Reebok KFS Pump Advantage Tennis Shoe Review

Ask most any guy and he'll tell you that pants with adjustable elastic style waists aren't cool.

Sure, there are needs for such garments, but your average athlete wouldn't want to be caught in something that hints at the need to make a spreading waistline comfortable.

When it comes to our feet, however, the shoe is literally on the other foot.

Comfort is an important part of performance. I mean, how's a guy going to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee if his feet are killing him?

Enter Reebok with its Kinetic Fit Technology (KFS). The footwear engineers at Reebok discovered that our feet get bigger at impact. Now, before you rush off and put your feet on the latest fad diet, understand that when your feet spread out, it is a natural result of the forces of impact. KFS addresses this issue by moving with your feet. It also offers, according to Reebok, "enhanced performance by strategically placing support, flexibility and compliance expansion joints in the footwear where they are needed most. These expansion joints facilitate moving energy to provide an unparalleled comfortable fit across a variety of foot shapes, while still maintaining the support the foot needs while in motion."

KFS is an award-winning technology from Reebok's running shoes. The KFS Pump Advantage shoes we're testing brings KFS technology into tennis, and combines it with a technology tennis players have long been familiar with, the Pump.

With KFS in place, the next question is to Pump or not to Pump. Reebok's Pump Technology has proved popular over the years - helping to create a more customized and secure fit. The beauty of the Pump is that you have the option of using it or not using it, as preferences differ from player to player. Our playtest team is a prime example of this, as you will see when reading further.

With all this fit technology at our fingertips, er, make that toe tips, we were ready to admit that maybe expandable could be cool. Our playtest team took the KFS Pump Advantage shoes out for a 3-week playtest to find out if the score is indeed - Advantage Reebok.

Comfort

Our team agreed that the KFS Pump Advantage offered immediate comfort with a soft upper and ample cushioning, though running a bit generous in width.

Chris was happy with the level of cushioning. "I found these shoes to offer a comfortable ride. The fit was a little wide for me - even with the Pump at full PSI. This is a shoe where I really needed two pairs of socks, otherwise I was sliding around inside them, which led to some discomfort. I really liked the level of cushioning, and the uppers felt soft and comfortable. The more I wore these shoes, the more I appreciated the comfort and performance. Toward the end of the test I found myself only using the Pump when I felt like I needed to cinch things up a bit."

Immediately noticing the thick, plush cushioned heel was Danny. "Overall, I thought the cushioning was slightly above average. The cushioning surrounding the heel area was the first thing that I noticed. I found the heel cushioning to be thicker than most shoes that I've tried. I wasn't too fond of the cushioning in the forefoot region of the shoe. I prefer more cushioning in the forefoot." Granville offered, "This shoe was very comfortable right out of the box. My foot slipped right down onto the insole, providing a low-riding fit and that sense of a bucket seat. The uppers felt soft all the way around. Yes, a bit roomy, but with two pairs of socks and I was in shoe heaven. Do this and the Pump is not necessary, which was a good thing as I did not find it easy to use."

Spencer was most impressed with the anti-slip heel. "Straight from the box to the courts, these shoes were comfortable from the first step. I felt they ran a bit long in length, but I had no issues with heel slippage. The anti-slip material used in the heel area is legit. It really helped keep my heels down in the shoes. The toe box and forefoot area were slightly generous in width, though not a factor in slippage inside the shoe. I did, however, find a better, snugger fit wearing two pairs of socks. I was indifferent towards the Pump. I played in them with the Pump and then without, and it didn't noticeably affect my game or the feel on my feet."

The comfort and fit worked extremely well for Jason's wider feet. "I felt these shoes offered out of the box comfort. The cushioning from the heel to the forefoot seemed to be very plush. I had a few hard landings that were subdued with the DMX foam. The wider than normal fit was great for my foot type. I experienced absolutely no pinching or poking anywhere at anytime. I actually preferred playing without the Pump system on. When I had it pumped up, it seemed to fit a bit too tight because I already had my laces cinched up pretty good." Ryan S. agreed. "These shoes had great comfort out of the box. The comfort was good as it relates to the amount of cushioning. My foot was comfortable in the heel area, which was really nice. However, as I started playing more and more in them, the shoes became less and less comfortable."

Arch Support

Most of our crew experienced a nice fit and support in the arch. Not having any issues with support was Ryan S. "The arch support was pretty good for me. It might have been a tad low for me, but overall, I didn't notice it and didn't have a problem." Chris liked the worry free aspect of the support in the arch. "My arches felt well supported. One of the things I loved about the shoes was that I could put them on and forget about them. The arch support was another worry free aspect of this shoe for me."

