which tennis shoes have the most cushioning?
- Thread starter mrj1813
- Start date
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
This. And it’s not even close.
I agree, through necessity I have tried many many different shoes. Fundamentally foam based cushioning does not retain its ‘bounce / cushion’ for very long.
Trapped air bags and gel technologies are better over the life of the shoe.
As an aside the Nike Cage 4 has great cushioning under the forefoot but the Nike GP Turbo with full length Zoom AND Air cushioning (for me) a) has the most cushioning and b) the cushioning lasts the life of the shoe.
However the very best cushioning can be found in basketball shoes as basketball players are kg for kg heavier and require more cushioning with identical requirements for support as tennis.
The downside is that many basketball shoes have a more garish design and do not have specific tennis functionality e.g., generous amounts of protection for sliding / toe dragging or extra durable outsoles (although if you customise your Nike basketball shoes you can specify the grey durable XDR outdoor court sole).
I have used the Nike KD12 in the past and that has had the very best cushioning of all, however the outsole lasts about 3 matches on an acrylic or asphalt tennis court!
For reference I am a heavier but dynamic player so am applying lots of force into my shoes when I play (none of this translates into great shots though!)
Oh, and another thing, I also use Sorbothane Double Impact insoles which are amazing.
I don’t work for Nike btw.
Trapped air bags and gel technologies are better over the life of the shoe.
As an aside the Nike Cage 4 has great cushioning under the forefoot but the Nike GP Turbo with full length Zoom AND Air cushioning (for me) a) has the most cushioning and b) the cushioning lasts the life of the shoe.
However the very best cushioning can be found in basketball shoes as basketball players are kg for kg heavier and require more cushioning with identical requirements for support as tennis.
The downside is that many basketball shoes have a more garish design and do not have specific tennis functionality e.g., generous amounts of protection for sliding / toe dragging or extra durable outsoles (although if you customise your Nike basketball shoes you can specify the grey durable XDR outdoor court sole).
I have used the Nike KD12 in the past and that has had the very best cushioning of all, however the outsole lasts about 3 matches on an acrylic or asphalt tennis court!
For reference I am a heavier but dynamic player so am applying lots of force into my shoes when I play (none of this translates into great shots though!)
Oh, and another thing, I also use Sorbothane Double Impact insoles which are amazing.
I don’t work for Nike btw.
Very cushioned - agree
bigserving
Hall of Fame
Yonex shoes have always had a great rep for cushioning and shock absorption.
StefanosWillSaveTheWorld
Rookie
I love the GP turbo but i had one of the air bags go flat on me after 3 times of playing. It was in the middle of a match and I had no backup pair. It is one of the most irritating things that has happened to me equipment wise on a tennis court. Have been turned off to the shoe ever since. I like the gel resolution 8 for cushion and support.
DJTaurus
Hall of Fame
Did you try ff court 2 also ?
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
Adidas Barricade Boost are commonly known to be the single most cushioned sneaker on the market.
They have sponge foam in the heels
They have sponge foam in the heels
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
Never worn this shoe and can’t find it for sale, is it available?
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
I think they are now called Adidas SoleCourt
n8dawg6
Legend
discontinued awhile back. they did have good heel cushioning.
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
Can’t find those either.
FiddlerDog
Hall of Fame
CosmosMpower
Hall of Fame
Too bad it looks like a budget old man mall walking shoe
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
Maybe it didn’t have enough cushioning? Lol. Or too much!
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
I do agree. Also don’t wear them because of the shallow toe box.
How were you able to tell? Sometimes one of mine feels that way but then is fine the next day.
Same here. The crappy looks, shallow toe box, and lack of breathability are the three things is disliked most about the GP Turbo. Loved the cushioning though.
Winners or Errors
Legend
Yeah, I haven't been impressed with the durability of the air units in Nike shoes, which is the concern. Maybe going to Asics or Yonex would be a better idea. The only Adidas Bounce shoes I've worn didn't impress with their feel and I gave them to my son who has younger feet - wish they still had Boost as an option.
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
Forgot the breathability. Terrible. Wet socks all day.
As an aside, the full length air insole in the GP Turbo feels deflated when the shoe is not being worn. However once you play in the shoe the air heats up and expands in the pad providing a decent cushion. I guess I mention this as I thought the shoes were defective out of the box.
Although I am clearly a Nike fanboi for the record I think the GP Turbo has gopping ugly styling and the upper material is a bit low rent.
That said, the thread is about cushioning. The Asics FF is the best looking tennis shoe ever.
Although I am clearly a Nike fanboi for the record I think the GP Turbo has gopping ugly styling and the upper material is a bit low rent.
That said, the thread is about cushioning. The Asics FF is the best looking tennis shoe ever.
stapletonj
Hall of Fame
Asics gel resolution has been my go to shoe for years. I think it is spenceco or somebody like that that makes a generic insert (approx. $25) that is air pocket in the back and gel in the forefoot. the combination works quite well. (6'6" 230 lbs. hard court player here)
tried yonex, but the high heel collar rubbed my bony ankle bone so bad it bled on the very first time I tried them.
Retailer gave me some grief about returning them (even for store credit) because they had been worn on the court (for about 20 minutes)
and therefore could not be resold as new. Then I showed the bloody sock and blood stain on the shoe and asked if they really wanted that associated with their
store on social media. We agreed on a store credit. I bought some AGRs from him and all was well.
tried yonex, but the high heel collar rubbed my bony ankle bone so bad it bled on the very first time I tried them.
Retailer gave me some grief about returning them (even for store credit) because they had been worn on the court (for about 20 minutes)
and therefore could not be resold as new. Then I showed the bloody sock and blood stain on the shoe and asked if they really wanted that associated with their
store on social media. We agreed on a store credit. I bought some AGRs from him and all was well.
AceyMan
Professional
For you players who experienced this issue—
Try to reach out to Nike. The Air™ insole is their pride & joy patent and they built their brand on its reliability.
If they are blowing out it's a manufacturing or materials defect. Back in my day in track with their running shoes you could run them until you had mostly midsole left (probably 1000+ miles) but they *never went flat.*
I don't have any contact info but that's what I would do.
/Acey
Heck
Rookie
It's as clear as a flat tire. When it went down I could feel the air shifting from the front to back. When I was done on the court I took out the insole and pressed down and it was nothing
while the other had the air pocket full feeling.
Purestriker
Legend
Yes, SoleCourt. Right now they only have the prime blue version out.
