Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Babolat Propulse BPM (Men and Women)

[TW Staff]

Attention Talk Tennis Members:

We will be sending out a very limited number of Babolat Propulse BPM 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.

Sign up period has ended. We will be contacting selected participants over the next few days.

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 20, 2015. 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

Note from Babolat: For some players, the new Propulse BPM is running a half size small. If you previously enjoyed a 10.5 size in the Propulse 4, you may prefer an 11 or 11.5 in the Propulse BPM (feedback varies by user).

 

[AC Tennis]

Left size off 1st e-mail

I mistakenly left my size off my first e-mail. Sent a corrected one shortly after. Will my 1st e-mail without the size disqualify me from this playtest? I just got a new phone and tried to send the e-mail from it.

 

[loosegroove]

I sent the email with my regular shoe size, and maybe should amend that. Is this shoe running a half size smaller width wise or length wise?

 

[TW Staff]

AC Tennis,

We received your correct email and you will not be disqualified.

Brittany, TW

 

[TW Staff]

loosegroove,

Some playtesters found the Propulse BPM fit their true size while others went up 1/2 size. It is a tough call as all feet are different. I would say it is mostly length and width is around medium.

Brittany, TW

 

[TW Staff]

Attention Potential Playtesters:

Emails have been sent out to those who were selected to playtest the Babolat Propulse BPM. For those who were selected, please follow the directions on the email. For those that were not selected, we want to thank you for your willingness to participate. Keep trying as we have many more exciting playtests coming up.

Brittany, TW

 

[scotus]

The deadline for posting reviews is?

 

[TW Staff]

scotus,

It is still TBD depending on when Babolat is able to ship out the shoes. We want to give the playtesters a full 4 weeks so estimating around mid February. I will post the due date in a day or so once I get confirmation from Babolat.

Brittany, TW

 

[jonnyjack]

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Babolat_Propulse_BPM_All_Court_Red_Black/descpageMSBAB-BMBPMRB.html

Darn, I didn't get chosen for those?!?! They look so cool!

Hopefully Babolat will send me a pair when I send in my PP4 for warranty later this year.

 

[McLovin]

Any idea whether they will be the grey/blue or the red/black? Kinda hoping for the grey/blue only because I coach high school tennis, and red/black are the colors of our rival school. The girls would never forgive me for showing up wearing the other school's colors...

 

[TW Staff]

McLovin,

Unfortunately, I am not sure what color you will get. It will depend on whatever Babolat has available in their warehouse.

Brittany, TW

 

[TW Staff]

Attention playtesters:

The shoes will be shipped out today from Babolat's warehouse in Colorado. Please keep an eye out for the shoes to arrive in around the 3-5 business days.

Brittany, TW

 

[Babolat Official]

scotus,

It is still TBD depending on when Babolat is able to ship out the shoes. We want to give the playtesters a full 4 weeks so estimating around mid February. I will post the due date in a day or so once I get confirmation from Babolat.

Brittany, TW

Shoes are shipping out today.

 

[TW Staff]

Attention playtesters:

Due date has been added. Reviews are due February 20, 2015.

Brittany, TW

 

[Jim A]

McLovin....only a sample of one, however, mine are the Red/Black combo. Thanks again to TW for putting this together.

 

[tennis_nut]

Got mine in today. Red/black colorway. I should have listened to Babolat and got a half size up. I was worried that they would be too loose if I went a half size up. So I got my normal size 10 and they are a little snug in the toe box. I think they will loosen up though. I've got a whole weekend of tennis planned to test them out. Thanks TW!

 

[scotus]

Red/Black here as well.

McLovin, it seems you'd just have to ignore your girls.

 

[kvan]

Red and black seems to be what Babolat had in stock!

First impressions before taking them out on the court:

-The cosmetics are by far the best I've seen on a Babolat shoe to date. I have a pair of blue/black SFX and the design is similar, but these have some nice detailing that make them stand out. Love the new integration of the Babolat logo on the outside of the shoe.

-The mesh and rubber toe box is really comfortable out of the box, and looks great. I'm interested to see how they'll wear, as I'm a heavy toe dragger on my left foot.

-A minor gripe, but I've noticed when tying/tightening the laces, that the velcro strap gets in the way and also sticks to the laces a bit. Not a deal breaker though, because I'm liking the velcro strap in terms of locking down the front of my foot.

-I ordered a half size up from my usual, and the shoe fits nicely, but I can imagine some toe-jamming problems in the future as the toe box opens up. It's a bit slippery up there, and may result in a similar issue to what happened with my SFX.

-Now for the elephant in the room... It feels like I'm wearing a low top running shoe when wearing these. The heel seems raised, and while that might help to feel like I'm on the balls of my feet, it creates an insecure feeling around my ankle, especially in the back. If Babolat moved the heel down about half-an-inch or so, I can imagine feeling locked-down in these.

-Lastly, they feel super light. Lightest feeling shoes I've owned, out of Asics GR4s, Nike LBs and Cages, Bab SFX, Barricade 7s, and Lotto Raptor IVs. Hopefully the ankle/insecurity issues won't detriment how quick these feel off court.

Thanks TW and Babolat for this opportunity! Looking forward to testing these thoroughly!

FULL REVIEW:

Tennis experience/background: High School Varsity Singles player.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Mostly play from the baseline and like to move people around, especially with cross-court forehand angles.

Current shoe: Lotto Raptor IVs

How many hours did you play with the shoe?: About 12-15 hours on the shoes

Normal Size: 11.5

Playtesting Size: 12

Comments on shoe performance:

-comfort: Fairly comfortable for the most part. I did feel some numbness in my toes since I had to tighten the laces very tightly and secure the velcro strap on, but they were comfortable with good cushioning.

-arch support: Great, although I have a medium arch and I don't find arch support to define my outlook on any shoe in particular.

-stability/support: There were some issues here. The raised heel made my ankles feel really vulnerable to rolling. As the playtest went on, I did feel the shoe conformed a bit more too my heel and ankle areas. Overall support was a bit disappointing.

-ventilation: Good, even with my double layering of socks. Pretty much on par with my Raptors, if not, a bit better. I never felt my feet overheating or sweating profusely.

-sole durability: Middle of the road. Compared to my SFX that I had a while back, (barricade like durability) these weren't impressive in this regard. There's some balding already, especially on the front of my left foot, where I drag a good bit. Close, but a bit worse in comparison to my Lottos.

