Fila Alfa II Men's Tennis Shoe Review
When we played in the original Fila Alfa shoes, we didnÕt think it would be possible to get more comfort, even if we strapped pillows to our feet.
With the Alfa II, Fila looks to improve the original Alfa by enhancing the performance of this incredibly comfortable offering.
Right out of the box, our testers were pleased to see a more aggressive cosmetic treatment added to the Alfa II. We tested the Black / Silver / Lime color. A more conservative white / silver / navy version is also available for those who like a more traditional look.
Like its predecessor, the Alfa II comes backed with a six-month outsole durability guarantee and features a herringbone tread pattern. Unlike the previous Alfa, the Alfa II features a texture treatment to the surface of the outsole.
We hit the courts for several months to put the Alfa IIs through their paces. Read on for our full review.
Comfort - Score: 4.6
The TW Playtest Team all agreed that the Alfa II provides tons of cushioning and comfort. Chris found the comfort to be equivalent to the original Alfa. "The ride in the Alfa IIs is very similar to the first version, and that is a comfortable and pillow-like feel. The cushioning was exceptional for me. I found them to be very comfortable out of the box, with no break-in required."
Loving the lack of break-in was Sean. "This shoe offered great comfort straight out of the box. Usually shoes require at least a little break in, but I was really surprised to take these shoes out for the first time and feel completely comfortable. Even after a few hours of playing, my feet weren't sore or blistered like most new shoes."
Jason was very impressed by the high level of comfort. "This shoe was one of the more comfortable shoes I've worn this year. The comfort was immediate, from the cushioning throughout the midsole to the padding along the ankle area. The longer I wore the shoe, the more comfortable it got, which was a nice surprise."
Spencer agreed, adding, "The Alfa II is extremely comfortable. The upper is very supple and feels very taut, yet not too snug when cinching the laces. I also enjoyed the cushioning, as it supplied a soft feel upon impact. Much like its predecessor, the Alfa II is one of the most comfortable shoes straight out of the box."
Ventilation - Score: 2.0
Our playtesters would like to have seen more use of perforations and mesh in the uppers of the Alfa II to make them more breathable. Needing more ventilation was Spencer. "Though the upper of the Alfa II was very supple, it lacked breathability. There were very few perforations and little mesh. The mesh tongue didn't provide the necessary ventilation when playing in warm weather. The all black color, coupled with the lack of breathability, made for a hot shoe on the summer hard courts."
Also feeling the heat on the hot days was Chris."The ventilation in these shoes did not impress me. My feet would get hot in them during play and when just wearing them around. The mesh tongue provided some relief, but it was not enough."
Sean agreed. "The ventilation could use some improvement, in my opinion. During long playing sessions and on warm days I definitely noticed the lack of ventilation. A different color scheme might have helped as well, because the black leather absorbed a lot of heat."
Jason felt the ventilation left much to be desired. "I felt the shoes need the most improvement in this area. The lack of mesh and perforations, combined with the black color, resulted in a shoe that played very hot."
Arch Support - Score: 3.8
The Alfa II had a slightly lower than medium arch, which got mixed reviews from our playtesters. Finding the fit to be just right was Sean. "I found the arch support was perfect for my foot type. It was high enough to offer good support but not high enough to make the fit uncomfortable. After wearing the shoe for a couple of matches I noticed that the insoles molded to my feet, which made for a great fit throughout."
Spencer would've preferred a bit more support. "I felt there could have been a bit more arch support, though it didn't affect my play or my arches. I could feel there was a slight lack of support, but since dealing with some plantar fasciitis, I've had to put in inserts for better support anyway."
Chris had similar sentiments. "I would have liked the support to hit a little higher, but with that said, my feet did not feel strained. The shoes had a good flex point so my arches felt safe. The shoes just felt a tad low and flat through the arch area."
The low arch was a great fit for Jason. "I thought the arch support on this shoe felt great! Absolutely no pain on my low arches."
Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.3
The use of such soft materials in the uppers made the Alfa II come up short in the support department. Our playtesters wanted to have slightly more support from the shoe. Jason noticed the pros and cons of having a soft upper. "The soft and supple uppers come at a price, and that's foot support. The reason I didn't give them a lower score was because, although the uppers did flex and give, they never fully gave out on my ankles. They aren't bad during most regular play, but the stability, or lack thereof, is noticeable on more aggressive movements."
