Tennis Warehouse Playtest: adidas Barricade Classic Bounce

TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
Attention Talk Tennis Members:

We will be sending out a very limited number of the adidas Barricade Classic Bounce shoes for a playtest. Playtesters will be responsible for wearing the shoes for the given time and writing a thorough review of the shoes. Playtesters who are picked will be notified via email. This playtest is open to both men and women in the USA only.

The application period has ended. We will notify the selected playtesters by email early next week.

We select playtesters based on a number of factors, including past performance on playtests, user history, posting in topics similar to playtest, etc. Due to the very limited number of samples, we will not be able satisfy the large majority of requests. It is absolutely essential that everyone who receives a pair of shoes posts a review.

***This playtest is FREE of charge. Your review is due by February 26, 2016.***

If you do not post a review or if your review is clearly lacking effort, you will be excluded from future playtests.

Please use the following to write your review:

Tennis experience/background:
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Current shoe:
How many hours did you play with the shoe?
Normal Size:
Playtesting Size:

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort:
-arch support:
-stability/support:
-ventilation:
-sole durability:
-toe durability:
-traction:
-weight:
General reaction/comments on overall performance:

As always, we ask that this thread to be used only for questions, discussion and playtest reviews. Extraneous comments will be deleted.

Thanks,
TW Staff
 
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This should be interesting. The previous "takedown" barricades at least looked like the shoe they sat below. Like the Teams for instance. With less durability these usually make a great clay-court shoe.

I always liked the takedown models so lets hope i get to see how these hold up :)
 
mpournaras said:
...With less durability these usually make a great clay-court shoe...lets hope i get to see how these hold up :)
Click to expand...

They're listed with "AdiWear 6 rubber outsole" and a six month guarantee, same as regular Barricades, so I don't think durability will be an issue.
 
ATTENTION: Emails have sent out to the selected playtesters. We had a great turn out with 60+ people with only 10 shoes to playtest. If you were picked, please respond to the email confirming your playtest. If you were not picked, don't worry! We have two more shoes playtests coming up in the next month or two! So keep trying!

Thanks,
TW Staff
 
Attention Talk Tennis Playtesters,

Shoes have been sent out on Monday and should be arriving within 5-7 business days. Please keep an eye out for them!

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
I have received my shoes! They are very purty! Photos coming...unfortunately I am in the midst of Winter Storm Jonas/Snowzilla at the moment...but do have some hitting lined up later this week after the big dig out.
 
Topaz - hope you get to use them soon. I received mine on Wed and put about 6 hours on them so far and really enjoy them. Good "all-day" shoe for sure
 
I received mine on Tuesday and I've put in around 10 hours total. Just curious, has anyone noticed the fit of these shoes being really big for their size?
 
jayserinos99 said:
I received mine on Tuesday and I've put in around 10 hours total. Just curious, has anyone noticed the fit of these shoes being really big for their size?
Click to expand...
Mine came in on fri. and I put on 3 hours so far.
Not big for their size to me.
Very narrow though for a shoe that is suppose to be for med. width feet. I wear size 12 and these are true to size for length.
So far I have crunched tennis balls into the toe sections to help break in the toe section so they do not crunch my toes. Not sure if this will help.
 
I'd love to try mine. I got them Friday as well. But so did the Snowpocalypse 2016 :mad:

Update: Played about 2 hours on *miraculously* dry courts.

-comfort: (7/10) I will start with the fit. It does fit a bit long. I am a solid 11 in the Barricade 2015 and this one had maybe a quarter of a thumb extra in the toe by comparison. I also felt a bit of heel slippage as there is no second set of top eyelets to really cinch it or even try to do a running not. That being said, I wore 2 socks and it worked fine.

The synthetic leather and "bounce" materials made for a very comfy ride. Nothing exceptional but no knocks either. I am assuming it will be even better after a few more hours.

**6 hour edit: The cut of the synthetic leather makes this shoe extremely comfy for a leather shoe. It flexes in the toe just right. Something old barricades sometimes had a tough time with. That is surprising for a low price shoe.

-arch support: (8/10) I have a medium high arch. This worked for me. Again nothing exceptional and no knocks.

-stability/support: (8/10) This looks like a pattern now! But nothing exceptional and no knocks. I will chalk it up to the fresh outsole but on sudden stops there was no slipping and/or rolling. I would say it is stable for a shoe with an average/narrow outsole base.

-ventilation: (6/10) 50 degrees fahrenheit, 2 socks. My feet were a little hot after the match. I cannot imagine it during summer/fall. I'd probably have to bump down to 1 sock but that would require me to get the fit and size perfect. Maybe a 10.5 would work with one sock. Not as bad as the original Lunar Ballistecs though o_O

-sole durability: No comment. Only played 2 hours. But considering it looks like its sturdy and feels solid and is backed by a 6-month warranty I am confident it will be the most durable shoe at this pricepoint.