-toe durability: Pretty good. The plastic toe guard is holding up nicely, especially on the left side, where, like I just mentioned, I drag much more than my right. Good to see.

-traction: Not as grippy as my Lottos. The unique tread pattern lends itself to some slippage, which I had to get used to. After I did, however, I felt my movement was fine, just different.

-weight: Nice and light. However, I did feel I couldn't take full advantage of the quickness due to some of the stability issues previously mentioned.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I liked the shoe more than I thought I would at first (first impression below). After getting used to the shoe—the height, slippage, and slight instability—I found myself focusing on the positives more than the negatives. Cosmetics are so great, and I've gotten many complements out on court. The red outline on the laces are a nice touch. I love the direction Babolat is moving with these BPMs, but it would be great if they nudged the heel down and provided a more traditional, grippy tread pattern. Thanks again to Babolat and TW for making this possible! Keep up the amazing work.

 

[srvnvly]

I received the gray colorway and was only able to hit for an hour with them. Great advice going up 1/2 size as they would have been too small otherwise.

Initial reaction (NOT my official review) is they are stiff and feel low to the ground, similar to the old Nike Air Oscillates. I agree about the strap getting in the way of the laces, but again, this is only after a brief (1 hour) hit.

Thank you TW and Babolat, I look forward the play test!

 

[colan5934]

Been using them since I received them on Thursday. 6 hours of play and 3 hours of teaching so far. I wouldn't knock them as much as the TW review seems to. If I could have gone a quarter-size up, I would have, as they're a bit narrow through the arch and just a bit shorter than I typically prefer. In terms of performance, they definitely aren't the worst shoe I've ever worn. The last Propulse I wore was the 2, and I hated it because of all the blisters I developed. Thus, I've spent a long time away from Babolat shoes. Stability isn't terrible, and the strap certainly helps. I'd put it a little beneath the Asics Solution Speed 2, which is my current shoe of choice. I don't feel like I'm going to roll over or anything like that, but it's not the same security offered by a barricade or the old CourtBallistic 3.3 and 4.3. Comfort is fine. Nothing too terrible, even after a 3 hour teaching session and hitting for 2 hours after. I did, however find that my feet were sweating a lot in them, which is annoying. And the tread under my big toe is already almost smooth--almost half the time it takes me to get the Speeds to that point (10-11 hours). I really like the fast feel, especially in the forefoot. I feel like I'm in great contact with the court, and it's really easy to feel quick around the court. The traction has a good balance of slippery for slides on hard cuts and grab when I have to turn and sprint the other way.

Quick overview: My first impression is that Babolat has tried to make the new Propulse more of a match-day shoe. It's not as bulky as I remember the 2 being, but it's still fairly stable. I'd put it somewhere between a match-day/speed-oriented shoe like the Nike Vapors or Speeds and a sturdier shoe like the Gel Resolution or Lotto Raptor. Time will tell if the support and outsole holds up.

 

[McLovin]

Got the red/black as well. Oh well, I just can't wear them when coaching the team

Placeholder for the review. Will fill it in as time goes by:

Tennis experience/background:

I have been playing for 30+ years (started when I was 11, stopped for few, picked it up again in college). I am a 5.0 USTA rated player (ok...really I'm 4.5, but got bumped this year) and coach a local girls high school team.​

Describe your playing style:

For singles, predominately baseline, 2HBH, more like a Baghdatis-style. For doubles, serve & volley all the time, aggressive return game.​

Current shoe:

Nike Air Max Cage​

How many hours did you play with the shoe? TBD
Normal Size: 10 (Air Max Cage), 10.5 all others
Playtesting Size: 10.5

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort:
Initial Impressions:

I waivered whether to order 10.5 or 11. My foot falls in the middle, and I've been wearing a 10 in Air Max Cages, but 10.5 in previous shoes. Out of the box, my first thought was 'these are going to be narrow', and I was correct. I usually wear ankle braces for extra support, but am not sure I will be able to with these. The length is on the small side of perfect, meaning any smaller, and I'll be stubbing my toe, but I believe 11s would have been too big.​

First wear:

Gotta say, I'm really impressed with these shoes. They're not nearly as narrow as I first thought. I could maybe use a little more room up in the outer section of the toes, but that may remedy itself after a few more wears. I was waiting for my feet to fall asleep, and I only felt a slight tingle after 1h 20m of play. Not bad for a first time out.​

Second wear:

OK, I now understand the comments about 'not feeling locked in at the heel'. I played today, but did not have my ankle braces on. At times if felt as if my heel was going to come up out of the shoe. They were still 'comfortable', but the fit wasn't as good as with the ankle braces.​

Final thoughts:

Never had any issues w/ comfort. In addition to playing, I also wore these one day while helping teach a junior clinic at my club. Two hours of just 'standing and/or feeding' and I had no issues.​

-arch support:
Initial Impressions:

Walking around the house, they feel good. I assume I have a low or medium arch foot, as I remember some older Nikes hurting mine, then reading that they had high arches.​

First wear:

No issues whatsoever. In fact, the thought never crossed my mind that they provided too much, or not enough, so I'd say they were just right for my foot.​

Final thoughts:

Arch felt fine for my feet. No complaints​

-stability/support:
Initial Impressions:

Again, just walking around the house they feel good. I (briefly) had a pair of Barricade 6s, and these remind me of them. As I said, I usually wear ankle braces, so support isn't that big of a decider for me.​

First wear:

Maybe its the ankle braces providing extra support, but I had no issues with stability. Many times I retrieved a wide shot, stopped hard, turned, and went full sprint in the other direction, stopped hard, then recovered, never having any concerns in the process.​

Second wear:

Without the ankle braces, side to side still felt stable. But the looseness of the heel did give me pause a few times, as if my foot might come out.​

Final thoughts:

As I mentioned above, support & stability were fine, but after break-in I needed my ankle braces to help lock in the heel.​

-ventilation:
First wear:

Hard to tell after one time out, in a cold indoor facility. I also sweat a lot, but I didn't notice any excess heat/moisture when taking them off, and they felt comfortable the whole time, and I was doing the majority of the running today.​

-sole durability:
Initial Impressions:

