Nike Air Max Breathe Cage II Tennis Shoe Review

Now in its fifth version, the Nike Breathe line manifests itself this time as the Air Max Breathe Cage II. This shoe draws inspiration from previous models, as well as its most recognizable proponent, Rafael Nadal. Here we share the Air Max Breathe Cage II's inspiration board and technical drawings from Nike. These images show the development of the shoe from conception to completion.

Comfort

After a month of on-court testing, all our testers agreed that the combination of Max Air and Zoom Air technologies produced effective cushioning. Our testers also found a slight break-in period was required for optimum comfort.

Giving top marks for cushioning was Spencer. "The cushioning was top notch. I tend to pound when running, and the combination of Max Air and Zoom Air proved effective. From a cushioning standpoint, I don't think there is anything better. However, just below the ankles the collars of the shoes seemed to dig into and rub my skin. I thought this might pass after the break-in period, but also noticed it happening throughout the playtest. I do prefer wearing no-show socks, which added to the problem. I also felt tightness in the toe box and had some soreness on both pinky toes because of it. "

Chris enjoyed the comfort after the initial break-in. "The Air Max Breathe Cage IIs required more of a break-in than I've experienced from the Breathe line in the past. However, once broken-in, they were much more comfortable and a better fit compared to the previous Breathe Cage and Breathe 3 shoes. For me, there were elements of the fit and comfort of the Breathe Free IIs - my favorite of the Breathe line. The shoes got better the more I wore them. I found a good middle ground between ultra comfort and performance. I would rather play in shoes with a firmer, more responsive ride over soft and pillow-like cushioning - which can make me feel slow - and I felt pretty fast in these shoes. Once the uppers molded to my feet the shoes became very comfortable. I enjoyed wearing them on court as well as casually."

Describing the comfort as plush was Paul. "The Zoom Air in the forefoot and Max Air in the heel of the Air Max Breathe Cage IIs provided ample cushioning, much the same as their predecessors. Plush is the only way I can describe the comfort level of these shoes. I only had one minor issue. I had some pinky toe rubbing issues on my dominant foot while wearing Thorlo level 3 socks during the first week. Thinner socks temporarily solved the problem. After the Drag-On material on the upper stretched a little bit, the forefoot opened up enough that I was able to switch back to my preferred Thorlo socks. I didn't have anymore pinky toe rubbing after that first week." Danny was impressed with the updates in the Air Max Breathe Cage II. "I enjoyed the interior and exterior cushioning of the shoe. I thought Nike did a good job improving the interior lining. The first model of the Cage would rub the inside of my ankle just enough to make it irritated. I don't think that you will find a tennis shoe that has more heel cushioning than this shoe. I gave this shoe a 4.5 out of 5 stars for cushioning."

Arch Support

The arch support of the Air Max Breathe Cage II fits slightly lower than medium height but was supportive enough for our whole crew. Doing his best Goldilocks impression was Paul. "The arch support was perfect for my feet. Not too high, not too low, just right. The product information tag on our web site lists the arch support as slightly lower than medium height. I tend to prefer a medium to medium-high arch, but the arch support in these shoes met my needs exceptionally well." Spencer was pleased with the support. "The arch support felt medium height, which works well for me. I didn't have any issues during the playtest."

Feeling the arches were a little low, but having no issues, was Chris. "The arch support felt just a tad low for my medium height arches. However, the shoes are very supportive in that area thanks to the midfoot shank. I didn't have any issues with arch support or comfort, and I was able to play in them without worrying about my arches." Danny agreed. "I thought that the arch support was low, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. It took about 2 hours for my arch to be comfortable in the shoe. After the short break-in period, it was no longer an issue for me."

