Babolat Jet AC Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.3

These updated Jets proved to be very soft and comfortable, not to mention extremely lightweight. "These shoes felt very comfortable to wear right out of the box," Jason shared. "The soft uppers accommodated my wider feet well, even though they are medium width shoes. These shoes are lightweight and speed-oriented, but I still felt Babolat incorporated enough cushioning to make them comfortable enough to wear for many hours on court."

"The Jet ACs felt very comfortable from the very first wear," Chris echoed. "They didn't require a break in, although they did soften up some with continued use. The uppers flexed well and moved with my feet. I never experienced any uncomfortable rubbing or pinching, and I was very impressed with the comfort. The uppers also seemed to breathe well, so my feet never ran too hot. The amount of cushioning was also good for me. I felt low to the ground, but I still felt like I had ample protection from tough hard court landings. My arches found just enough support to feel secure and protected."

Andy also found the Jet ACs to be very comfortable, maybe even too soft at times. He explained, "Right out of the box these shoes are very soft, comfortable and extremely lightweight. On court they moved and flexed with my feet really well. The uppers are soft and very accommodating, making them a good fit for almost any type of foot. My only issue was that they were almost too soft and didn't offer quite enough support through the midfoot. After I wore them for a long time my arches would ache a little bit. All in all, though, they provided a very comfortable and lightweight ride on court!"

Troy found the Jet ACs to be comfortable as well. He thought they were even more cushioned than the previous version, but they didn't have the level of breathability he hoped for. He said, "Right out of the box these shoes fit my feet nice and securely. The Matryx woven uppers provided a glove-like feel on the top of my feet, and I never experienced any rubbing or pinching. The ventilation wasn't quite what I was hoping for in comparison to other lightweight shoes that I have tested. In the previous version of the Jets I found the material between the bottom of my feet and the court was pretty minimal. In this update the slightly beefed up outsole helped cushion the area underneath the balls of my feet a little better."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.9

There was enough support and stability from the Jet ACs for our testers to feel confident moving around the court, but some of them found them a little too soft at times. "While not ultra stable or stiff, the Jet ACs supported my feet well," Chris remarked. "The Matryx material in the uppers kept them from stretching too much on lateral cuts so my feet always got comfortable support. I noticed the uppers stretched out a bit as the test wore on, but I was still able to find ample support from them. These shoes also did a good job of keeping my feet from sliding forward on quick stops. I never felt my toes jam uncomfortably into the end of the shoes, nor did the bottom of my feet get sore from sliding around too much. My feet stayed supported and comfortable, so no complaints from me here."

"The uppers felt soft, but they still offered more than enough stability for me to feel completely comfortable and secure when I was moving at top speeds," Andy reassured. "I felt totally protected even when I was going for my aggressive hard court slides and changes of direction. However, because the Jets ACs were so soft I didn't find enough support through the midfoot. They seemed to twist just a little too much at times when they were being stressed."

Jason thought that the Jet ACs opened up a bit too much as the test wore on. He explained, "Not much has changed between this model and the previous Jet. I was able to easily cinch up my laces and get a locked in, well-supported feel for my feet. I felt like stability was pretty good at the start of the playtest, but as time wore on and the shoes broke in more the uppers started to get almost too soft. I could really feel the shoes torque and flex when I planted my feet and changed direction."

Troy had a similar experience, sharing, "Much like the previous iteration, this update of the Jet provided great court feel with a low-to-the-ground ride. I felt confident in my lateral movements - I could stop and start aggressively as I was grinding away at the baseline. When I came to an aggressive lateral stop the upper material had a little bit of give, but it still kept my feet locked in place. I did find that the upper material stretched out slightly after a couple weeks. Once these shoes opened up in the toe box I began to wear two pairs of socks to help keep my feet fully supported."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.3

While having about average durability compared to similar shoes in their weight class, our team did note that the Jet ACs were better than the original Jets in this category. "While these shoes still aren't all that durable, the outsoles proved to be more resilient than the previous version," Andy noted. "I put a good amount of wear on these shoes (20-25 hours), and the tread pattern only shows a little bit of balding. At this point in the playtest for the original Jets the tread had already been worn bald. While cosmetically there's no difference between these shoes and the last iteration, the rubber material is noticeably more durable."