They look to have a fair amount of tread, but they are light, so I assume that excess weight came from somewhere. I'm slightly bow-legged, and will definitely put the outer portions of the heel to the test.​

Final thoughts:

Soles seemed to hold up fairly well. My normal shoes (Air Max Cages) usually show significant signs of wear after a month of play, but these look pretty solid. They might last 4-5 months instead of the 2-3 I get out of the Max Cages.​

-toe durability:
Initial Impressions:

I'm a toe dragger, mostly on the left foot, apparently from my backhand. These seem to have good coverage in that area, so it will be interesting to see how they stack up. I've sent back 4 pair of Max Cages for warranty so far. None have lasted past 3 months.​

Final thoughts:

Toe is holding up better than expected, although I will likely burn through the toe before putting a hole in the sole.​

-traction:
First wear:

I did a lot of east-west running today, playing a 5.0 who is 1/2 my age. As I said earlier, I probably covered 50% more ground than he did, and my movement isn't Federer-like, it's more Chang or Ferrer. A lot of hard stopping & changing direction. Never had any issues, unlike my Diadora that can slip out on me.​

Final thoughts:

Unlike others, I never had any issues w/ slipping/sliding. Play was exclusively on indoor hardcourts, which don't get cleaned nearly as often as they should...​

-weight:
Initial Impressions:

Out of the box, they felt on the light side. Walking around, they are definitely lighter than my Max Cages.​

First wear:

Felt like a quick shoe out there. Good for me as I'm 5' 9", but 185lbs, so any excess weight I can shed is helpful...​

Final thoughts:

Weight was not an issue for me, I suspect because they are very similar to my Air Max cages.​

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

Other than the initial tight fit (fixed after break-in), and the loose heel (when not wearing my ankle braces), these were a very nice shoe. As others have mentioned, the velcro strap did get in the way of tying them on occasion, but that is a minor inconvenience. The red isn't my style, but that's why they make the gray/blue version. I'd be curious to see just how big the 11s are as I do have a tendency to stub my toes and the extra room might help me keep my toenails longer...​

 

[WhiteStripes]

Not a great first impression. The shoes ride high for me, or at least feels that way, especially coming from the Vapors, which feel extremely low to the ground. I honestly do not feel very secure in the heel or ankle area, and the cut in the ankle area feels quite a bit lower than most other shoes I've worn. Maybe I'll get used to it the more I wear it, but (at least mentally in my head) it just feels like an ankle roll waiting to happen, and I was not confident in my movement at all on this initial outing. The fact that I slid (unintentionally) a few times while chasing balls out wide with new shoes/treads didn't help. On the plus side, the shoes feel nicely cushioned, and I've gotten positive comments on the looks of the shoes (red/black) from friends.

 

[ten11]

Babolat propulse BPM men

Tennis experience/background: played 7,8 years, 3.5-4 self rated single/double.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): baseline player but get to net in doubles. I need to make a note that I am a shoe breaker. I worn through shoes in 1 to 2 months in summer time when I play 2 hrs/day.

Current shoe: babolat sfx

How many hours did you play with the shoe?: 20 hours

Normal Size: 8

Playtesting Size: 8

Comments on shoe performance:

• -comfort: very comfortable. I worried about the size but it is a PERFECT fit. It fits perfectly in all areas, the toe box, the side. really liked it.
  
• -arch support: very good. Not overwhelm to make me notice it but certainly I appreciate the support. this is as good as it can gets. it is there but you are not aware of it.
  
• -stability/support: very stable and supports me well. In serve, during the toss and knee bend and the racket movement, sometimes I lose a bit balance and always wanted the shoe can help a little bit. I believe this shoe did that.
  
• -ventilation: great. I play indoor now and the weather is not that hot, but I do not feel the sweet or strong odor from the shoe.
  
• -sole durability: so far so good. I have great experience with the sfx shoe. based on what I have seen after this much hours of playing, I think I have another winner here.
  
• -toe durability: so far so good. very pleased with it. Seems get long way to go.
  
• -traction: This is another good part of this shoe. during one play testing, I played in a court has part of side has wet surface. during the point, I run for a wide ball and hit the ground stroke cross court. Once I landed on my right foot, I slipped for about 1 inch or 2 and immediately planted firmly and finished the shot with good power. I was very impressed with the traction of the shoe in that play.
  
• -weight: about right. I liked the weight of the shoe. It is not heavy and I can feel it, I don't like super light shoes.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, this is a great shoe. Recently I have been impressed with the babolat shoes due to its durability, the comfort and support. This shoe played very well in all these categories.

Thanks for tw and Babolat for the play testing.

 

[WhiteStripes]

Tennis experience/background: 25+ years of playing tennis. Last played USTA at 4.5s.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Counterpuncher/grinder.

Current shoe: Vapor Tour 9 and 9.5s are my match day shoes. Rotated those with more durable shoes w/ a six month guarantee for training and working out, the last three were the Barricade 7, Gel Res 5, and Lunar Ballistec.

How many hours did you play with the shoe? @15 hours.

Normal Size: 9

Playtesting Size: 9

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: I have a medium width foot on the slightly narrow side. Out of the box comfort is decent along the sole and the uppers. No break-in needed. There is more cushioning than my Vapors, although they don't feel quite as plush as the GR5s or Lunars. Despite the recommendation to size up, I did not do so due to my past experiences trying on the first and second gen Propulses, which were too wide for my liking. In my usual size, the shoes fit much more snug in the midfoot area than all of the shoes above, perhaps on par with the B7s. Because of the more snug fit, I preferred to wear thinner socks (like Vitalsox) compared to my usual Nike Elites. That said, even though I did not size up, there was still plenty of space in the forefoot for me. So no pinching, rubbing, or anything like that to cause any discomfort. While on the court, the shoes felt generally fine (considering the tighter fit in the midfoot, which wasn’t too bad), albeit a bit unremarkable overall. Not quite the slipper-like feel of the Vapors, or as cushy as the GR5s or Lunars.

-arch support: I have medium arches, although slightly on the flatter/lower side. I did not have any arch pain or soreness at all wearing these shoes, even when switching between them and my Vapors during the same hitting session.