Tinkering a little before getting the support just right was Jason. "This wasn't too bad for a medium arch. With the Pump system fully inflated, I noticed more soreness in my arches, but with it off, I had little to no discomfort." Spencer was satisfied. "The arch support was medium or average. My arches were supported well enough during play with no after play soreness or discomfort."

Feeling the width of the shoe affected his arch support was Danny. "Due to the shoe's width, I thought the arch support was too low. The arch support wasn't the right size for my foot. I need a more narrow fit for the arch support to be good." Granville found a better fit. "The arch support felt good and right where it needed to be. I have a low arch, and I was not thinking about the arch support."

Foot Support and Stability

It was evident that the width ratio from shoes to feet played a role in the varied opinions of our test squad. Granville found a more supportive fit with two pairs of socks. "This shoe was a bit roomy - as I noted for comfort. I found that two pairs of socks filled the shoes nicely and prevented any sliding around. The shoes also seemed to stretch out a bit, making for a comfortable fit, but also making two pair of socks all but mandatory if I was playing competitively." Spencer also felt very secure when wearing a second pair of socks. "The support was OK with one pair of socks but improved with wearing two pairs, as I had a more secure fit, offering a more supportive feel. Though the KFS Pump Advantage felt soft and pliable, it had pretty good stability. There were no rollover incidents or mistrust issues when making lateral cuts." Having similar sentiments was Chris. "As I mentioned in the comfort section, I had some sliding around inside the shoes at first. Once I found a secure fit through sock selection, I really felt safe in these shoes. It felt like my feet sat low inside these shoes and the ride was very stable. I happened to have these in my bag when I rolled my ankle while playtesting a shoe from a competing brand. I was glad I had these shoes, as I was able to put them on and continue playing without fear of rolling again. Most impressively, I had all that support and stability without any sacrifice in comfort."

Having some extra room in the forefoot didn't affect the stability for Jason. "My feet were sliding a little in the forefoot because it is so roomy up front, but in the midfoot and heel areas my feet felt pretty secure. The non-slip lining in the heel felt as if it did its job. Even when I had some slippage issues my ankles never tweaked or felt like they had a chance to roll." Danny's narrow foot proved problematic when it came to support and stability in the KFS Pump Advantage. "The foot support and stability were the main issues with the shoe for me. I thought the width of the KFS Pump was too wide for my narrow foot, which definitely affected my footwork. My foot was slipping and sliding quite a bit within the shoe."

Not even the Pump could cure the sliding around inside the shoes for Ryan S. "I had a lot of trouble with these shoes as far as support goes. I'm pretty sure a lot of this trouble was because of the width of the shoe, as opposed to my foot. The toe box was very roomy, and after a couple of days in these shoes my feet were sliding around a lot. On a couple of sprints to fetch a short ball I hurt my toes when making the stop. Running side to side was also an issue. When I really inflated the Pump this feeling was minimized, but I still was not quite secure. It was not a good feeling."

Overall Sole Durability

The KFS Pump Advantage comes with a 6-month durability guarantee. Feeling the wide footprint of the shoe increased the durability was Danny. "Overall, I thought the sole durability was good. I think the wider fit was a reason why the durability was so good, spreading out the wear with the extra surface area." Ryan S. felt the durability was above average. "They seemed to be holding up pretty well. There was minimal wear around the ball of my foot on the insides of the shoe, but it wasn't that bad. I would say these shoes have pretty good durability." Granville found plenty of durability during this playtest. "The outsole has a hearty tread pattern which remained virtually intact over several matches. Only the outside edge of the outsole was showing wear. The KFS Pump Advantage seems to be a very durable shoe."

Feeling the durability was good, but not great, was Spencer. "The sole started showing wear on the lateral side of the forefoot of the sole. This is pretty much in line with where I wear out soles. The durability was good, though not as good as some of the other shoes I've tested." Chris showed less concern with a durability guarantee in place. "Not the most durable of outsoles compared to some competing brands, but with the guarantee, it doesn't really matter. I started to see wear first in the forefoot under my big toes. I've actually worn 2 pairs of these, and for whatever reason, my second pair has held up much better. I'd say the durability was good, but these are not the most durable shoes currently available."

Jason was looking for better durability. "I was not impressed with the RBK Dura outsole. After a few trips to the court the toe on the medial side (inside) was showing tread loss. At the end of the playtest, there was very noticeable baldness on the pivot point and the toe area."

