Tennis experience/background: Recreational player, 4.0, playing for 22 years, mostly doubles, limited singles. Height, 5'11", weight, 176 lbs.
Playing style: Work to get to net in doubles, baseline in singles, strongest shot is forehand.
Current shoe(s): Asics Gel Resolution 5, Nike Vapor Tour 9.5, Diadora S. Star KV (in rotation).
Hours played: 14, 80% fast paced drills, 20% doubles points
Normal size: 10.5
Play testing size: 10.5
Comfort: Fit was very good for me, vast improvement over Babolat BPM model. Size was much more true to expectations. An important parameter for me is cushioning, these shoes seem to have pretty hard soles, especially in the forefoot, I wished they had more cushioning. I have a slightly wider foot, have a high instep and wear custom orthotics.
Arch support: No issues in the arch support.
Stability/support: Stability was good, however I did not need to tighten the Velcro straps. I don't understand the need for these straps, they are simply annoying to me. Most other shoe brands, including those most often rated the highest on the TW site, do not use straps, yet achieve very good stability and support. The straps seem like a great weight savings opportunity, especially if the shoes' basic design is sound.
Ventilation: I tested these shoes exclusively in a cold indoor environment, no ventilation issues.
Sole durability: No sign of wear as yet. I typically am not hard on soles, I do not wear them out quickly.
Toe durability: Not a "toe dragger", no issues.
Traction: No traction issues for me, even on cold, indoor hard courts. I did experience loud clicking and squeaking noises from the shoes, especially when using short, quick stutter steps. My teaching pro noticed and commented on these noises. It could be the compound used in these shoes is quite hard, probably good for durability, not so good for cushioning.
Weight: Seemed to be fairly moderate in the weight category, but actually felt fast on the court.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The first few hours of drilling with these shoes caused quite a bit of soreness in my legs. This seemed to diminish after the first 4 - 5 hours on the court. Could be what seems to be a pretty hard material in the forefoot. The shoes probably became more flexible after the initial break-in period then felt better. The red (orange) and bright blue colors are appealing, even though this combination has be seen in Adidas, Nike and Asics shoes already, the Babolat All Court Propulses are brighter and appealing. I liked these shoes, they seem quick on the court and way better that the BPM model. I plan to include them in my shoe rotation!
Thank you to both Tennis Warehouse and to Babolat for the opportunity to play test and provide feedback on this product!
Playing style: Work to get to net in doubles, baseline in singles, strongest shot is forehand.
Current shoe(s): Asics Gel Resolution 5, Nike Vapor Tour 9.5, Diadora S. Star KV (in rotation).
Hours played: 14, 80% fast paced drills, 20% doubles points
Normal size: 10.5
Play testing size: 10.5
Comfort: Fit was very good for me, vast improvement over Babolat BPM model. Size was much more true to expectations. An important parameter for me is cushioning, these shoes seem to have pretty hard soles, especially in the forefoot, I wished they had more cushioning. I have a slightly wider foot, have a high instep and wear custom orthotics.
Arch support: No issues in the arch support.
Stability/support: Stability was good, however I did not need to tighten the Velcro straps. I don't understand the need for these straps, they are simply annoying to me. Most other shoe brands, including those most often rated the highest on the TW site, do not use straps, yet achieve very good stability and support. The straps seem like a great weight savings opportunity, especially if the shoes' basic design is sound.
Ventilation: I tested these shoes exclusively in a cold indoor environment, no ventilation issues.
Sole durability: No sign of wear as yet. I typically am not hard on soles, I do not wear them out quickly.
Toe durability: Not a "toe dragger", no issues.
Traction: No traction issues for me, even on cold, indoor hard courts. I did experience loud clicking and squeaking noises from the shoes, especially when using short, quick stutter steps. My teaching pro noticed and commented on these noises. It could be the compound used in these shoes is quite hard, probably good for durability, not so good for cushioning.
Weight: Seemed to be fairly moderate in the weight category, but actually felt fast on the court.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The first few hours of drilling with these shoes caused quite a bit of soreness in my legs. This seemed to diminish after the first 4 - 5 hours on the court. Could be what seems to be a pretty hard material in the forefoot. The shoes probably became more flexible after the initial break-in period then felt better. The red (orange) and bright blue colors are appealing, even though this combination has be seen in Adidas, Nike and Asics shoes already, the Babolat All Court Propulses are brighter and appealing. I liked these shoes, they seem quick on the court and way better that the BPM model. I plan to include them in my shoe rotation!
Thank you to both Tennis Warehouse and to Babolat for the opportunity to play test and provide feedback on this product!