-toe durability: No comment again. Read above

-traction: (10/10) Lots of squeaks on the court and no slips haha

-weight: (7/10) Not particularly heavy but also not light. It is so similar in weight to the other 6 month shoes that I wouldnt even worry about it if you have worn such shoes in the past.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I would argue this is miles better than the stiff clunky Barricade 5 everyone seemed to love (but didnt buy). It may not look as good but it is certainly a better shoe. 100 bucks for an average 7.5/10 shoe that will likely hit 75/80 bucks on sale 1 season later? Good stuff and the 6-month is something to keep in mind.

I would be curious to see how it compares to the Nike Ballistec Advantage that is also 99 bucks

7.5/10

I will chime in later after more hours on court if we can get a string of decent weather here in NC. As always: Thanks TW for selecting me to playtest some gear :)
 
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jim e said:
Mine came in on fri. and I put on 3 hours so far.
Not big for their size to me.
Very narrow though for a shoe that is suppose to be for med. width feet. I wear size 12 and these are true to size for length.
So far I have crunched tennis balls into the toe sections to help break in the toe section so they do not crunch my toes. Not sure if this will help.
Click to expand...

I typically wear the Lotto Raptor Speed IV, Asics Gel Solution Speed and Barricade II. I measured this Classic Barricade against them and this shoe was longer than them and I wear a 9. Just curious Jim, do you typically wear a 2E width?
 
jayserinos99 said:
I typically wear the Lotto Raptor Speed IV, Asics Gel Solution Speed and Barricade II. I measured this Classic Barricade against them and this shoe was longer than them and I wear a 9. Just curious Jim, do you typically wear a 2E width?
Click to expand...
Depends on shoe. Some are wide and some are normal width.
My normal tennis shoes are Asics gel challengers, wore these for years, and they are standard size 12 and are listed as normal width same as these Adidas, yet Adidas shoe seem narrow.
My Saucony jogging shoes are standard size 12 medium width, Street shoes are 12 medium, and some are 12W (wide), depends on shoe, as they vary on width from maker to maker.
I am probably on the edge of wide / medium, as to fit, as some medium with shoes fit too narrow, where some medium widths are okay.
It makes it more difficult to purchase without trying on first.
 
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Mine came during Jonas as well but they shipped me a 1/2 size too big. Had to send them back & then they will ship me the right size. I did like the cosmetics of the shoe.

-katie
 
Out of the box, the fit is great and they give a very soft ride. The color scheme looks better in person. Looking forward to it.
 
I asked /responded via email sent earlier,,but please clarify the deadline date as original one states due by 2/12/16.

TW email "Please wear your shoes as much as possible and post your review in the thread by February 26, 2015."

Thanks!
 
Tennis experience/background: Tournament & League player since 1969
Describe your playing style : All court doubles player
Current shoes: Asics Solution Speeds, Lotto Raptors
How many hours did you play with the shoe? 20.5
Normal Size: 11
Play tested Size: 11
Comments on shoe performance: Wore the shoes for an hour inside before 1st play session. They were comfortable from the first re-lacing. Compared to other recent Adidas much better than the tight B7< Andy's blue signature model> & a better toe box height that the B 8+ i have
-comfort: extremely cushioned
-arch support: I have a low arch, support is fine for my foot type
-stability/support: firm upper construction,which I prefer.
-ventilation: indoors in Jan/Feb they were fine. I do not think they will pose a problem in hotter weather.
-sole durability: I am not hard on the sole of shoes. With 20.5 hours no noticeable wear. The indoor hard courts are not very abrasive, compared to the local HC
-toe durability: looks like they will hold up. I do not drag my toe on the serve.
-traction: 1st session was on clay [ 1.5 hours ], they worked fine. The hard court traction was normal for adidas, solid not grabby.
-weight: Fine. I do not like a flimsy feeling top. These feel like they will hold up. I break down the lateral support of the uppers normally. These feel like they should hold up over the long run.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The cushioning feels close to my last pair of Cages. The heavier upper fits my play style and 5' 10" 185 lb body type. Positive comments on the look of the mostly white shoe.
Hard court players who value comfort will find all the performance they need. As I play weekend tourneys where winners may have to play 2+ matches/day/event these should be ideal.
Thanks to Adidas & TW for the opportunity to try this item
 
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I am confused about when the review is due. Is it 2/12 or 2/26?

I hope it is the latter. The monster snow in DC really messed up my ability to test the shoes out as much as I would like . . .
 
You are correct as OP was 2/14 and email to us was 2/26.
Maybe TW will read and confirm one or the other.
 
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(email I received, please note the end of the 2nd paragraph)

Hi Playtesters!


