Babolat Propulse BPM All Court Review

Price:

$

Babolat Propulse BPM All Court Scores
Comfort	2.8
Ventilation	2.9
Arch Support	3.3
Foot Support/Stability	2.2
Overall Sole Durability	3.7
Toe Durability	4.5
Traction	2.3
Weight	4.1
Overall	2.9

Upsides

Lightweight
Durable

Downsides

Not supportive enough
Slippery outsole

Summary

Every player has her own rhythm on the tennis court and needs a shoe to keep up with the beat of her footwork. Babolat has updated its most popular shoe line, the Propulse, to keep in step with your game. The Propulse BPMs feature Babolat's new Pure Motion technology, which consists of an asymmetrical high rebound EVA insert for a more dynamic forefoot, and their Cell Shield material for greater durability and comfort. The new TI-Fit has a women specific last designed to offer an improved fit. The Propulse BPMs still have some of the Propulse's signature features, including a Michelin outsole for durability and a foot belt for extra support. Our playtesters found some similarities with previous versions, including a long break-in period and excellent durability on both the soles and toes. However, the most noticeable change was how light the shoes were compared to the previous versions.On court our playtesters were longing for better support and stability and wanted more grip from the outsoles. As a definite departure from previous heavy, supportive Propulses, the new BPM version is better suited to those who seek a light, fast shoe.

Comfort - Score: 2.8

As they did with previous iterations of the Propulse, our playtesters experienced a longer than average break-in period with the Propulse BPMs. They also found that the BPMs have a stiffer upper. Karly, who has worn the last two versions of these shoes, explained, "The BPMs still have that classic, stiff Propulse feel, that's for sure! Over the course of the playtest these shoes never felt like they were completely broken-in. They offered some padding, mostly around the ankles, but there were areas that stayed stiff the entire playtest. What bothered me the most was the upper material near the toebox where my feet flexed. It didn't soften up or flex with my feet, so the material put pressure on the top of my feet every time I took a step. The material just wouldn't give with my movements, which was a big distraction on the court."

Brittany agreed, adding, "Like other versions of the Propulse, I had a pretty long break-in period with this update. It took at least four to five hitting sessions before I was starting to feel comfortable. The cushioning was OK. I would describe it as responsive and firm rather than plush and pillowy. The uppers flexed awkwardly near the front of my feet, which caused the material to push down on the top of my feet. Lastly, my narrow feet never felt completely comfortable or supported in these shoes."

Ventilation - Score: 2.9

With the uppers filled with mesh and perforations, our playtesters expected more ventilation and air circulation out of the Propulse BPMs. Brittany playtested these shoes under some hot, humid conditions. She said, "I definitely had my fill of hot and humid days. Even though there was significant mesh and perforations on the uppers, My feet were getting warm from the start of my hitting sessions. As soon as I finished hitting I immediately took the shoes off because my feet were on the hotter side."

"It didn't take long before the shoes heated up when I started moving around on the court," Karly concurred. "Although, they never got so hot that it distracted me from play. I didn't mind playing through the hotter temperature (lack of ventilation isn't something that generally bothers me), but once I was done hitting I wanted to take them off and change my socks."

Arch Support - Score: 3.3

With two different foot types, our TW playtesters put the arch support to the test. The arch support worked in Karly's favor. She offered, "The arch support was lower than average, but that worked just fine for my flatter feet. There was just enough support for my arches that I didn't have any issues with them. My feet never ached so I was happy with the amount of arch support offered, even if it was low."

Brittany had some issues with the placement of the arch support. She explained, "The arch support was there, but it wasn't great. I have medium arches so they tend to be happy in almost every shoe. For some reason the arch support in the Propulse BPMs hit me in the wrong place. Toward the end of the playtest the arch support did start to compress and fit my arches better. I was also getting some support on the lateral side of my foot that felt very uncomfortable."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 2.2

Even with a new TI-Fit women's specific last and foot belt, our playtesters felt the Babolat Propulse BPMs missed the mark on one of the Propulse's signature characteristics. Brittany was left wanting more support. She said, "This was one of my two biggest struggles with these shoes. I could not get my feet to feel secure. I was constantly readjusting the laces and the straps throughout my hitting sessions. My feet were moving left to right and front to back, and I never felt comfortable moving aggressively. I also could not get my ankles secure in the shoes. The shoes hit very low on the ankle and would flare out when I would take a step. I tried to remedy the problem by using the additional shoelace hole, but I had barely any shoelace left to tie the shoes, and it felt like the shoes were digging into my feet. The strap on the upper seemed to help a little, but it also needed to be constantly adjusted."

