KSwiss Big Shot Light 3 Women's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.1

Across the board, our TW playtesters found the classic comfort of the KSwiss Big Shot Light 3s to exceed expectations and complement their on-court movements. Michelle described the shoes as padded and well cushioned, saying, "The cushioning was more on the supportive side than the plush side, which I'm OK with. I never had any issues when it came to comfort. The shoes fit my feet just fine, and there was good padding around the ankles and cushioning underfoot. The uppers were soft. The shoes weren't the most breathable, but they did just fine in this area. Surprisingly, I was never eager to get these shoes off when I got off the court, so that says a lot about the comfort they provided. These BigShot Light 3s felt like classic tennis shoes -- they did everything really well, and there weren't a whole lot of reasons why players won't like these shoes."

Tiffani also experienced plenty of comfort in these shoes. She said, "The Big Shot Light 3s offered a generous medium width, so my wider feet fit well in them, and the cushioning is quite soft underfoot. They didn't require any breaking in, so I could play in them right away. These BigShot Light 3s were comfortable for me all around. The arch support was adequate so I didn't install my Superfeet insoles, and the cushioning remained soft and pillow-like. The one drawback of the cushioning was how warm the shoes could get. I noticed my feet warming up over an hour hitting session, and I always opted to take them off after so I could air out my feet."

Hannah's narrow feet were affected slightly by the wider fit of the Big Shot Light 3s, and she didn't find comfort right away. She noted, "First and foremost, these shoes had a break-in period for me. The first time I played in them I found them to be significantly stiff and tough to move in comfortably. After the first hit the uppers were still on the stiffer side, but the shoes themselves softened up a lot and felt generally comfortable on my feet. My movements were pretty fluid overall, and I found the cushioning to be somewhere in the middle of the range, and the ventilation was great. These shoes do fit on the wide side. They were comfortable in almost every category besides the fact that my narrow feet were sliding around quite a bit even after cinching the laces up pretty tightly. The fit really affected me on forward sprints, and I did experience some toe jamming."

Brittany found these shoes slightly too roomy for her narrow feet. Putting fit aside, she said, "When I slipped the KSwiss Bigshot Light 3s on my feet I was immediately rewarded with plush cushioning underfoot and in the tongue. The shoes felt very comfortable when I was walking to the court, and I didn't need any sort of break-in. The shoes fit on the wider side, and with my narrow feet I had a lot of extra room throughout the shoes. I had to really make sure to tie my shoes tightly and use the extra eyelets to get a locked-in feel. The arch support was on the lower side but hit my arches in the correct spot, and I had enough support to keep me from having any issues. They also run a tad warm, but this wasn't a big concern for me."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.0

Equipped with a midfoot shank and Plantar Support Chassis, the KSwiss Big Shot Light 3s were supportive and stable. Hannah said, "Stability never felt compromised when I was changing directions, and even with my personal insoles in the shoes the heel never felt too shallow." "Overall, my ankles felt secure on the run. The only minor knock I have in this category is that the lateral edge of the forefoot was a little bulky, and I did catch this edge sometimes. Other than that, these shoes had adequate levels of support and stability."

Despite a few minor issues Tiffani felt confident in these shoes. She said, "The BigShot Light 3s held my feet securely for the most part, and my ankles felt protected. It did feel like the laces loosened after a while, and I would tighten and then re-tie my shoes periodically to keep my feet feeling locked in. I had one issue with these shoes, and it could be more a function of my footwork than an issue with the shoes. On some of my shorter, quicker moves, the small outrigger on the lateral side of the forefoot would catch on the court. I never fell, but I definitely noticed it because I felt slightly off balance."

"Support and stability are my favorite aspects of these shoes," Michelle raved. "The uppers were supportive and held my feet, and the stability was top notch. I really appreciated how secure I felt in these shoes, specifically off my backhand side when I was pulled wide. I could plant and swing big through the ball rather than trying to soften the step to avoid any toe jamming. I never felt like these shoes were going to let me down in terms of support or stability. As someone who isn't the most talented mover, I really was happy with how these shoes kept me moving."

