Nike Air Oscillate Shoe Review

We were very excited about the reintroduction of the Air Oscillates from Nike. Long after these shoes had been discontinued in the US, we would spot them on certain professional players. We also heard rumors that the Air Oscillates were still available in Europe.

Of course there were those who had planned ahead and had stockpiled Air Oscillates before they were discontinued. For some members of our Talk Tennis message board who were left wanting for Air Oscillates, the ultimate torture was when another member would post pictures of multiple pairs of Air Oscillates saved for future use. For Air Oscillates fans, it became a time of the haves and the have nots.

Rumors of the Air Oscillates' return came and went. When we finally got the official word from Nike, we started to get excited about playtesting the shoes. Would they really feel as good as we remembered? How would they hold up against the latest performance offerings? Those testers who had not worn them before were also anxious to find out what all the hype was about.

To put these and other questions to bed, we let our review team loose in the Air Oscillates for a three-week playtest.

Comfort

The Air Oscillates feature synthetic leather uppers with a mesh tongue for a supportive and comfortable fit. Underfoot, Nike's Zoom Air cushioning places the wearer low to the ground while providing a responsive ride. For the most part, our team found the shoes required a slight break-in before competitive play. Finding the shoes to be more and more comfortable with each wear was Chris "My pair of Air Oscillates definitely required a break-in. After playing in them right out of the box, I decided to wear them around casually for a week before next hitting the courts. Once the uppers had broken-in, the shoes molded to the shape of my feet and I found a very glove-like fit. The fit after break-in remained comfortable for the duration of the playtest. The narrow fit prevented my feet from sliding around and I did not get any blisters during play. There's not a ton of cushioning in this shoe, and I found myself saving this shoe for competitive play and going with something more cushioned for practice." Finding the level of cushioning a good match for his game was Ryan. "I liked the cushioning in the forefoot best. The cushioning is low to the ground, and yet it still felt like there was enough there for me. Granted, I am not the biggest person in the world; but for me, the cushioning was very good. My feet stayed pretty comfortable throughout the whole playtest."

Brad was left looking for more comfort from the Air Oscillates. "I found the Air Oscillates to be lacking in the comfort department. The shoes felt very firm to me with little give or cushioning. I expected the Zoom Air to provide a decent amount of cushioning, but that wasn't the case. I also found the toe box to be a bit cramped and would have liked a little more space for my toes." Granville found improved comfort after break-in. "At the initial fitting I had to increase one full size larger to get the right fit. Even then, the initial fit/feel was not impressive. The contoured ridge near the toes falls right beneath the ball of my foot. Yes, it provides cushioning, but it felt a bit awkward. Other than that, there was not much cushioning to speak of. That being said - after two matches and some walking around in them, they started to feel very good. At that time, I again hit the court and found these to be closer to what I remembered and liked about the original Oscillates; they felt low to the ground and were very stable for pivoting. Also, I liked the high heel counter which added to the fit - no slippage in the heel."

Paul would have liked more cushioning from the Air Oscillates. "I found the synthetic leather to be extremely stiff and rigid and it took me a good deal of time to break these shoes in. The uppers did eventually mold to my feet and provided pretty good support. This, however, was not a shoe I could spend a workday in. The no nonsense low-to-the-ground design left me wanting more cushioning. The lack of adequate cushioning was my biggest gripe about these shoes." Enjoying the snug fit of the shoes was Spencer. "When I first put them on I had some mixed feelings. Though they fit snug (which I like for the fact that my feet won't slide around in the shoe), I was concerned that they were a bit narrow and I would experience a bit of discomfort for the first few outings. However, that wasn't the case. With all the starting and stopping and lateral movement in my first outing, I could easily justify some discomfort, but was pleasantly surprised I had none. Cushioning definitely had a more prevalent feel in the forefoot, which I liked. If I have one beef with this shoe, it is that the back of the shoe comes up too high on the Achilles tendon, where I can noticeably feel it."

Arch Support

For the most part, our team found the arch support of the Air Oscillates to fit at a low height. Finding a good fit from the arch support was Brad. "The lowish arch of the Air Oscillates suited me pretty well. However, I did have to walk around in the shoes for a couple of days before I felt the arch area was broken in enough to play with them on the court." Granville said, "I'd have to say the arch support was minimal - I felt very, very low to the ground and the arch support (or lack of) was part of the equation."

Both Spencer and Paul found the arch support to fit closer to a medium height. Paul said, "The arch support was adequate for me. It seemed a little lower than many of the Nike shoes I've of playtested in the past. I would have to estimate the height at about medium." Spencer also found a good fit. "The arch support was medium, which fits my arch just fine. I would say it is average." Chris would have liked a little more height to the arch support. "The arch support felt low to me. I would have liked a higher fit here. This was the only area of concern for me as the fit was not ideal. I was very happy with the lateral support through the midfoot, but would have liked more height to the arch."