Karly added, "Unfortunately, the BPMs didn't live up to the Propulse name in terms of support. Babolat Propulses have been known for being very solid and stable, but that's not the case with the Propulse BPMs. The biggest disappointment for me was the ankle support. Because the upper stopped so low around the ankles the fit was extremely loose. No matter how tightly I tied my laces or tried to tighten the strap my ankles never felt secure or locked in. While I was playing the thought of rolling an ankle was always on my mind. I couldn't move as naturally and aggressively because I wanted to be extra careful when making quick movements. I don't wear ankle braces, but these shoes made me consider it."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.7

The Propulse family of shoes is generally known for its sole durability, and this iteration was no exception. Karly said, "I'd say the outsoles held up pretty well, mostly because of how light the shoes were. I definitely was not expecting them to last as long as they did. There was still a noticeable amount of smoothing to the sole, especially at the forefoot, but there was no significant damage, and they still had plenty of life left even after the playtest was over."

Brittany thought the durability lived up to her expectations. She said, "Sole durability is where I felt these shoes most resembled the previous versions. The durability is on the higher end, and I did not see any wear on the outsole. However, I will note that I only put about 10-15 hours on the shoes since I was injured and having trouble with the fit."

Toe Durability - Score: 4.5

Brittany, the only toe dragger on this review, was impressed with how well the toe bumper held up during the playtest. She raved, "Like the sole durability, the toe durability was excellent. I didn't even put a dent in the toe bumper. It is thick, so there is plenty of material, and it goes up high enough to cover the top of the shoes."

Traction - Score: 2.3

Babolat added a unique tread pattern to Propulse BPMs, with a new shape and tread pattern. Karly thought the traction was more slip than stick. She offered, "I found a big drop in traction after the second hour of playing in them. The outsole didn't offer much grip from the beginning, and the little amount that was there disappeared quickly. I had to make smaller, shorter steps to lessen the risk of slipping. With the lack of ankle support and the minimal traction, I had to be especially cautious with my footwork in these shoes."

"Traction was another issue I really struggled with," critiqued Brittany. "I'm not a fan of the outsole pattern and I never felt connected to the court in these shoes. These shoes didn't grip the court as well as I wanted, and I found myself slipping at times (one slip even caused me to fall). My wheels were turning but I was stuck in the mud when I was changing directions. This led me to be very cautious when moving. Throughout the playtest I never felt 100 percent comfortable moving in these shoes."

Weight - Score: 4.1

One of the standout features of the Babolat Propulse BPMs was the light weight, which surprised our playtesters. As a fan of lighter shoes, Brittany was impressed by the weight of the new Propulse. She explained, "The biggest difference between these shoes and the previous versions is the light weight and low-to-the-ground feel. This was my favorite feature of the shoes. I felt light and quick on the court, but it didn't make up for the other issues I had with these shoes."

The weight of the Propulse BPMs was Karly's favorite feature. She said, "Every generation of the Propulse seems to get lighter and lighter, and this newest one is easily the fastest one of them all. Along with their featherlight weight, these shoes offer a low-to-the-ground ride. The insoles are slanted forward slightly so that the heel sits higher than my toes, making it feel like I am constantly on the balls of my feet and ready for the next step. I was anything but flat-footed in these shoes."

Overall - Score: 2.9

Likes

Brittany- "I liked the light weight and low-to-the-ground feel. The durability was also a positive."

Karly- "The Propulse BPMs are the fastest Propulses yet. Their lightweight and low-to-the-ground feel were the highlight feature for me."

Dislikes

Brittany- "I struggled with several things -- the fit, the support/stability and the traction."

Karly- "I didn't like how low the shoes were cut around the ankles. I needed more support to feel confident in making more aggressive movements."

Comparing this shoe to others they've worn, our testers said:

Brittany- "I would say the Propulse BPMs are lower to the ground and feel lighter than the previous versions (3 and 4). The durability was around the same for the three versions I have playtested. I think the Propulse 4s were the most comfortable, and after that the BPMs barely beats the 3s. The BPM version has the least support and stability of the three."

Karly- "A comparable shoe that come to mind is the Wilson Rush NGX; both are lightweight shoes that have a low to the ground ride and offer decent padding."