Diadora Men's Ace D.A. Shoe Review

Diadora isn't a household name in the US when it comes to tennis shoes. Known more for soccer and other sports, their presence has been most recently boosted by former ATP Tour #1 Gustavo Kuerten. Their recent introduction of two closely related models (in looks and name), the Rebound Ace Mid and the Ace D.A., has prompted some speculation as to what the differences are. Feedback from our recent review of the Rebound Ace Mid gave us enough incentive to also review the Ace D.A.

Before jumping in, a quick examination of some physical differences between the Rebound Ace Mid and Ace D.A. is in order. The most eye catching difference is the Ace D.A.'s lower cut collar around the heel and smoother, more rounded cut moving towards the tongue. A second not so visible detail is weight. The Ace D.A., not coincidentally, wears a little lighter - because it is: 16 ounces on our scale; approximately a quarter of an ounce lighter than the Rebound Ace. Not much confusion in these two physical differences. However, fit was another issue. Two primary play testers found the Ace D.A. fit true to size; no downsizing for a proper fit as we found with the Rebound Ace. Both players had standard to narrow width feet and medium arches. A few other play testers with wider foot types found comfort in a 1/2 size larger.

After some lengthy hard court play, our playtesters shared the following impressions.

Comfort - While the cushioned feel of the Ace D.A.'s sole was popular, it was contrasted with comments regarding the wider fit. Danny explains, "The extra cushioning of the sole feels good when at a stand still or walking around, but when quick movement is required the extra width can be a problem. My foot is somewhat narrow, which made stopping rough on my feet. Players with a wider foot will benefit from the extra width the Ace D.A. offers. Besides this issue, it was very comfortable on or off the court." Randy confirms, "comfort was good but the shoes were a bit roomy. They have a wide toe box." Not surprisingly, there was dissent. Dan adds, "unlike the sizing issues I had with the Rebound Ace Mid, I found the Ace D.A. the more comfortable of the two models - not as wide (but still wide) and a more comfortable toe box fit. I had no sliding problems when it came to quick stop and go play. Best of all, I found they fit true to size length-wise."

Arch Support - Most play testers found the relatively mild arch comfortable while others felt more arch would be justified to better suit the wider fit of the Ace D.A. Dan offers, "although I had no problem associated with the arch support, I feel more would have helped due to the wider cut. Pushing off from a quick stop seemed a bit clumsy/flat at times." Danny comments, "the arch design was comfortable for my feet. There wasn't as much support as I would like, but I still found the mild arch to be comforting. The only thing that concerned me was my movement. The mild arch put me on my heels, which made it difficult to move when quick reactions were needed. Other than that, no pain or soreness was experienced from the arch. It's worth saying, arches of other models have bothered me in the past." Granville adds, "the mild arch was very compatible with my mid shaped arch. No problems"

Foot Support/Stability - The Rebound Ace's midcut provides extra ankle support, while the Molded EVA foam with Double Action inserts in the metatarsal and heel area provide enhanced cushioning, lending support to the midfoot. Not surprisingly, comments regarding support/stability were mixed. John adds, "I was able to stop abruptly and then change directions easily without concern for slipping and sliding inside the shoe. The midfoot support was noticeable." Danny had another view, "the mid cut design allowed good foot support, however I still found problems with slippage. The extra space required my foot to do more work." Granville offers, "I had some concerns about 'pushing' myself on court. However, I found that the wide outsole (footprint) adds a great deal of stability, and once broken in, I didn't have any problems with stability." Dan concludes, "Unlike the Rebound Ace where I had problems stopping quickly, the Ace D.A. holds a slightly tighter fit across my entire foot. The mid cut was an added bonus and roll over was never an issue."

