Customer feedback

Comments: I am a senior 4.0 player who plays almost exclusively on clay, and almost exclusively doubles. These shoes look great, but don't wear well. The lace area is pulling apart after only 4 months or so of wear. From: Don, Ocala, FL, USA, 10/07 Comments: After hearing so much positive feedback on NB shoes in general, I decided to order the 822's site unseen. I'm a 4.0 player who plays three to five times a week, and immediately felt that the shoes breathe very well, and on hard court surfaces offer very generous amounts of traction in positioning for all types of court shots. The main drawback that I have is that they have not held up well at all. I've had then less than two months and I have tears and deep gauges down the right shoe (my pivot foot). In comparison, my Nike Shox Ace (alternate pair) have faired much better in a year and a half, and I've gone back to using those quite frequently. I just picked up a pair of Prince MV-4's, so hopefully those will be more durable than these NB's. For the player that really grinds shoes hard on serves and groundstrokes, I wouldn't recommend these shoes. For the casual player that goes out on weekends, they offer all the comfort that any player could want. From: Gene, Southaven, MS, USA, 09/07 Comments: Great all round cost effective shoe that does a good job of providing comfort, light weight, and support. Switched from Nike to get better heel and Achilles support and very happy with results. I don't want to be caught short on a good thing so bought 4 boxes! From: Dan, Newport Beach, CA. USA. 3/07 Comments: Bought these because my feet are pretty straight and most other shoes have a curve that cause problems to my feet. It fits great, breathes very well and while I was in the tropics, my feet stayed cooler and drier. Traction on hardcourts is good but so-so on grass. Problems: Not very durable (serious signs of wear after 8 sets of doubles and 6 singles). Yes I drag my toes and am not known to be a great mover on court so the wear was surprising. It's a stiff shoe and support for ankles is non-existent obviously. From: Drew, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 02/07 Comments: For the price, these shoes are great. Good cushioning, nice and light, and they look pretty awesome. They are also pretty durable. The only thing I think NB could have improved on is traction. I sometimes find myself sliding when I'm trying to change directions. But if you are willing to spend more money, the Barricade 4's are even better. From: Troy, Honolulu, HI, USA. 11/06 Comments: Great low-profile shoe. Light weight and they FIT!!! I normally buy size 11 shoes but I went with 10.5 2E with these and it is perfect. The 4E were too wide when I bought the 820's and the D width tends to pinch my right foot. From: Lou, MO, USA. 11/06 Comments: The shoe preference is a very subjective matter. This is my first NB shoe and what a hit! Up until now I've been playing in Prince (Viper iv, and other models). Up on the advice from my DPM decided to switch to NB. For me the shoe delivers a perfect fit (in D width) and super stability. This shoe is the best I've had in tennis shoes so far. It feels great from the get go, no break in is required. Indeed very light and super stable. As far as cushioning, well maybe a bit more would be nice, but overall it does not change my opinion about the shoe. Beats by a mile any Prince show I've had so far. I can't imagine what the more recent and advanced NB models must feel like (e.g. 1001 and 1002), but the feedback from those on this site isn't too rosy. I guess I'll be playing in NB for a while now. From: Greg, Saratoga, CA, USA. 10/06 Comments: These were great out of the box but after a month or so of playing they are completely stretched out. I had to give up on them after a few weeks of sloppiness and constant lace tightening. They are incredibly light but as a result have almost no structure. From: Ben, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 10/06 Comments: I have been using these for 8 weeks now. They are light and comfortable with excellent breathability like a running shoe. Nice traction on hard courts. Cushioning is fair...but could be a bit better. (Perhaps my heavy build 200+ lbs. demands more shock absorption?) Other than that, sharp looking shoe that fits like a wrap-around slipper. From: Marquavius, Atlanta, GA, USA. 10/06 Comments: A very good shoe. They are comfortable and I could play with them right out of the box. The only New Balance shoe which took care of both my high instep and high arch. I also have Planters Fascitis and use an insole. I played with them for over 2 hours and had no pain. I recommend this shoe. From: David, Pahrump, NV, USA. 10/06 Comments: I switched over to these from the Nike Air Max Breathe Free 2 after wearing them out and hoping I would get a comparable shoe with decent cushioning. What a bad choice I made. These are way too wide for my D width foot even with wearing Thorlos. On top of that, they feel clunky and not maneuverable for stop and go action. I realize most shoes need some break in time, but after 4 matches, and a few blisters, they still feel very stiff. From: Barron, Newport Beach, CA, USA. 9/06 Comments: I have been playing with these shoes for about a month now and they are great. They are lightweight and comfortable right out of the box. They're also better looking than normal white tennis shoes! I play at the 4.5 level - always on hard courts. I think the gel heel insole might be a good idea (see other comments here) - the cushioning isn't the best but it's certainly adequate. From: Eric, Atlanta, GA, USA. 9/06 Comments: Very nice shoes - light, comfortable, very good ventilation. Easy to play right out of the box. I was looking for some more cushioning while maintaining a light, quick shoe, these do the trick, plus they are sharp looking. From: Terry, Los Angeles, CA 07/06 Comments: These shoes are much more comfortable and cushioning then the 820's. I have a gel heel insole which adds even more cushioning to the shoe. I play mostly on a hard court surface and I recommend them highly. From: Sid, Delray Beach, FL. USA. 06/06

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