Head Revolt Pro 2.5 Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.2

Despite our playtesters' applause for the Revolt Pro 2.5's comfort, the fit was a full size short, so be sure to order a full size larger than you normally would. Chris' narrow feet caused a few fit issues even after sizing up, but he still had a good comfort experience overall. He described, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s fit very short, and I had to go a full size up. With the fit sorted, I found these shoes to offer a comfortable ride and require very little break-in. The uppers seemed to quickly mold to the shape of my feet. The width was a bit much for my narrow feet, but it never affected comfort. I was able to cinch the laces enough to keep my feet in place, so I didn't get blisters from sliding around inside the shoes. I also wore two pairs of socks to help fill the width once the uppers had opened up. I found enough rigidity in the shoes to push the flex point nicely under the balls of my feet and keep my arches protected."

Mark was left wishing he had gone up a full size, and his sizing issues prevented him from getting the comfort he was expecting. He said, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s ran at least a half size short (if not more) for me. I really liked the previous Head Revolt Pro 2.0s, so naturally I expected more of the same with the newest version. Being that this shoe was noticeably small on my feet, I was not getting the level of comfort I had with the previous iteration, which fit much truer to size. Construction-wise, the Revolt Pro 2.5s feel nice and plush, but they're just a bit too snug on my feet."

Troy found that the fit and comfort of his pair changed throughout the duration of the playtest. He said, "Usually when I try on tennis shoes for the first time I'll grab a pair of 9.5s and 10.0s to see which size fits me best. I was surprised to find that I had to go all the way up to a 10.5 with the Revolt Pro 2.5s. The width felt about average at first, but the uppers softened up and started feel a bit roomy after the break-in period. The cushioning underneath my feet wasn't quite as plush as the Asics Gel Resolution 7, but it was enough to keep me content. The arch support was slightly lower than I prefer, so I switched out the stock insoles for my orange Superfeet Premium Insoles after about a week of playtesting."

Sean had nothing but praise for the comfort he experienced during the playtest. He said, "I noticed the soft and cushioned feel the instant I slipped these shoes on. The Revolt Pro 2.5s feel a lot plusher than pretty much any other shoe with a durability guarantee, such as the Gel Resolution 7 or the 2018 Barricade. The airflow system kept the underfoot ventilation good, but the tops of my feet were still heating up easily. I liked how fluffy the tongue was too, and I felt that this protected my feet once I laced the shoes up tightly. Another aspect that really worked for me was the midsole cushioning, which was substantially bouncy and comfortable."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.4

Our testers disagreed about the Revolt Pro 2.5's stability. While some welcomed the blend of flex and support, others thought there was too much movement and give. For Mark, the support seemed to be right on the money. He said, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s definitely felt stable to me. The firm midfoot shank and heel cup made it easy to safely change directions on the court with no heel slippage whatsoever. Even on hard lateral stops, I always stayed centered in my shoes."

Chris also appreciated the level of flex his pair offered during play. He explained, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s offered ample stability for me; I never felt like I was going to trip or roll over in them. I like my shoes to have a little flexibility, and that's just what I found in the Revolt Pro 2.5s. The shoes felt like they were supporting my movements well, and the uppers were snug enough to prevent any undue in-shoe sliding. All in all, I felt confident sprinting around the court in the Revolt Pro 2.5s."

Troy was initially happy with the support his pair provided, but he experienced diminishing returns in this department as the playtest went on. He said, "These shoes started off strong when it came to support and stability, but the level decreased as they broke in more. Initially, the fit provided a decent amount of support. The shoes didn't fit me like a glove, but they didn't feel too loose either. After breaking these shoes in, though, the upper material started to stretch, particularly in the forefoot. There were times when my feet slid in the toe box as I came to an aggressive lateral stop, and I nearly rolled my ankles. This dropped my confidence a bit, and it was always in the back of my head when chasing balls around the court."

Like Troy, Sean felt there was too much sliding in his pair to support his movement effectively. He said, "The stability will probably be sufficient for most players, but there was a limit to the level of movement my shoes could handle. Whenever I would make a hard stop or slide on lateral movements, I'd come close to rolling an ankle. A few times, the lateral side of the midfoot folded over itself, so there seems to be a max level of pressure that area can handle. This particular deficiency made me very hesitant to push my movement at the risk of getting hurt."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.9

All of our playtesters were happy with the Revolt Pro 2.5's durability level. Although these shoes displayed average wear and tear, players should feel confident that they will get their money's worth, considering that the shoes come with a six-month durability guarantee. Usually tough on his outsoles, Sean was impressed by how well his Revolt Pro 2.5s held up over the playtest. He said, "I haven't yet experienced any significant wear on my outsoles, so I have to say that the durability seems to be in line with other durability-oriented models. I expect to get another 30 or so hours out of these, in addition to the 15 I've already put on them. The Hybrasion+ outsole compound is just a top-notch material."

