The original Nike Vapor, the Vapor S2, set the bar for on court performance so high that subsequent versions struggled to improve upon it.

However, the Air Zoom Vapor IV broke that trend and raised the bar considerably. Just like Roger Federer, its most famous user, the Air Zoom Vapor IV was the leader of the pack.

Having Federer on your playtest staff provides an insurmountable advantage over the competition. Federer's testing and feedback on styling and performance have been put to good use - especially in the Air Zoom Vapor V tested here.

Taking inspiration from the always stylish Federer, and using his on court experience to develop the Vapor, this fifth version is set to be the best yet.

The Nike design team provided the storyboard and design sketches to give you a glimpse into how the Air Zoom Vapor V was created. Federer's choice in automobiles was taken into consideration as well as his on court style. For some real-world, on-the-court feedback, our testers have provided their thoughts and opinions after five weeks of testing.

Comfort

Much like the previous version, the Air Zoom Vapor V proved to have a very comfortable feel straight out of the box, due to its contoured fitting upper and Zoom Air cushioning.

Jason felt the combination of features worked well together. "Like the Vapor IVs, these shoes provide a very comfortable ride. It wasn't just one single feature that stood out, but the combination of all things the shoes provided. The cushioning was there, the soft leather uppers flexed in the right places and I experienced no pinching anywhere on my feet. I found the toe box to be a tad wider than the Vapor IVs, which I appreciated. Cushioning could've been a bit more generous, but that would've taken away from the low-to-the-ground feel, which I love."

Experiencing no discomfort from the initial lace-up was Ryan. "These shoes were extremely comfortable right away. There was no pinching, poking or rubbing, or anything else uncomfortable. The cushioning was classic Zoom Air cushioning: cushioned, but not extreme. They just felt great." Spencer agreed. "They were extremely comfortable right out of the box. The uppers are very supple and supportive. They seemed to hug every contour of my feet. I experienced no out-of-the-box discomfort, whatsoever. The cushioning was comfortable and ready to go from the start. With full-length Zoom Air cushioning, there was adequate cushioning while maintaining that low-to-the-ground feel and performance."

Enjoying the glove-like fit was Chris. "I loved the fit and feel of these shoes. The fit was snug, yet comfortable. The uppers felt very supple out of the box and continued to shape to my feet and soften during the test. The level of cushioning was perfect for me. I felt protected from heavy landings, yet low enough and with enough response for fast movement." Granville also felt the fit was just right. "The shoes are what I would affectionately call a (nearly) minimalist shoe with high-end performance. There was no poking or pinching, but I could feel the shoe over my entire foot (a good thing.) They have just enough padding, combined with very stable upper wrap and eyelets, that they provided a near glove-like fit. No extra padding here, and they did require an initial break-in period. Even so, at initial wear they felt very good. After one match they felt better, and they kept getting better as the test wore on. They were extremely comfortable."

Arch Support

The medium height arches of the Air Zoom Vapor Vs were a non-issue for most of our crew, though a couple experienced a slight placement problem.

The arches fit well on the feet of Chris. "My arches were very well supported in these shoes. I wore the shoes a lot both on and off court and found them very comfortable through the arch area. As with the rest of the shoe, the arch support offered a great fit." Ryan was happy to not notice the arches. "I never noticed the arch support, and that was a great thing. The arch was just right for me."

Jason felt the arch was a bit low. "Not much to say here. I could feel the arch but they feel lower than medium to me. No big complaints, though." Spencer noticed the arches didn't hit quite right on his feet. "I don't normally have any issues when it comes to the arches. However, it seemed that the arches were a tad low and sat a little further back than what I am accustomed to. It was pretty subtle, but just enough for me to notice and cause an inkling of post-play discomfort after the first couple of outings. From then on it wasn't an issue."

Granville was in agreement about placement. "This is the rare shoe where I was conscious of the placement of the arch support. The arch seems to sit just a millimeter or two back toward the heel. It seems to hit my low arch just as it is on the rise (from the heel)."

Foot Support/Stability

Our team agreed that the Air Zoom Vapor V provided tremendous stability, as well as support. As with the previous Vapor IV, this fifth edition features a flared outsole piece in the forefoot called an outrigger, also referred to at TW as the "Fed Wedge", due to Roger Federer's role in its inclusion on the Vapor shoes.

Granville was happy with the performance under extreme lateral direction changes. "This Vapor fits my feet very well, with zero forefoot sliding. The narrow heel locks my heel and foot in place. The shoes felt very stable, even during the most extreme side to side running."

Experiencing excellent stability, especially in singles play, was Jason. "I truly loved playing in these shoes! In singles, movement is crucial. There were multiple times when I felt the 'Fed Wedge' really saved my ankles from rolling over. The hard plastic around the outside of the shoes acted sort of like an exoskeleton and kept the heel area very stable and supportive." Ryan was thrilled with the support and stability. "One of the best aspects of playing in these shoes was the excellent foot support and stability. I never had any sensation that I was close to rolling an ankle -- even on hard direction changes. My feet did not slide around at all inside these shoes. The width of the shoes was great for my slightly narrow feet. The toe box had a great soft feel, but was still supportive. The shoes were also stable, with very minimal twisting."

Noting the uncommon combination of a plush upper combined with great support was Chris. "The Air Zoom Vapor V proves that a shoe doesn't have to be stiff to offer great support. Thanks to the glove-like fit, I was finding all the support I needed from these shoes. The uppers are soft, but seemed to be supportive in all the right areas. My feet also sat down very low inside the shoes - further promoting the supportive ride. I never had any slipping or sliding inside the shoes and was very impressed. These were the most supportive Vapors for me so far, and I've worn them all." Spencer felt the snug fit and the low Zoom Air cushioning helped with both support and stability. "With the glove-like fit, the support felt great. The 'efficient' cushioning keeps the ride low to the ground, making the shoe feel very stable while changing direction. I felt the shoes offered a nice combination of luxury and performance."