Foot Support & Stability

Overall, the support and stability of the Air Max Breathe Cage II worked well with our team. However, some playtesters weren't brimming with confidence when it came to trusting stability on full speed changes of direction. Danny liked how the shoes maintained good support and kept their shape after several hours of testing. "Besides the cushioning, I thought the foot support and stability were the biggest improvements of the shoe. The first model had a balloon effect. After about 10-15 hours of test play on the first model I noticed that the forefoot would expand, which affected foot support. I didn't have that problem with this model." Paul was fond of the two extra eyelets around the ankle area of the lace system. "I had plenty of support and stability in these shoes. My feet never slipped around. The shoes molded to my feet exceptionally well. The two additional eyelets at the top of the upper provided a few different options for tightening the laces to get the heel area wrapped around my heel in a firm way. I thought this was a significant improvement over the Breathe Free II and the Air Max Breathe Cage. Although these shoes sit up a little higher in the heel than some 'low-to-the-ground' shoes, I felt the lateral wedge provided adequate stability. I didn't feel like I was in danger of rolling an ankle at anytime."

Spencer felt hesitant with his footwork at times. "I felt there was too much play in the midfoot area, affecting support, as well as stability. I had caution in the back of my head when it came to going full speed and having to change direction, even though I didn't come close to rolling over. When having to sprint to the net for drop shots, however, my toes jammed to the front of the shoes when stopping abruptly." Once again, Chris obtained better results after break-in. "I played in the shoes out of the box, and in hindsight, wish I had broken them in first. On my first wear I had a slight roll on my left ankle. The shoes didn't feel like they were flexing enough, and I felt like I was riding on them rather than in them. I liked the lateral support of the outsole flare in the forefoot, but as I found out, if I rolled over the sharp edge, there was a definite point of no return. This made them less forgiving than a shoe without that flare or wedge. After break-in, the shoes felt like they wrapped around my feet rather than sitting underneath them, and I never had another stability problem. I soon became confident going all out in the shoes. By the end of the test I was no longer wearing my ankle supports and felt confident playing in the shoes."

Overall Sole Durability

An impressive outsole, Nike's XDR proved to be popular with our testers when it came to longevity. Chris was happy with the durability of the outsole. "I was very impressed with the durability of the shoes. Nike seems to have addressed their durability issues of the past for me, as I used to find their shoes wore out quickly. However, the shoes I've worn with the XDR outsole hold up very well. At the end of the test the outsoles on my shoes still looked great, with a ton of life left in them." Danny was impressed as well. "There weren't any noticeable signs of wear. I would assume that the bottom of the outsole (near the toe) would wear out first, considering that is where I wear out most shoes. I thought I gave these shoes a beating on the court, but every time I looked at the shoe for wear, I didn't see much. I thought this was a very durable shoe, and it also comes with a six-month guarantee, which is a bonus."

Spencer felt the XDR competed well with other extremely durable shoes. "The durability of the outsole is good. I showed typical wear in a high durability shoe. The ball of the foot area of the sole tends to get the most attention and wear. I was happy with the amount of wear, or lack thereof." Having similar sentiments was Paul. "Good durable outsoles. Not as durable as the Barricade V perhaps, but the trade-off in every other aspect made the Air Max Breathe Cage II my shoe of choice without a doubt. The six-month outsole durability guarantee made durability a non-issue."

Toe Durability

With a combination of Nike's XDR and Drag-On materials, the Air Max Breathe Cage IIs seem to be able to withstand the rigors of even the most severe toe draggers. Grading toe durability with high marks was Chris. "The toe durability was excellent. I was very impressed with the features Nike has engineered into the toe areas of these shoes. Both the toe tip and the medial side of the toes have been built up. I found excellent durability both when sliding forward and when dragging the inside edge of my trailing foot on a wide lateral slide. The Drag-On material also seems to glide over the surface with less resistance and abrasion then fabric style toe bumpers. Top marks from this tester."

