Babolat SFX2 Men's Shoe Review

Overall Comfort - Score: 4.4

All of our playtesters raved about the comfort -- namely the plush cushioning. Mark was impressed as soon as he slipped the SFX2s on, and it only got better from there. He praised, "The SFX2s were very comfortable shoes. From my first step into them I was treated to a plush ride around the office for the rest of the workday. Once I was on the court the level of comfort only improved. This is not always the case with tennis shoes, but I felt like the more I wore the SFX2s the more comfortable they got. Ventilation and arch support were more than adequate as well."

Andy also enjoyed the soft, well-cushioned feel, while taking notice of the slimmer, more performance-oriented fit and feel. He said, "In typical SFX fashion, these shoes are very comfortable and well cushioned. They're maybe not quite as soft and pillowy as the previous version, but the SFX2s hugged my feet a bit more and made me feel more locked in and secure. The uppers are softer and better ventilated, allowing them to mold to the shape of my feet and provide longer lasting comfort during hot days. The arch support was also good, and my feet never got achy or felt fatigued during the playtest."

The updated fit was great for Granville's narrow feet, and he raved, "These shoes were very comfortable out of the box and got better with play. They offered excellent cushioning, and my narrow feet fit well in these shoes, which seem to be a solid D width. They lace up easily, making them quick to take on and off."

As a fan of the original version's wider fit, Jason found these SFX2s to be very comfortable, but was still disappointed. He explained, "These were very comfortable shoes to wear on court. The cushioning was plush and the uppers were nice and soft. With even more mesh in the uppers than the original SFXs, the ventilation is noticeably improved. I had to knock a few points off for the new fit, however. These felt like a D width, and the original SFXs fit more like an E width, which suited my wider feet a bit better."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.0

The SFX2s impressed our team when it came to support and stability. Even though these shoes have a softer upper than their predecessor, Jason felt plenty of protection when moving around the court. He shared, "I felt like I was able to cut and move aggressively in these shoes without worrying about rolling my ankles, which was impressive considering the uppers are so soft. For the most part, my feet felt pretty locked in. My feet did slide forward just a bit when stopping, but there were really no major issues here."

Mark also found more than enough support and stability. He raved, "For me, comfort and stability are closely related, as my feet will not be comfortable for long if the shoes do not exhibit a high level of support. That said, the overall support and stability of the SFX2s was great. My heels were secure during lateral movements, even without the last lace eyelet used, and my toes never got jammed into the front of the shoes during quick stops."

Andy felt completely comfortable sliding and moving at top speeds, but he did find the ride a little higher off the ground than he likes. He explained, "These shoes offered plenty of support through the chassis, and they moved well with my feet no matter how I moved on the court. There were plenty of lateral stability features that left me feeling totally protected when I was sliding on the hard courts or cutting back aggressively to the middle of the court. I did find that the SFX2s rode a little high off the ground, and that would be my only knock when it comes to stability. If my feet rode a little lower to the ground the SFX2s would've provided a slightly more stable base."

Granville was also very pleased. He said, "With the low ride inside the shoes and such a good fit all-around, there was very little foot movement inside the shoes. I felt very stable in any position on the court. There was ample support without my usual lace-up ankle braces."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.3

Although they don't feature a durability guarantee, the SFX2s offered excellent durability for our testers. Andy, a tester who's normally very hard on his shoes, could barely put a dent in his pair during our month-long playtest. He raved, "The durability of these shoes was excellent! After about 20 hours of wear the tread on the outsoles of my pair show virtually no signs of balding or wear. The medial side of the uppers -- another area I tend to wear out from sliding on hard courts -- also offered plenty of protection and held up extremely well throughout the test. While they may not offer a durability guarantee, these shoes are certainly among the more durable shoes I've tested. Very impressive!"

"These SFX2s were very durable," Jason said. "I put more than 20 hours on them and there's tons of tread left! I was really impressed with the outsole material."

Mark was also impressed, sharing, "For a 48-year-old player I can still run reasonably fast, but I don't go through shoes the way I used to in my younger days. With that said, the SFX2s are very durable shoes. I have more than 20 hours on them, and I feel there are at least another 30 left."

Granville offered, "I found these shoes to be very durable. No issues here, especially considering how 'sticky' the shoes are on court."

Traction - Score: 4.3

There were no complaints from our team regarding the traction from the SFX2s, and everyone felt very confident when starting and stopping on the hard courts. Granville enjoyed the level of grip these shoes offered, saying, "These shoes offered very good traction -- good and sticky, as I mentioned in the video review. The tread pattern may have as much to do with traction as the rubber. As a nice variation on the traditional herringbone pattern, it was nicely suited for hard courts."

Jason agreed, adding, "Not only did the Michelin rubber outsoles provide excellent durability, but they also provided great traction. I felt sure-footed with each step and every plant. There was the typical handful of slips when I was trying to change directions, but I prefer that over an overly sticky outsole."

Andy also liked the blend of slip and stick. He shared, "These shoes offered predictable and comfortable traction throughout the course of the test. They offered a nice blend of grip and give. I could slide when I wanted, but the shoes also locked up with the court when I needed to push off in the opposite direction. Babolat shoes generally offer nice traction, and this update to the SFX line is no exception."

Echoing the others' sentiments was Mark, who said, "I am playing mostly on a hard court surface, so I look for shoes that provide the right ratio of slip-to-grip. In other words, shoes that stop when I need them to but not so abruptly that it's like a collision. These shoes offered just that."

Weight - Score: 4.0

We found the SFX2s to be fairly average when it came to their weight on court, and we agreed that the cushioning, support and durability were worth an extra ounce or two. "These shoes felt fairly middle of the road to me when it came to weight," Andy explained. "They don't feel all that heavy and clunky, but since they ride a little higher off the ground than some other performance shoes, I definitely was reminded that I had tennis shoes on my feet during play. With that said, I think the feel was significantly lighter and faster than the previous version, so there's an improvement there."

"Don't be scared away by their 16 ounce weight," Jason reassured. "They're not lightweight shoes by any means, but they're not trying to be. These shoes are about comfort and durability. However, they do feel faster than the previous model. I know the static weight is actually up from the SFX, but the lower to the ground ride provides a faster feel."

"For such well-padded, comfortable and durable shoes, these SFX2s felt a lot lighter than their 16 ounce weight would indicate," Granville added.

Mark was happy with how these shoes felt, even though they weren't incredibly light. He said, "Overall, I'll take the stability and comfort of the SFX2s over having them be extremely light. With that said, these shoes weren't overly heavy or noticeably lightweight."

Overall - Score: 4.2