Babolat Propulse BPM Men's Shoe Review

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Babolat Propulse BPM Men's Shoe Scores
Comfort	3.5
Ventilation	4.3
Arch Support	4.4
Foot Support/Stability	2.8
Overall Sole Durability	3.7
Toe Durability	4.6
Traction	3.1
Weight	4.3
Overall	3.4

Upsides

• Light weight
• Toe durability
• No break-in needed

Downsides

• Not as supportive as earlier versions of the Propulse

Summary

The Propulse BPMs are a lighter, faster update to Babolat's flagship performance tennis shoes, the Propulse. A lower profile with added technology designed to make every step feel more natural had our playtesters flying around the court. The cushioning was soft and plush from the instant we took them out of the box until the final ball of the playtest was struck. However, the Propulse BPMs softened up a little too much over time, so our playtesters' feet slid around inside the shoes even when they tied the shoelaces very tightly. There was also an issue with the traction, which caused even more slipping and instability. While this version of the Propulse shoe doesn't have the same level of support and durability as previous versions, it's certainly the fastest.

Comfort - Score: 3.5

The comfort and cushioning of the Propulse BPMs proved to be more than adequate for our playtesters, but they both struggled to get a secure fit. Jason enjoyed the feel fresh out of the box, but over time he felt the shoes got too soft and supple. He explained, "The uppers were very soft and required absolutely no break in. It's a well-cushioned shoe, like previous Propulses, even though the BPMs seem to be lighter and more stripped down. As the playtest wore on, however, the uppers got almost too soft, to where they were no longer holding my feet in place and I started experiencing some toe jamming issues."

Chris found the comfort to be pretty middle of the road throughout the test. He said, "It took about an hour for the shoes to soften up and start to flex with my feet. Once broken in, they felt decently comfortable and flexed without pinching or poking my feet. I'd say the comfort of the overall ride was average. I wasn't overly impressed with either the cushioning or the fit and feel of the uppers. I also struggled to get a supportive fit without cranking down the laces uncomfortably tightly."

Ventilation - Score: 4.3

Breathability never proved to be an issue with the Propulse BPMs, and both playtesters felt there was plenty of ventilation to stay comfortable during play. Even with two pairs of socks, Chris had no problems. He said, "While these shoes are not the most ventilated shoes I've worn, my feet stayed comfortable in the Propulse BPMs even in hot weather. To help get a more secure fit in the shoes I was wearing two pairs of socks, and even then my feet were able to breathe decently."

Jason shared a similar opinion, saying, "I didn't really have a problem with the ventilation of these shoes. I felt like there were enough perforations and mesh in the uppers that the shoes didn't over heat."

Arch Support - Score: 4.4

One of the standout features of the Propulse BPMs was the arch support. They were able to satisfy both of playtesters, even though they have very different types of feet. Jason shared, "The arches on these shoes seemed to fit my foot type a little bit better than the Propulse 4s. I didn't experience any soreness, even from the very first playtest."

Chris, with his higher arched feet, was equally as pleased. He raved, "The level of arch support was very solid. While the fit was a tad low for me on the first few wears, once the insoles molded to the shape of my feet they felt great. More importantly, the chassis of the shoe is nice and rigid under the arch. That stiff chassis helped push the flex point perfectly up under my toes and keep the arch area stable for added support. My feet felt very well protected through the arch, and it was one of the more impressive parts of the shoes."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 2.8

Throughout the playtest our team struggled to get a secure, locked down fit in the Propulse BPMs. Both testers really cranked down the lacing system, and even then their feet were sliding around inside the shoes. The signature Propulse strap across the top helped, but Chris still had support and stability issues. He offered, "I struggled to get a supportive fit and feel from these shoes. I often found myself cranking down the laces between points to try to lock my feet in more. The result was some uncomfortable lace pressure and a continued lack of adequate support. The strap across the forefoot helped some, but I was still left wanting more support. It's a shame because the chassis of the shoe is nice and rigid, but the upper lacked the support to back it up. I also had an issue with my heels slipping inside the shoes. There were a couple of times when my foot really slipped in the back of the shoe, and I had some jarring pain around my ankles on a couple of tough landings."

The stability was good for Jason at first, but as the test wore on the shoes got too soft and didn't offer enough support. He said, "If I was able to rate them after just a week of hitting my score would've been much higher. As the playtest went on the BPMs became more and more 'broken-in' and supple. They got to a point where they weren't really holding my feet in place. When I would move forward for a shot and try to stop, my toes would jam right into the toe box. On the other hand, I felt the shoes were pretty stable. I've always been a fan of the Velcro strap system, and even though there isn't one around the heel collar, I still felt the strap helped."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.7

Both testers noticed a lower profile in the Propulse BPM compared to the Propulse 4, but they had different opinions about how it affected the overall durability of the outsole. Jason was impressed with how well the shoes held up given their speedier design. He said, "For shoes that seemed to be lighter than previous Propulses, the outsole still held up very well. I wore these for about 15 hours, and it was during the last hitting session or two that I noticed some tread balding around the medial toe."

On the other hand, Chris found noticeably less durability when compared to previous models. He said, "The outsole material seems less durable than that used on previous Propulses. Maybe it was the outsole tread pattern, but the high wear area under the big toe of my right foot quickly showed signs of wear. The tread pattern has large cutouts in it, so there seems to simply be less rubber to take the beating compared to other shoes. The shoes are guaranteed, and I'd definitely be exercising the six-month durability guarantee in these."

Toe Durability - Score: 4.6

Our lone toe dragging playtester was very impressed with the toe durability of the Propulse BPMs. Chris really put them to the test, and they passed with flying colors. He raved, "The toe durability was great. I drag up over the toe tip often, and these shoes held up great during the test. Both the tip of the toe and the material over the mesh held up well. I was very impressed with the toe and upper durability. Babolat seems to have these parts of the shoe built to last."

Traction - Score: 3.1

We did have some issues with the traction of the Babolat BPMs. Throughout the test our players were having trouble getting the grip they needed -- there simply wasn't enough traction to change direction with aplomb. Jason had the same problem in these shoes that he had with the Propulse 4s. He explained, "Like with the previous model, I was having some traction issues. The Michelin outsole seems to have great durability but some problems with gripping the hard courts. It wasn't all the time, but there were a handful of instances where I tried to take off for a shot and the shoe would slip out from under me."

Chris did not find the level of grip he wanted, either. He said, "I was slipping and sliding quite a lot in this test. The outsoles just didn't have the grab I'm accustomed to. I don't mind some slide from my shoes when I'm coming to a stop as it can help take some strain off the ankles and knees, but in these shoes I had trouble when starting quickly or changing directions. I found my first step was compromised at times, and that meant I had to put extra effort into chasing down the ball. I'm not sure if it was the unique tread pattern or the compound of the rubber, but I just did not find enough traction from these shoes."

Weight - Score: 4.3

Another strength of the Babolat BPMs proved to be their lightweight design. Both testers felt quick moving around the court and never felt bogged down by the weight of the shoes. Jason felt this was one of the best improvements over the previous version. He said, "This BPM model felt lighter and faster than a typical Propulse. They almost don't feel like a Propulse at all. A definite highlight for these shoes!"

Chris had a similar opinion, saying, "I never noticed any clunkiness, which is a good thing. Weight was never really an issue and the shoes felt light enough on court. I would have felt much faster in these had they offered the support and traction to back up the light feel."

Overall - Score: 3.4

Playtester Foot Types:
Chris - Narrow width / Medium arch
Jason - Wide width / Low arch

Review date: January 2015. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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