WilsonPlayer101
Professional
I'm pushing 50 and I know from past experience that shoes used to be built more comfortably.
I understand that today's shoes are lighter and more streamlined with the thought in mind to be more maneuverable but I think actually comfort and support for your foot has gone out the window. Even K-Swiss are not that comfortable.
I bought some shoes today. I don't buy from TW or any online source tennis shoes unless it's a model I know works well for me. I will buy racquets and strings and other gear from TW but shoes I have to try on. Now I know a shoe I bought today is good I can buy from TW. This goes for other shoes, just not tennis. For example, at Ross about two years ago I tried on some Brooks Ascend running shoes that were inexpensive there but expensive full price at a regular retail store. Those shoes are super comfortable and supportive and not too heavy. Now I know the Ascend work for me and what size is right in that model, now I can buy online which I have since.
Okay, so I need new tennis shoes, I am long overdue. I was wearing a pair of Diadora I started wearing a year ago and these were good at once but now way worn out. I finally have time to go to the tennis shop near me and buy some. So it's sad, I try out about 7 different brands and many models of each brand and I can only come up with one that really is the right shoe for me and a couple others that are a bit better than just okay. I settled on the Head Revolt in 11. I'm normally 10.5 but in some brands you need to go up and this one I did. This Revolt had a good arch support and the whole shoe had good support for my whole foot. The Nike Cage 2 was roomy and comfortable enough but it didn't feel as supportive as the Revolt. Another I semi-liked was a K-Swiss. I forget which model but it was passable for a good shoe but not nearly as good as the Revolt. Sadly K-Swiss used to be one of the most comfortable and most supportive shoe out there in my opinion but they followed suit as the other major brands and now aren't really that good in terms of comfort and support. Just 10 years ago my wife bought me some K-Swiss. I forget the model. It was the most comfortable and supportive shoe. I wish I had foresaw the change of shoe design and stocked up on old school tennis shoes. Some people describe really comfortable plush tennis shoes as being bulky and built like a boat but not all were all that bulky but at the same time they were of great comfort.
I think younger people who just started playing about 10 years ago when shoes started to change drastically are none the wiser but for people who have been playing since the 80s or 90s or very early Y2K we know better, we have something to compare to.
Even running shoes. I use good running shoes as my everyday walking shoes when I don't need to wear dress shoes. I found that the running shoes sub-$100 aren't really that comfortable. I need to buy something along the lines of a over $100 Brooks or Asics to get that feels really good and are supportive. The Big 5 usual lower line Asics don't cut it. I don't have to spend over $100 for a good one but I mean ones that usually go for over $100 are the right ones. I always find them on discount somewhere. So I may spend $90 plus tax or shipping on a closeout model but they normally would be about $130 or up. If the Ascend 2 is an old model and the 3 is out I can find the 2 for a lot less than the 3 or when the 2 was a new model.
Shoes now are either too narrow in the toe box or they lack arch support or the general support for the foot is just not there. Most shoes that I tried feel like shoes that I have worn out and feel hard under the foot with no much cushion. Like a shoes that started out good but now has not much support. If I wanted that I would just keep on wearing my old Diadora that were once good.
Do you old school players like me notice the difference in shoes now? And you fairly new players who started in the past 10 years do feel shoes don't have much support or cushion even though you haven't had much experience with a really good supportive shoe?
I understand that today's shoes are lighter and more streamlined with the thought in mind to be more maneuverable but I think actually comfort and support for your foot has gone out the window. Even K-Swiss are not that comfortable.
I bought some shoes today. I don't buy from TW or any online source tennis shoes unless it's a model I know works well for me. I will buy racquets and strings and other gear from TW but shoes I have to try on. Now I know a shoe I bought today is good I can buy from TW. This goes for other shoes, just not tennis. For example, at Ross about two years ago I tried on some Brooks Ascend running shoes that were inexpensive there but expensive full price at a regular retail store. Those shoes are super comfortable and supportive and not too heavy. Now I know the Ascend work for me and what size is right in that model, now I can buy online which I have since.
Okay, so I need new tennis shoes, I am long overdue. I was wearing a pair of Diadora I started wearing a year ago and these were good at once but now way worn out. I finally have time to go to the tennis shop near me and buy some. So it's sad, I try out about 7 different brands and many models of each brand and I can only come up with one that really is the right shoe for me and a couple others that are a bit better than just okay. I settled on the Head Revolt in 11. I'm normally 10.5 but in some brands you need to go up and this one I did. This Revolt had a good arch support and the whole shoe had good support for my whole foot. The Nike Cage 2 was roomy and comfortable enough but it didn't feel as supportive as the Revolt. Another I semi-liked was a K-Swiss. I forget which model but it was passable for a good shoe but not nearly as good as the Revolt. Sadly K-Swiss used to be one of the most comfortable and most supportive shoe out there in my opinion but they followed suit as the other major brands and now aren't really that good in terms of comfort and support. Just 10 years ago my wife bought me some K-Swiss. I forget the model. It was the most comfortable and supportive shoe. I wish I had foresaw the change of shoe design and stocked up on old school tennis shoes. Some people describe really comfortable plush tennis shoes as being bulky and built like a boat but not all were all that bulky but at the same time they were of great comfort.
I think younger people who just started playing about 10 years ago when shoes started to change drastically are none the wiser but for people who have been playing since the 80s or 90s or very early Y2K we know better, we have something to compare to.
Even running shoes. I use good running shoes as my everyday walking shoes when I don't need to wear dress shoes. I found that the running shoes sub-$100 aren't really that comfortable. I need to buy something along the lines of a over $100 Brooks or Asics to get that feels really good and are supportive. The Big 5 usual lower line Asics don't cut it. I don't have to spend over $100 for a good one but I mean ones that usually go for over $100 are the right ones. I always find them on discount somewhere. So I may spend $90 plus tax or shipping on a closeout model but they normally would be about $130 or up. If the Ascend 2 is an old model and the 3 is out I can find the 2 for a lot less than the 3 or when the 2 was a new model.
Shoes now are either too narrow in the toe box or they lack arch support or the general support for the foot is just not there. Most shoes that I tried feel like shoes that I have worn out and feel hard under the foot with no much cushion. Like a shoes that started out good but now has not much support. If I wanted that I would just keep on wearing my old Diadora that were once good.
Do you old school players like me notice the difference in shoes now? And you fairly new players who started in the past 10 years do feel shoes don't have much support or cushion even though you haven't had much experience with a really good supportive shoe?
