Prince Venom Women's Tennis Shoe Review
If you've played tennis for a while (like some of us at Tennis Warehouse!), there is a good chance you have worn Prince shoes on the court. Tried and true, the Prince shoe lineup is reliable for players looking for stability, durability and cushioning in shoes they can wear for hours at a time. So it was no surprise to our playtest team that the brand's newest shoe offers all of these features but in a more modern package. New in 2023, the Prince Venoms debut as comfortable, stable and speedy shoes for players of all ages and levels. Lighter and quicker than the T22s (one of the most iconic tennis shoes on the market), these Venoms performed well throughout our month-long playtest. Our playtesters found the fit to be generous in width, similar to other Prince shoes, and they raved about the durability and comfort. Fans of Prince shoes who want something lighter than the T22s and players looking for an all-around court option should give the Venoms a try.
Good fit for wider feet
Stability
Durability
Shoes run hot
Traction too grippy and squeaky for some
Final Verdict
Breakdown SummaryBreakdown
Comfort: 8.6
For most of our playtesters, it had been many years since trying new Prince tennis shoes, so they were excited to see the Venoms in the lineup. Michelle was expecting comfort and stability out of the box. She began, "Right away, I thought the uppers were really comfortable, and the underfoot cushioning was nice, with more padding in the heel and a bit less under my toes. The fit was a bit wider than most women's shoes we've been testing, but nothing too bad. I could cinch up the laces to get locked into the shoes (although I will note that the laces were long and needed double knotting). We playtested these during the summer, and I found the breathability wasn't as good as I would have liked. I do sweat a good amount, and I saw some sweat stains on the uppers of my black/reddish pink pair."
“Historically, I have liked how Prince shoes fit my wide feet, so I welcomed the chance to try a new model," said Tiffani. "The Venoms have a generous fit in the forefoot, and I would venture to say the fit is nearly a D rather than the standard B width. I really enjoyed the roomy fit and experienced no pinching or rubbing during the playtest. The cushioning felt nice in the heel, and it was more minimal in the forefoot. I initially thought I was going to want more padding under my forefoot, but once I got moving on the court, I enjoyed the level of cushioning throughout the shoes. My flatter arches also felt well supported, and these shoes flexed well from heel to toe. My only drawback in the comfort department is how warm these shoes felt. After an hour of playing, my socks were drenched, and I wanted to take my shoes off as soon as I was done playing."
After slipping the Prince Venoms on, Brittany found the width to be a generous medium — not only in the forefoot, but also the midfoot and heel. She described, "The uppers wrapped around my feet nicely, which translated to a smooth transition from the office to the court, with no break-in period needed. Additionally, the cushioning underfoot met my needs. The heel area had nice, plush cushioning while the forefoot was a little more minimal. As the playtest wore on, I thought the comfort got better and better as the cushioning started to mold around my feet. I playtested the all-white colorway and found the ventilation to be decent, and I didn't experience any overheating."
"The cushioning is top-notch, and the shoe has the perfect width for me; I never felt like I needed more space or that I had too much."
Zsofi was excited to try these Venoms, especially since the T22s are still so successful. She said, "This new model looked very promising, and it did not let me down! Right out of the box, the shoes felt super comfortable, but I will add that after a few hours of playtime, as I broke them in a bit more, the comfort level only increased."
Foot Support / Stability: 7.6
Our team quickly noticed that the Venoms fit more like a D-width rather than the B-widths they often test, which worked out fine for some of our testers but provided less support for our players with narrower feet. With the widest feet on the team, Tiffani always felt well supported as she moved around the court in the Venoms. She said, "I didn't have any issues sliding around inside these shoes, and my ankles also felt secure. There is an additional eyelet available, but I didn't opt to use it this time around. I felt confident enough without it."
