Lotto ATP Machine Speed Shoe Review

Lotto, the official brand of the ATP Tour, introduces three new shoes for the 2004 season. Heading the line-up is the ATP Machine Speed. Loaded with comfort features and a six-month durability guarantee, the ATP Machine Speed shoes have plenty of appeal for the avid tennis player. Like most things of Italian design, the ATP Machine Speed shoes also come with lots of style.

We tested the ATP Machine Speed shoes for three weeks to see if they perform as good as they look. Here's what we found.

Comfort

For comfort, the ATP Machine Speed offer ventilated synthetic uppers with a modular anatomic tongue. Inside the shoe, an anatomical, removable EVA insole offers additional padding under the forefoot to aid in cushioning during impact. Lotto's ENERTURN midsole cushioning system runs the entire length of the shoe to promote a cushioned ride.

When our team hit the courts with the ATP Machine Speeds they noticed the shoes required a definite break-in period. Chris said, "the shoes felt very stiff and a little tight at first, especially in the heel. This was more of a problem when wearing the shoes around for long periods as my right heel would become numb. When wearing the shoes for just an hour hitting session, the tightness was not a big problem. After about a week break-in, the uppers really seemed to form to my feet and the fit was excellent. Obviously, comfort greatly improved and the shoe started to perform more like a performance tennis shoe. I really enjoyed the level of cushioning and my feet felt well protected." Granville also said the ATP Machine Speeds were "a bit stiff for the first several hours then loosened up a bit. I'm finding some leather 'folds' near the big toe area that cause some discomfort. Also, while the molded insole feels comfortable, there is a molded ridge, which I think is supposed to be located between the ball of the foot and toes, that lies squarely on the ball of my foot. I still think about it on every step." Mark found the cushioning to be "OK, but nothing special," adding, "When I tightened the laces the top of the right shoe poked my ankle when I got down in the ready position. I continued to notice this throughout the playtest."

Finding the ATP Machine Speeds most comfortable was Danny. "I thought the comfort of the Lotto ATP Machine Speed shoe was its greatest attribute. I liked the thick and soft laces that come with the shoe. The top of my foot was comfortable and I think this was because of the lacing system. The lining of the insole had extra cushioning than most shoes that I have tested. There is a wave of about 4 lines that are spread throughout the insole for additional cushioning. The thick outsole adds to the overall good comfort that the shoe offers."

Arch Support

The arch support of the Lotto ATP Machine Speed sits at a medium to low height, and the contoured insoles are removable. While Granville found the arch support to be lacking, Chris said, "I really liked the arch support in the ATP Machine Speeds. It held my arch perfectly and my midfoot felt exceptionally well supported. The insole is very contoured and I really liked the way it held my foot in the shoe. I never felt any sliding inside the shoe or stress to my arch and midfoot." Both Mark and Danny agreed, saying the arch support fit just fine.

Foot Support/Stability

Our team found the ATP Machine Speed to offer a stable fit. The hard synthetic material extending from the midsole to the lace system at the midfoot offers good lateral stability while the lace system allowed our team to get a secure fit. Granville said, "this shoe is well built, and I found the stability to be good. I did not slide around inside the shoe and it was roomy enough to comfortably accept my ankle braces." Chris found the performance improved after a break-in period. "After break-in, these shoes felt very stable and supportive. Lateral stability was excellent and I never felt like I was going to roll an ankle. The shoe seemed to flex and support in all the right places. The flex at toe-off also dramatically improved after break-in, and I began to move with more confidence on each subsequent wearing." Danny would have preferred a higher cut around the ankle collar. "The low cut of the shoe was the only reason why I didn't give this shoe a high foot support rating. My feet were stable within the shoe, however I was concerned about rolling my ankles when having to stop abruptly. I never did roll my ankles, but it was in the back of my mind because of the lower cut." Mark said, "the ATP Machine Speeds held my feet very well. When I first put them on they felt long, but my feet didn't slide forward or to the side. Except for poking my ankle, the uppers felt very comfortable."