Preferring a less comfortable but more supportive ride was Chris. "The shoes were just too soft and comfort oriented for me. I am willing to give up a bit of the pillow-like comfort of a shoe like this for some added support and lateral stiffness. The chassis actually felt rigid, and the shoe flexed and held firm in all the right places. Rather, it was a lack of upper support that stood out. I would prefer some added support from the uppers of the shoes to hold my feet in place better."
Foot slippage was a problem for Sean. "The soft leather that was used in the construction offered some support, but I still would have liked some extra support, especially during lateral movement. I found that on aggressive moves my foot tended to slip inside the shoe just slightly."
Spencer really put these shoes to the test. "As comfortable and as supple as the upper was, I found the support and stability weren't at the level I prefer. I never rolled an ankle, but on a couple of hard lateral direction changes, it was in the back of my head. I felt the support was better than average; however, the stability was a tad suspect. It's just too pliable of a shoe."
Sole Durability - Score: 3.7
After the month-long playtest, our TW playtesters were impressed with the Alfa II's Evergrind outsole. Finding impressive durability on the hard courts was Chris. "The durability was pretty solid. I saw the first signs of wear in the forefoot area under my big toes. I tested the shoes solely on hard courts and they held up as well as other durability guaranteed shoes. I had no concerns with durability, especially considering this shoe comes with a guarantee."
Jason was surprised with how well the shoes held up. "These shoes wore out much slower than I anticipated. The only thing was, the shoe has these small nubs on the outsole, and after the first couple of outings, they were worn away. It took multiple outings before I noticed balding on the pivot point and medial forefoot of each shoe. What makes this shoe even better is that it comes with a six-month durability guarantee."
Having high praise for Fila was Spencer. "I was impressed with the Evergrind outsole. It held up very well in all areas. There was minimal wear, even in my high wear area of the balls of the feet. Fila did an excellent job on the outsole with this one."
Sean did his best to wear these shoes down. "The six-month guarantee is offered with this shoe so I was expecting a lot in terms of sole durability, and this shoe didn't disappoint me. I'm usually pretty tough on shoes, but they held up well throughout all my testing, with normal wear mostly on the ball of the foot. I do think that the durability guarantee will come in handy for most aggressive players."
Toe Durability - Score: 2.8
The Alfa II's toe guards were no match for our two toe-dragging playtesters. Chris went through the toe guard like a hot knife through butter. "As far as durability was concerned, the toe wore out way faster than the outsoles. About midway through the test I was through the stitching at the toe bumper and was starting to put a hole through the uppers of the shoe. My left shoe took the biggest beating, and now has a hole in its upper."
Also seeing some wear at the toes was Sean. "Being a toe dragger, like a lot of people, toe durability is one of the key elements I look for when choosing a shoe, and the Alfa IIs performed fairly well. Although, I definitely would have liked some added durability, seeing that I nearly put a couple holes through the toe area."
Traction - Score: 3.6
The TW playtesters found the level of grip to improve as the Alfa II playtest wore on. Spencer needed a break-in period for the outsoles to offer their best traction. "The traction was good, but only after wearing them a couple of times to get past the initial nubs on the bottoms of the outsoles. The first couple of hits, I must admit, I was a little wary of the traction. Like I said, though, after a couple of hours of court time, the soles settled in and grabbed the court well. Since then they've been great. I wouldn't recommend wearing these for a hard court match straight from the box, though."
Chris felt the same way. "At first the traction concerned me. However, after about three trips to the courts, the little nubs on the outsole wore down and traction became greatly improved. Once I was down to the herringbone tread pattern, I was finding some solid traction on the hard courts. I felt confident making aggressive cuts, and the level of traction just kept getting better and better. At the end of the test I was still finding plenty of traction from the shoes, even though the outsoles had started to wear smooth under my big toes."
The Alfa II exceeded SeanÕs expectations. "At first I found that I was slipping a bit, but once broken-in these shoes performed even better than I had expected. The traction that was offered was actually one of my favorite parts of testing this shoe."
