adidas Tennis Energy Boost Men's Shoe Review

Upsides
- Comfort
- Responsive cushioning
- Stability
- Traction
Downsides
- Forefoot fit is a bit roomy
- Not durable
Summary
After our playtesters fell in love with the Barricade 2015s with Boost cushioning technology in the heel, we couldn't wait to try the adidas Tennis Energy Boosts with Boost throughout the entire midsole. Comfort did not disappoint! As expected, these shoes felt extremely soft and plush, especially underneath the feet, while at the same time being responsive and explosive with every step. Along with the unique cushioning system, the Tennis Energy Boosts also offered exceptional stability and traction that suited even our most aggressive movers. The two notable downsides that our playtesters mentioned were a roomy forefoot fit and less than ideal durability. Our reviewers remarked that when they were making aggressive stops the extra room in the forefoot sometimes led to their feet sliding forward inside the Tennis Energy Boosts, resulting in the dreaded "toe jam" sensation. All in all, though, we felt the installation of Boost for the full midsole was a step in the right direction.
adidas Tennis Energy Boost Men's Shoe Scores
Overall Comfort | 4.1 |
Ventilation | 4.2 |
Arch Support | 4.4 |
Foot Support/Stability | 3.9 |
Overall Sole Durability | 3.6 |
Toe Durability | 4.1 |
Traction | 4.6 |
Weight | 4.1 |
Overall | 4.2 |

Overall Comfort - Score: 4.1
All of our playtesters loved the plush comfort of the Tennis Energy Boosts from the first wear to the last. The Boost technology proved to be exceptionally comfortable underfoot, while at the same time returning plenty of energy into each step. "These are probably the most comfortable, well-cushioned adidas shoes I have ever worn," Jason raved. "I really liked the Boost cushioning system because it offered a plush ride without being mushy. The Boost felt responsive, and there was enough mesh and perforations in the upper to help dissipate heat. I really enjoyed how these shoes fit, too. The forefoot seemed to be just a bit wider than normal, and the arches wore down nicely to form to my foot."
Chris was also very impressed. He said, "I really liked the fit and feel of these shoes. At first I thought the width was going to be too wide for me to find a secure fit, but it worked out just fine. The uppers flexed in all the right places, so I never had to worry about pinching or rubbing from the shoes. Since our test of the Barricade 2015 Boost I've become a big Boost fan. I really enjoyed the cushioning in these shoes, too. The comfort was great, yet it was also very responsive, and my feet never got too hot in the Tennis Energy Boosts. I think the perforations and the roomier fit (compared to the fit of the Barricade 2015s) helped let the heat out and cool air in. In true adidas fashion, the arch support was spot on. These shoes offered excellent protection for my arches, and I never had to worry about any strains."
Continuing the praise was Marco, who said, "These shoes fit very comfortably, and there was ample cushioning and padding in the uppers, which made these shoes feel great on my feet. The relatively larger ventilation holes on the upper and lateral side of the shoe allowed for greater breathability, which never left my feet running hot during the test."
Mark found himself not wanting to take the Tennis Energy Boosts off. He praised, "Once my feet were in these shoes they were treated to a high level of comfort for the rest of the day. During play I found the Boost midsole to be very forgiving and supportive."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.9
Although all of our TW testers felt the Tennis Energy Boosts were very stable on the court, most of them did mention some extra room in the forefoot that allowed their feet to slide forward too often. Chris said, "I felt very secure when sprinting around the court in these shoes. The Tennis Energy Boosts offered a fairly wide footprint, which gave them a stable feel when I moved side to side. I also liked the very locked in feel the chassis offered. The Tennis Energy Boosts resisted twisting laterally very well and provided a very secure feel under my feet. Even though the fit was a tad wider than ideal for me, I was able to get a secure fit from the lace system. The uppers did a good job of holding my feet in place. I had the occasional slide forward in these shoes, but I didn't get the toe jam others experienced."
