Babolat Propulse Fury Shoe Review

Overall Comfort - Score: 4.7

Our playtesters were fairly pleased with the level of comfort the Propulse Fury shoes provided during play. Troy liked the improved cushioning underfoot better than the previous version. He shared, "When I first slipped these shoes on the plush lining offered a high level of comfort. One of the key improvements over the previous version was the increase in forefoot cushioning. With the Propulse BPMs I was getting some soreness on the balls of my feet due to the lack of cushioning in the midsole. The Propulse Fury shoes provided just enough forefoot cushioning while maintaining a low-to-the-ground ride. The medium-height arch support worked well for my feet, although I did install orange Superfeet Premium Insoles to help provide the added support I need. The ventilation was about the same as some of the previous versions of the Propulse and other mid-weight shoes."

Jason also enjoyed the cushioning, although it didn't quite stack up to an older pair of Babolat shoes that he loved. He explained, "The Propulse Fury were fairly comfortable right out of the box. They aren't as well cushioned or as plush as the old SFX model, but they're still quite comfortable. I thought the initial fit was decent for my wider feet, and it got better as the playtest went on because the forefoot opened up a bit. As far as ventilation goes, I'd say they were fairly average. My feet never felt too hot in them, even after an intense hitting session."

Andy also found the Propulse Fury shoes comfortable, but he had a bit of a fit issue around the ankle collar. He shared, "The Propulse Fury shoes were pretty comfortable right out of the box. They offered good cushioning all around my feet, and they had a secure fit. They moved naturally with my feet when I was on the court and never inhibited my movement in any way. I found the ventilation to be about average, and the arch support seemed to be a pretty good fit for my feet. My only issue with the comfort was around the ankle collar. The fit was fairly stiff and rigid through that area, and there were times during the test when I experienced some uncomfortable rubbing during play."

Chris had no complaints about comfort during this playtest. He said, "I enjoyed a comfortable ride in the Propulse Fury shoes from the first wear to the last. The level of cushioning was just right for me. I felt well protected on tough landings, yet I could still feel the court for confident movement. The uppers broke in pretty quickly and offered a comfortable fit. I was able to cinch the shoes around my feet to get that locked in feel, and I never had any hot spots or areas of irritation."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.5

For the most part, our team loved the level of support and stability from the Propulse Fury. "One of the strengths of these shoes proved to be stability," Andy praised. "You ride pretty low to the ground in them, which provides a sturdy, stable base. Then, the TPU cage that wraps up over the feet did a real nice job of locking in my feet during aggressive lateral cuts, so I always felt totally protected when moving and changing directions at top speed."

Chris also felt very confident scampering around the court during this playtest. He said, "My feet felt very secure in the Propulse Fury shoes. I thought they were much improved over the previous version. I felt low to the ground and very stable. I liked the support around my heels, and I felt secure and ready to make aggressive changes of direction. The uppers were supportive without being overly stiff."

Jason had a little bit of an issue with the fit in the ankle and heel region. He explained, "I felt confident moving around the court with these shoes on. My feet felt very locked in and supported, especially during my side to side movements. I enjoyed the low-to-the-ground feel, and the heel to toe transition was seamless. I did experience a bit of heel slippage, however, I found that by lacing up to the highest eyelet I was able to almost completely get rid of the slippage."

Troy was also pleased with the level of stability these shoes offered, but he had the same issue with heel slippage. He shared, "I found the lateral stability of these shoes to be right up there with some other comparable shoes on the market. I felt locked in when I was making aggressive lateral movements and I could stop and start without fear of rolling an ankle. As far as the overall support, I found that after a brief break-in period the shoes loosened up and didn't lock my feet in as well as I would have liked. When I first tried them on I found a good fit, but after about a week of playtesting the forefoot opened up slightly and I was getting some unwanted slippage inside the toebox. To get a secure fit I had to wear two pairs of socks, just like I had to do with the previous version of these shoes. The only other knock I had with the support was that I was getting some heel slippage, although this wasn't a detriment to performance."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

Everyone was impressed with the durability of the Propulse Fury shoes. Chris is hard on his shoes, but he could barely do any damage to his pair over the course of the playtest. He praised, "My shoes lasted well. I found better durability from the Propulse Fury shoes than I have from previous versions. Along with the supportive fit, I thought this was one of the more impressive aspects of the Fury. I played only on hard courts during this test, and the outsoles held up well. The toes have also proved durable. I have a fair bit of scuffing on my shoes but no serious wear at all. I was very impressed by the overall durability of these shoes."

