the coming summer especially with the heat. I think the only thing I prefer with the CG2 is I think they look way better. I have the green CT-Rally and they're alright but the new purple ones look pretty cool.

I'm interested in the Coco Delrays as well but I heard they don't have a 6 month outsole warranty so maybe I'll try them if I wear my CT-Rally/CG2 out and get a replacement voucher.
 
Just got a pair of these the other day. I really like the build quality. Very stable and durable. Also like the outsoles. But is it me or do these shoes have little to no arch support? I was wearing them around the house for like 10 minutes and the arch on my left foot was really starting to hurt. I took the shoes off and was investigating the insoles. Seems like it's flat in there. Almost no arch support at all. Guess I'll be sending these back. Such a shame because they were great in every other way.
 
TennisManiac said:
Just got a pair of these the other day. I really like the build quality. Very stable and durable. Also like the outsoles. But is it me or do these shoes have little to no arch support? I was wearing them around the house for like 10 minutes and the arch on my left foot was really starting to hurt. I took the shoes off and was investigating the insoles. Seems like it's flat in there. Almost no arch support at all. Guess I'll be sending these back. Such a shame because they were great in every other way.
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I have very flat feet and find them perfect,which may suggest yes to your question! I do think they would take insoles quite well which could help with arch support - I found superfeet green to take up too much volume, and superfeet carbon to be too thin, thinking blue may be perfect in them
 
the_faceless_player said:
I'm not a Rally diehard like some of the folks in here but I have played in these and didn't feel like they were a massive departure from the overall playability of v1. I don't want to say much more since I've been chastised before for over-sharing.
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In the V2? Did you feel any difference in the breathability? That wasn't a -huge- issue for me, but was something I thought could be improved.
 
White with Green Apple
Comes in standard width and 2E

mchralg_nb_02_i

mchralg_nb_05_i

mchralg_nb_03_i

mchralg_nb_04_i

mchralg_nb_06_i
 
I still don’t see breathability as an issue. I live in South Florida and had a tournament last weekend 90+ degrees & 70%+ humidity. Never once thought of or had an issue with my shoes/feet.
 
Parabellum said:
I still don’t see breathability as an issue. I live in South Florida and had a tournament last weekend 90+ degrees & 70%+ humidity. Never once thought of or had an issue with my shoes/feet.
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You're a stronger person than I am for sure lol. I run very warm and have been weak to heat my whole life. Asian summers in places at 75-90% humidity turns me into an AC machine magnet. Proposed in such heat and humidity and the ring almost slipped out my fingers..
 
Hesi said:
You're a stronger person than I am for sure lol. I run very warm and have been weak to heat my whole life. Asian summers in places at 75-90% humidity turns me into an AC machine magnet. Proposed in such heat and humidity and the ring almost slipped out my fingers..
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I despise heat and the tournament(s) are BRUTAL but I fight on because I love the competition. Trust me, while I’m playing I’m just thinking to myself “why the f am I doing this, I want this to end” anyways, like you, give me AC all day everyday lol and recently I’ve been told I run warm as well, which is probably why the heat sucks more. I also had a heat stroke almost 10 years ago, blacked out, and hospitalized, yeah… I think I really hate the heat
 
“why the f am I doing this, I want this to end”

I was echoing this same thing a few weeks ago, playing a league match in 100 deg heat. It was dubs, but still miserable. Tennis was such a secondary thought to "don't throw up" and "don't pass out".

Teammate played singles 5-7, 5-7, 2.5 hours. DEATH.
 
Found a pair of CT Rally V2s available in the UK and ordered some... Although the website (I guess we're not allowed to mention competitor site names?) calls them 'Court Rallys'.

Luckily had my size although I don't like having to pay for delivery AND returns if they don't feel right. Hopefully they arrive and the order doesn't get cancelled.

Currently in the Lotto Raptors so curious what the differences will be.
 
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The v2 is also now on the New Balance site in 2 blah colorways. It says 13.7 ounces for v2 and 15 ounces for v1. Those are weights for the D width, not the extra wide. TW says those weights are 15.8 for v2 and 14.2 for v1. Not sure what to make of any of that.
 