Jason also found these shoes to be plenty stable, but his feet sliding inside the shoes was a bigger issue for him. He explained, "The stability was great. I really felt secure while moving side to side. I could plant my feet, change direction and not worry about the shoes rolling over. I wish I could say the same for the support. My feet could not get locked in enough to prevent my toes from jamming into the front every time I tried to quickly stop while moving forward. It's really the one knock I have on the Tennis Energy Boosts, but unfortunately, it's a big one."
The Tennis Energy Boosts held up very well for Marco on court. He said, "My feet felt nicely supported, and the flex in the Tennis Energy Boosts was right where I like it to be: under the balls of my feet. I always felt stable in these shoes, and while there was some extra room up front, this didn't affect the level of support and stability I received."
Mark said, "These shoes were very stable when I moved in every direction on court. I was moving around with total confidence."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.6 / Toe Durablity - Score: 4.1
We found the durability of the Tennis Energy Boosts to be fairly average compared to other premium performance tennis shoes. Marco is usually pretty hard on his shoes, but his pair started to show signs of wear a little earlier than he expected. He said, "The toe durability was phenomenal, and the plastic guard did not show any signs of significant wear throughout the playtest. I did wear these shoes long and hard, and toward the end of the playtest I had worn through the rubber outsole. The wear came in the usual spot for me, the medial side of the forefoot, but it did occur slightly quicker than I anticipated."
Chris' pair was almost toast by the end of the playtest. He explained, "I would say the durability is more similar to the Feather line of shoes than the Barricade line. While my Barricade 2015s lasted very well, it didn't take long for me to see some wear in these. The most wear came under the big toe of my right foot. The outsole there wore completely through during the test. These shoes had the solid and beefy feel of more durable shoes, but they didn't hold up to hard court abuse as well as I expected."
Jason had a similar experience. He shared, "I didn't find the outsoles to be exceptionally durable. They held up well for the 12-plus hours I tested them and only started showing some signs of tread loss after about 10 hours. I'd say the durability lies somewhere between the Barricades and adizero Ubersonics."
Mark found these shoes to have pretty comparable durability to other shoes in their weight-class. He said, "Compared to other high performance tennis shoes that don't have a sole warranty, the Tennis Energy Boosts are pretty durable. I have approximately 20 hours of court time on them, and I will probably get at least another 20-25 hours out of them before I completely wear through the outsole."
Traction - Score: 4.6
Everyone noted the excellent traction that the Tennis Energy Boost had to offer on hard courts. "This was the standout feature for me during this test!" Marco exclaimed. "Traction was superb, and I could stop and turn on a dime! I really enjoyed the traction when hitting wide balls at full stretch; I was able to plant and recover back into the court. I'm not one to slide on the hard court, so I really appreciated being able to trust the shoes enough to plant and quickly recover while not worrying about my ankles giving in."
Mark found a great blend of grip and give that allowed him to feel confident and comfortable. He praised, "During this test all of my tennis was played on a hard court (some indoor/ some outdoor). The Tennis Energy Boosts provided a predictable and favorable level of slide and stick no matter which hard court I played on."
Chris was able to use the excellent traction to complement his natural speed on court. He raved, "I really enjoyed the level of grip I found in these shoes. The outsoles grabbed the court surface very well. Every time I made a quick first step or a rapid stop the outsoles did their job and provided great traction. The traction, combined with the support and stability, allowed me to move very well. I felt just as fast in the Tennis Energy Boosts as any others shoes I've worn."
Continuing the praise was Jason, who shared, "Very good! I felt like the full herringbone pattern did an exceptional job gripping the TW hard court. Whether I was moving side to side or forward and back, the traction was there."
Weight - Score: 4.1
We found the weight of the Tennis Energy Boosts to be fairly middle of the road, but no one said the weight slowed them down in any way. Marco enjoyed the slightly more substantial feel for the support they offered. He said, "These shoes were at a good weight for me; I liked how they came in lighter than the Barricades and didn't feel as bulky on my feet. These Tennis Energy Boosts were a great mix between heavier ultra-durable shoes and the lighter 'speed' models out there."