Thank you for confirming your participation in this Talk Tennis playtest. The adidas Barricade Classic Bounce shoes will be shipped out from our warehouse in California by Monday, January 18th to the address you have provided when you applied.

Your shoes should arrive in the next week or two so please keep an eye out for them. If you don’t receive them by January 29th, please send an email in to discussadmin@tennis-warehouse.com and we will look into it. Please wear your shoes as much as possible and post your review in the thread by February 26, 2015.


Please note, we do not allow the re-selling of any playtest product on our message board. Additionally, these samples do not come with an outsole warranty and we will not honor any warranty if returned back to us. However, if there is some sort of defect on your playtest pair, please let us know as soon as possible and we will look into getting you a replacement pair.


If you have any questions, please feel free to email in and we will be happy to answer.


Thanks,

TW Staff
 
Tennis experience/background:
4.0 - former junior player now weekend USTA league doubles hacker that’s slightly overweight (5’7”, 180 lb)

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
all-court spin and drop shot junkie

Current shoes:
Lotto Raptor Speed III/IV (first choice), Asics Solution Speed (backup choice), Adidas Barricade II (previous first choice)

How many hours did you play with the shoe?
16 as of 1/28/2016

Normal Size:
Lotto, Asics in 9, Adidas Barricade II in 9.5

Foot/Arch Type:
Medium/wide width, low/medium arch

Playtesting Size:
8.5

Comments on shoe performance:

Comfort:
Compared to the Lotto, there’s a bit more “bounce” in the step. The uppers have the right blend of stiffness and give, so although I didn’t feel as locked in as in other Barricades, what I marginally lost in stability I gained greatly in a more overall comfortable ride. However, my preference is for a stiffer shoe that doesn’t have a lot of soft cushioning because it tends to bottom out and lead to more pain (especially in the heel). Unfortunately at the 16 hour mark, I got right heel pain during a set of doubles due to the cushioning bottoming out.

Arch support:
Reminiscent of the Barricade 7 I used to wear, which felt like it was a high peak instead of a more-rounder pronounced arch. I played my first 3 hours with the stock insole and it flattened out and became unusable. I put in my custom molded insoles and the shoes felt much better.

Stability/support:
I was skeptical at first about this shoe but this shoe is pretty stable given there’s no Barricade ‘claw’ technology to hold your foot in. For a “club player” shoe, stability is actually really good and I didn’t feel that I’d roll an ankle due to lack of support or catch the edge of the outsole. Even at the end of my playtest, the uppers didn’t expand to where it compromised support.

Ventilation:
Tough to say as it’s a bit cold for California weather at the moment. No issues with my feet overheating but there’s less ventilation as compared to the Asics, which really let air through to the feet.

Sole durability:
After 16 hours so far, these shoes show no sign of excessive wear. I typically wear out shoes right around the 4-5 month mark, so this isn’t surprising that these Barricade Classics also exhibit the same hallmarks of sole durability.

Toe durability:
I’m not the best person to ask about this as I’m not a toe dragger, but there’s a toe cap and Adituff technology so I’m certain it’ll be adequate.


Traction:
No issues here whatsoever. I was able to make quick split steps and lunges around the court with confidence. I’ve had that traction issue with my Asics, but not so with this shoe. If older Barricades are any indication, then I’m sure this shoe would be just fine in the traction department even when the tread has gone away.

Weight:
I’m not too picky in this area, but I can say these Barricade Classics aren’t too heavy.
They feel slightly lighter than my Lottos but you definitely can’t mistake these for speed shoes. As the sets went on, I didn’t feel that the weight of the shoes hindered movement speed at all.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Fit right out of the box felt similar to the remade Barricade V, so it fit my feet fairly bigger than its size, especially in the length of the shoe. I had to tighten my laces to get a good fit with these shoes. My Barricade Classics at 8.5 are longer than my Lottos and Asics at size 9. One friend mentioned my feet were ‘swimming’ in the shoe (meaning they looked really big for my feet). I find it odd that my pair is 8.5 and bigger than my normal shoes. I’d like to add that the toebox is wide, so people with wider feet would fare a bit better. I’d venture to say this is very close to a remade Barricade V with a more cushioned feel.

Unfortunately, the combination of the fit and softer cushioning made me stop this playtest short and I plan on giving these shoes to a friend who I hope can continue on this playtest. Even if my playtest experience wasn’t the most positive, I’d still recommend this shoe to avid club players that want a cushioned ride that won’t break the bank.

Lastly, thank you TW and Adidas for the opportunity to try out this shoe!
 
Katie,

I just checked on your replacement and it should be going out today. You will hopefully get in the next couple days. I will extend the due date for you. Just let me know when you get them!