Like Chris, Troy noted the improvement in durability over the previous version, saying, "The overall durability was average for me when compared to other shoes of similar weight that I have tested. I didn't find the outsoles of these to hold up as well as the Asics Gel Resolution 7s or the adidas Barricade 2016s, but they were still plenty durable for shoes with a six-month durability guarantee. The update to the Michelin rubber compound made them more durable for me compared to the previous model."

Jason praised the Propulse Fury shoes, saying, "Like all the other Babolat shoes I've tested that used the Michelin rubber, these shoes held up exceptionally well. I probably put about 15 hours on them, and there is little sign of wear and tear."

The Propulse Fury shoes also held up to Andy's aggressive footwork. He said, "My pair held up extremely well throughout the course of the test. I put around 20-30 tough hours on them, and the outsoles show virtually no sign of wear. I think I could easily put double that amount of time on them and they'd still be performing well. For as thin as the outsole material seemed to be, it had exceptional durability. In addition, the TPU wrap across the toes and medial side held up completely to my hard court sliding. Near top marks in this category for me!"

Traction - Score: 4.3

While the Propulse Fury shoes gripped the court decently well, much of our team were slipping more than usual during hard court play. "I slipped a little more in these shoes than I did in the previous Propulses," Chris shared. "When coming to a stop the shoes felt good. However, I was slipping in them when making aggressive push offs for a sprint forward or a change of direction. I would have liked a little more grab from the outsoles in those instances."

Due to the excessive slipping, Troy figured these shoes might be a nice choice for players who like to slide on hard courts. He shared, "While moving aggressively around the court I noticed that the outsole was a bit on the slick side. It took me a few hitting sessions to get comfortable with putting on the brakes, but once I adapted I was able to stop and start comfortably. I usually prefer a bit more grip from the outsoles of my shoes, but for those players who slide into their shots comfortably on hard courts will find these to be a good option right out of the box."

On the other hand, Andy actually found the outsoles to be a little stickier than usual, but he also notice that the Propulse Fury shoes didn't consistently lock up with the court during play. He explained, "I found the traction to be pretty good, but I did slip a little more than usual in them on the hard courts. The outsole seemed to be on the stickier side of the spectrum, but sometimes when I'd go to make a hard cut or aggressive movement the shoes would slip, and I would lose my footing. It also took me a little while to gauge the response of the outsole before I felt totally comfortable going for my hard court slides."

Jason only had minor issues with slipping or sliding. He shared, "I felt like the outsoles did a great job gripping the court when I was cutting and changing direction. I had a handful of instances when I experienced a little bit of slippage when I was making my first step toward the net, but it wasn't too bad. The traction was excellent throughout the playtest because the outsoles are so durable."

Weight - Score: 4.1

While they're not light weight performance shoes, the Propulse Fury played and felt lighter than their measured weight would suggest. "They certainly don't fit into the lightweight shoe category," Jason remarked. "On my feet, based on weight alone, they feel like an Asics Gel Resolution or adidas Barricade. Luckily, the heel to toe transition was seamless, which made the shoes feel faster than their static weight would indicate."

"Coming in at roughly 15.4 oz for a size 10.5, I found these shoes to play a bit lighter than that number would indicate," Troy echoed. "Even with the addition of my Superfeet insoles, these shoes still felt similar in weight to my Asics Gel Resolution 7, which weigh about an ounce lighter."

Chris was also quite comfortable moving around in the Propulse Fury shoes. He never felt his movement was hampered by the design or weight of the shoes. He praised, "I enjoyed playing in these shoes. They felt well made, and I enjoyed the supportive fit, stability, comfort and durability. Considering all of the performance they offered, I was impressed that they never felt heavy or clunky on court."

Andy enjoyed the low-to-the-ground ride but thought the upper design was a tad bulky. He explained, "These shoes felt pretty middle of the road when it came to their weight and how much shoe I felt like I had on my feet during play. On the plus side, the low ride gave them a faster feel and kept me feeling very connected to the court. However, they felt a bit bulky through the upper, which kept them from feeling completely speed-oriented. That bulk did translate to lots of support and stability, though, but it took away from how fast they felt on court."

Overall - Score: 4.4