Lotto Syn Vanity Tennis Shoe Review

The Lotto Syn-Vanity is packed with technologies designed to help players get the most out of their footwork.

The shoe gets part of its name from one of these technologies. The Syn-Pulse LT is a lighter and more compact version of the original Syn-Pulse cushioning and stability system. Lotto says the comfort benefit of the Syn-Pulse LT system is threefold. First, the elliptical unit in the heel absorbs impact and provides energy return. Second, the elliptical hole allows maximum cushioning and stability at the central part of the heel. And, lastly, the thermoplastic material makes the cushioning even more responsive and elastic.

Our playtesters took these shoes for a month-long test to see how the Syn-Pulse LT and other technologies of the Syn-Vanity worked for them. Here's what they had to say.

Comfort - Score: 4.4

The Syn-Vanity combines two energy return cushioning systems to provide a comfortable ride. The Syn-Pulse LT is placed in the heel, while Enerturn absorbs shock in the forefoot. Tiffani found that these cushioning systems worked to her advantage. "The Syn-Vanity was comfortable right out of the box. I noticed the cushioning was there, but they had that great low-to-the-ground feel. The Syn-Pulse LT cushioning system seemed to work for me right from the start. The shoe felt soft underfoot, but not so much padding that my feet were sweating excessively. The only other thing I noticed with fit was the width. I have a wide foot, and it was snug for me, even after going up a half-size to try to compensate for that. However, the shoe quickly loosened up, and the width was no longer a problem."

For Kimber, the shoe fit like a glove. "Right from the beginning my foot felt good in the shoe. Even after playing long matches I felt as if I could keep playing. The shoe is streamlined, so I felt no poking, pinching or rubbing. To me the shoe fit more like a running shoe." DeeDee found the Syn-Vanity struck a good balance. "This shoe could have a little more cushioning, especially in the midfoot; however, if Lotto added more cushioning it might have interfered with the light feel of the shoe and may have caused some pinching in the upper. No poking, pinching or rubbing occurred even after a long day on the court."

The cushioning was nearly spectacular for Carol. "These shoes were my favorite so far in many ways, and almost great in the padding category. Unfortunately, they seemed to pack down a little in the toe box area, decreasing the padding and cushioning. The heel remained comfortable and well padded."

Arch Support - Score: 4.4

The arch support was a bit low for the playtesters with high arches. As she normally does, Carol installed after-marked insoles. "I have high arches and they are often hard to accommodate. Quite frequently I add store-bought arch supports to enhance the support, and that was the case here. There was support, but not an adequate amount for my very high arch." DeeDee, too, needed more support. "It was all right, but could have used a little bit more for my high arches."

Though those with lower arches found a better fit. Kimber found the fit perfect. "The arch was just the right height for my medium-arched foot. My feet ache after matches when I wear shoes with misplaced arches, but that didn't happen with these shoes." With her low arches, Tiffani was worry free. "I never noticed the arch when I was wearing the Syn-Vanity. That's a good thing, because with low arches I sometimes feel a lot of stress on my feet if the shoe has an arch support that is too high."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.3

For stability, Lotto uses its 3-S and B-Fast technologies. 3-S is short for Side Stability Support, which is built into the upper to ensure proper support for lateral movements. B-Fast is an internal strap system that provides additional lateral support during extreme sideways movements. Superb fit again came into play for Kimber. "The sleek, glove-like fit of the shoe provided great support and stability. I was confident throughout the match knowing the shoes were not a liability for my play."

The support of the Syn-Vanity boosted DeeDee's confidence. "This shoe provided superior support and stability. Wearing these shoes improved my game because I felt confident that my ankles were never going to roll over." Carol, too, felt locked in. "I felt like I was comfortable and secure in these shoes. I could run my hardest and not have to worry about slipping and sliding, and I felt very stable."

With her wide feet, Tiffani felt like she pushed the shoe to its limits. "Even at a half-size up, I was pretty confident with all movements. There wasn't any slipping inside the shoe, and I didn't roll an ankle. I did, however, feel the shoes flex a bit laterally when I was really pushing it on the court. The shoes held their ground in these extreme lateral movements, but I felt like I was on the edge, and with just a bit more I'd tumble over. So the shoes held me well for the most part, but when really making hard cuts I had a bit of doubt in the back of my mind."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.4

The Double Traction Outsole earned mixed reviews from our playtesters. DeeDee logged several hours on the court and was pleased with durability. "I wore these about 110 hours, and I saw wear the outside of my heels and slightly on the balls of my feet. But surprisingly, there was little wear and tear." Carol agreed. "I saw some slight wear in the toe area after about 25 hours, but I was pleased with the very small amount of wear."