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
Tennis experience/background: I have been playing tennis for ten years. I am a 4.0 doubles players. I play mostly ladies doubles.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I play serve and volley sometimes, I stay back sometimes. I can lose matches with either tactic. :) I try to play with topspin and slice, if that matters.
Current shoe: Asics Gel Resolution and Prince T22. I wear custom insoles, and I used the insoles for the playtest shoes due to a history of plantar faschitis. About 7 years ago, I was a Barricade user, but I went away from that shoe due to weight, stiffness, and possible connection to plantar faschitis.
How many hours did you play with the shoe? So far, four hours, all on clay. I will amend this review if I get out again next weekend; and I would like to try these on hard courts. I did wear the shoes in the house for many hours during the blizzard to break them in. [edit: also took a one-hour private lesson]
Normal Size: 9
Playtesting Size: 9

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: I am sorry to report that I did not find this shoe comfortable compared to what I normally wear. I found it a bit stiff, although I could probably get used to that as it broke in. The real trouble was in the heel. No matter how I laced it, the heel slid up and down when I was on my toes. I noticed this quite a lot when I split step. [edit: On a second wearing, I did not notice the heel slipping, which is great. Also, between my first and second wearing, I injured my big toe while wearing my Prince T22, and it is very bruised and sore. The Bounce shoes had enough room in the toe that the injury didn't bother me.]
-arch support: Good with the custom insoles I use. Didn't notice a problem.
-stability/support: They felt very stable, but I would say they felt a bit clunky. I did not feel nimble in these shoes, but I didn't experience any noticeable problem. [edit: a little better on second wearing, but still not as nimble and flexible as I would like.]
-ventilation: No complaints. It is winter and it was cool in the bubble, so I can't predict what might happen on a hot day.
-sole durability: I need more play time to tell you. The sole didn't explode due to four hours of playing doubles on clay.
-toe durability: No real chance to evaluate this. I did notice that I am toe-dragging on my left foot, so maybe this would be something to watch for.
-traction: Awesome traction. I played on clay and had no fear of slipping. That is a bonus -- usually I feel that clay is more slippery than I like.
-weight: They seemed light compared to other Adidas shoes I have worn. I liked the weight, and they seem light for the amount of cushioning they have.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I experienced a very weird problem with these shoes. The back exterior edge of the heels extends out more than in my other shoes -- this is visible when you compare this shoe to my other tennis and athletic shoes (even my running shoes). As a result, I had trouble going down stairs in my home when I was wearing these shoes. I would catch the back edge of the shoe on the stair riser, causing me to stumble. I do not have this problem in any other athletic shoes. I took to walking a bit duckfoot down stairs so my whole foot would fit on the stair. [edit: still having problems with the back edge on stair.]

Anyway, I might consider buying a pair of these shoes, but the color is a real turn-off for me. They are salmon and red, and I don't buy anything in pastel colors. If you come up with an awesome vibrant color I would be tempted. Also, I have a large foot for my frame, so the color plus the extra width in the base of the heel make these shoes look enormous on me. One reason I like the more rounded toe of the T22 is that the shoe looks smaller on me.

Thanks for the opportunity to playtest these shoes. It was a pleasure!!!

[edit: I edited my original post after a couple of wearings. Then I kind of grew to like the shoe a lot. I got used to the back of the heel catching on things. I got compliments on the color (although I still am not a fan). I started preferring them to my Resolutions and wore the playtest shoes every time I played.

Then I noticed that my big toenails were getting bruised. Like really bad. One is black and blue at the base to halfway up, and the other is bruised on the medial side. This has never happened to me before. I think what must be happening is that the shoe is kind of rigid, my heel comes up sometimes, so maybe the top is pressing down on my toe when I am on the balls of my feet. I know it isn't poor toenail maintenance -- it is definitely the shoe. So with great regret I am putting these shoes on the shelf. I may try them again once my toenails grow out, but I am not happy to be destined to spend the entire summer with bruised toenails while I wait for them to grow out. I might not want to risk it again.]
 
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Tennis experience/background: I'm a USTA NTRP rated 3.5. I play a lot of 8.0 mixed, singles, and these days, more women's dubs. I've been playing USTA about ten years?

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I love the baseline. That being said, I can and will volley when necessary. But baseline rallying is my comfort zone and I never get tired of hitting backhands.

Current shoe: Good question. This play test came at the perfect time for me. I used to swear by the old Nike Cage Free (or something close to that). I still have my last pair (size 6.5) but they are worn smooth on the bottom. Of course, they discontinued/changed it, and I tried different things, as the cost of Nike (and many other top brands) is getting prohibitive. Last November I tried one of the lower cost Nike shoes (the Vapor Court) and dearly paid the price. I experienced extreme foot pain on the top of my left foot, to the point where I wondered if I had a stress fracture. The shoe was just too narrow, too tight, too inflexible and plain uncomfortable. After wearing them twice I wanted nothing more with that shoe. I don't even know where they are or what I did with them! Going to try to sell them on the auction site as they are practically new, just not even close to being the right shoe for me.