-stability/support: To me, the shoes ride pretty high, especially coming from the Vapors. It’s especially apparent when switching between the shoes during the same hitting session. The shoes are also cut lower around the ankle than the Vapors. As a result, I just felt the ankle/heel area wasn’t as locked in as I would like. My first couple outings with the shoes were a bit awkward, as I just did not feel that confident in my movement in the shoes. It did not help that I slipped a few times as well, and was worried about rolling an ankle. As I played more with the shoe, that uneasy feeling went away a little bit, but in terms of stability, I prefer all of the above mentioned shoes over the BPMs. I thought about wearing my ASO ankle braces with them to see how they’d feel with braces on, but the fit was a bit too tight for my liking. I know the TW review said the uppers became too soft over time, but I haven’t noticed any real change, at least not yet.

-ventilation: Ventilation was fine, although aside from the old Reebok Match Day Pumps (which were like brick ovens on your feet), I’ve never had any issues with a shoe’s ventilation, even the Lunars and B7s, which aren’t well-ventilated at all. The BPMs feel cooler on the feet than those shoes, but not quite like the Vapors or GR5s to me.

-sole durability: Still a bit too early to tell. So far, the outsole seems to be holding up ok with a little normal balding of the treads. At the very least, it’s much more durable than the GR5s, which I had basically blown through the shoe in less than 2 months of moderate court use. I got recently approved for the durability guarantee for my Lunars after about 4.5 months of use, and the wear on the BPMs seem to be in line with that so far.

-toe durability: Probably the best aspect of the shoe. Good amount of protection not only on the toeguard, but also the thick outsole at the front of the shoe. By comparison, the main Nike shoes (Vapors, Lunars, Cages) are all very thin on the outsole at the front of the shoe. I’m a pretty big toe dragger, both on serves and on my backhand. The toe area and the outsole at the front of the shoe are almost always what I blow through first. So far, the BPMs are holding up really well and there’s pretty minimal wear, whereas there’d be noticeable wear on all of the other shoes, even the Barricades. The toe area on my GR5s in the same amount of time was pretty much trashed.

-traction: Overall, a bit on the slippery side for me. On my first outing, I unintentionally slid a few times despite brand new treads, which was a bit unsettling. I have experienced a few more slips afterwards, almost all when going hard to my forehand side for some reason. Definitely not as sticky as the outsole on the Barricade, nor as secure as the Lunars and Vapors. FWIW, I also had some sliding issues with my old GR5s similar to these BPMs.

-weight: Decent, quite a bit lighter and faster feeling than the B7, but not quite like the Vapors or Lunars. Feels similar in that regard to the GR5s. I prefer lightweight, speed oriented shoes these days, but I didn’t have any real issues with the weight of the BPMs.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: Shoes can be a bit hard to review/recommend just because everybody’s feet are different, and finding the right fit is so important. Thought the BPMs performed fine overall, especially after I got used to it, but the fit wasn’t ideal for me, and I don’t think sizing up would’ve made it any better (midfoot wouldn’t feel as cramped, but my feet would probably be swimming too much in the forefoot and the heel/ankle would probably feel even less locked in). Stability and traction aren’t quite to my preference, and I also would prefer a more lower to the ground feel, although much of that is just me being so used to the fit, feel, and performance of my Vapors at this point. Durability seems to be one of the stronger points thus far, but we’ll see how they hold up with more wear and tear. While looks are subjective, almost all of my tennis friends have remarked favorably about the aesthetics of these shoes. The red does stand out quite a bit. Thanks to TW and Babolat for the opportunity to review the shoes.

 

[2ndServe]

Thanks for the reviews

 

[Jim A]

THanks to TW and Babolat for the opportunity

Tennis experience/background: Club player (3.5) who learned to play in his 20’s then promptly took 12 years off. Been playing on/off again since 2008

Describe your playing style: Baseliner who believes in the big forehand, the bigger forehand an the biggest forehand.

Current shoe: Nike CB 4.3

How many hours did you play with the shoe? 25 – I went back to my current shoe 2x during the Playtest to help identify potential shoe performance issues below

Normal Size: 12
Playtesting Size: 12.5

Comments on shoe performance:

-comfort: The Propulse BPM is a comfortable shoe. I’ve mostly used them for 2-3 hour drop-in sessions and the occasional drill. I wore them briefly off the court to break them in; however they could have been used right out of the box.

-arch support: I have a high arch and didn’t notice any soreness in them or lack of support while playing. It is rare for me to have an issue with arch support in a shoe however.

-stability/support: For me, this is where I’m a little uncertain. As others have brought up in their reviews, the BPM is a very loose fitting shoe in the ankle area. In the beginning I thought it may have been my not being used to it having played in the CB series from Nike for quite some time. During the playtest I never rolled an ankle or felt at risk once the ball was in play. I did have quite a bit of heel slippage and will address this at the bottom as it can potentially be part of the sizing with this shoe.

-ventilation: The BPM is a little better than my 4.3’s, hard to gauge playing mostly indoors however. My feet were never noticeably cold and/or more sweaty than normal during the playtest.

-sole durability: No issues here. I am not one to tear through soles ,the Michelin sole held up well and still has a significant amount of wear remaining.

-toe durability: They have held up well, I usually get some wear on both toes, mostly the left from hitting the backhand. Very little sign of wear to date and I like how high the sole reaches in the front of the shoe.

-traction: No issues, the shoe didn’t slide out unexpectedly or while changing direction. Did a lot of footwork drills during a couple sessions and was happy to see them perform well.

-weight: It was nice to have something lighter for a change as I look for something to replace my 4.3’s. We’re talking about an a little more than an ounce but it’s so mental when they are on your feet and you just feel that little bit quicker. I was a little surprised at how much I noticed it just when putting them on and after having used my normal shoe.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: The sizing is the big thing here for me. The only other pair of Babolat’s I had was a pair of Team All Court 2. They were super light and comfortable and loved having them to use for multiple matches or tournament weekends. Due to the overall length going up to a 12.5 was the right choice for them, on these I’m not so sure. When the shoes arrived I looked at the sizing on the box and they had 47EU, 29.5JPN and 12.5US – those are very different measurements to most other companies in the US market.
47EU is usually 13+ for most US
29.5JPN is the actual cm length and 11.5 for most US brands
12.5 US would normally be about a 30.5/46 range for the above items

I took the advice and went up a half size. I’m not sure if I could have fit into the length on a 12, however the heel slippage in the 12.5, somewhat caused by the open fit below the ankle. The loose fit around that ankle and the ability to pull my foot out of the shoe while laced would keep me from going forward with this shoe. Attempted to pad it with some molefoam to remove the negative space but it didn’t help. Wearing multiple pairs of socks doesn’t work for me as I prefer to wear them as thin as possible.