Overall Sole Durability

The ATP Machine Speed come with a LONGLAST 30 rubber outsole compound that's backed-up by a six-month durability guarantee. Chris offered, "these shoes are built tough. I put well over 40 hours on the ATP Machine Speeds, playing on both clay and hard courts. The outsoles are still in great shape and are holding up well in all areas." Mark agreed, saying, "the outsoles held up very well. They still have very little wear." Granville said, "the outsole seems very durable, with a deep tread suitable for hard and clay courts." Like the rest of our team, Danny had no problems when it came to durability. "the outsole for this shoe is thick and durable. I think this shoe is as durable as other guaranteed shoes."

Toe Durability

With its reinforced toe-tip, the ATP Machine Speed held up well on both the hard and clay courts. Both Granville and Mark found little wear at the toe tip as did our toe draggers, Danny and Chris. Danny said, "I think this shoe will be most appealing for players who serve and volley or players who tend to drag their toes. The ATP Machine Speeds offer a reinforced toe cap that provides lots of extra durability." Chris agreed, saying, "as with the rest of the shoe, durability is excellent. I have blown through some shoes in half the time I currently have on the ATP Machine Speeds. They are still in great shape and the toe area looks as though it'll last for plenty more hitting."

Traction

The outsoles on the ATP Machine Speed feature a herringbone like pattern. Unlike most herringbone-patterned outsoles, the raised areas are wide and flat. The LONGLAST 30 rubber outsole compound is firmer, with an emphasis on durability over outright traction. At the start of the playtest, our team struggled to find adequate traction from the firm outsole material. However, once the outsoles softened up and lost their initial surface layer, traction improved. Mark offered, "when I first played in the ATP Machine Speeds they were so stiff the soles just slid across the court. At that point I'd give them a 1 for traction. After they loosened up, the traction improved a lot. They held the court fine after a few weeks." Granville found a lack of traction, saying, "I found this shoe to be slippery in situations such as changing directions to retrieve a ball that was hit behind me. With continued wear, I seemed to overcome this, but it was a conscious effort through the break-in period."

Danny said, "I thought the traction was the most disappointing feature of the shoe. If you have quick foot speed and rely on stopping abruptly, then you'll have problems with this shoe. I think this shoe would be more effective on a clay court rather then a hard court, because then it will not matter if you are sliding on the court." Chris found the ATP Machine Speeds better suited to clay courts. "Although traction improved after break-in, I would still slide-out on aggressive lateral cuts while playing on hard courts. At one point early in the test, I was hitting with another tester in the ATP Machine Speeds and all we had to do was hit behind one another to win the point - it was just impossible to change direction quickly. Around the time of the playtest, I saw one or two journeymen players on the Tour using this shoe at tournaments such as the Siebel Open and the Pacific Life Open. I began to wonder if they were getting a softer, more grippy outsole. Surely if I was having traction problems playing at the 5.0 level, professional players must be sliding out, too. Towards the end of playtest, the shoe softened up and I found traction on hard courts to improve to an acceptable, but far from outstanding level. When playing on clay courts, the outsoles seemed better suited. I found good traction moving forwards and was able to use a controlled slide when returning wide shots."

Weight

At 16.9 ounces, the ATP Machine Speed could be considered a middleweight in the durability guaranteed performance shoe market. However, our team found the ATP Machine Speeds to play surprisingly light. While Granville felt the ATP Machine Speeds were a good weight for a performance shoe, Danny said, "I think this shoe plays light. Generally, I find shoes feel clunky and clumsy when they are in the 17 ounce range, but I didn't have a clunky, clumsy feel with this shoe." Chris agreed, adding, "the weight of this shoe was not an issue. There seemed to be enough there to offer plenty of stability, yet the shoe felt light. I really liked moving in this shoe on the clay, where I feel it performed better and I was more confident at speed." Mark also found the ATP Machine Speeds to "feel very light, without sacrificing stability."

Overall

Our team would have liked more out-of-the-box traction from the ATP Machine Speed. Although the firm outsoles took a while to soften up and start to grip, they did prove to be extremely durable. With a protected toe tip and a six-month outsole durability guarantee, the ATP Machine Speeds are a good choice for players who tend to blow through shoes. Players seeking support and stability in their tennis shoes will also find the ATP Machine Speeds to be a solid choice. And if style is important, our team got plenty of compliments on the look of the ATP Machine Speeds.

Playtesters' Foot Types: Chris- narrow width/medium arch, Granville - narrow width/low arch, Danny - medium/medium arch, Mark - medium width/medium arch.

Review date: May, 2004. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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