Before then I was playing with Adidas Barricade Team 3 (size 7). They were 'ok'. I also found them too long and just didn't feel as stable in those shoes. I also just resurrected an old pair of Asics Gel Resolution 3 or 4 (size 7) that I had held onto. I find the arch to be too low for me in these though.

How many hours did you play with the shoe?So far – 8.0 mixed match (about 80 minutes), women's doubles match (about 80 minutes), 90 minutes clinic.

Normal Size: 7. Because of recent foot issues, I asked for and received a 7.5.
Playtesting Size:7.5

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: Out of the box comfortable. I did not require any break in period. I did find them long, but was wary about going to a size 7 again, because of recent foot pain, so I wasn't surprised they felt borderline too big/long. Easily solved with a pair of extra socks.
-arch support: I have high arches and have had to use insoles in the past. I did not find this necessary for this shoe.
-stability/support: I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought maybe my heel was slipping out a bit at first, and I was worried I might trip as they were a bit longer than I'm used to, but I had no issues. Very stable when changing directions suddenly and when moving forward. A problem I've had with past shoes is, even when tied, the tongue would move to one side or another. I always found this annoying and felt less supported when this would happen. No issue for me with this shoe. Everything stayed in place.
-ventilation: No issues. Would be better tested playing outside in the summer, when its 100 on the court!
-sole durability: Well, haven't been able to play in them quite long enough to tell, and I don't normally go through soles and I'm not a toe dragger.
-toe durability: N/A as again, not a toe dragger.
-traction: No issues, felt stable and reliable when changing directions.
-weight: Pleasantly surprised again! I have found past Adidas (usually Barricades) to be really heavy. Looking at the shoe before I put it on I was worried about this, since it reminded me of the Barricade.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The biggest thing for me is that after playing a match...a tough match...I could take my shoes off and my feet don't hurt. Seeing as how these are offered for 99.99, I'm seriously considering buying another pair, in the other color way, in size 7...then I'd be set for a good long time.
 
Brittany-

Received my shoes yesterday. Was able to have a 2 hour clinic in them today, but weather isn't looking great for NC the next couple of days, and we don't have indoor courts here. Just let me know what date I need to have my review in.

Thanks,
Katie
 
Katie,

Whenever you can put at least a couple more hours in the shoe (hopefully total of 8-10) you can post.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
Thanks to TW for the opportunity

Tennis experience/background: Club Player/NTRP 3.5

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseliner for singles, working on being more of a net player in doubles

Current shoe: Nike Zoom Cage 2/Nike Zoom Vapor Tour 9.5

How many hours did you play with the shoe? 28

Normal Size: 12

Playtesting Size: 12


Comments on shoe performance:

-comfort: Great all day shoe. I used it the first time for a 3 hour drop in session without any break in and it was comfortable. I would have been fine with that the entire time, however after another 6 hours or so it was even better and continued for the rest of the playtest. The Bounce has been my go to shoe for drills and 2-3 hour winter socials over the past month. Normally the Barricade line has been a bit too narrow for me in the forefoot so was excited that a pair finally fit well for my foot shape and type.

-arch support: I have a high arch and didn’t notice any soreness or lack of support with the Barricade Classic Bounce. This normally isn’t an issue with me for any shoe.

-stability/support: This was a huge turnaround from the playtest I was in last year with the BPM’s. The shoe never felt like it lacked support or stability at any time. I’m not a big slider or putting my shoes at crazy angles. I was waiting to see if it would lose support as the test went on and am still waiting. The Bounce also flexes well and naturally, which is nice while still providing a strong amount of support.

-ventilation: Used the shoe in everything from 40 – 70 degrees outside (hey it’s Colorado) and indoors, ventilation was good the entire time. It’s a pretty dry state so some others who live in more humid climates may feel differently.

-sole durability: Normally not one to wear through soles quickly on either of my normal shoes, however I had some wearing in the middle/inside on the right shoe almost from the start. However it didn’t get much worse and I would still get close to 6 months out of them so shouldn’t be an issue.

-toe durability: They have held up very well on both feet, no wear or signs of premature tearing/etc from the 1hbh and/or serve

-traction: I talked about this a bit in the stability/support, played mostly indoors and the shoe held its ground throughout and provided solid traction during the duration of my time using them. I was a bit worried before starting a playing with the Cage’s for so long I really like the full sole and the Barricade had considerable cutouts showing the midsole, however they worked well.

-weight: Lighter than my Cage’s and close to the Vapor’s. Nice that it felt balanced overall and not just the outsole cutouts or one item that have it show well on the scale but not match up once you take the court.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I’m not usually one to get a takedown type of shoe, but the Bounce has held up quite well. Everything from the fit, stability, overall wear and performance were great for a shoe in the $100 range. Overall this is a comfortable, light shoe that performs well for the price.