Overall Sole Durability

Though the Air Zoom Vapor V does not come with a durability guarantee, our playtest crew was quite impressed with the longevity of Nike's XDR outsole.

Jason worked overtime to test the durability. "I really tried to put these shoes through their paces. I wore these shoes longer than I normally would for most playtests, and they still proved to be quite durable. The first area to show signs of wear and tear was the toe area on the lateral sides of both shoes. But overall, there was minimal tread loss and great durability." Giving Nike top marks in the durability of the Vapor V was Granville. "Once again, Nike shows it has outgrown the 'lack of durability' perception. The Air Zoom Vapor V displays Nike at top form." Enjoying the durability for a game day shoe was Ryan. "The outsole was great. It is not as good as the soles on the guaranteed shoes, but they still seemed to be holding up really well. However, I wouldn't count on it holding up for more than a couple months of serious playing. Overall, good durability for a game day, performance-oriented shoe."

Chris felt the durability has improved from previous Vapor models. "This is not intended to be an ultra durable shoe, but I was impressed by the durability. Durability is vastly improved over the original Air Zoom Vapor S2. I found them to wear somewhat similar to the Vapor IVs, and to be not quite as durable as the Air Max Breathe Cage IIs." Finding the durability to be exceptional was Spencer. "I thought the Air Zoom Vapor Vs held up exceptionally well for a performance shoe with no 6-month guarantee. Nike's XDR outsole offers a great blend of durability and stick."

Toe Durability

The Air Zoom Vapor Vs' beefed up toe bumper, using Drag-On technology, proved to be effective with our team's toe draggers.

Impressed with the medial protection, as well as the overall protection, was Chris. "No issues for me with the toes of these shoes. The Drag-On material did a solid job of protecting the shoes from excessive wear. I liked the beefed up section on the medial side of the forefoot, which helped protect the shoes when my trailing foot would drag on a wide lunge. I was impressed by the durability, especially since the toes of the shoes felt very light and comfortable."

Granville adds, "With the beefed up toe the Air Zoom Vapor V should provide ample protection from all but the most extreme toe draggers. I have no issues here."

Traction

Our playtesters unanimously felt the Air Zoom Vapor V's traction was top notch.

Finding excellent stick on the hard courts was Spencer. "The traction on hard courts was superb. When putting the oustoles to the test with hard lateral changes of direction along the baseline, the Air Zoom Vapor Vs passed with flying colors. There was no slipping or sliding. Once again, it fits in the performance category with tremendous traction."

Granville didn't hold back when testing lateral changes of direction. "I really gave these shoes a thorough 'run-around' and found them to offer excellent traction. I didn't slide, even when recovering from a full-on side to side run. The outsole rubber is not so thick that it hinders flex." Amazed with the grip was Jason. "The rubber compound on the outsole was amazing! These shoes gripped the court on every cut and turn. When playing against better players I was pulled from sideline to sideline and I still didn't experience any slipping. When I was running towards net, starting and stopping were on point."

Ryan felt quicker when moving around the court. "The traction of the Air Zoom Vapor Vs was superior in all aspects of traction. The herringbone pattern gripped really well. Direction changes resulted in minimal or no slippage, even on the hardest 180 degree direction changes. Getting to the net was great. I felt really quick in these shoes. I was probably not much (if any) quicker, but I sure felt like I was, which is probably 90% of the battle!" Moving with confidence was Chris. "I found an excellent level of traction in these shoes and gave them top marks, accordingly. I was able to start and stop without issues - even when going all out. When moving laterally along the baseline the level of grip impressed me. There was just enough give from the outsoles to prevent the shoes from getting hung-up. I was moving very confidently in these shoes and felt up to full speed in them."

Weight

Though not the lightest shoe out there, our team was happy with the performance to weight ratio of the Air Zoom Vapor Vs. Feeling the weight distribution to be ideal was Chris. "The shoes felt very light on my feet. I think the light feel came from the balance of the shoes and the fact that they fit my feet so well. The toes felt very light and I felt like I was moving quickly in the shoes. I think they also felt light because my feet were sitting so low down inside them. Considering the support and durability these shoes offered over previous versions, I was very impressed by the weight."

Granville was happy with the weight. "Still comes in at under a pound per shoe - this shoe really got me thinking about Nike again." Making comparisons to a performance race car was Jason. "Fantastic! The best thing I can say is that I didn't notice them. The shoes felt very light, very fast, and very responsive. Combine that with the low to the ground feel and this shoe seems like an F1 racecar!"

Impressed with the balance between stability and weight was Spencer. "I really enjoyed the weight-to-stability ratio. Given a choice between light weight and stability, I'll choose stability every time. I feel this shoe offers great stability without any added weight. An ideal balance in my book." Ryan agreed. "These shoes were pretty light, while not sacrificing any support or stability. That is the real trick. These shoes were not the lightest shoes I've ever worn, but they felt light. They also didn't ever feel like they sacrificed support to get that weight."

Overall

Nike Air Vapor V Scores
The Up Side	The Down Side	Play Test Scores
comfort traction support stability	None	Comfort 4.3 Arch Support 4.3 Foot Support/Stability 4.5 Overall Sole Durability 4.1 Toe Durability 4.0 Traction 4.8 Weight 4.5 Overall 4.6 Scores (1-Horrible 2-Poor 3-Average 4-Good 5-Tremendous)

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

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

All content copyright 2008 Tennis Warehouse.