Asics Gel Court FF Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.6

Chris was more than pleased with the added features and the width of the Gel Court FFs. However, he found that they run a bit long. "I could have gone down a half-size for a better length fit," he explained, "although the width was great for my narrow feet. I felt very locked in from the first wear to the last. The uppers wrapped my feet comfortably, and the comfort was further enhanced by the very soft FlyteFoam midsoles. The Gel Court FFs are the most comfortable shoes in the current Asics lineup. My arches felt supported, and I never had any undue aches or strains. I wouldn't say these were the most ventilated shoes I've worn, but my feet didn't run uncomfortably hot during play -- I was just eager to get them off once I was done."

As a wide-footed playtester, Jason was happy to report that these shoes were accommodating to wider feet. He said, "These were such comfortable shoes to wear and play in! The addition of FlyteFoam really took these shoes up a notch or two or three for me. It provided a much more plush and comfortable ride that was still responsive. Even though they have a medium width fit, I had no issues because the uppers were soft enough to accommodate my wider feet."

Tiffani also appreciated the plush comfort, but unlike Jason, her wider feet created some fit issues. "Getting these shoes on was a chore, but the comfort levels were well worth it," she qualified. "The shoes never were easy to get on, but I loved the feeling of the cushioning under my feet. I wore these shoes for tennis and in the gym for my HIIT workouts, and the cushioning felt squishy, yet responsive. My only issue was with the width. I do have wide feet, but because these were designed as men's shoes I thought the overall width would be fine. That was the case in the forefoot, where I didn't feel restricted in any way. However, the midfoot area was quite narrow. I had to be careful not to tie my shoes too tightly, although I knew quickly if I had cinched them up too much. There is a seam in the shoes around the middle of the feet, and when I tied the laces too tightly the seams pressed into the lateral side of my feet and caused them to ache. If I barely tied the shoes I was fine and could enjoy the other comfort aspects of these Gel Court FFs. I had no other issues, finding the ventilation to be fine and the arch support to be adequate. (Note: I wear a women's size 6 and wore a men's size 4.5 for the review. These shoes felt about a quarter-size long to me, but I wouldn't have gone down to a 4 if they were made because they would have felt too narrow in the midfoot.)"

Michelle celebrated almost every aspect of this playtest. She shared, "These were some of the most comfortable shoes I have worn! This was one of the few times where customers were able to wear the shoes well before we started our playtest, and I continually read and heard all the positive feedback on these shoes. I was excited, to say the least, to be on this playtest, but I was also a little unsure if my experience would hold up to the hype. I have to admit, I tried the FlyteFoam technology on the running shoe side and found the technology to be super soft, but not as responsive as I was hoping. Luckily, the tennis shoes with FF cushioning are the best of all worlds -- comfortable, cushioned and responsive. These are unisex shoes sold in men's sizing -- I would normally size down a size and a half, but I felt the shoe was still a bit roomy and sized down a full two sizes. This worked perfectly for me. I prefer tighter fitting shoes, and wearing men's 8s (I normally wear women's 10s) accommodated my feet perfectly. Getting the shoes on was probably the worst part of the shoe experience, although I honestly didn't struggle too much with that. Once my feet were in the shoes I was set! I found step-in, seamless comfort and great cushioning underfoot. The Gel Court FFs felt light, yet they were substantial enough to wear on the court, in the gym and everywhere in between."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.6

Not all shoes that are as flexible and soft right out of the box as the Asics Gel Court FFs offer adequate support and stability for aggressive moves on the court, but the Gel Court FFs hugged our players' feet and kept them safe. Michelle, who prefers cushioned, stable shoes, labeled this category as one of the highlights of the playtest. "These shoes are everything I want when it comes to stability and support," she said. "The bootie is so supportive. I usually tie my shoes super tight for support, but there were several times where I stepped onto the court or went into the gym and didn't realize for 10 or 15 minutes that my shoes weren't even tied. The support was exactly what I needed. I really could push the limits with my footwork, and I had so much confidence that these shoes would keep me stable and safe. In all honesty, it was hard to playtest these shoes alongside others because I only wanted to wear my Gel Court FFs. The support and stability played a major role in why I loved these shoes so much."

Tiffani's struggles to put these shoes on seriously paid off without her even having to cinch up the laces. She explained, "I've tested a few different tennis shoes with a bootie construction lately, and these Gel Court FF shoes are the most supportive thus far. These shoes are tough to get on, but that means a really locked in feel on the court. My feet were well supported. As I mentioned earlier, I had to be sure to not tie these shoes tightly; I basically had the laces undone but still felt that the fit was really solid. I never worried about rolling an ankle, and I never had any issues with support or stability."

Jason explained the difference in support and stability between the bootie fit of the Gel Court FFs and other popular Asics models, saying, "They didn't have that tank-like stability and rigidity the Gel Resolution shoes have, but there certainly was enough there to keep my feet stable throughout the playtest. Once the Gel Court FFs were on my feet they offered a glove-like fit and feel. I didn't notice any sliding around inside my shoes."