I went a bit long there, however with the Babolat Propulse BPM what it comes down to in the end is this; if the shoe fits….wear it. The shoe performed well for me, it just didn’t meet my tastes for what I like in the ankle/heel area. I will continue to use them in practices and some doubles, but this would not be my shoe of choice for match play. I will see how the 12 fits at a local retailer, I still think that the open space will be there as others have noted in their review.

 

[srvnvly]

Tennis experience/background: I've been playing tennis for over 35 years, started as a baseliner with my then-trusty Rossignol Carbon F-200, then became an attacking singles player with my also then-trusty ProStaff 85, and now I've settled back into an all-courter with a habit of getting to the net when I can with my current stick Babolat AeroPro Drive GT. I was sent the gray color scheme, which was very bland at best.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): all-courter in singles; get-me-to-the-net in doubles

Current shoe: Asics Gel Resolution 6

How many hours did you play with the shoe? I put in a total of about 6 hours, all on indoor hard courts

Normal Size: I normally wear a 10.5 size U.S.
Playtesting Size: at the recommendation of TW, I went up a half size and ordered a U.S. size 11

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: this shoe is not comfortable for me at all; it reminded me of the old Nike Air Oscillate, sans some cushioning
-arch support: the shoe was very stiff and took a bit to soften, but arch support was 'ok'
-stability/support: stability and support was also ok, again, too stiff
-ventilation: it's been pretty cold in the upper *******, but the ventilation on the indoor courts was ok; a better test would be to wear these end of July/early August when it is hot and humid

-sole durability: this is probably it's best feature; a VERY durable outer sole

-toe durability: I didn't put much of a dent in the right toe area, which is my most notable wear-area

-traction: traction was fine, no problems with slipping

-weight: shoe weight was about perfect and similar to my AGR's (both versions 5 and 6)

General reaction/comments on overall performance: a common theme with these was its stiffness, and overall it was an uncomfortable shoe for me. It was actually a good test for me to provide feedback to Babolat for this: I am recovering from two surgeries in the last two years (meniscus October 2014; torn achilles August 2013) and I am looking for a comfortable, yet stable, shoe - I could definitely feel some slight knee pain (pre-existing and I would expect some pain anyway, I know) trying to run some shots down; with my AGR 6's, I don't feel near the pain and they seem to flex just right for my feet. My achilles felt fine with either shoe, but it's still something I think about from that 'fantastic experience.' I am going to stick with Asics for now.

Many, many thanks to Babolat and TW for providing the opportunity to try out new products! I appreciate being involved in helping to shape future products.

 

[Six.one.touring]

Review

Tennis experience/background: Ranked 4.5 player USTA. I’ve been playing for ~10 yrs mostly recreationally
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseliner
Current shoe: Adidas Barricade V
How many hours did you play with the shoe? ~20 hours
Normal Size: 8.5
Playtesting Size: 9

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: I did not feel this shoe was comfortable coming from a Barricade V or Asic Resolution 4. It felt like there was more stiff material in the uppers compared to other shoes I’ve tried. If I loosened up the lacing and straps the material would fold sometimes in uncomfortable ways. The sole felt decent.
-arch support: The arch support was good. I have a low-medium arch on my left foot and a low arch on my right and it worked fine.
-stability/support: The stability was not as good as I would like. Some of the lateral movements felt precarious. I did not have the sense of assurance that I find with the Barricade V or Asic Resolution 4. It felt like my ankle would roll if I didn’t consciously land appropriately. I am not sure if it had to do with the level of traction being too much and not give a little then hard or if it was more to do with the ankle portion of the shoe itself.
-ventilation: I think this was one of the most ventilated shoes I’ve tried. It is a vast improvement over the Barricade Vs and I think a slight edge over the Asic Gel Res 4. My feet would actually get cold in the late night sessions but during the day it is a welcome relief from the heat.
-sole durability: The durability is average for a shoe in the six month durability guarantee category. It is definitely not as beefy as the barricades or asic gel res V. It does stand up to the grind well but I can tell I can wear the sole done before the six months comes around.
-toe durability: I am not a big toe dragger but the area on that I typically grind on my right forefoot is holding up very well.
-traction: Traction is a bit off. I did not feel in sync with the shoes when moving laterally. It took a while to get accustomed but I still do not feel 100% with them.
-weight: The weight is light compared to what I have tried. I think a little more weight to compensate the other flaws would benefit this shoe.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I definitely would not see myself purchasing these shoes. The stability was what really decided it for me. Investing in a stable shoe makes a world of difference psychologically when in a competition. I just do not have it with this shoe.

 

[TW Staff]

Reminder to all playtesters:

Your reviews are due by this Friday, February 20, 2015!

Thank you!

Brittany, TW

 

[tsongaali]

Tennis experience/background: 4.0 player playing for around 8 years
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All court player
Current shoe: Adidas Barricade V
How many hours did you play with the shoe? ~20 hours
Normal Size: 10.5
Playtesting Size: 11

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort:
These shoes are extremely comfortable right from the start. The uppers are really supple and flexible which makes the shoe feel broken-in already. While I normally have to suffer for the first several hits in my Barricade V’s, the Propulse BPM was at my desired comfort level from day one and never caused me any discomfort.

One thing I should point out is that I did not utilize the strap on the shoe. If I tried making the strap tight enough to improve support it caused discomfort at the top of my foot. Additionally, the laces would often get caught on the Velcro and would tear up slightly when trying to pull them apart. I ultimately ended up cutting the straps off.

Also, the shoes definitely felt a half size small, and I am glad I went up a half size as my normal size would probably have been too narrow, and maybe too short as well.

-arch support:
I have a medium arch and the shoes molded to my feet after about an hour. The arch support was just right for my foot, and I experienced no soreness.

-stability/support:
While the uppers are extremely comfortable, I found they didn’t provide the level of support I get from my barricades. I did not feel as stable when having to change directions, as the uppers were too soft and my feet didn’t feel locked-in. Because of this, I found my speed suffered, and I had trouble changing direction quickly. The stability seemed to get worse with time as the uppers became even softer and less substantial.
Also I did feel some looseness in the heel at the beginning, but that was quickly remedied when I used the alternate top eyelets on the shoe.