Chris is normally hard on his shoes, but his pair held up well throughout the test. He praised, "The Jet ACs felt more like shoes designed for speed than for lasting durability. With that said, they held up well for me and proved to be more durable than other lightweight offerings. I saw ample wear in the typical areas, such as under my big toes and where the rubber wraps up around the tips of the shoes. However, the Jet ACs held up well and proved to be more durable than I expected. The toe bumpers were also durable."

"The new outsole material did seem to improve the overall durability of the shoes slightly," Jason concurred. "After 12-13 hours of playtesting I noticed the tread starting to wear. For lightweight shoes, I'd say that's pretty good."

Troy noticed the improvement as well, but he still didn't find the level of durability that he normally looks for out of his tennis shoes. He said, "The outsole durability was slightly improved compared to the previous iteration. They weren't quite as durable as the adidas Ubersonic 2s or the Asics Gel Solution Speed 3s, but I found they had a similar wear level as the Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tours. I am not a heavy toe dragger, so the toe durability wasn't an issue for me. With that being said, there wasn't much rubber material to protect the toe area, and it was close to being worn through to the midsole by the end of my playtest. For someone who looks for high levels of durability in their shoes, these may be shoes to use for matches only."

Traction - Score: 4.5

Everyone was really happy with the level of traction that the Jet ACs provided. "The amount of grip that I was getting from the outsoles was right where I like it," Troy praised. "Whenever I needed to come to an aggressive stop the traction helped me safely decelerate. Changing directions was pretty smooth, allowing me to put on the brakes and accelerate out of the stop without losing my footing or spinning my wheels. I did notice that these shoes were a little squeaky. This wasn't a problem for me; it just made me think I was moving my feet better than I usually do!"

"The traction had a nice combination of grip and give," Jason noted. "I didn't have any slippage issues during the times I needed traction the most, which was during my first explosive step toward the ball. The rubber compound wasn't too sticky, either."

Chris was completely confident in his shoes providing the right amount of traction on the hard courts he tested them on. He said, "I liked the level of grip I found in the Jet ACs. I felt confident pushing off aggressively. The Jet ACs also felt good when I was coming to a quick stop. I was able to control my sprinting around the court well, which is important to me since I rely on getting lots of shots back as part of my strategy. With their light feel and solid traction the Jet ACs quickly became a go-to choice for me."

Andy echoed the other's sentiments, saying, "The traction was excellent throughout the entire playtest, further contributing to the high level of confidence I had in the Jet ACs when I was moving around the court. They locked up and gripped when I needed them to while still providing the give I need to slide aggressively on hard courts. Even when the outsole rubber started to wear a bit, the traction was still consistent and predictable."

Weight - Score: 4.9

Like their name indicates, our team was flying around the court in the Jet ACs. "Very light and fast feeling, the Jet ACs let me scamper about the court at full speed," Chris remarked. "The fast feel of these shoes was a perfect match with the great traction. I also liked how the shoes felt supportive, comfortable and lasted well without ever feeling bulky."

Jason was extremely impressed by the fast feel. He said, "Weight...what weight? These shoes felt extremely lightweight and fast. It gave me the illusion/confidence to try and chase down every ball. Now, whether I got to every ball is another story."

"These may be the lightest and fastest performance shoes on the market in my opinion," Andy raved. "Unbelievable! I've never played in shoes that are this light and still provide the stability I need for moving at top speeds. The low-to-the-ground ride also helped keep me very connected to each step. Every time I play in them I'm surprised at how light and fast they feel!"

Troy shared, "Just like the previous version, I found these shoes to be ultra light and fast. Out of all the shoes I have playtested over the years, these felt the lightest on court. Surprisingly, for being such light and fast shoes, the lateral stability is up to the standard of some shoes that I have tested that are 2-3 oz heavier. Although I enjoyed the super fast feel of these shoes, I wouldn't mind trading a couple ounces to get a little more cushioning in the midsole."

Overall - Score: 4.2