Yonex Sonicage 3 Tennis Shoe Review
In its third generation, the Yonex Sonicage 3 shoes offer players of all levels a lightweight, comfortable ride on court. Yonex made some changes with the Sonicage 3, including a newly designed upper with FlexQuip Skin material for improved comfort and increased durability. With two men and one woman on this review, there were a variety of different foot types and playing styles to really put the shoes to the test. With the availability of a wide width in the men's version, the playtesters were all able to get their preferred fit, although one playtester did go up a half size. The Sonicage 3s delivered exactly what they promised: a quick feel with no break-in period and good cushioning. Each playtester did find a small negative or two, but everyone thought the shoe was a great overall option. All in all, the Yonex Sonicage 3 will appeal to players looking for lightweight shoes that don't skimp on comfort and support.
Lightweight
Available in multiple widths (for men)
Nothing we could agree upon
Final Verdict
Breakdown SummaryBreakdown
Comfort: 8.4
Even with different foot types, our playtesters found the Yonex Sonicage 3s to be comfortable, with no break-in period required. Having playtested the previous generation a couple of years ago, Brittany had a good idea of what to expect. She said, "To start, the width was on the snug side, which is a great first impression for my narrow feet. I also thought the length was slightly short, so I opted to size up a half size to an 8.5 to get the perfect fit on length. Once I started to walk around in these shoes, I found ample cushioning under my heels, around my ankles and on the tongues. I would say the cushioning is minimal underneath the forefoot areas, which created a pretty connected-to-the-ground feel. The uppers are incredibly soft and supple, and I didn't feel any pinching or hot spots as I headed down to the court. I did find them to be a little warm at times, but we did playtest these shoes in the heat of summer, so that could be the main reason."
Chris is another playtester with narrow feet, and he also found a great fit here. He said, "I have always enjoyed the no-break-in comfort the Sonicage line from Yonex has offered. I was pleased to find it again in this third version, and I found them comfortable for the whole test. The uppers flexed nicely and felt forgiving enough that I never had to worry about them pinching my feet. I also liked the level of cushioning. I felt low enough to the court to move confidently yet also well protected from tough landings."
"My feet never ran too hot, my arches felt comfortable, and in general, my feet were happy campers anytime they were on court in the Sonicage 3s."
On the other foot, Jason is one of our wide-footed playtesters. He said, "I was happy to see that this model had a wide width offering, which is what I went with. The width felt like a generous D to an E, and I had no issues with the overall fit. I thought the cushioning was good, and the shoes just felt comfortable to wear for the duration of the playtest."
Foot Support / Stability: 7.3
There were some mixed opinions from the playtest team when it came to the support and stability of the Sonicage 3s. Jason, for one, was ultimately impressed with these shoes. He said, "For being such lightweight shoes, the stability was actually pretty good. I don't think you'd ever confuse it with something like an Asics Gel Resolution, but it wasn't bad. When moving side to side and pushing off, I could feel the uppers really give and flex, but luckily, I never rolled over."
"The Sonicage 3s felt fast and supportive rather than stiff and stable," continued Chris. "I liked that the shoes flexed and moved with me rather than making me feel like I was fighting for speed in them. I was able to get a decently locked-in feel from the lacing system, so my feet were not sliding around inside the shoes. When making aggressive lateral cuts, I felt comfortable and confident in the Sonicage 3s. Likewise, when making quick sprints up to net, my feet were locked in well enough that I didn't have to worry about them jamming into the ends of the shoes."
Brittany was split on her opinion of the Sonicages in this category. She found enough stability, but she would have liked more support. She explained, "As I started to move around the court I noticed the uppers were a little too flexible when I started to really push side to side. However, I did find that the Sonicage 3s held my ankles nicely in place and offered solid stability in that area, which is great coming from someone who needs additional ankle support. I didn't immediately notice anything when I started to play points for the first time while wearing these shoes, but after I stopped my feet had some rubbed spots and blisters. Moving forward, I was much more aware of my feet moving within the Sonic Cage 3s, and I started to move more consciously and conservatively because I didn't fully trust the shoes. This was a little bit of a surprise since I didn't have any extra room within the shoes to move around in, which is normally the cause of this problem."
Overall Sole Durability: 7.6
The durability of the Yonex Sonicage 3s lived up to our team's standards for lightweight shoes. The uppers of Chris' pair of Sonicage 3s held up well even after 10 hours of playtesting. He said, "The outsoles showed the most wear, while the uppers still looked great at the end of the test. The outsole was starting to wear down under the big toe of my right foot, which is very common for me to see, and that is the spot where the shoes would go first. The outsole gets a little thin right where it curves up the toe tip on the medial side of the shoe, and I'd like to see a little more material there."