Chris would have liked these shoes to hold up a little better given their weight. He explained, "The Tennis Energy Boosts felt substantial on my feet, but never bulky. I'd say the weight felt pretty average on court. I think the very stable ride gave them the substantial feel. For their weight I think they could have been more durable, and I'd happily accept some additional weight if it meant the outsoles would last longer."
The weight of the Tennis Energy Boosts never entered Jason's thoughts during play. He said, "The Tennis Energy Boosts transitioned well from heel to toe so they didn't feel as heavy as the scale would indicate. A good indicator is if I don't think about my shoes while wearing them, and that was the case here."
Mark was never slowed down either, and he said, "If I was comparing tennis shoes to automobiles I'd say these shoes are definitely more of a hot rod than an SUV. I was able to switch from defensive to offensive footwork easily with the Tennis Energy Boosts, and never once did they feel 'clunky' while I was wearing them."
Overall - Score: 4.2
Chris' Scores | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overall Comfort | 4.3 | Overall Sole Durability | 2.5 |
Ventilation | 3.8 | Toe Durability | 3.7 |
Arch Support | 5 | Traction | 4.8 |
Foot support/Stability | 4.6 | Weight | 4 |
Overall | 4.1 |
Jason's Scores | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overall Comfort | 4 | Overall Sole Durability | 4 |
Ventilation | 4.5 | Toe Durability | |
Arch Support | 4.3 | Traction | 4.8 |
Foot support/Stability | 2.5 | Weight | 4.3 |
Overall | 4.2 |
Mark's Scores | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overall Comfort | 4 | Overall Sole Durability | 4.3 |
Ventilation | 4 | Toe Durability | 3.8 |
Arch Support | 4 | Traction | 4.3 |
Foot support/Stability | 4.3 | Weight | 4 |
Overall | 4 |
Marco's Scores | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overall Comfort | 4.2 | Overall Sole Durability | 3.5 |
Ventilation | 4.5 | Toe Durability | 4.8 |
Arch Support | 4.3 | Traction | 4.6 |
Foot support/Stability | 4 | Weight | 4.2 |
Overall | 4.4 |
Likes
Chris - "I loved the cushioning, comfort, support, stability and traction."
Jason - "Great responsive cushioning. Excellent stability and traction."
Mark - "I loved the overall aesthetic, comfort, traction and durability."
Marco - "Traction first and foremost, and also the comfort level was notably high for me."
Dislikes
Chris - "These are very expensive shoes at $160, and I wore a hole through the outsoles in three weeks. Not having a durability guarantee would make it tough to keep buying these shoes. Even if I could get the Tennis Energy Boosts to last a month I'd be spending almost $2,000 a year on footwear!"
Jason - "Toe jam, toe jam, toe jam."
Mark - "To a small degree, I did find myself sliding a bit toward the front of the shoes during hard stops."
Marco - "I was hoping for a little more durability."
Comparing the shoe to others they've tried, our testers said:
Chris - "I thought the comfort was top notch. I also thought the support and stability were great. Other shoes offering similar performance include the Asics Gel Resolution 6s and Nike Lunar Ballistec 1.5s. However, only the Asics truly competes. The Gel Resolution 6s are on par with the Tennis Energy Boosts in most aspects, and they also have better durability and a sole guarantee. The Lunar Ballistec 1.5s are not quite as supportive and lack the traction of both the Tennis Energy Boosts and the Gel Reolution 6s."
Jason - "The Tennis Energy Boosts have many characteristics (like cushioning and stability) in common with the Lotto Stratospheres. The Tennis Energy Boosts also have the toe jam problem of the Barricade 8s and 8+s, though not as severe."
Mark - "I can favorably compare the Tennis Energy Boosts to the Diadora Speed Star K VIs, adidas adizero CC Feather IIIs and Lotto Stratospheres in terms of fit and performance."
Marco - "I would place the Tennis Energy Boosts alongside the Nike Zoom Cage 2s for their fit and roomy forefoot. The Tennis Energy Boosts definitely play lighter and faster than the regular Barricade shoes and have better traction."