Nike Air Zoom Zero Women's Review

Comfort - Score: 3.6

Nike built the Zoom Zeros with a half-bootie construction to offer a second-skin feel. These shoes proved to be comfortable and supportive, but tough to get on. Tiffani, who has the widest feet on our playtest team, struggled with the narrow midfoot fit throughout the playtest. She said, "The first time I put on these Zoom Zeros, it honestly felt like mission impossible. I have wide feet from the forefoot through the midfoot, and the half-bootie construction doesn't open up at all. I loosened the laces as much as possible, but the bootie didn't get any wider when I did that. The twill material at the top of the foot is also stiff and doesn't give, so when I first tried to slide the shoe on my foot got stuck halfway in. Over the course of the month-long playtest the shoes did get easier to put on, but it was never simple. I wish Nike had put a loop on the heel rather than the tab so it would be easier to pull. Once my feet were inside the shoes I could tell that they were just too narrow for me through the midfoot. The uppers didn't stretch much throughout the playtest either. I had to wear my thinnest socks, and I had to keep the laces looser just to give my feet a bit of breathing room. All that aside, the cushioning felt nice, but I can't recommend these to people with wider feet, especially if they are wider through the midfoot like mine."

Michelle was impressed with the Zoom Zeros from her very first wear. She explained, "I felt comfortable in these shoes as soon as I got moving on the court. The Zoom Air unit underfoot was responsive and provided supportive cushioning. The uppers were soft and supportive, and the seamless half bootie offered step-in comfort. Getting the shoes on was a slight challenge, but that didn't bother me much after the first wear since I knew what to expect. The look of the shoes initially reminded me a lot of the old Lunar Ballistec, but this new option felt more streamlined, supportive and responsive, rather than plush. The shoes held my feet in really well, but when I was finished hitting I found my feet aching and felt some unique pain at the top of my feet. This off-court pain is the main reason I can't give these shoes a higher comfort score — I really loved how they performed aside from that."

Kristen also struggled when she tried slipping on these shoes for the first time. She said, "I really had to wedge my foot in there and use the tab to help slide my heel in. The Zoom Zeros got progressively easier to put on over time, but they required a bit more effort than normal due to the half-bootie construction. These shoes fit true to size, and I found step-in comfort, which for the most part carried over to the court. I liked the cushioned underfoot feel, which felt more supportive than plush, yet still super comfortable. I did experience some pressure on the top of my feet when cinching up the laces, and I could feel the ankle collar digging into my ankles a bit. During play, however, I didn't notice any pinching or discomfort, and I felt comfortable in my movements. I did notice my feet getting quite warm after longer sessions, though. When I finished playing I could feel the pinching on my upper foot again, and my feet often felt a bit sore after taking these shoes off."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.2

After just a couple hours of court time our playtesters could tell that the Zoom Zeros would stand up to their most aggressive movements. Michelle had zero complaints in this category. She said, "I was a little wary initially because these shoes ride a bit higher off the ground, but Nike nailed the support and stability. I can see why so many pros are wearing the Zoom Zeros. They are light yet still feel substantial, and I was confident moving aggressively in any direction. I could push the limits in these shoes and had 100-percent confidence that they would keep me upright. Not only that, I felt like they were responsive and supportive enough to help me get back into position effectively."

Tiffani always felt well supported in the her Zoom Zeros. She described, "I could move side to side and feel confident that these shoes were going to hold me upright. The upper materials didn't stretch much at all during the playtest, which was good for the support. Even though I barely tied these shoes, the support and stability was more than sufficient."

"I was really curious about how these shoes would play due to their unique shape and construction," said Kristen. "It seemed like they could feel tippy. However, that was never the case when playing, and I felt really fluid in my movements on court. The half-bootie construction offered a sock-like fit that kept my feet locked in. I personally could have used a touch more cushioning around the front of the ankle collar, but I didn't have any major support or stability issues while playing."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.5

After playtesting several lightweight speed shoes over the past few months, our playtesters could compare the lifespan of the Zoom Zeros to other shoes in their weight category. Kristen wasn't particularly impressed by her pair's durability. She commented, "By the end of the playtest I definitely saw some smoothing at the sides of the outsoles under my forefoot. Additionally, after my first session serving with these shoes I could already see a touch of wear on the right toe guard where I drag my toe. Therefore, I'm not sure how well the durability would hold up if I were playing aggressive matches on a regular basis."

Michelle had a slightly different opinion. She said, "I thought the Zoom Zeros' rubber held up exceptionally well for shoes that don't come with an outsole warranty. Compared to similar shoes, I'd say the Zoom Zeros perform pretty well in the durability category. That being said, I'm never too hard on my shoes. I found the durability to be above that of a Vapor and similar to the Asics Solution Speed FF."

Tiffani saw some wear on the toe area of her shoes after about a dozen hours on the court. She said, "The smoothing isn't extreme, and it's about what I've come to expect with quick shoes. I would put them on par with shoes like the Asics Solution Speed FFs or adidas Ubersonic 3s."

Traction - Score: 4.2

With the new outsole pattern on the Zoom Zeros, Michelle was a bit apprehensive as to what to expect in terms of traction. She said, "I really enjoy a stickier outsole, and I knew these shoes had been designed for aggressive movers, so I was afraid the traction would be too slick. However, I'm happy to report that I was wrong! I think the new pattern really allows players to tap into how they want the outsoles to work for them. These shoes let me feel confident when I was being pulled off the court, and I never felt like I was about to slip or lose my footing. I also felt like I could really push off and get back into a point quickly."

Kristen found a good balance of grab and give. She noted, "There were a couple times in the beginning of the playtest when I felt like I might slide out on the stretch, but the outsoles always ended up catching the court in the end. I got used to the outsoles after a few hits in these shoes, and I didn't notice any traction issues."

Tiffani agreed, adding "I liked how quickly I could pivot from shot to shot. When I was coming to a stop after a dead sprint to the ball I noticed I would slide just a little bit, a couple of inches at most, before the shoes grabbed onto the court. I'm not a modern mover who slides a lot. I tend to take a lot of little steps to adjust, and the tread pattern worked well for me."

Weight - Score: 4.2

Weighing just a little more than the Vapor Xs, the Zoom Zeros were fast and explosive. "These shoes felt a bit higher off the ground than some other speed-oriented models, but I still felt very fast in them," Tiffani described. "The design propelled my feet forward, so I always felt like I was on my toes and ready to move. The shoes also don't have a lot of bulk to them, so my movements were fluid on the court."

Michelle was shocked by how little the Zoom Zeros weighed considering how loaded with cool features they were and how stable they felt. She described, "The Zoom Zero played fast and quick, just like a lightweight shoe should! When I weighed my pair I was surprised to find they were only the tiniest bit heavier than the Vapor Xs. They felt like they had more to them than the Vapors, but they played just as fast. I was happy with the weight, and I never felt any unnecessary bulk or clunkiness. The unique shape of these shoes kept me on my toes and allowed me to feel speedy."

Kristen also felt light on her feet, though the tight fit did hamper that nimbleness somewhat. She said, "The only reason that these shoes might have dragged a bit for me at times was due to the fact that my feet were so snug in them."

Overall - Score: 3.8