While the Gel Court FFs aren't a stiff shoes, Chris found them well suited to aggressive play. He concluded, "The supple uppers supported my feet very well. I was able to take aggressive lateral cuts and make quick starts and stops without fear of my feet sliding around inside the shoes. I never felt like I was going to roll an ankle and always found I could trust the shoes completely."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.0

Blending aspects of speed-oriented shoes and more supportive, stable models, the Gel Court FFs performed admirably in the durability category. Chris can tear through shoes quickly, but he was pleasantly surprised by the durability of the Court FFs. He noted, "I'd place them smack in the middle of the Gel Solution Speed 3s and Gel Resolution 7s in terms of outsole durability. The toe bumpers also held up well. After I tested the shoes for a month all of my high wear areas still had ample material left. I'm pleased to say I've got many more hours to go before I wear through my pair -- good news since I love wearing them!"

Michelle put hours on her shoes, both in the gym and on the court. She said, "Because the Gel Court FFs were so comfortable I was wearing them often, and I put some decent wear on them. They weren't as durable as the Gel Resolutions, but I found them to be more durable than, or about on par with, the Gel Solution Speeds. These aren't going to be the most durable shoes, but they held up better than what I expected. Plus, the traction stayed on point through the playtest and never wore down or got slippery, which was a big positive."

Tiffani's continued to compliment the Gel Court FFs, saying, "Again, I have no complaints. These shoes continued to impress me. They felt light around the court, but the outsoles and the toes held up well for me. There are some minor discolored scuffs on my toe bumpers and minor smoothing under the big toes, but that's all I've managed to do."

Jason disagreed with the other playtesters. He noted, "This is one of the few areas where the shoes didn't blow me away. I noticed some balding in the forefoot after about 8-10 hours. That's about 4-5 hours sooner than average for me."

Traction - Score: 4.5

With a mixed herringbone tread pattern, the AHAR Plus rubber outsoles gained our testers' confidence. From start to finish, Jason described the traction of the Asics Gel Court FFs as excellent, and he felt fluid on the court. He said, "I felt comfortable moving in and out of my cuts and changing direction with these shoes on. Even when the tread started wearing away the rubber was still gripping the court really well. Also, the rubber wasn't so sticky that I felt like the shoes wouldn't give at all when I was trying to stop."

Chris also felt surefooted. He offered, "The level of traction was perfect in these shoes. The rubber outsole compound seemed to be ideal, and the shoes flexed enough to make them feel fast and grippy. I was able to stop quickly and slide out of a shot if needed. I liked the way the outsoles grabbed the court when I needed to push off aggressively."

If Michelle wasn't already hooked on the Gel Court FFs, the traction performance and consistency continued to elevate her opinion of the shoes. She said, "I sound like a broken record, but I also loved the traction levels from these shoes. The outsoles felt soft, and I really was able to move aggressively in these shoes. There was enough give to plant and react quickly and aggressively into my next shots. I never lost my footing or felt like I would slip or slide out from under my body. And as I mentioned, the traction remained consistent for me through the playtest."

"The traction levels were a good match with the fast feel of the Gel Court FFs," Tiffani agreed. "My movements felt smooth with these shoes. I could transition in and out of my shots with ease, and I always felt like I was in control, without any undue slipping or sticking to the court."

Weight - Score: 4.8

The Asics Gel Court FFs pleased our testers in every category, and the positive responses kept flowing in the weight category. Tiffani welcomed the speed the Gel Court FFs offered. She said, "These shoes didn't feel heavy at all to me. The fit was so streamlined, and the shoes flexed so well that everything fell into place. I felt fast, and these shoes struck a good balance of quickness, durability, traction and weight."

Like Tiffani, Michelle commended the functional balance of comfort and speed, saying, "Weight was never an issue with these shoes. The glove-like fit and FlyteFoam cushioning really kept them so comfortable, I really never had to worry about feeling weighed down. I also loved transitioning into the gym in these -- mainly because I would just hop in there after tennis and had no need to take my shoes off after my hit. Lately we've been testing some pretty light, minimal shoes, and I liked these so much because they have enough support and cushioning without feeling heavy."

Chris highlighted the exceptional stability of the Gel Court FF's despite their lightweight qualities. He noted, "The Gel Court FFs felt light and fast on court. I liked the way these shoes flexed and moved with my feet. Whatever weight was built in felt well hidden, and I was flying around the court at full speed. I was impressed by how supportive they were without sacrificing any speed or comfort."

Jason echoed the other playtesters comments, saying, "For shoes that that offer so much stability, support and comfort, they are also surprisingly lightweight -- maybe not as light or as low to the ground as the Gel Solution Speeds, but very close."

Overall - Score: 4.8