-ventilation:
It’s difficult to accurately rate this since the weather hasn’t been hot enough, but these shoes seem to perform slightly better than my barricade V’s after long hours indoors. I never felt my feet got too hot at any point during the playtest, but I’m not sure if that would still be the case in 80+ degree weather.

-sole durability:
The sole durability has been impressive. I tend to wear out the outer sides of my soles much faster on my barricades than any other part, but the unique outsole pattern on the Propulse BPM seems to hold up really well throughout. However, I don’t think these shoes are as durable as my barricades, but the difference is not extremely significant, and I feel the durability is pretty satisfactory. I’m expecting at least another 40 hours with these shoes before they start to wear thin.

-toe durability:
I never drag my toes on serves and generally never wear out this part of the sole quickly so I don’t have an opinion on this.

-traction:
In terms of slipping, I have never had any problems. However, the soles did not seem as grippy as my barricade v’s. For these shoes I did not feel confident in sliding as the tread didn’t feel like it was “sticky” enough. With my barricade v’s, I always feel I can stop on a dime, and sliding feels much different. I felt that the unique pattern of the outsoles for the Propulse BPM is not as effective in producing friction as the wavy, herringbone tread of the barricade v.

-weight:
The shoes are much lighter than my barricade V’s (a little more than 2 ounces) and were not noticeably cumbersome at any point in the playtest. Even after long hitting sessions, these shoes always felt light and quick, while my barricade V’s occasionally feel like bricks. However, I felt my speed did not improve overall because of the stability/support issues.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Overall, I enjoyed these shoes mainly due to the fantastic comfort, no break-in, and decent durability. Unfortunately, the stability of the uppers was a letdown, but it seems that it’s an inevitable trade off of having such supple uppers. If Babolat can get the right balance between softness of the uppers, and stability of shoe, this would have been my favorite shoe. I realize from this playtest how much I took stability for granted, as I have been using barricades exclusively for the last 4 years, and as bad as the break-in period is, I strongly prefer my broken-in barricade V’s to the Propulse BPM as I feel more secure during play with similar comfort.

Thank you to Babolat and TW for this awesome playtest, and I hope my review proves useful for you.

 

[miraq]

Tennis experience/background: Recreational player (3.5 - 4.0), been playing for 22 years on and off with some breaks due to injuries. Mostly doubles, limited singles.

Describe your playing style: Baseline in singles but work to get to the net in doubles, forehand is strongest shot.

Current shoe: Nike Vapor Tour 9.5, Asics Gel Res., Nike Vapor Tour 9.0, in rotation.

How many hours did you play with the shoe? 22 , about 75 % fast drilling, 25% playing points.

Normal Size: 10.5
Playtesting Size: 10.5

Comments on shoe performance:

-comfort: This shoe simply did not work for me. I experienced discomfort and pressure in the front instep area of the shoe specifically.

-arch support: No issues for me in the arch support performance of this shoe.

-stability/support: I was a bit unstable I always felt as though I was tipping forward and a bit out of balance.

-ventilation: I tested exclusively indoors in a cold indoor environment. No ventilation issues with the BPM.

-sole durability: No issues for my duration of play, small bit of wear on the insides of the forefoot edge.

-toe durability: I am not a "toe dragger", so no problem with durability.

-traction: No problem here, no slipping, although when looking at the sole pattern, depth of the traction grooves and what seemed to be a very hard, almost "LEGO block" sole material, I was expecting some slippage.

-weight: Nice, lightweight shoe.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: The fit was a problem for me. I decided to stay with my standard 10.5 size, which gave me the ideal length, without toe crushing. I believe the fit problem is due to a "perfect storm" of my foot shape and the shoes construction. I have a naturally high instep, also wear orthotics. I believe these physical characteristics, the higher heel to fore foot drop, plus the generally "flexy" upper material of the shoe allowed the top of the toe box to cause pressure on the instep rise area of my feet, just behind the toes. I thought maybe the 1/2 upsizing to an 11 may have solved the problem, but I think this could have caused problems other reviewers have discussed in the stability/support performance of the shoes.

Thanks to tennis warehouse and Babolat for the opportunity to playtest the BPM shoes.

 

[Arsnlrob]

Tennis experience/background: I am currently a 4.0 singles and doubles player.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All-court. I usually play from the baseline but I tend approach and play at the net as much as possible.

Current shoe: Nike Zoom Vapor Tour 9.5. Previously have worn Adidas Barricades, Zoom 2k11 and Wilson Rush Pro

How many hours did you play with the shoe? Approx 20 hours

Normal Size: US 10.5

Playtesting Size: US 10.5

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: I found these shoes to have good overall comfort. I went against the TW recommendation of ordering a half size up and instead got my normal shoe size. I found them to be a little stiff compared to the Vapors but more comfortable than the Wilson Rush and Barricades. Also I have slightly wide feed and did not feel any discomfort with the width. I tdid think the sides of the shoes were a bit still and felt a bit of rubbing below my ankles for the first few times I wore the shoes.

-arch support: No issues with the arch support.

-stability/support: I found that I needed to lace these all the way up (usually I don’t lace the last eyelet) to prevent heel slippage. I think the front strap helps with the forefoot stability but the heel area is the one problem with support. When laced all the way the laces were short so they would sometimes become untied during play.

-ventilation: Good ventilation as far as I can tell. Definitely better than synthetic leather Vapors and the Barricades, but not as good as the mesh Vapors.

-sole durability: Soles look indestructible, and are pretty thick. I’m normal pretty easy on my shoes and these would easily last me 6-9 months of hard court play

-toe durability: Again, thick rubber helps with the toe area. I don’t drag my toe so the wear here is minimal.

-traction: I play on both hard courts and Har-Tru clay and found the traction to be very good for both surfaces.

-weight: Pretty good. They felt maybe slightly heavier than what I am used to but I didn’t feel that they were too heavy.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overally, I enjoyed playing with this shoe. They seem to be very durable and provide good cushioning and forefoot stability. The sizing for me was true to size with adequate width for my wider foot. I think the heel stability can be a problem if you do order a half size up. I received the red color and I thought the cosmetics were great and had several positive comments from other players.

Thank you to TW and Babolat for the opportunity to playtest!

