Fila Torneo III Men's Shoe Review

When form follows function, good things tend to happen. Throw in some Italian style and you have the latest offering from Fila. With the Torneo III, Fila brings it all together in one impressive tennis shoe. Available exclusively at Tennis Warehouse, the Torneo III is a collaboration between Fila and TW. We tested several prototypes before settling on the final version reviewed here. The result is a model that offers a solid blend of comfort, traction, support, stability and breathability. Best of all, the Torneo III brings all of that impressive performance at a great price.

Comfort - Score: 4.5

A combination of mesh and synthetic materials make up the Torneo III's uppers to offer a comfortable ride right out of the box. Our lone tester, Chris, enjoyed the no break-in comfort. He said, "The uppers flexed and moved with my feet very well. I never experienced any rubbing or discomfort, and the flexible feel also made the shoes feel fast. They broke in very quickly and remained comfortable for the duration of the test. When I came to a quick stop the soft upper materials never hurt my feet and I never had any of the toe jamming I find in some stiffer, looser fitting shoes. These shoes also allowed my feet to breathe well. There's adequate mesh on the uppers, and it did a good job of letting out hot air out during play. The uppers felt pretty glove-like in fit and wrapped my feet comfortably. Likewise, the arch support was solid, and there was enough stiffness through the chassis of these shoes to minimize twisting."

Foot Support and Stability - Score: 4.0

The Torneo III features a TPU heel counter to help lock in your feet, while a supportive fit further prevents any unwanted slipping inside the shoes. Chris was happy with the solid ride he found in these shoes. "I was moving well in these shoes thanks to the supportive fit," he said. "I liked that my feet weren't sliding around inside them, and I felt very confident when moving side to side. The forefoot area managed to support my feet without feeling stiff, so I found that elusive blend of support and speed. These shoes feel much stiffer from the midfoot back to the heel. My arches and heels felt very locked in, and I never felt any undue strain or stress."

Outsole and Toe Durability - Score: 4.2

A non-marking EverGrind outsole and durable toe wrap take care of durability needs for the Torneo III. Chris, who is one of our more destructive playtesters, was pleased with how the Torneo IIIs held up. He said, "I saw some wear to the outsoles where I do the most damage to shoes, but nothing excessive. I'd say these are pretty middle of the road when it comes to how they last. I haven't found a shoe yet that will last me a full six months, and most wear within a couple of months at most. I can get 4-5 weeks out of these, so they meet my durability expectations. I've worn through far more expensive shoes in a matter of hours, so the cost-to-wear ratio here was good. The toes also held up well and outlasted the outsoles for me. The material wrapping over the toes did a great job of fending off court abrasion."

Traction - Score: 4.0

With its modified herringbone tread pattern, the Torneo III is designed to offer grip on all court surfaces. Chris said, "There was a nice blend of grip and give in these shoes. I was able to slide out of shots in a very controlled manner. The outsoles never got hung up on the court surface, and I found them to transition well from heel to toe. There was just enough traction to grip the court for a quick sprint. The only times I had the occasional slip was when I had been pulled wide onto the dustier parts of the court."

Weight - Score: 4.5

Weighing in at 15.4 ounces for a size 10.5, the Torneo III hits the court in the middleweight category. Chris felt the weight matched the performance of these shoes. "I felt like I was moving at top speed in these shoes," he said. "While they are not the lightest shoes out there, the level of support and traction had me feeling like I could chase down a lot of shots. My game from the baseline is built around my foot speed, and I felt like I was covering the court very well in these shoes. It felt like they hid their weight well, and I liked how the shoe transitioned from a forward sprint to a lateral cut or a quick stop."

Overall - Score: 4.2