Jason added, "I was not impressed with the traction of this shoe. The first few times on the court the outsole felt very slick, like there was a layer of plastic coating on it. I thought it would wear off after the first day, but the shoe continued to have that slick feeling for 2-3 more hits. It has gotten better over time, but I still have slippage issues from time to time. Even recently, while playing on the indoor court, which is very abrasive, I was rushing the net when the ball was lobbed over me. I had to abruptly stop and change directions, and while doing so my left foot slipped out from under me. The one redeeming factor about the traction is that it has improved the more I have worn them."
Weight - Score: 4.0
Even with such a well-padded and cushioned shoe, the Alfa II got all thumbs up from our playtesters when it came to weight. The weight did not hamper Jason's court movement. "They didn't feel heavy, but they didn't feel feathery light, either. I felt that it was a non-issue when running after shots, and I didn't think it hindered my foot speed."
Spencer enjoyed the lightweight feel. "Without looking at the actual weight of the shoes, I would have guessed them to be lighter. I felt like I could move around the court well. Considering they're middle of the road at 15.5 ounces (size 10.5), that's a weight that makes sense and is in line with the other performance characteristics of the shoe."
Sean was also pleased with the weight of the shoes. "I really enjoyed these shoes for their lightweight and flexible feel. They werenÕt too stiff or rigid, but still offered ample support."
Chris was still moving like a gazelle. "The weight was not an issue for me. I never felt slowed down by the shoes and there was never a sensation that they were bulky in any way. With the uppers feeling so soft and supple, it seemed the bulk was in the chassis of the shoe, and was not noticeable during play."
Overall - Score: 3.8
The Fila Alfa II is definitely one of the most comfortable shoes we've tested this year. The cushioning in the midsole was above par, as was the plush padding around the ankle collar. Because of such soft uppers, our playtest team found the support to be a bit lacking. We found the Evergrind outsole to hold up supremely well on the hard courts, but would've liked to see that same durability transfer to the toe guard. Traction was also impressive after the initial wear-in period. The main knock our team had on the Alfa II was the ventilation and initial traction. Seeing the improvements made from the original Alfa to the Alfa II, we feel this is a good choice for players looking for a comfortable and durable hard court shoe.
Likes
Chris - "I liked the comfort and cushioning the most."
Jason - "I really enjoyed the cushioning and overall comfort."
Spencer - "The comfort and cushion was excellent."
Sean - "Amazing comfort and cushioning, as well as traction."
Dislikes
Chris - "I would have liked more support in the uppers, and it took a few hitting sessions before the outsoles got scrubbed in and felt grippy."
Jason - "Ventilation seemed almost non-existent. On hot days, after an hour of running around on the court, my feet felt like they were on fire. The traction left much too be desired, although it did get better after the first few wears."
Spencer - "The lack of stability, as well as the cosmetics."
Sean - "The ventilation was poor, and the tongue didn't come up far enough on the shoe for the lacing."
Compared to other shoes or brands
Chris - "The ride and level of comfort was very similar to the original Alfa. I would compare this to a shoe like the Prince T20, which also offers a slightly elevated, cushioned feel."
Jason - "This is a hard one for me to compare to other shoes. I did not wear the original version. It's kind of like a cross between a Prince and a Lotto shoe, but without the ventilation."
Spencer - "The Alfa II is very much like the Alfa. The cushioning and comfort are right in line with the Alfa."
Sean - "If you're looking for a shoe that offers exceptional comfort, this shoe is worth a try. In terms of fit and durability, its performance was right on par with some of the better shoes out there."
Upsides
- Excellent comfort
- Excellent cushioning
- Outsole durability
- Traction after break-in
Downsides
- Ventilation
- Support from uppers
- Initial traction
- Toe durability
| Fila Alfa II Shoe Scores | |
|---|---|
| Comfort | 4.6 |
| Ventilation | 2.0 |
| Arch Support | 3.8 |
| Foot Suppot/Stability | 3.3 |
| Overall Sole Durability | 3.7 |
| Toe Durability | 2.8 |
| Traction | 3.6 |
| Weight | 4.0 |
| Overall | 3.8 |
Playtester Foot Types:
Chris - Narrow width, medium arch
Jason - Wide width, low arch
Spencer - Medium width, medium arch
Sean - Medium width, medium arch
Review date: October 2009. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.
All content copyright 2009 Tennis Warehouse.