 

[Sunshine22]

Tennis experience/background: 20+ years, currently playing at 4.0 level.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive Baseliner.

Current shoe: Tough one to answer, as I've been on a never ending search for my holy grail of shoes. Recently I've used Vapor Tour 9 and 9.5s, Diadora K Star and KSwiss Ultra Express. I've also tried countless other shoes, many sent back due to poor fitment out of the box. I have a Morton's neuroma problem on my right foot, so finding a shoe with a wide toe box but still supportive on the rest of the foot has been a challenge.

How many hours did you play with the shoe? Approximately 15 hours, plus additional time wearing them around off the court to try to break them in.

Normal Size: 6

Playtesting Size: 6

Comments on shoe performance:

-comfort: As mentioned above, I have a Morton's neuroma on my right foot, so shoe fit and comfort is extremely important. Unfortunately, this shoe just does not work for my foot shape and issues. Ultimately, I need a roomy toe box to relieve pressure on the front of my foot, but these shoes were extremely tight fitting for me. To be perfectly honest, the shoes felt like the were strangling my feet throughout the playtest. Perhaps if I ordered a half-size up it would have been better, but the length of the shoe was not the problem and sizing up probably would not have helped much with the width. I also found the uppers to be very stiff. I tried the propulses in the past and had hoped for either out of the box comfort or a shorter break in period, but these shoes never felt broken in for me.

-arch support: I have a low to mid arch and found the arch support to be fine with this shoe. Ultimately, I never thought about the arch support while wearing them, which is ideal.

-stability/support: Unfortunately, the stability/support was a problem for me as well. It's a little difficult to describe, but the combination of the extremely tight fit and the slightly higher rise in the shoe compared to what I'm used to made it feel as though I was teetering on a narrow platform. Although I never rolled my ankle in these, I always felt like it could happen at any moment. As a result, I always felt like I had to be more careful with each step, which, in turn, made me slower on the court.

-ventilation: Most of my play was on colder indoor courts, so I did not have the opportunity to really test the shoe's ventilation. With that said, there appears to be more ventilation compared to my Diadoras and less ventilation compared to my Vapor 9 and 9.5s. Ultimately, I don't believe ventilation would be a problem for me even during the hot summers in the mid-atlantic area.

-sole durability: I've always liked the Michelin outsoles on Babolat shoes in terms of durability and these did not disappoint. I could easily get 6 months out the soles based on the playtest.

-toe durability: I'm not a toe dragger, so I rarely have any issues with toe durability on any of my shoes. With that said, the toe area on these shoes is certainly more robust compared to my other shoes. As with sole durability, toe durability would never be an issue for me with these shoes.

-traction: As some others have mentioned, I found these to be on the slippery side. And although there was not a lot of visible wear to the soles, the shoes seemed to get more slippery the longer I played in them. Ultimately, the combination of the instability and the slippery traction made me much more cautious in my movement and really hurt my ability to be aggressive on the courts. I should note that the vast majority of my time was played on indoor hard courts that do tend to be on the slippery side, so I have not had the opportunity to test these on clay or grittier hard courts.

-weight: Weight was not a problem for me. I would describe these as middle of the road compared to my other shoes - heavier than the Vapor 9 and 9.5, but lighter feeling that the Diadoras. The weight of the shoe would not be a deterrent to me.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I really wanted to like these shoes, especially since I greatly appreciated the opportunity from Babolat and TW to be a part of the playtest. However, I have to be honest in my assessment, and these shoes are just not for me. From the tight and uncompromising fit throughout the toe box, to the instability and less than ideal traction, I just can't see any way that I could use these shoes for even casual tennis, much less competitive matches. Simply put, these shoes are just not comfortable compared to my Vapor 9/9.5s and Diadoras, and there is no performance advantage gained by the trade-off in comfort. For someone that likes a glove-like soccer shoe fit and likes to slide into their shots on hard courts, these could be the shoe for that person. For me, as far as Babolat shoes go, the SFX is a much better shoe for me with the wider toe box, out of the box comfort and superior stability/traction.

Thanks again to Babolat and TW for selecting me to participate in this playtest. These playtests that allow independent players to honestly describe and assess products for the benefit of other consumers, is just one example of why I make all of my tennis purchases through TW.

 

[colan5934]

Here's my review!

Tennis experience/background: Current college player. Playing tennis since age 12.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Offensive Baseline
Current shoe: Rotating between Asics Solution Speed 2 and Nike Vapor 9.5 Tour
How many hours did you play with the shoe? 20
Normal Size: 10
Playtesting Size: 10

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: I enjoyed the initial comfort I had in these shoes. The uppers were a bit stiff on the first wear, but they softened up nicely. They were pretty well-cushioned underfoot--a good balance of firm cushion and squishy cushion. I found that they rubbed my foot in the place where I've had a stress fracture before, which is not too uncommon in narrower shoes, but it went away after a bit of a break-in for that part of the shoe. Apart from that little discomfort, I'd say there was no break-in period in terms of whether or not they were comfortable.

-arch support: The Propulse line, although I haven't played in them since the 2s, has always had good arch support due to their strap that they use. No complaints here.

-stability/support: It was good on the first wear, and the second, apart from the fact that I felt a bit high up in the heel. However, as they got more and more wear, the support waned. They still felt light and fast, but I rolled my ankle a couple of times on cuts that weren't very aggressive. I think it's because the heel is really high, it's cut almost like a running shoe would be.

-ventilation: Playing on indoor hard courts in a fairly cool building, I had no issues with the ventilation of these shoes. My feet were even cold sometimes, so I'm sure they'll be nice when I'm teaching once the weather gets hot and humid in the summer.

-sole durability: 20 hours, and these are toast. The tread was balding under my big toe at 5 hours, and I was seeing foam at around 8. Now, there isn't nearly enough traction left to even practice in them. If I'm just feeding balls in them, I'll wear them because they look nice and are comfortable, but the durability was pretty poor.

-toe durability: I don't drag my toes all that much, and I didn't notice significant wear in the front area of the shoe and the toe guard. Seems to be fine to me!

-traction: Good traction while it lasted! It's got a good combo of slippery and sticky. I can slide a little bit when I need to sprint out wide to a ball, but I didn't feel like I would be unable to turn around and run the other way (if I didn't roll my ankle).