Finding the best fit was Ryan. "The arch support was perfect for my feet. I have a neutral foot and I thought the level of support was great. It was never something that I had to think about, and that's a good thing."

Foot Support & Stability

The low to the ground ride, TPU midfoot shank and supportive upper fit of the Air Oscillates made for impressive support and stability for our playtesters. Finding plenty of support from the fit of the shoes was Brad. "The impressive thing that the Air Oscillates did provide was a glove like fit. The shoes wrapped around my feet to where they felt like an extension of my feet. I didn't have to worry about sliding around inside the shoes at all." Spencer was also impressed by the supportive fit and stable ride he found in the shoes. "The Zoom Air technology really came into play here. I think that unless you have worn a pair of shoes like this, you can't really fathom what 'low to the ground' means in a shoe. The stability was also outstanding. I felt my change of direction was more efficient because I was able to trust the shoes when I planted aggressively. The support was great as the Air Oscillates really did have that glove-like fit for me. There was no foot slippage in these when moving side to side or front and back. Having to rush to retrieve a drop shot and stop short of the net didn't drive my toes into the front of the shoe as I have experienced in some others shoes."

Chris found impressive support and stability from the shoes. "These were very supportive and stable shoes. The uppers really wrapped my feet for a very supportive fit. My feet never slid around inside the shoes, which meant I could play long matches without the bottoms of my feet being sore the next day. The shoes also offered a very stable ride and I felt very confident moving at full speed and then coming to a stop or changing directions." Finding exceptional stability was Granville. "I felt very secure in the shoes, largely due to how low to the ground I was. It was almost like I was sitting down inside the shoe. I also noticed they were very ankle brace friendly. The high heel counter and wide outsole combined to make this an exceptionally stable shoe for me."

Finding an average level of support was Paul. "The uppers of these shoes in the vamp region - much like the Adidas Barricade IVs - sat very close to the top of my feet. This allowed the shoes to mold to my feet pretty well, but prevented me from adding thicker insoles. It felt like I had pretty good support and stability in these shoes, it didn't blow me away. It was just average when compared to the support and stability of some of the top performance shoes being developed today." Ryan was much more impressed by the level of support. "The only reason I didn't give this a 5 is because I felt like I might have been between sizes. Everyone one went a half-size up on this one which left a little too much room in the front of the shoe. However, I would have been a little pinched in my regular size. They held my feet fantastically, though. The support was probably the best I have found in a shoe that is so extremely low cut. I never felt like my ankles would roll over. Again, the only reason this wasn't a 5 was because my feet would sometimes slide a bit on sudden stops because of the extra room I had in the toe box area."

Overall Sole Durability

In an update from the original Air Oscillates, this reintroduction benefits from Nike's improved DRC2 rubber outsole compound. DRC2 is designed to offer improved durability and our playtesters familiar with the original Air Oscillates found a noticeable durability improvement with this latest version. Granville said, "This shoe seems tougher than most of the Nike shoes in memory. At the end of the test I did not see significant wear in any specific areas of the outsoles." Finding improved durability from this version of the Air Oscillates was Chris. "I found way more durability in this pair of Air Oscillates compared to the originals. The addition of the DRC2 rubber compound seems to have helped increase the life of these shoes greatly. Durability was a drawback when playing in the original Air Oscillates. This version offers good durability for a speed oriented shoe."

Both Paul and Brad found the durability of the shoes to be good. Spencer offered, "The durability of the Air Oscillates was average. No surprises here, as I wore this one out the most in the ball of the foot. I'm certainly not disappointed, because the performance of this shoe is the appeal for me and more than makes up for the average durability." Finding a more durable ride than he expected was Ryan. "This is an interesting one. The durability was not the best, however it was much better than I anticipated. When I had the old version of these shoes years ago, they wore out very quickly; so, I anticipated that these would do the same. But that is not the case. I was surprised that the shoes didn't seem to wear out as quickly as I thought it would. Being a 'game day' shoe with little break in, light weight, and with some good herringbone grooves, these shoes were surprisingly durable. Compared to other shoes I've worn, the durability again wasn't great, especially compared to those with a durability guarantee, but it was still pretty good."

Toe Durability

The Air Oscillates feature a wrap-around toe bumper that offers extensive protection for both the medial edge of the toe box, as well as the toe tip. Having the bumper wrap around to the medial side of the shoes helps protect the uppers if a player drags their trailing foot when moving wide laterally or when bending low for a stretch volley. Our two toe-draggers found the toe bumpers more than durable enough for the rigors of hard court play. Chris said, "I did not have any issues with the toe durability of these shoes. The toe bumpers did their job, with only scuff marks visible and no extensive wear at the end of the test. Considering the light feel at the toe, I was very impressed with the durability of these shoes." Brad was in agreement, "The toe area on my Air Oscillates held up well for me. I had some expected wear in the toe area, but for the most part the DRC 2 material did a good job at the toe tip and I did not drag up on the uppers."

