Nike Trainer SC 2010...for clay court tennis??

[VictorS.]

I just recently purchased a pair of Nike Air Trainer SC 2010 Low shoes. These are an update on the old Bo Jackson trainers of the late 80s-early 90s. I originally purchased these shoes for working out in the gym, playing basketball, running, etc. However, I just felt these shoes feel so good that I might consider playing tennis in them.

Obviously these shoes probably wouldnt last very long on a hard court. However, I play a lot of clay court tennis. I'm curious, how would these outsoles hold up on a clay court? They don't have that traditional herringbone pattern. However, they also don't seem to have that waffle sole that is so bad for clay courts. Please let me know your opinions.

Now I often hear the "don't wear cross-trainers for tennis" argument. But I can't help but remember that John McEnroe wore trainers for a large part of his career. In addition, Agassi, Wilander and many others made the Nike Air Trainer 1 a classic shoe to wear.

Picture of the Outsole: http://cdn.nicekicks.wpengine.com/wp/files/2010/05/nike-traincer-sc-2010-whitemetallicsilver-1.jpg

 

[Sinner]

This is interesting. I've never played on a clay court, so I don't have any input, but I do have the SC 2010's. Like you said, the outsole might be a little too soft for pounding around on a hardcourt but for clay, who knows. Nike made this outsole more for turf training/drills as well as for the gym. The problem I suspect for clay would be that the gaps/grooves of their Diamond-flex pattern are too big and that a lot of clay would get stuck in a short while.

As for Nike cross-trainers for tennis... of course. Technically, cross trainers are good for a variety of sports... at least, that used to be the case. Nowadays, Nike seems to be making their trainers more for turf and indoor "training", rather than for various sports. Seems like the whole "training" mentality has changed.

 

[VictorS.]

Thanks for the input. You know, Wilander, Agassi, & McEnroe all played at the French Open in the Nike Air Trainer 1's. Obviously this was 20 yrs ago & the level of sophistication of sneakers has changed dramatically. But those guys seemed to move ok on the court wearing them. Wilander, I believe, won the tournament wearing them.

bottom of the sole for Nike Trainer 1's (original): http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/nike-trainer1-qk-3.jpg

 

[Airwolf]

All of those players listed above had clay soles on their Trainers when they played the French. I remember Mac having a white Air Trainer 1 with a grass sole one year.

My guess is that the original trainer outsole would not give you much traction on clay.

 

[Sinner]

^ Yep, exactly. Though it was not uncommon back then for Nike to make custom outsoles for their players depending on the surface. Probably a full-herringbone pattern for clay and the pimple-pattern for the grass.

Victor ~ I'm a huge fan of the original Air Trainer 1's that McEnroe/Agassi/Mats wore. But that's the thing with Nike and their whole cross-training philosophy... its changed a lot over the years. Like I mentioned before, back then trainers were for different sports, while trainers today are for, well, training. Doing different exercises and footwork drills, that sorta stuff. True, the trainers are more sophisticated nowadays, but their purpose is also different now.

And in case you've never seen these... a couple of great vids on the Air Trainer from the legendary Tinker Hatfield.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyVA27dSKW8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_UY4F1EVIQ