Toe Durability

The built up toe cap of the KFS Pump Advantage did its job and protected the uppers from our toe-dragging testers. A thumbs up verdict concerning toe protection came from Chris. "The toes look beefed up on these shoes and proved to be as durable as they looked. At the end of the test there were plenty of scuffmarks to the toes of my shoes, but no damage done. The secondary material, which runs around the medial side of the shoe, also proved to offer plenty of protection when sliding wide and dragging the toe of the shoe." Ryan S. felt the same. "There is a considerable amount of toe dragging material to help the shoes not wear out too fast. Even with all my lunges at the net, the toe drag area was still looking pretty good."

Granville was also impressed by the toe durability. "The toe and toe cap combine to make a very durable shoe even for the most extreme toe draggers." Durability on the lower part of the toe was an issue for Danny. "The first signs of wear were most noticeable at the bottom of the toe. I wore through the first layer of the outsole."

Traction

Our testers found some impressive hard court traction from the RBK Dura outsoles with their herringbone tread pattern and pivot point. Finding the level of traction confidence inspiring was Granville. "I was very impressed with the traction of this KFS Pump Advantage. Quick starts and stops were executed with no sliding. I was playing with complete confidence from the first time I stepped on the court." This was the high point of the playtest for Ryan S. "This might have been this shoe's best area, in my opinion. Through all of my issues with the support of the shoe, I never had an issue with traction. I always got to the ball and never slipped. Even on the hardest and most abrupt stops and changes of direction, or when my foot slid in the shoe, my traction with the court was still top notch."

Danny found reliability in the traction. "I didn't have any problems with the traction of the shoe. I never found myself slipping or sliding on the tennis courts." Finding the traction to be sure even during aggressive movement was Chris. "I found the level of traction to be very good. I was able to move aggressively in the shoes without having them break loose. I like a little bit of give, as it helps prevent the shoe from wanting to roll, and these shoes offered that on the various hard courts I played on. I felt comfortable transitioning from side to side and the shoes also transitioned well from heel to toe."

Jason was satisfied with the grip on hard courts. "I felt that these shoes gripped the court fairly well. Starting and stopping was slippage free. I did notice some issues when I made quick changes of direction." Spencer had hoped for a bit more bite. "The traction was neither noticeably good nor noticeably bad. I didn't have any real concerns, though I must say I expected a little more bite on the hard court when planting and pushing off. I felt there was a slight bit of give on severe cuts. Not enough to slide out, but just enough to delay my change of direction, even if ever so slight."

Weight

At 16.6 ounces for a size 10.5, our testers' opinions on the weight-to-performance ratio of the KFS Pump Advantage were split. Chris was happy with the weight. "The weight of these shoes felt in line with the level of performance they offered. They never felt bulky or heavy, and I felt like I was moving well in them. I think that because I felt like I was sitting low inside the shoes, the weight was hardly noticeable." The width made the KFS Pump Advantage feel heavier according to Danny. "I thought the shoes felt heavier than their listed weight. I think this was because of the bulk and the width."

Noticing the weight during play was Ryan S. "I noticed the shoe a couple of times and thought it was a bit bulky feeling." Granville found the weight to be spot on. "Here again I find that Reebok has hit the nail on the head - the shoe seemed very light for the many features offered. As I found them both light and supple, I did not think about the shoes on my feet when playing tennis - just the way I like it."

Jason found the shoes light. "The shoes felt comfortable and lightweight. They were definitely not a burden on my feet or movement. Seems like the DMX foam system is not only comfortable and substantial, but lightweight as well." Spencer felt the shoes looked heavier than they felt. "The weight was enough to keep some support and stability, yet it didn't hamper foot speed. Looking down at them when they're on, they look rather wide and big in the forefoot, giving a subconscious feeling of heftiness."

Overall

Our crew found the KFS Pump Advantage to be quite comfortable right out of the box. The DMX Foam cushioning offered a smooth, plush ride, and our team found the overall comfort very impressive. Our major gripe came, ironically, from the fit of the shoe. While the wide forefoot footprint made for a stable ride, many of our testers found their feet sliding around inside the shoes. We played only on hard courts, and our team was impressed by the traction the shoes offered. Durability is taken care with a six-month outsole guarantee, and our team also found the toe durability to be solid.

Reebok KFS Pump Advantage Scores

Play Test Scores

Comfort 4.0 Arch Support 3.8 Foot Support/Stability 3.5 Overall Sole Durability 3.7 Toe Durability 4.1 Traction 3.9 Weight 3.8 Overall 3.7 Scores (1-Horrible 2-Poor 3-Average 4-Good 5-Tremendous)

Playtesters' Foot Types: Chris - Narrow width/Medium arch, Spencer - medium/medium arch, Granville - Narrow/low arch, Danny - Medium/Medium arch, Jason - Wide/Low arch, Paul Medium/Medium arch

Review date: February, 2008. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2008 Tennis Warehouse.