Danny was a fan of the toe protection as well. "I wouldn't classify myself as a consistent toe dragger. There have been times that I've worn out the toe first on some shoes that I've worn, but not this one. Anytime I wear out the toe, it's because of my footwork on my volleys. Sometimes I will drag the toe of my right foot on forehand volleys. You won't have to worry about the toe durability of this shoe. The XDR technology wraps over the toe for great durability. It's a flexible plastic material that really protects toe drag."

Traction

Once broken-in, the Air Max Breathe Cage IIs' tread adhered to the court very well. Paul was pleased with how the shoes gripped the court. "Traction was great in these shoes. They gripped the court very well. I loved the tread pattern and the way the rubber flexed and grabbed the court when changing direction."

Achieving confidence with starting and stopping was Chris. "I was very impressed with the traction. The shoes gripped well when stopping and starting. I was confident in the traction when making aggressive lateral cuts. While playing on a variety of different hard courts I found the shoes to grip well in all court conditions. Even when the surface was a little slick and dusty the shoes seemed to find a way to stick."

Danny felt his traction was slightly affected by the height of the midsole. "I wasn't as fond of the traction as I was with the other features of this shoe. I found my footwork and foot speed to be slightly slower due to the added cushioning. I thought the midsole raised my feet slightly and slowed me down though I wasn't slipping or sliding on the tennis court. I thought the tread was fine; however, in terms of foot speed, I think a lower-to-the-ground type of shoe works better for me." Outside of a couple of slips early on, the shoes gripped well according to Spencer. "For the most part the traction was good. During most of the playtest the shoes gripped well. There were a few times I had some slippage issues. One, in particular, where I took a pretty good spill when having to take off in a hurry from a standstill. I felt as if someone had pulled the proverbial carpet out from under me. I will mention that these slips were toward the beginning of the playtest, and I didn't experience any loose footing during the rest of the playtest."

Weight

Considering the Air Max Breathe Cage II is a durability guaranteed shoe offering good stability, our team was pleased with the weight. Spencer felt the weight was rather light considering the durability factor. "I felt the weight was pretty good. For a durability guaranteed shoe, it even feels a bit on the light side, comparatively speaking." Thinking these shoes were lighter than their actual weight was Paul. "I was surprised to find these shoes were heavier than the Air Max Breathe Free IIs. They felt pretty much the same to me. They didn't seem heavy or bulky at all. They seemed to be very maneuverable, well balanced and extraordinarily responsive."

Chris thought they felt heavier than previous Breathe models. "I didn't feel as fast in these shoes as previous versions. They felt a little heavier and I never got that low down bucket-seat kind of feel from them." Preferring a lighter shoe in general, but happy with the weight for a durable shoe, was Danny. "It's not the lightest shoe I've ever tested. In a perfect world, I would prefer the shoe to be lighter; however, this really wasn't an issue for me. At times, the shoe might have been slightly clunky due to the added cushioning, but it worked fine for me."

Overall

This fifth offering of the Breathe shoe line has raised the bar yet again. Adding more substance to improve support and stability was a popular move with our crew, though it did result in a slight break-in period for some. Once broken-in, the Air Max Breathe Cage II performed well, and managed to meet the expectations brought on from the success of previous models. we found the cushioning to be superb. The Max Air was just what the name implies; cushioning to the max. The XDR outsole impressed us with both traction and durability. Our testers found the shoes to be a great, durable, all-around shoe. No surprise that it is the footwear choice of Rafael Nadal and many other tour players.

Nike Air Max Breathe Cage II Scores
The Up Side	The Down Side	Play Test Scores
Cushioning Comfort Durability Styling Traction Ventilation	Short break-in required Laces a tad short	Comfort 4.1 Arch Support 4.0 Foot Support/Stability 4.0 Overall Sole Durability 4.2 Toe Durability 4.8 Traction 4.1 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, Spencer - medium/medium arch, Danny - Medium/Medium arch, Paul Medium/Medium arch

Review date: April, 2008. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2008 Tennis Warehouse.