Brittany noted that some stability was compromised due to fit issues. She explained, "As I mentioned, the width was on the wider side. During the first hit my feet were moving around a lot in the shoes in all directions. I had to stop and retie my shoes significantly tighter, and I used some of the top eyelets to get a more snug fit. Even with that fix, I was still sliding in the shoes, especially in the toe box. Additionally, I would rate the shoes around average in terms of stability. They got the job done, but there was nothing that stood out."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

The Big Shot Light 3s conquered the durability category, leaving our playtesters confident in these shoes' ability to withstand aggressive wear. Tiffani offered, "I've barely put a dent in the outsoles or toes of these shoes. The rubber on the outsoles and the toes is holding up very well. Issues with durability are not a concern for me with these shoes."

Brittany added, "Both the outsoles and toes have held up for me during the playtest. I have nothing to note out of the ordinary. I liked how thick the toe bumpers were to protect against toe dragging."

"After the playtest there were no signs of wear," Hannah said. "These shoes appeared to have above average durability!"

Michelle put durability to the test and affirmed the other playtesters' comments, saying, "I enjoyed how durable these shoes were. I put some good hours on them and was trying to wear them down, but they held up well."

Traction - Score: 3.8

The playtesters felt the traction level of the KSwiss Big Shot Light 3s was on the higher side. Tiffani never doubted her footwork once, saying, "These shoes gripped the court well and didn't offer a lot of give. I always felt sure of my footing, and there were no instances of slipping or sliding."

Michelle agreed. She added, "Similar to stability -- the traction was a strength of the Big Shot Light 3s. The traction was stickier, which I like, and these shoes never felt slippery. The tack held up well even weeks into the playtest. I could rely on the traction to move aggressively."

Hannah thought the blend of grip and give was spot on for these classic feeling shoes. She offered, "The traction fell somewhere in the middle of the spectrum for me. Never did I feel that it was too slick or too sticky, and I think these shoes offered the right amount of traction when it mattered. It was difficult to gauge the traction when I was hitting balls on the run because I did experience some toe jamming, but other than that, I found the traction to be a positive for these shoes."

Brittany prefers a slicker outsole. She explained, "The traction was on the stickier side. The shoes were gripping the court more than I like, and there were a couple times when I felt stuck. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I prefer a little give when I'm changing directions. The grippier traction remained throughout the playtest, even though I was hoping for a little more give toward the end. With the plush cushioning underfoot I felt like I was sitting up higher in the shoes, and I didn't feel as connected to the court as I would have liked."

Weight - Score: 3.5

Most of our testers were slightly underwhelmed with the weight of the KSwiss Big Shot Light 3s. The lightweight characteristics didn't translate into feel or playability for Brittany. She analyzed, "'Light' is in the name of the shoes, and on the scale they weighed 11.3 oz (size 8.5). However, I didn't feel that the shoes played as light as I had expected. The biggest issue was the lack of a smooth heel-to-toe transition, which made the shoes feel a little clunkier than I'm used to. Their weight felt about average when I was moving around."

Expanding on the issues with weight, Michelle said, "These shoes felt heavy and clunky on my feet. It was tough to feel fast in them. I felt weighed down a bit and wasn't able to accelerate as fast as I would have like in them. It's tough because I do appreciate the stability and comfort levels. Sometimes shoes with those positives are heavier for that reason, so it's a bit of a double-edged sword. I don't know if I would give up the stability for a lighter version. However, if I could have it all, I would want the Big Shot Light 3s to be a bit quicker and lighter, and have a more responsive feel."

Noting the improvements to the weight levels from the previous version, Tiffani said, "These shoes are light when I compare them to some shoes of the past, including the original BigShots, but compared to the speed-oriented models I tend to wear, they are a little cumbersome. It's not so much that they weigh a lot, it's more the bulkier design. Combining that design with the plush cushioning made me feel slower."

Hannah was the lone playtester who had no issues with the weight. She said, "I felt light on my feet in these shoes, which is always a major upside for me, and I had no problems pushing off to the ball with my normal speed and reaction. The weight was a highlight for me, and I think it matched my game and footwork style fairly well."

Overall - Score: 4.0