A 6 month warranty is a nice touch as well. I’m not sure how many people that this shoe targets will need it, a good feature/benefit for the price.

I’ve been a Nike guy for a long time and have tried some other brands over the past year or so, this is the first one that I could see replacing or adding to my rotation. TW bills this shoe for the club player and I couldn’t agree more. A great option for the all-day player at the public park, socials and drills. When these wear out, I will likely buy another pair just for those reasons above. Thanks TW for the opportunity.
 
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Tennis experience/background: 4.0 league player and recreational hitter, (years ago was former H. S. player and College player) .
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):Mainly baseline hitter with all court coverage.
Current shoe: Asics gel Challenger size 12
How many hours did you play with the shoe?18+ hours singles hitting, I cover a large amount of the court, as I run down all shots that come my way, so
Normal Size:12
Playtesting Size:12

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: Was very much stiffer than the Asics out of the box. Took a while to beak them in. Toe area was cramped, as I had to cram tennis ball into toe region, that was resolved after a week.
-arch support: No issues, good support, this aspect was comfortable.
-stability/support: Great stability, more so than the Asics I typically wear, but these required a bit of break in to be comfortable.
-ventilation: Less than my Asics, as socks were wet after each session hitting, where no issues with the Asics. This was indoors hitting at comfortable temperatures indoors.
-sole durability: Great durability as I see it. Play indoors this time of year and our club court has rubberized surface, and typically wear issues do not occur on this surface. This shoe was no exception. The shoes will not wear out any time soon as good durability
-toe durability: I am a toe dragger, and no issues wearing with this shoe.
-traction: really good traction with these. No slipping and held to the court very well. Excellent traction!
-weight: These shoes are approx. 1 oz. heavier than my Asics gel challengers, so they still are a light shoe, and they do give more lateral support.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: These shoes are considerable stiffer and required more break in than my normal Asics gel Challengers, as the challengers are very comfortable out of the box.The lightness of the Challengers and comfort out of the box is why I have been using the Asics for years. I normally go with the Challengers rather than the Asics GR as these are lighter, as moving fast is one of my biggest attributes.
These shoes are not as comfortable and took a long break in time to be comfortable for me to really like them..but... being the heel moves is another issue.
Issues with heel moving up and down, I could not go to a smaller size, and toe area was narrow as well. I placed a heel pad in heel region and that slightly helped, but heel area still moves and that's annoying.
However they do give more lateral support than the Asics, but the Asics fit and feel more like a running shoe, which makes it more comfortable for me .
With these shoes, the traction and support, and durability are its 3 biggest plusses, but in other areas it falls short of the mark compared to the Ascis that I normally wear.
I hated to say that, but it is an honest review, the Asics are more comfortable, lighter, better ventilation, and I guess just fit my feet better than the Adidas.
I am glad that I was not the only one to say they were not comfortable out of the box, as they were not. I cannot understand how some others here commented that they were? The Asics I normally wear, out of box are very comfortable and a difference of night and day.
Also seems like others here has heel movement issues as well.
My feet were never really comfortable with these shoes.
 
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Tennis experience/background:
4.5 doubles player...played juniors, did not play for 18 years and picked it back up 5 years ago.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
all court...come in when I can. Hit lots of top-spin as well as a backhand slice (normal backhand is 2 handed topspin)

Current shoes:
Asics Gel Resolution 6 (I actually like the kids version better, as much plush cushioning but a wee bit lighter)

How many hours did you play with the shoe?
18 as of 2/23/16

Normal Size:
Asics GR 6, 5.5 in kids or ladies 7

Foot/Arch Type:
Medium/wide width, low/medium arch

Playtesting Size:
7

Comfort:
The shoe is very comfortable with great cushioning. It is also light weight for a shoe that has this much cushion. I will say that it slid up and down on my heel and that bothered me while walking but once I started playing I did not really notice it.

Arch support:
The support bothered my lower arch, in the left foot only. It would go away after about 10 minutes of being on the court. I have ordered some Dr. Scholls Active Series insoles to see if that will make a difference.

Stability/support:
I felt as if this shoe had tons of stability and support. As someone who has a weak left ankle, I was not worried about rolling my ankle.

Ventilation:
This is tough to answer...here in NC it has been cold. My feet never did seem to get too hot. I play outdoors.

Sole durability:
These shoes show no excessive wear after wearing them for 18 hours. I played on both omni courts and hard courts. I doubt I would ever need to use the warranty.

Toe durability:
I am a toe dragger...As a junior I could wear through the toe in 6 weeks...These shoes have great toe durability. They show a few scuff marks but no real wear at all.

Traction:
No issues here whatsoever. I was able to split step when coming in, as well as lateral movements when scrambling for out wide shots.