Tiffani, though, felt the shoes were better for matches than daily training. "The shoes went bald on the ball of the foot, which is where I usually see wear first. However, the wear came very quickly. I hadn't put any holes in the shoes, but I only wore them for about 20 hours because I was just blowing through the outsole too quickly."Kimber also wished for more durability. "I have never had a shoe wear through the ball of the foot more quickly than this shoe. I am hard on my shoes and like to think that I am on the balls of my feet during play, but the excessive show of wear was surprising."

Toe Durability - Score: 2.5

The Syn-Vanity's toe protection drew mixed reviews from our toe dragging playtesters as well. Kimber didn't see much wear. "Toe dragging really only comes into play with my serving and volleying, and I have been more conscious to jump and not drag my foot, so the toe has held up well during these last months of wear." Tiffani, though, needed a more built-up toe area. "There isn't any toe protection, and let's just say me wearing the Syn-Vanity on a hard court was like taking a block of cheese to a box grater. In three wears, I had scraped off all of the gold coloring on the leather on the left shoe, which I drag heavily on my two-handed backhand. By the time I got around to the 10th time on court with the shoes, any rubber that was in the toe area was gone, and so was most of the leather, and an actual hole was imminent."

Traction - Score: 4.4

Our playtesters found the Syn-Vanity's traction to boost their confidence. Carol was comfortable moving in any direction. "I felt very comfortable running, stopping, traversing and split-stepping. I was happy with the grip on the court." Kimber played worry free. "They reminded me of a running shoe design and they helped make stopping, starting and changing direction problem free. I never felt like I was sliding or unstable with this Lotto shoe. Running on the court and lunging for shots or volleys caused no problems."

The long-lasting traction impressed Tiffani. "I found this to be a standout area for the Syn-Vanity. The shoe gripped very well, even as it went bald. The shoe never slid, so I was confident in planting my feet as well as sprinting up to get the drop shot. There were no worries I would slide into the net and give away the point!" DeeDee felt her movement improved. "I didn't have to work so hard changing directions, stopping or starting. It also felt effortless shifting my weight for my groundstrokes. Grip was excellent, helping my mobility!"

Weight - Score: 4.6

At 12.6 ounces (size 8.5), the Syn-Vanity is among the lightest of tennis shoes. Tiffani felt like she could speed around the court. "These are some of the fastest shoes I've worn. They surpass the Nike Air Zoom Mystify III in speed for me. The weights are about the same, but the Syn-Vanity feels slightly lower to the ground, making it feel that much faster. The super light weight made this a good choice for some competitive singles play. It was my favorite feature of the shoe."

DeeDee felt like her feet were moving faster. "Because the shoes were so lightweight my footwork on the court actually improved." With the light weight Kimber felt light on her feet for hours. "The light weight of the shoes was great for the long matches. There was not a cumbersome or clunky feel to the shoe, which made playing easier for me."

Also loving the light feel was Carol. "The shoes felt light in comparison to my usual favorites, New Balance. They had some weight to them, but they felt lighter than what I have been accustomed to."

Overall - Score: 4.1

The Syn-Vanity won over our playtesters with its comfort, lightweight feel and excellent traction. The Syn-Pulse LT cushioning in the heel garnered praise all around. Durability was troublesome for some, though. Still, the Syn-Vanity instilled confidence in our testers. This shoe would be a good choice for players who love light, speed-oriented shoes. For those who are hard on shoes, though, the Syn-Vanity would best be reserved for match play.

Lotto Syn-Vanity Scores
The Up Side	The Down Side	Play Test Scores
Lightweight Traction Glove-like fit No break-in required	Durability is questionable	Comfort 4.4 Arch Support 4.4 Foot Support/Stability 4.3 Overall Sole Durability 3.4 Toe Durability 2.5 Traction 4.4 Weight 4.6 Overall 4.1 Scores (1-Horrible 2-Poor 3-Average 4-Good 5-Tremendous)

Playtesters' Foot types: DeeDee: Narrow width / High arch. Kimber: Medium width / Medium arch. Carol: Wide width / High arch. Tiffani: Wide width / Low arch.

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

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