"These shoes offered me good stability and support," echoed Michelle. "I found the stability to be solid without being too built up; the shoes moved fluidly, and stability was there when needed. I never felt like the shoes were going to give out, and they supported my movements no matter how aggressively I was going after balls. I thought they offered more stability than support, as the uppers were flexible, but support remained completely acceptable throughout the playtest. Because these shoes seemed a bit wider, I really needed to lean on the lacing system to cinch my feet in. Once laced up tightly, I did not notice any lack of support."
Zsofi also felt nicely supported on court and found the Venoms stable when changing directions. She said, "The only factor that made me a bit less stable in the beginning was that I thought the traction was a bit too sticky, and that made me a little more nervous when moving around the court. After a couple hours of wear, the outsoles wore down just enough to allow more give, and I felt much more stable."
With the narrowest feet on our team, Brittany had a little trouble getting fully locked into the Venoms. She explained, "About 10 minutes into my first hit with the Venoms, I immediately stopped and readjusted my shoes to get a better fit because I was moving around inside the shoes. I used the last eyelet and was able to cinch my laces much tighter (especially toward the forefoot) to help minimize movement and get a better fit around my ankles. As the playtest wrapped up, I found the stability met my high expectations, but I could have used a little more support during aggressive movements."
Overall Sole Durability: 8.6
Our team agreed that the Venoms exceeded expectations when it came to durability. Zsofi described, "Durability was totally top-notch. I barely saw any wear on the outsole or the upper. The weight of the shoe was very comfortable as well; I felt great moving around and never felt dragged down by my feet."
Brittany was also happy with how well these shoes held up. She said, "I playtested them for over 10 hours on a variety of hard-court surfaces and have found little to no wear on the outsoles. The same can be said about the toe durability. The toe bumper is thick and withstood my toe dragging. My Venoms still have plenty of life left in them."
"I'm really impressed with the durability on the Venoms," added Michelle. "I wasn't sure what to expect, and I haven't worn these as much as some of my other favorite shoes that we have tested, but I am seeing very little wear on the outsole after a few weeks in them. It is worth noting, though, that the black outsoles of the shoes I tested did slightly mark the court; so if this is an issue for your courts or club, get the all-white or blue pair."
The Venom's thick outsoles delivered the durability Tiffani was hoping for. She continued, "The rubber is holding up well for me. Although I tend to drag my toes on groundstrokes, the tips of my shoes also look to be in good shape. I am not worried about premature wear in either area."
Traction: 7.8
Our playtesters had mixed opinions about the Prince Venom's traction. While some found that the outsole offered just the right level of grip, others were wishing for a bit more give — and less squeaking on the courts. Brittany explained, "On one hand, the squeaking reminded me that I was moving my feet well, but it could also be a little distracting at times, especially on an indoor court that echoes. The Venoms offered grippier traction, and as a personal preference, I like a little more give. This was most noticeable on quick changes of direction. On the plus side, I noticed a nice connection to the court and a low-to-the-ground feel thanks to the minimal cushioning in the forefoot."
"Starting my warm-ups with short-court tennis, I noticed right away that these Venoms are squeaky," added Tiffani. "As I moved back to full-court hitting, the shoes were noticeably loud as I made small adjustment steps. Aside from the noise, the outsoles also offered a lot of grip. The Venoms grabbed the court well for taking off. I didn't ever feel stuck to the court, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more give just to make transitions a little smoother."
Zsofi agreed that the traction was on the stickier side, though she thought the outsoles wore in nicely over time. She said, "As I was putting more and more hours on these shoes, traction became optimal, and I did not feel stuck in my shots anymore."
"As a player who prefers a stickier underfoot experience, I was never slipping or sliding, and I didn’t have any issues with traction."
Although she had some trepidation at first, Michelle was pleasantly surprised with what the Venoms had to offer in terms of traction. She described, "I'm one of those players who has become a bit wary of the newer tread patterns, and these Venoms offer a different tread than I have seen. Luckily for me, the rubber compound seemed sticky (not too sticky!), and the tread worked out well for my preferences."
