Sardines
Hall of Fame
I recently bought a pair of returned Sonicage 3, which were on sale for $65. I liked the white with red accents, so I tried them on immediately, walking to the courts with them. These are supposedly D size but they felt a bit tight initially. However, I persevered during the warm up and by the time I got to the baseline, they felt ok. The PU upper relaxes quickly. Unfortunately then I felt the insole caved in at my big toe after 15 mins. I thought I bought a lemon, but switched out my old custom insole from the old shoe.
Performance:
When I started playing, it really felt light and quick (weighed in @ 369g size 11D vs 398g for the Ubersonic 4 and 420g of the Diadora Fly 3), allowing rapid direction changes in a comfortable shoe. It was stable and also low to the ground, with enough grip for me to play 2 sets that ended 7-6 (11-9), 6-2, with no aches of breaking the shoe in etc. I felt really low to the ground, and the movement
Overall, the outsole is 108.8mm at its widest, compared to the U4's 111.2 and the F3's 112.7mm. The outsole traction was very good, but the rubber is less squeaky than the SSFF2, U4 or the F3's rubber. The tread depth @ 2.35mm is less than the U4's 2.62mm or the F3's 2.86mm. Being a bit softer and shallower means it'll wear out the fastest.
FIT:
The S3 has a slightly more inward slight than the U4, and is overall a bit more pointed to the front. Initially I thought I'd have issues, since my toe line is a D with very little medial deviation of my big toe (hallus). But the upper broke in quickly, and I never had any fit issues, other than the initial discomfort. This is probably due to the higher forefoot height, gives good volume for a comfortable fit for my D foot. It's not as generous as the F3, but is comfortable and secure enough when cinched up. One thing to note is the insoles of the S3 are actually longer by 3.6mm than the U4, and 0.8mm than the F3 insoles. Width wise, they are all 98.7mm at the widest. The Yonex insole @4.4mm is 0.2mm thinner than the Ortholites of the F3 (the thickest @4.8mm) and U4 (4.6mm). Compared to the Ubersonic 4, where I felt quite a bit of uncomfortable pressure when I cinched the shoe securely in the front most section. The U4 is the ONLY shoe I've ever had this problem, which is alleviated only by using a shoe stretcher to make the upper stretch out at the pressure point (and it's actually both pairs I have), and locking the ankle down tight and retying the laces as play goes on. The S3 and F3 are tie once and forget secure.
The S3 outsole also bends better with the upper than the F3, giving me a more definitive feel on the court while changing directions. The F3 feels so cushioned and plush, yet responsive but feels less connected to the ground. It's also 50g heavier than the S3, but much more durable, so I see that as a training shoe for day to day grind. The U4 is also responsive, but how the upper bends on my foot is ultimately less comfortable than the other 2, and it needs the most stretching of the upper to fit me. Ultimately, the Yonex Sonicage 3 is a very nice game day shoe, with great comfort, support, traction and minimal break in. It is a little pointy but if the outsole is anything to go by, it's longer internally than other shoes.
Performance:
When I started playing, it really felt light and quick (weighed in @ 369g size 11D vs 398g for the Ubersonic 4 and 420g of the Diadora Fly 3), allowing rapid direction changes in a comfortable shoe. It was stable and also low to the ground, with enough grip for me to play 2 sets that ended 7-6 (11-9), 6-2, with no aches of breaking the shoe in etc. I felt really low to the ground, and the movement
Overall, the outsole is 108.8mm at its widest, compared to the U4's 111.2 and the F3's 112.7mm. The outsole traction was very good, but the rubber is less squeaky than the SSFF2, U4 or the F3's rubber. The tread depth @ 2.35mm is less than the U4's 2.62mm or the F3's 2.86mm. Being a bit softer and shallower means it'll wear out the fastest.
FIT:
The S3 has a slightly more inward slight than the U4, and is overall a bit more pointed to the front. Initially I thought I'd have issues, since my toe line is a D with very little medial deviation of my big toe (hallus). But the upper broke in quickly, and I never had any fit issues, other than the initial discomfort. This is probably due to the higher forefoot height, gives good volume for a comfortable fit for my D foot. It's not as generous as the F3, but is comfortable and secure enough when cinched up. One thing to note is the insoles of the S3 are actually longer by 3.6mm than the U4, and 0.8mm than the F3 insoles. Width wise, they are all 98.7mm at the widest. The Yonex insole @4.4mm is 0.2mm thinner than the Ortholites of the F3 (the thickest @4.8mm) and U4 (4.6mm). Compared to the Ubersonic 4, where I felt quite a bit of uncomfortable pressure when I cinched the shoe securely in the front most section. The U4 is the ONLY shoe I've ever had this problem, which is alleviated only by using a shoe stretcher to make the upper stretch out at the pressure point (and it's actually both pairs I have), and locking the ankle down tight and retying the laces as play goes on. The S3 and F3 are tie once and forget secure.
The S3 outsole also bends better with the upper than the F3, giving me a more definitive feel on the court while changing directions. The F3 feels so cushioned and plush, yet responsive but feels less connected to the ground. It's also 50g heavier than the S3, but much more durable, so I see that as a training shoe for day to day grind. The U4 is also responsive, but how the upper bends on my foot is ultimately less comfortable than the other 2, and it needs the most stretching of the upper to fit me. Ultimately, the Yonex Sonicage 3 is a very nice game day shoe, with great comfort, support, traction and minimal break in. It is a little pointy but if the outsole is anything to go by, it's longer internally than other shoes.