"For being such light shoes, I thought the durability was excellent," added Brittany. "I put about eight to 10 hours on the Sonicage 3s and am seeing no smoothing even in my high-wear areas. The toe bumper also looks brand new and has plenty of life left. Even the uppers aren't showing any wear."
Jason thought the Sonicage 3's durability was solid for its weight. He said, "The good news is that the durability is on par with other shoes that are close to that 12-ounce weight. The bad news is that it still means they aren't the most durable. I think aggressive movers would start to see some serious wear and tear after 10 hours on court."
Traction: 7.9
Our playtesters all found plenty of grip from the Sonicage 3's traction levels. Chris thought there was a nice balance of give and grip. He said, "I was very impressed by the level of grip I found in the Sonicage 3s. I never felt like I got so much grip that I felt too stuck to the court. The small adjustment steps and pivots one does when hitting all felt natural in these shoes. I found just the right amount of give to slide a little bit when I came to a quick stop, which was great for me."
However, Jason prefers traction levels on the slicker side. He said, "Luckily, they aren't so sticky that I couldn't pivot without feeling stuck, but if you are looking for excellent traction, these offer that."
"Traction was definitely on the sticky side," Brittany added. "I found more grip than give. This forced the uppers to work harder to keep my feet from going over the edge of the shoes. I found the traction maintained its slightly stickier nature throughout the course of the playtest. Personally, even though I am not much of a slider, I prefer a little bit of slip when moving out of my shots so I don't feel stuck."
Weight: 9.1
Weighing in at 10.3 ounces for a women's size 8.5 and 12.3 ounces for a men's 10.5, the Yonex Sonicage 3s are some of the lightest tennis shoes currently on the market. Brittany thought the highlight of this playtest was the lightweight feel. She said, "This allowed me to move around the court without feeling like the weight of the shoes was slowing me down at all. If I had to make a slight change for the next iteration, I would trade a little more weight for a more supportive upper."
"The Sonicage 3s felt like socks on my feet, and I had a smooth heel-to-toe transition."
"I felt fast on my feet in the Sonicage 3s," added Chris. "I liked the way the shoes transitioned from heel to toe, and whatever weight was in the shoes felt well hidden. These are shoes I would definitely feel comfortable taking into a match because I moved very well in them."
Jason wrapped up the playtest by echoing the other playtesters. He said, "The Sonicage 3s feel very light. They are right up there with the Babolat Jet Tere for being among the lightest shoes I've worn."
Breakdown Summary
Comfort | 8.4 |
Ventilation | 8.1 |
Arch Support | 8.4 |
Foot Support / Stability | 7.3 |
Overall Sole Durability | 7.6 |
Toe Durability | 8.1 |
Traction | 7.9 |
Weight | 9.1 |
Final Verdict |
7.8 |
Playtester Thoughts
Brittany
Fans of the previous iteration will enjoy this Yonex Sonicage 3 update because it offers a lightweight feel and overall comfort. Personally, I found a little less support, and the uppers gave a little more than I would have liked when moving around. Other shoes that are similar include the Babolat Jet Tere, Asics Solution Swift FF and Head Sprint Pro 3.5.
I like the light weight and the low-to-the-ground feel.
There is not enough support to hold my feet in place within the shoes.
Brittany's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 8 |
Ventilation | 7.6 |
Arch Support | 8.2 |
Foot Support / Stability | 7.1 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8 |
Toe Durability | 8.2 |
Traction | 7.2 |
Weight | 9 |
Overall | 7.6 |
Chris
I thought these Sonicage 3s were a nice update to the Sonicage line, and they felt more supportive than the previous version. Compared to other brands, I'd consider these as an alternative to shoes like the Asics Solution Swift FF and the KSwiss Ultrashot Team.
Very comfortable, good overall fit, light feel, nice ventilation and solid upper durability.
Outsole could be beefed up a bit in the area under the big toe.
Chris' Breakdown | |
Comfort | 8.5 |
Ventilation | 8 |
Arch Support | 7.8 |
Foot Support / Stability | 7.8 |
Overall Sole Durability | 7 |
Toe Durability | 8 |
Traction | 8.7 |
Weight | 8.6 |
Overall | 8.2 |
Jason
The on-court performance of these Yonex Sonicage 3s reminded me a lot of the Babolat Jet Tere. I believe these shoes provide just minor updates to the Sonicage 2, so it'd be an easy transition for those who like the previous model.
I like that there is a wide and a normal width option available. The Sonicage 3s also feel extremely lightweight.
The Sonicage 3s need a more rigid upper to provide more support. I find the traction to be too sticky for my liking.
Jason's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 8.6 |
Ventilation | 8.8 |
Arch Support | 9.3 |
Foot Support / Stability | 6.9 |
Overall Sole Durability | 7.9 |
Traction | 7.7 |
Weight | 9.8 |
Overall | 7.7 |