Weight:
They are a good weight for me. I am a person that likes the more stable and cushion type shoe. They feel lighter than my ladies GR6 but a wee bit heavier than my junior GR6.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
These shoes out of the box at a size 7 were still a bit roomy so I had to use my Thorlos rather than my Adidas Barricade socks. I did notice it had out of the box comfort.I noticed immediately the fit on the heel was loose as I mentioned above. I also noticed the plush cushioning right away. I feel like for the price, this is a great shoe,especially for the avid club player. The cosmetics were not my favorite but I was able to match it with some red skirts/shirts. I would definitely buy this shoe again if Adidas came out with more (better) colorways.


Thanks TW for the opportunity to do a playtest! Would love to do another one! :)
 
Reminder to the adidas Classic Bounce Playtesters (except Katie),

Your review of the shoes is due by this Friday, February 26th.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: adidas Barricade Classic Bounce

Tennis experience/background: Currently NTRP 4.0 Southern Section-with 50/50 mix of singles and doubles play in USTA Leagues/Tournaments last 10yrs. Former HS and junior tourney player, didn't play for @ 20 yrs, but I've been hardcore the last 10yrs:)

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Prefer to pancake any ball. I try and set up Big serves & FH's with a nice finish at the net. Got a big frame, 6'0-215lbs(think fullback vs 10s player) :cool:

Current shoe: Any ADI Barricade will do. I have worn the IV through the 2015. Former Nike guy(and Sneakerhead)..I started with the 'Cade 4's and just appreciate the Barricade line shoe for its outstanding quality, comfort and durability.

How many hours did you play with the shoe? About 20 hours of play and another 20 hours of casual wear conservatively, 40+ hours.

Normal Size: 11-11.5 depending on the fit. Athletic shoes all seem to fit smaller these days, so I order a 1/2 size larger the last of couple years to be safe. Not sure if it's age making me foot-type spread, or shoes just getting smaller.:(

Playtesting Size:11.5

Comments on shoe performance: Great shoe!

-comfort: Good out of the box, break-in not really required. These New Classsic Bounce wore more comfortably as wear progressed; very typical of any Barricade FYI. It is comparable to the Classic V, long tongue, wide shoe box, and more comfort with each wear.

-arch support: Low to medium. I'm a low-med arch, supinate type. I typically wear the stock insoles @ 2- 4 mos and replace with an after market one with more cushion.

-stability/support: Good for a month or so wear. I think this shoe is VERY comparable to the 2015 Barricade as far as the structure and design. A heavier, stabile shoe, compared to other durability brands, 2nd to none. These New Classics are more than ample in the comfort department in the 2 months I tested and can only figure this will improve over time.

-ventilation: No issue during the winter months. Indoors didn't notice any issues.

-sole durability: N/A . No wear is evident at all. I have played a handful of times on Har-Tru courts, and indoors as well,with 2-3x on hardcourt.

-toe durability: N/A. Don't drag my toes anyhoo...Barricades, are you kidding?!

-traction: N/A. Great grip on all surfaces I tested. Full herringbone design pretty much is a no-brainer for a 10s shoe, great traction on Har-Tru, Hard court and Indoor.

-weight: 14.75 ounces on my scale. Non-issue IMO, a heavier, stabile shoe is better-er for tennis IMO.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I LOVED 'EM! Please refer to the glowing review above. There are some similarities to the old Classic V (long tongue, ample forefoot) but this shoe is a definite improvement in every department to the older classic.

Thank you TennisWarehouse and ADIDAS for the opportunity to playtest these new kicks!
 
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Brittany-

I've done a review and will add more another entry after this weekend. Note to my review, I have worn them casually and they are super comfy but the loose heel bothers me.

Thanks,
Katie
 
Hi Katie,

Yes, I saw your review and have marked you down as complete! I was just letting you know you had a little extra time if you wanted to add anything to it.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
TENNIS EXPERIENCE/BACKGROUND - Self taught current 4.5 league and tournament level player. Transitioned from from baseball, football and basketball to tennis. Decades of tennis playing experience. Spectate for approximately 45 days of professional tennis including ATP, WTA, USTA Circuits, and WTT, each year.

MY PLAYING STYLE (i.e. serve and volley) - Solid 4.0 - 4.5 singles and doubles player. One-hand off both sides, flat fastball first serve (surprise) with a wicked kicker for a second serve. All court player that can rally, chip and charge, and serve / volley on offense, and all-court defender that loves to end points at the net.

CURRENT SHOE - Lotto Raptor

HOW MANY HOURS PLAYED WITH THE SHOE - Approximately twenty five hours of actual playing/court time. Finally some rainy days out west. Yay! Plus, about forty hours walking/wearing.