Sounds like we should try them and judge for ourselves. 15.8 just doesn’t feel as heavy anymore with modern foams and shanks
 
LiamMiguel said:
Looks like a 996 v4.75 or whatever version we’re on now. Going away from the silhouette of the Lav v2 and the original CT-Rally might not be the greatest idea. Cool looking shoe though.
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Can you or anyone else who has tried both the CT-Rally and Lav V2 comment on any differences in fit (specifically the toebox width)? Did the same size in two models fit the same? Not sure if the two were built on the same last... :unsure:
 
Quick first impressions of CT Rally 2:

I haven't tried any other New Balance tennis shoes but the NB993 are my daily trainer and have had casual NB shoes in the past, so that's my only NB reference. I found the CT Rally 2 fits a lot tighter than the non-tennis shoes. Definitely far tighter than my Lotto Raptors and Mizuno Wave Exceeds in the same shoe size. Probably could have sized up half a size looking backl. But the are still fine, not painfully tight, so I'm keeping them. I'd rather have them snug than lose. No blisters or rubbing, used a runners knot because initially I felt some heel slippage.

Comparing them to the Lotto Raptors... the CT Rally 2 definitely feel a lot plusher. Raptors always felt like I'm walking on a plank (that happens to be a decently supportive tennis shoe) so this is a nice change - they're nothing like running shoes obviously, but definitely more bounce than the Raptors. I find that I pronate/lean inwards more in the Rallys than I do with the Raptor, which is probably just a function of the sole shape. I didn't notice this as a negative while playing which is fine.

I don't think there's a significant weight difference (Raptors feel slightly heavier in hand) but the Rally 2 feels so much quicker on court and lighter on foot, which I like. Felt like I could move quickly and pretty confidently around and I didn't subconsciously question stability/support at all. Played on a few hot days and didn't feel like my feet were unusually hot or anything. They like to squeak on indoor courts.

Looking forward to playing more in them.
 
It looks like there's another colorway available on the NB site starting tomorrow (white/gum). I just ordered my first pair of Lacoste AG-LT Ultras to see how they compare to the CT Rally which have been my go to for a couple of years (used the Lav's before that).
 
atatu said:
It looks like there's another colorway available on the NB site starting tomorrow (white/gum). I just ordered my first pair of Lacoste AG-LT Ultras to see how they compare to the CT Rally which have been my go to for a couple of years (used the Lav's before that).
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Lav V1 was my main shoes for around 3-4 years since its release in 2019. After all my 7-8 pairs were dead, I have not progressed to V2 because of the bad initial reviews. Instead I tried different shoes and until last year, I finally got my hands on the Lacoste AG-LT Ultras and though they are not similar to Lav V1 in terms of feel, I am of the view that they are the best shoes on the market right now with a good blend of relatively light weight and cushioning.
 
d-quik said:
Do the Lav V2 and the CT-Rally 1 fit identically or differently in your experiences (assuming the sizes are the same)? :unsure:
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I thought they did but I never wore the CT-Rally in play, only to try on. Not sure how it fit after breaking in the shoe. FDZ has a CT-Rally video and probably describes fit.
 
Just got the V1s half size down, D width and I’m getting a little bit of heel slippage even after using the heel lock hole. Maybe I have skinny ankles. Anyone also experience this and found a way to lock it down?

The shoes feel abit stiff at the moment but I’m hoping as people say it will soften up
 
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GN-001 said:
Just got these half size down, D width and I’m getting a little bit of heel slippage even after using the heel lock hole. Maybe I have skinny ankles. Anyone also experience this and found a way to lock it down?

The shoes feel abit stiff at the moment but I’m hoping as people say it will soften up
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I don't have the V2 but my experience with the V1:
  • No issue with heel slippage for me so unfortunately no comment there
  • Shoes softened up for me after the first time playing with them. But they were noticeably already softer out of the box than my previous gel res shoes.
 
Definitely still got some heel slippage. I think the ankle area is abit wide for me.

I've had a light jog with it and it has definitely softened up. Havent taken them out to the courts yet, hopefully I can figure out what to do with the heel slippage issue
 
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