"The outsole durability here was average among shoes in the 14- to 16-ounce weight range," said Troy. "The tread pattern started to show balding toward the toes. I found more wear on the rubber during this playtest than I did with the Gel Resolution 7s and Barricade 2018s. This isn't necessarily a knock, though, since those are two of my highest rated shoes for durability. The fact that these Revolt Pro 2.5s are backed by a six-month durability guarantee makes me content with their overall lifespan, since I know I can always get a warranty replacement if I really need to. I wore these shoes a lot during the playtest because of how much I enjoyed the comfort, so the higher level of wear may be partially due to some excessive hours on court."

Like the other playtesters, Mark appreciated how little wear his pair was showing by the end of the playtest. He said, "After playing in the Revolt Pro 2.5s for about 15 hours, my test shoes do show some signs of wear around the toe guard, but nothing excessive. Overall, I'd consider these shoes to be very durable."

Chris was happy that the uppers offered the same level of durability as the outsoles. He described, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s held up pretty well for me. The high-wear areas of my shoes still had some life left in them at the end of the test. Likewise, the uppers had just enough resistance to court abrasion to last the test. The outsoles are backed by a six-month guarantee, which provides additional security for players who either log a lot of court time or are hard on their shoes."

Traction - Score: 4.2

The Revolt Pro 2.5's Hybrasion+ outsole offered a great balance of grip and give, which helped our team move confidently, whether they were grinding on the baseline or chasing down drop shots. Chris found enough grip to keep his quick cuts consistent and reliable. He explained, "The level of grip I got from the Revolt Pro 2.5s was very good. I found ample grab from the outsoles when looking to make a quick step or change of direction. When I came to an abrupt stop the shoes provided a predictable amount of grip, so I could slide out of a shot slightly if needed. There was also enough give to allow me to pivot and take those little adjustment steps without the outsoles ever getting hung up on the court."

Sean feels that the Hybrasion+ outsole's grip balance would be well suited to a variety of playing styles and movements. He said, "The level of traction felt pretty middle-of-the-road in relation to most of the shoes I've worn, which is great for the versatility required in the modern game. More athletic movements, like slides, were met with minimal resistance, and I always seemed to have plenty of grip when it was time to push off."

As an avid fan of Head shoes, Mark was not surprised by how much he enjoyed the traction on his most recent pair. "The Nitro Pro, the NZZZO and the Sprint Pro 2.0 have all had top-notch traction for me, and the Revolt Pro 2.5s fit right in with this group," he said. "With the exception of the two small vents incorporated in to the midfoot shank, the Revolt Pro 2.5s exhibit a full herringbone tread pattern, which provided dependable traction on both hard and soft court surfaces."

Troy felt that the Revolt Pro 2.5's traction got better and better as the playtest went on. He said, "I found these shoes to be slightly on the sticky side during the first few sessions. After a few hours of wear, though, the grip level felt just about right. The Hybrasion+ rubber compound allowed me to stop and start aggressively, and I didn't experience any unwanted slippage. Early on into the playtest, quick lateral stops were overly abrupt, and they felt like they were putting too much pressure on my joints. That said, I was able to adapt to the high level of traction, and as time went on, the amount of grip and slip was more to my liking."

Weight - Score: 4.0

As players have come to expect in recent years, even more substantial shoes, like the Revolt Pro 2.5s, are weighing in under 15 ounces. Though they were pleased with the low weight on the scale, our playtesters were even more impressed by how light these shoes felt on the court. Mark gave us some context, explaining, "If a tennis shoe weighs less than 15 ounces I consider it to be on the lighter side. On paper, these shoes definitely qualify. That said, just because the scale indicates they're light, that doesn't guarantee that the shoes will feel light when playing in them. In the case of the Revolt Pro 2.5s, the weight on the scale was right in line with how the shoes felt on my feet — light and quick, yet supportive."

The Revolt Pro 2.5's weight performance actually improved over time for Troy, as the extra wear translated to a more natural feel. He said, "These Revolt Pro 2.5s felt a bit clunky and rigid out of the box. During my first couple of hitting sessions I wasn't quite getting the heel-to-toe flex that I prefer when sprinting around the court. As the playtest went on, though, these shoes started to flex much more easily and felt more supple on my feet. Based on the 14.4-ounce weight (size 10.5), these shoes felt pretty true to the numbers."

Chris described the quick feel of his Revolt Pro 2.5s as on par with one of Head's lighter models. He said, "I thought these were very light shoes considering their durability and stability. Longer lasting shoes usually come with the penalty of additional weight, but that was not the case here. The Revolt Pro 2.5s felt light and well balanced on court, and I moved very well in them. I felt just as fast in the Revolt Pro 2.5s as I did in the Sprint Pro 2.0s we recently tested."

Sean had the most lukewarm response in this department, but he ultimately had no issues with the weight of the shoes. He said, "Again, there's not much to complain about here. The Revolt Pro 2.5s aren't heavy enough to feel cumbersome, but they definitely aren't so light that I felt noticeably quick or agile. The upside was that I didn't have to think about the weight. If it weren't for the issues with the lateral stability I would've been able to completely forget about the shoes and just focus on playing tennis."

Overall - Score: 3.9