NORMAL SHOE SIZE - 10.5

PLAY TESTING SHOE SIZE - 10.5

COMMENTS ON SHOE PERFORMANCE:

COMFORT - These shoes comfortably grabbed my foot the first time that I put them on. The snug fit has remained without ever getting mushy or soft. Interior cushioning fits snugly and comfortably and has very good feel. The interior sleeve feels like thick, plush felt. After stretches of up to a couple of hours of play to up to eight hours of wear, my feet remained comfortable during and after. They offer a very comfortable ride.

ARCH SUPPORT - My arch is about average, I think, and I normally do not have any problems with my arches or support and I did not have any issues with these Adidas shoes. The interior arch height and the level of support seem perfect for me. Even after much play and plenty of walking around it, the arch support has not diminished or changed noticeably.

STABILITY/SUPPORT - The design of these shoes very much match a normal foot shape. For that reason, they offer great stability and support without feeling rigid or boxy. My feet tend to want to slide forward in shoes mainly due to the hard forward stopping while serve and volleying. I had no problem of that with these shoes. During the test, I did not find any diminishing of support or fit.

VENTILATION - From a design standpoint, theventilation concept is curious, but it works. The interior sleeve feels as though it is one solid piece without any ventilation holes built into it. Apparently, the holes in the outer uppers is enough. After play or after hours of wear, feet were usually warm but never uncomfortably hot.

SOLE DURABILITY - So far, very good. The herringbone style works well and is quite durable in tennis shoes. There is no excessive wear so far. The sole still looks very new and looks to have all of the original tread remaining. So far, it is easy to tell why they offer a six month outsole warranty on these shoes. Unless something unforeseen happens, I would not be able to collect on it.

TOE DURABILITY - I am a toe dragger when hitting my one-hand backhand. My backhand gets attacked, in matches, much more often than my forehand so I get the opportunity to drag my toe plenty. After twenty or so sets, the toe protector on my left shoe is just now beginning to show some sign of use, nothing excessive.

TRACTION - All of my play was on hardcourts. During the time of the test we had lots of different weather temperature conditions here in the west. I had the opportunity to play on courts that were each cold, cool, warm, hot, and damp. Yes, it got hot in February! The traction of these shoes is outstanding on different court speeds in a variety of different weather conditions. No slipping when striding and able to comfortably push off hard from lots of different angles. Plus, great traction when walking around on rain soaked sidewalks.

WEIGHT - These shoes play surprisingly light given the high level of stability. They are quick and do not have a bulky feel or play bulky at all. That may be due to the seemingly even distribution of the weight over the entire length of the shoe, and the great construction.

GENERAL REACTION/COMMENTS ON OVERALL PERFORMANCE - I examined these shoes quite carefully and I am quite impressed with the quality of the craftsmanship and construction. The cut of the uppers is precise and perfect. There is no noticeable glue excess or imperfect stitching anywhere on them. They have great looking colors and markings. I continue to get compliments about the look of these shoes. The narrowing heel contributed to the comfortable fit for me. These shoes feel comfortable and lightweight right out of the box. They have a foot-shape, glove-like fit. These are really impressive shoes and are a very good value at this price.
 
Played a few more hours in the Bounce today with the Dr. Scholl' Active Inserts. The insoles made the ride even more plush and comfy. I still experience an issue with my arch on my left foot but that goes away during warm-ups. Over all I'm impressed with this shoe and would totally recommend it especially for drills, clinics and fun play. Thanks again TW for allowing me to review this show.

Katie
 
Hi, a couple of questions on the mens shoe -

Looking at pictures it looks like one side of the shoe is masked or covered with a film. Can someone help to clarify this, or post a clearer picture than the stock marketing photos?

Are there any other mens colors expected besides the white/gray and white/yellow? And if so is there an eta?

Thanks!
 
392Hemi,

I'm not sure I am understanding your question completely. In the white, black, green shoes, are you referring to the green part of the upper?

There will be one more colorway launching this year at the end of June/early July and it will be navy/lime.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
TW Staff said:
392Hemi,

I'm not sure I am understanding your question completely. In the white, black, green shoes, are you referring to the green part of the upper?

There will be one more colorway launching this year at the end of June/early July and it will be navy/lime.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
Click to expand...

Hi Brittany,

I was looking at the white/gray shoe, here: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/adi...Black_Mens_Shoe/descpageMSADIDAS-AMCBWHB.html

If you look at pic #2 it looks like there is a semi transparent or maybe gray panel covering the outer side of the shoe. Please compare to pic #3 which is white except for the stripes.

You can also see it in the 360* view.

Thanks as always for your time to answer.
 
392Hemi,

Are you referring to the grey plastic overlapping the logo or the clear part by the top bumper? Regardless, the toe bumper is an extra layer of protection and the grey part is more of a design feature with a little added stability.

Thanks,
Brittany, TW
 
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