-weight: They felt pretty light. I didn't notice them feeling heavy or anything like that on my feet. I'd put them around the same weight class as the Adidas Feather, the Vapors, and Solution Speeds.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: Not a bad shoe. It's nice to see Babolat trying to come out with a lighter, faster shoe, but it's missing the durability and support that was so inherent to their previous Propulses. I'm interested to see what they do with it in the future because there's a lot of promise there. The comfort, ventilation, and styling are all fantastic, but there are areas to work on too.

 

[scotus]

scotus' review of Babolat Propulse BPM

Tennis experience/background: currently about 4.0 level; decades of on/off playing.

Describe your playing style: all court, frequent s&v, mostly doubles these days.

Current shoe: Adidas Barricade V (original, not re-issue); Babolat SFX

How many hours did you play with the shoe? about 30 hours

Normal Size: Barricades 11, SFX 10.5

Playtesting Size: 11, as per sound advice from TW.

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: Sole comfort is good. Excellent shock absorption in the heel, and better forefoot cushioning than the SFX (which I found severely lacking in the SFX). However, those with wide feet may find these shoes uncomfortable. Propulse BPM's upper material is far more rigid than that of the SFX (probably the lack of those slits is mainly responsible) and hardly stretches even when put through a professional shoe stretcher. The rigid synthetic material combined with the reinforced lateral support layer constantly irritated my bunionette. In this regard, the Propulse BPM is strikingly similar to Adidas Barricade 6.

-arch support: Just right. No complaints from me.

-stability/support: Unlike the TW review, I did not find problems with support or stability. I had no trouble making quick turns. But I was raised on hard courts and do not slide, so maybe therein lies the difference.

-ventilation: I play at nights, and the winter weather does not allow me to comment on ventilation. No problem so far, though.

-sole durability: Very good. Not Barricade good, but looks to be just as good as, if not better than, the SFX.

-toe durability: I used to wear out the toe area in a matter of weeks until I changed my serve from pinpoint stance to the platform stance. Now I don't drag my toe on serves and the toe is the not the first part of the sole to wear out.

-traction: Excellent but treads are shallow.

-weight: Feels much lighter than my barricade.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
-Appearance: Very nice, especially the red/black colorway.
-Velcro: Does the shoe still need the velcro strap, now that it does not go around the heel as in the previous models? It does get in the way of tying the shoe laces.
-Shoe laces: A little more length would be appreciated.
-Quality Control: One of my top extra eyelets did not get punched through. Someone should have checked it before the shoes got boxed.

Thanks to Babolat and TW for allowing me to partake in the playtest.

 

[tennis_nut]

Tennis experience/background:Been playing for almost 5 years, computer rated 4.0 but play up and competively at 4.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):Mainly a baseliner and mostly use my defensive skills to draw errors out of my opponents. Western grip forehand and two handed backhand. I’ve been working on being more aggressive and taking control of the point though.
Current shoe: Asics Gel Resolution 5
How many hours did you play with the shoe? Roughly 30 hrs
Normal Size: 10
Playtesting Size: 10

Comments on shoe performance:
-comfort: very comfortable shoe, felt on par with my gr5s which is saying a lot. I had a problem with the toe box being a little tight though. I can play some serious defense, which includes a lot of sliding backhand slices and forehand squash shots. During the slides, my big toe would rub pretty bad on the inside of the shoe. I think ordering a half size up would have alleviated this problem
-arch support: I have wide feet with non-existent arches and these felt just fine. I’ve tried almost every shoe on the market and the only ones that I can wear without pain are the gel resolutions and propulses. I would recommend that anyone with wide, flat feet try these out.
-stability/support: the shoe was plenty stable when moving forward and back but the lateral stability was lacking for me. Hard cuts sideways were a little unstable. I think this might be because these ride a little higher off the ground than the gr5s
-ventilation: After receiving the shoes and looking them over, I had doubts about their breathability because of their mainly solid plastic exterior but to my surprise they were cool and comfortable.
-sole durability: after playing with them for a few weeks, I can tell that their durability is on par with the gr5s. I will definitely wear them out before the 6 month guarantee. I’m guessing that these would last me about three months of playing which is pretty good. I am very hard on shoes. LOL
-toe durability: toe durability is great. This is one area where the Propulses edge out the gr5s. I am a pretty serious toe dragger and these held up just fine
-traction: traction was good and on par with the gr5s, I had no problems pushing off aggressively and coming out of slides
-weight: these definitely feel lighter than the previous propulses. I used to have the Propulse 4s and those things were heavy. Babolat did a great job of lightening these up while still keeping them durable
General reaction/comments on overall performance: overall I though this was a great shoe. If you have wide, flat feet you should definitely give these a try. I would follow TW’s advice though and order a half size up.
Thanks TW for this wonderful opportunity! You guys rock!

 

[Babolat Official]

Thanks for all the reviews. We appreciate the time and thought that went into the feedback. We've passed your comments on to the product team. We'll continue to work on making the Propulse better with every version.

Happy hitting.

-your friends at Babolat

 

[niketennispro]

Tennis experience/background: Current College Tennis Player
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive Baseline Grinder
Current shoe: Adidas Barricade V
How many hours did you play with the shoe? 10 Hours
Normal Size:10
Playtesting Size: 10.5

Comments on shoe performance: I liked the overall fast feeling I had around the court compared to my Barricades
-comfort: Was enough for me, I am not too demanding in the comfort department and take performance over that. But I still thought it did a good job.
-arch support: It was enough for me, I have never had any arch problems.
-stability/support: Stability to me was a little lacking compared to my usual shoes, but it is hard to get that fast feeling performance without sacrificing some of that stability and support. I didn’t mind the support at all though.
-ventilation: Feet did get a little overcooked.
-sole durability: Can not say, but it seemed to hold up well.
-toe durability: I do not usually wear out the toe so I could not mention.
-traction: Relatively speaking, I can say that the traction was what I expected from a fast shoe. It kept my on the court, and allowed me to move comfortably without any slippage problems.
-weight: Perfect for matches, did not feel like it was lugging at all.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I liked these, and other than the sizing being a little tight, even though I went a half size up, I still think these shoes are a great offering and improvement from the last Propulse shoes, which I have used in the past.

I am sorry for the late response, I had matches this past weekend and did not have the time to get the response posted.