Yonex Power Cushion Eclipsion Men's Shoe Review

Overall Comfort - Score: 3.2

All of our testers noted the plush cushioning of the Power Cushion Eclipsions, but the shoes didn't necessarily fit all our testers well. On one hand, our playtester with the narrowest feet, Chris, found a great fit. He raved, "I liked the fit and feel of the Eclipsion shoes from the first wear till the end of the test. I wore these shoes a lot during this test because I really liked playing in them. The level of cushioning was great, and I felt very protected from the court. My feet ran just a tad hot, but that was really my only complaint. I never had any poking or pinching from the uppers. I was able to lace the shoes securely yet comfortably and just enjoyed them in every hitting session."

On the other hand, our testers with slightly wider feet and lower arches had issues with the fit. Troy has narrow feet, but unlike Chris, he had problems with the fit. He shared, "Right out of the box I found the Eclipsions to have a nice glove-like fit. The first time I walked around in these shoes I was impressed with the Power Cushion technology. The cushioning provided a good amount of shock absorption underneath the balls of my feet and heels. However, I was having some discomfort in the arch area throughout the test. I found the arches of these shoes to be too restrictive, and that caused pain when I cinched the laces up tightly. The only way that I could get through a hitting session without having to take these shoes off was by keeping the laces slightly looser than I typically tie them. I found ventilation to be average as well."

Andy had the most difficulties with comfort. He explained, "The first thing I noticed when I slipped the shoes on was how cushioned they were. The shoes had a soft, pillowy feel that surrounded my feet. However, I also quickly noticed that the shoes were going to require a decent break-in period. The uppers were pretty stiff out of the box but softened up after a couple of hits. There were a couple of areas that either got too much pressure or were rubbing inside the shoes. There was pressure being applied under the arch area on the lateral side of my feet, and this took a good one to two weeks to go away. There were also three spots -- on the outside of my pinkie toes, the lateral side of the ankle collars and my heels -- where I got consistent rubbing that never went away. Every time I took the shoes off I had to do a quick check to make sure there were no blisters forming."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.5

Our playtesters really enjoyed the support and stability that the Power Cushion Eclipsions offered for their on-court movements. "This was the strength of these shoes, in my opinion," Andy praised. "They were very stable and protected my feet extremely well in all directions. I felt totally locked in and secure, even when going for my aggressive slides on hard courts. The shoes flexed well (once they were broken in) and moved naturally with my feet on every step. These shoes will satisfy players who want maximum support and stability out of their shoes. They're almost Barricade-like! Near top marks from me here!"

Chris also felt completely comfortable and confident moving around. He shared, "My feet felt secure and protected in the Eclipsions. I found a supportive enough fit for my narrow feet without having to crank the laces down super tight. I thought the shoes offered a secure ride without feeling too heavy or stiff. Since the Eclipsions offered a trusting level of support and stability, I was able to move around the court at full speed and just focus on the ball."

Troy concurred, but he still noted issues with comfort. He explained, "These shoes provided better than average support and stability. Even though I couldn't lace them as tightly as I do other shoes, these shoes locked my feet in well. One thing that I liked about these shoes over my current favorite shoes, the Asics Gel Resolution 6s, is that my heels felt very secure as I moved around the court. Although the shank of these shoes caused discomfort, I did find that it helped with lateral stability, and I found I could change direction aggressively without fear of rolling an ankle. I feel as though the arch and shank provided a little too much support for my liking, which led to the discomfort that I experienced."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.5

We found the durability of the Power Cushion Eclipsions to be fairly average compared to other premium performance shoes on the market. Troy was able to get his pair to show wear a little quicker than is normal for him. He said, "The outsoles wore down faster than I typically prefer. The outsoles underneath the balls of my feet and toes started to bald around 15 hours of play. Compared to my Asics Gel Resolution 6 shoes, I found the Eclipsions wearing down faster in my high-wear areas on the outsoles. The biggest downside for me during is that these shoes don't carry a six-month durability guarantee."

Chris was also starting to wear down his high-wear area fairly quickly. He offered, "I wore down the outsole of my right shoe under my big toe fairly quickly. That's my highest wear area, and it is not uncommon for me to see premature wear there while the rest of the outsoles remain pretty solid. Interestingly, I also noticed some scuffing on the midfoot shanks, which was something I'd never seen before. Still, the outsoles just lasted the test. I think I have another couple of weeks before I wear through the outsole under my right big toe."

Andy's pair held up fairly well throughout the test, but he expected a little better performance in this category. He said, "These shoes held up nicely throughout the course of the test. I put about 30-40 hours of wear on my pair, and while there are some signs of balding on the outsole tread under my big toes (where I usually wear out my shoes), they still have some life left in them. Honestly, though, I expected a bit better durability given the bulky design. The toes and medial sides of the shoes held up well throughout the test. I can't read the Endurance Rubber callout that's printed on the toes anymore, but there is still more than enough protection left in that area."

Traction - Score: 4.3

Our team found the traction level of the Power Cushion Eclipsions changed over time. "I liked the amount of grip I found in these shoes," Chris praised. "I could take very aggressive cuts in them and they would grip well. When coming to a quick stop the outsoles allowed me to apply the brakes in a very controlled manner. As the outsoles started to wear I was getting a little more give and slide, but I still found plenty of grip to enable me to scamper around the court."

Sharing a similar opinion, Troy said, "During the initial stages of this playtest these shoes had a lot of grip. The traction of these shoes allowed me to stop on a dime the first few times I wore them on court. The traction was so sticky that I almost rolled an ankle my first couple times on court. After the break-in period, though, the outsoles wore down a bit, and I found the traction to be less sticky and more to my liking."

Andy said, "I found these shoes to be extremely sticky right out of the box. One of the first times I wore these shoes out on court I went for a slide when trying to chase down a defensive shot along the baseline and the shoes just stuck to the ground. The Eclipsions grabbed the court and I didn't go anywhere! However, once the shoes wore down a bit the traction got slicker, and I was then able to slide on the hard courts with confidence. Even at the end of the test the shoes never got too slick; they provided a good blend of grip and give."

Weight - Score: 3.3

There were some mixed feelings when it came to how heavy the Power Cushion Eclipsions felt on court. Troy found them to feel heavier than their 14.2 ounces (size 10.5). He shared, "I found that these shoes played slightly heavier than their weight would indicate. The stiffness of the shank created a clunky feel as my feet transitioned from heel-to-toe while sprinting. If I hadn't known the weight of these shoes I would have guessed that they were in the 15 ounce range. The weight of these shoes didn't necessarily slow me down on court, but they did feel slightly heavier than the specs would indicate."

Andy agreed, sharing, "These shoes felt heavy and bulky to me out on court. The trade-offs are plush cushioning and exceptional stability, but by no means was I feeling any faster with these shoes on my feet. Reminiscent of previous versions of the adidas Barricade, I was constantly reminded that there were substantial tennis shoes on my feet the entire time I was playing. If you like lightweight, speed-oriented shoes, stop reading now and go find yourself some other shoes."

On the other hand, Chris thought the shoes felt light and quick on court and never found his movement to be hampered. He praised, "The Eclipsions never felt too heavy. I felt like I moved very well in them. They seemed to flex in the right places and hid their weight well. I felt very speedy in these shoes."

Overall - Score: 3.7