Weight: 7.4
While the Venoms aren't going to be the lightest shoes on the market, our team was not bothered by the weight. Tiffani had no complaints here. She said, "The Venoms fit me well and flexed well, so given the durability and stability, I thought the weight was good. I could move confidently and easily around the court, so I don't really have any issues with the weight. I would put the Venoms in the mid-weight category."
"The weight of the Venoms comes in around average for me," added Brittany. "They don't feel bulky, but they also don't feel lightweight and quick. However, they transitioned from heel to toe well, and I was able to move around the court without having to think too much about them."
On paper, these Venoms are in the mid-weight range, but they felt lighter to Zsofi on court. She described, "Moving around, I barely felt like I was wearing anything, so I would say the weight was optimal."
Michelle was impressed by how lightweight the Venoms felt on court. She said, "These Venoms feel lighter than any other Prince shoes I've worn, which translates into them feeling quicker and allowing me to feel like I can go chase after any ball. On the scale, they are some of the heavier shoes we've tested lately, but I think the weight is hidden well; maybe it's because I wore the black ones and black is more slimming! They didn't feel bulky either."
Breakdown Summary
Comfort | 8.6 |
Ventilation | 6.4 |
Arch Support | 8.2 |
Foot Support / Stability | 7.6 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8.6 |
Toe Durability | 9 |
Traction | 7.8 |
Weight | 7.4 |
Final Verdict |
8.2 |
Playtester Thoughts
Michelle
These Venoms are the most modern shoes from Prince! I think I would compare them to the KSwiss Ultrashot. Both shoes have a wider fit, are stable and durable, and offer a comfortable ride.
I think the Venoms do everything pretty well. Good comfort, good stability and great durability!
These shoes fit a tiny bit wide, and the laces are long; plus, they are not the most breathable.
Michelle's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 8 |
Ventilation | 5 |
Arch Support | 8 |
Foot Support / Stability | 8 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8 |
Toe Durability | 8 |
Traction | 8 |
Weight | 6 |
Overall | 8 |
Tiffani
This is the first version of the Venoms, but the fit reminds me of other Prince shoes, like the T22s. They're not labeled as wide, but they do have a generous fit that is good for my foot shape. I would compare the Venoms to the KSwiss Ultrashot 3s. They're both stable and durable, with some good comfort underfoot.
The Venoms fit my wide feet well, and they are durable and stable. They're a solid all-around option.
The outsoles are squeaky, and they do run hot.
Tiffani's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 9 |
Ventilation | 5 |
Arch Support | 8 |
Foot Support / Stability | 8.6 |
Overall Sole Durability | 9 |
Toe Durability | 9 |
Traction | 8 |
Weight | 8 |
Overall | 8 |
Brittany
I would consider the Prince Venoms solid meat-and-potatoes shoes at a great price. A couple of other shoes that are similar include the Diadora Speed Finale, adidas SoleMatch Control, Asics Gel Challenger 14 and Head Revolt Evo.
I like the comfort, durability and great value. I also really like the look of the all-white colorway.
The Venoms are just too wide for my narrow feet to get a secure fit.
Brittany's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 8.4 |
Ventilation | 7.8 |
Arch Support | 8.8 |
Foot Support / Stability | 6 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8 |
Toe Durability | 9 |
Traction | 7 |
Weight | 7.4 |
Overall | 7.8 |
Zsofi
Prince did a great job with this new offering, and I like this take on a modern tennis shoe. The Venoms are a dependable all-around option that will serve you well on court, especially for players who are looking for comfort and outstanding durability at a good price point. I could probably compare it to something from KSwiss (maybe the Ultrashot) or the Wilson Rush Pro.
Comfort levels are great (cushioning feels awesome) and I found great durability at a low price point.
Break-in time (even if relatively short) is needed for optimal traction.
Zsofi's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 9 |
Ventilation | 7.6 |
Arch Support | 8 |
Foot Support / Stability | 7.4 |
Overall Sole Durability | 9.6 |
Toe Durability | 9.6 |
Traction | 8 |
Weight | 8 |
Overall | 8.8 |