Nike Lunarlite Speed Women's Tennis Shoe Review

In a world of reality TV makeovers, it seems that everything these days is about looking snazzy and shedding some weight. Don't worry, we're not going to discuss body image here. We're talking the universal language of shoes.

With the introduction of the LunarLite Speed, Nike seems ready to give women's tennis shoes a makeover by offering bolder color options and by dropping the weight, but without giving up the heart of a good tennis shoe: support.

To help lighten the load, two new technologies have been introduced into the tennis shoe line: LunarLite and Flywire.

The LunarLite foam cushioning is lighter than traditional Phylon and is designed to disperse the pressure of impact over a wider area. This means the impact isn't absorbed all in one place, which helps protect the feet. Flywire, inspired by suspension bridges, features thin nylon wires built into the upper to support your foot just where it's needed.

So how does this shoe technology translate on the court? Our team headed out for a month-long playtest to find out.

Comfort - Score: 3.0

Our testers were excited to get on the court to test the new cushioning system, LunarLite. Kimber noted how lightweight the LunarLite Speeds were for her. "These Nike shoes are not encumbered with excess padding, but the midsole LunarLite cushioning was sufficient and comfortable for me. The sock-like entry for the shoe was a little tight, and at times, my feet felt hot and constricted. I have a medium width foot and like to have room for my toes to move around. The narrow toe box was uncomfortable for my toes after a match or so. Lastly, the higher back of the shoe rubbed my Achilles. After playing a couple of sets with these, comfort issues were a liability."

The glove-like fit was a challenge for DeeDee during long days on the court. "These shoes took quite the break-in time for me. It took six-hours of playing time and 12 hours of teaching. The shoes fit like a glove; however, my feet hurt after wearing them for a couple of hours for doubles. My toes were too cramped and pinched in the toe box. I had blisters on my pinkies from my feet being rubbed when I was bouncing around." Eileen also noted the narrow fit. "My foot is narrow, and this shoe was very tight on my foot. My toes were squeezed together, and it was too tight for me to be comfortable for long periods of time. It also took me about four to five hours to fully break-in the shoe."

Arch support - Score: 4.0

The arch support was a good fit and offered adequate support for all the testers. DeeDee found the support better than average. "The arch support was better than most shoes for my high arch, but because of the glove-like fit, the arch support didn't make a difference in the comfort of the shoe." Eileen was happy as well. "I have a medium arch height, and I felt I got great arch support." It was a perfect fit for Kimber, too. "When I first put on these shoes, I was happy with the arch support. The arch fit my foot just right. It was not too high and not too low for my medium arches."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.3

The Flywire technology offers ultra lightweight support for the LunarLite Speeds. Eileen loved the lightweight support. "I liked the support and stability from this shoe. The Flywire technology is really cool. It gave me lots of support without added bulk. I liked the ankle height and support. The shoe has a very snug fit, so there's absolutely no sliding around. I also felt secure with changing directions without my ankle rolling over."

The Flywire was working for Kimber. "The shoes hugged my feet well so I always felt confident during match play. The heel and ankle support was adequate and provided good stability. The tight toe box was the only thing that hindered the stability for me because I felt that I couldn't always firmly plant my foot while on the move." The Flywire technology held DeeDee's feet in place. "As far as lateral support and stability, these are great shoes. My feet never slid around inside the shoe, and my ankles never felt like they were going to roll over."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.2

The shoe held up over the month-long playtest for our testers. DeeDee played and coached and saw no wear. "The durability of the outsole was excellent. Because the shoe kept my foot stable, there were no noticeable spots where the sole was worn."

The XDR outsole was standing up well for Kimber. "The outsole under my big toe always wears first. These shoes were very durable overall. After a month of wear the tread was still in good condition, with consistent wear throughout the sole." Eileen, too, was pleased. "The XDR outsole shows a lot of durability, with wear only showing in the heel, which is surprising to me because I always wear soles out at the toe."

Toe Durability - Score: 4.3

According to Nike, DragOnX is 30% more durable than original DragOn, and our toe draggers found this to be a great addition. Eileen said, "No wear has shown on the LunarLite Speeds in the 30 hours I wore them. The DragOn X toe guard is built up, and it absorbed the wear and toe dragging well." The weight of the shoe also played a role for Kimber. "Sometimes when I get tired and am not as light on my feet, I will have a tendency to drag my toes. These shoes had a nice extra toe build up that was not bulky, but stood up over time for me."

Traction - Score: 4.7

Our testers found themselves confident with the LunarLite Speed's traction. The excellent traction worked on multiple surfaces for Kimber. "Stopping, starting and changing directions was not a problem. Whether I was playing on clay or hard court, I was confident that the shoe would grip the court and provide me with confidence to get to the ball. Tennis requires quick moves and sprints every once in a while and the sleek design of the shoe proved to be an asset on the court." DeeDee found the good grip to be icing on the cake. "Stopping, starting and changing directions was not a problem, and was a bonus considering the lightness of the shoe and excellent shoe support." Eileen found solid footing as well. "The shoes were gripping the court well, so it was very easy to maneuver around the court. A solid fit also helped me feel grounded."

Weight - Score: 4.7

At 10.5 ounces (size 8.5), our testers loved the weight of the Lunar Lite Speed. DeeDee raved, "I love the lightness of the LunarLite Speed. I was able to move around the court with no effort, especially when going after lobs at the net."

The support and weight were a perfect combination for Eileen. "I love a light shoe that has strong support but is also durable after hours of court play. These LunarLite Speeds fit that description!"

Kimber was light on her feet, too. "Sometimes a shoe can feel like a weight on your foot. These shoes were light and the wire structure provided stability without bulk. After several sets my feet can feel heavy on their own, so it was nice to be wearing shoes that didn't add to the problem."

Overall - Score: 4.0

Our testers all agreed that the LunarLite Speed was ultra lightweight and stable. The LunarLite foam pleased the team with its ample cushioning, and the Flywire offered excellent stability. Another plus for our testers was impressive durability from the upgraded DragOnX and XDR outsole. Our testers were pleased with the design and color options, with something from the classic to the bold. The drawback of the LunarLite Speed was the narrow fit. The glove-like fit is best suited to those who have narrow feet, and our testers recommended wearing the shoes for short periods of time. Overall, the LunarLite Speed emerges with good looks and lightweight support that will serve competitive players come match day.

Nike LunarLite Shoe Scores
The Up Side	The Down Side	Play Test Scores
Lightweight Traction Stability	Narrow toe box	Comfort 3.0 Arch Support 4.0 Foot Support/Stability 4.3 Overall Sole Durability 4.2 Toe Durability 4.3 Traction 4.7 Weight 4.7 Overall 4.0 Scores (1-Horrible 2-Poor 3-Average 4-Good 5-Tremendous)

Playtesters' Foot Types: DeeDee Narrow width/High arch, Eileen Narrow width/Medium arch, Kimber Medium width/Medium arch

Review date: June, 2009. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2009 Tennis Warehouse.