Traction

The combination of DRC2 rubber and a herringbone tread pattern on the Air Oscillates combined to offer a very impressive level of traction during our hard court testing. Spencer was very impressed with the level of grip he found in the shoes. "There was excellent, excellent traction in the Air Oscillates. The traction worked well with the stability and I felt very confident when having to change direction - especially when having to put quite a bit of weight or pressure on the shoes when planting and turning. Shoes in general do not make you faster, but a shoe like the Air Oscillate can definitely improve efficiency, helping to reduce wasted movement and energy. If you've played in a shoe that doesn't have good traction, or your foot slides in the shoe, you know what I mean." Finding a confidence inspiring level of traction was Paul. "The herringbone patterned outsoles made from DRC2 rubber were very grippy. I felt confident on all cuts and plants. Traction was probably one of the best attributes of these shoes for me."

Finding he could have his cake and eat it when it came to traction with durability was Chris. "I found an excellent level of traction playing in these shoes. Combined with the supportive fit and low to the ground feel, I felt like I was really moving well when wearing the Air Oscillates. One of the fond memories I have of the original was the level of traction. This version offers that same excellent traction, but comes with better durability." Also very impressed by the level of traction was Granville "Here is where this shoe's performance heritage is secure. All of the elements, like the herringbone pattern, the DRC compound, the midsole shank, and even the shape of the heel and forefoot outsole, combine to give the Air Oscillates excellent traction. Add to that the low profile and 'bucket seat' feel of these shoes, and you have a shoe unlike any other shoe on the market. I would expect the Air Oscillates to be around for years to come."

Finding impressive traction on both hard and clay courts was Brad. "The traction of the Air Oscillates was above good. I always felt like I was in good contact with the ground and had no problems stopping and changing directions. I had a chance to wear the shoes on clay and found that the outsoles worked really well, even though they were not clay specific." Ryan offered, "The traction of these shoes was top notch. I never slipped once."

Weight

Our team found an impressive balance of weight and performance in the Air Oscillates. Putting the shoes in a middle-weight class was Granville. "In line with what I would expect for the performance features, and a middle-weight in my book." Paul said, "I thought the weight of these shoes was right in the neighborhood of what I really look for in a performance shoe. However, at 15.0 oz. they felt bulkier than many of the other shoes I've playtested."

Finding a much lighter feel to the shoes was Chris. "These shoes felt very light on my feet. I really enjoyed moving around the court in them. Combined with the traction and low to the ground, supportive ride, the light feel made for a very fast feeling shoe. Once the shoes were broken-in, I was able to completely forget about them and concentrate on my tennis. To me, that's the mark of a good shoe." Ryan found a similar feel from the shoes. "Good lightweight shoes. I forgot that they were there. To me, that is one of the most important things. When I'm not noticing them, then that is good because I'm thinking about the match or game. So, great weight."

Brad thought the shoes were well balanced. "I found the Air Oscillates to have a good weight and balance to them. The weight was nicely distributed throughout and it did not feel like it was concentrated in the heel or toe." Spencer agreed, "They were not the lightest shoes I've worn, but I think when you consider the type of support and stability they offer, the weight (or lack of weight) is fantastic."

Overall

It could be argued that the concept of a match day shoe started with the Air Oscillate. At the end of our test, we found this now classic offering was still a top contender when it's time to put on our game face. Step onto the court in a pair of Air Oscillates and a long history of tournament victories (including many of Pete Sampras' Grand Slams) backs up every step. Cradling the feet like a bucket seat, the Air Oscillates still impress with a low to the ground and supportive ride. Now updated with Nike's DRC2 rubber outsole compound, the questionable durability of the original is no longer an issue. So if you've wondered whether you remembered the Air Oscillates through rose colored glasses, or if you've always wondered what all the hype was about - step into this latest version, you won't be disappointed.

When comparing this shoe to other shoes and brands in terms of fit, cushioning and durability our playtesters said: Chris "The big story for me was the improved durability. back in the day, I'd burn through the original Air Oscillates in no time. This latest pair with DRC2 rubber showed vastly improved durability."

Nike Air Oscillate Summary Sheet
The Up Side	The Down Side	Play Test Scores
Traction Support Stability Excellent court feel Improved durability	Some break-in required Minimal cushioning not for everyone	Comfort 3.9 Arch Support 3.5 Foot Support/Stability 3.7 Overall Sole Durability 4.5 Toe Durability 4.6 Traction 4.7 Weight 3.8 Overall 4.1 Scores (1-Horrible 2-Poor 3-Average 4-Good 5-Tremendous)

Playtesters' Foot Types: Chris - narrow width/medium arch, Ryan - narrow/medium arch, Granville - Medium/Medium arch, Granville - Narrow/low arch, Paul Medium/Medium arch, Brad - wide width/flat arch.

Review date: February, 2007. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2007 Tennis Warehouse.