Overall Sole Durability - While some or our play testers on the Rebound Ace panel found a thinner outsole that compromised shock absorption, the Ace D.A.'s sole felt beefed up in comparison. Danny explains, "the outsole of the Ace D.A. caught my attention, due to its thickness. I thought the sole was very durable. After many vigorous workouts, its done a great job remaining intact. I was impressed with the overall durability of the shoe." Dan adds, "when I tested the Rebound Ace, I felt court/road contours that wouldn't normally register with thicker-soled models. I needed more there to truly feel comfortable. Fortunately, this wasn't the case with Ace D.A. A thicker and stronger sole was evident." Randy finishes, "outsole durability was solid and the tread remained strong throughout the play test period."

Toe Durability - The beefed up multi-density Duratech toe is effective for even the most chronic toe draggers. Randy begins, "to say I'm a toe-dragger is an understatement. I've spent quite a few hours on-court play-testing and the sole towards the toe is only slightly starting to wear - excellent durability." Dan agrees, "after 6 weeks of playtesting, only small signs of wear are appearing on the inside of the toe. The Ace D.A. has tough/quality toe construction, no question."

Traction - The consistent and deep herringbone tread design of the Ace D.A. pleased all our playtesters. It's worth noting, the tread design of the Rebound Ace and Ace D.A. are the same and no noticeable differences were evident. Dan comments, "I didn't experience any problems with sliding or pushing off from the toe during quick re-starts and turns. The tread design held securely on our unforgiving hardcourts. No slippage. Great for stable, stop and go tennis." Granville concurs, "I found that in combination with the wide forefoot outsole and the deep herringbone tread pattern, the Ace D.A. provided excellent traction. I can move side to side with confidence and chase down the short drop shot at the net. The "beefy" tread will go a long way to enhancing durability. This reflects the primary benefit of this shoe to this playtester."

Weight - Although the Ace D.A. is no lightweight (16 ounces), it is slightly lighter than the Rebound Ace (16.4 ounces), both measured at size 10 1/2. While most play testers agreed that the Ace D.A. is considered "spec heavy", court movement did not seem inhibited in any measurable way. John begins, "though not the lightest shoe, a sense of stability and support is evident during play. I felt the weight contributed to this secure feeling." Danny comments, "At first sight, I wasn't expecting a light shoe, due to its mid-cut. In fact, this is a somewhat heavy shoe, however, the overall weight wasn't my primary concern; weight distribution was. I felt the toe region was too heavy. As a result, the toe of the shoe would tap the ground from time to time - quite annoying. This aside, the overall weight of the shoe was acceptable and posed no threat to my mobility." Dan says, "As I found with the Rebound Ace, the Ace D.A. hit the ideal mix of good maneuverability and solid support. An easily maneuvered shoe. It wears lighter than 16 ounces."

Looks - Other than the lower cut collar in the heel of the Ace D.A. and a slightly different lacing system on the Rebound Ace (due to a cosmetic side panel called Integral TXS), these models look very similar. Both remain stylish, sporting soft full-grain leather and classic looks. Danny shares, "I love the conventional look. I found the look easy to wear on the court or off. Sometimes I have trouble wearing shoes that have colors that spot out, but not with the D.A. The basic look is all I can ask for." Randy continues, "the look is great. The styling is busy but not flashy. They can be worn on the court or just as easily out to the movies with jeans."

While some play testers found a tighter, more snug fit than the Rebound Ace, others still found them too roomy. In the end, we still have to define the Ace D.A. as a shoe for players with wide(r) feet. To reiterate our review of the Rebound Ace, Diadora should address the sizing (length and width) issues, so players aren't forced to downsize for a proper fit. However, the Ace D.A. remains a very responsive, durable and comfortable mid top shoe for play on hard and clay courts.

Playtesters' Foot Types: Dan - medium width/medium arch, Don - wide/high arch, Drew - medium width/medium arch, Granville - narrow/low arch, John - medium width/medium arch, Mark - medium width/low arch, Randy - wide/medium arch.

Review date: March, 2001. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2001 Tennis Warehouse.