Bethanie Mattek-Sands playtests top new tennis shoes
Between the adidas Stycon, Nike Vapor Cage 4, Asics Gel Resolution 8, New Balance Lav Fresh Foam & KSwiss Aeroknit...which was her favorite?
adidas Stycon
| Upsides | Downsides |
| Low to the ground | Tough to put on |
| Fits her forefoot | |
| Stylish |
Bottom line: An early favorite due to their cosmetics and support! Bethanie would like to test these shoes a bit more to see if they will replace her favorite adidas Ubersonic 3s.
adidas Stycon Men's Tennis Shoes
Nike Air Zoom Vapor Cage 4
| Upsides | Downsides |
| Stylish | Feels high off the ground |
| Roomier toebox than Nikes in the past | Slippery |
| Comfortable |
Bottom line: Bethanie went up a half size, and because of that she found these shoes fit her toe box better than any Nike shoes she has ever worn! Yay! She loved the styling but felt a little slippery and didn't feel confident hitting in the shoes since she was slightly unsure about her footing. But style-wise, 10 out of 10!
NikeAir Zoom Vapor Cage 4 Women's Tennis Shoes
New Balance Fresh Foam LAV
| Upsides | Downsides |
| Low to the ground | Don't match her Lucky in Love collection |
| Light, comfortable, no break-in | |
| Good traction |
Bottom line: Finding immediate comfort and no break-in, these lightweight shoes were a positive with the biggest negative being that they just don't match the current BMS + Lucky in Love line, which unfortanately was a dealbreaker for Bethanie!
New Balance CT Rally Men's Tennis Shoes
Asics Gel Resolution 8
| Upsides | Downsides |
| Go USA! (cosmetics on point) | A little squeaky |
| Easy to put on, no break-in, comfortable | Heavier than Ubersonics |
| Durable |
Bottom line: Having worn Gel Resolutions of the past, she was feeling right at home in this update. Loved the comfort, support and colors! Plus they are super durable, just a bit heavier than what she currently wears.
Asics Women's Gel Resolution Tennis Shoes
Asics Gel Resolution Men's Tennis Shoes
| Upsides | Downsides |
| Super light | Tough to put on |
| Flexible, comfortable, no break-in | Not sure about stability |
| No foot pain |
Bottom line: While not as difficult to put on compared to the Stycons, these shoes weren't easy to get into either. However once on, they played super light and were supremely comfortable. Just not sure how stable they will be for aggressive movement.
