Head Revolt Pro 2.5 Women's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.5

While our playtesters appreciated the Head Revolt Pro 2.5s' plush cushioning underfoot and around the ankles, they agreed that the shoe ran short and recommend sizing up a half-size. Tiffani explained, "When I tried these shoes on I thought they ran about a quarter-size short, but I decided to go ahead and wear my usual size 6. I changed my mind after playing for a few hours, and ended up wishing I had gone up to a 6.5. My toes would hit the ends of the shoes constantly on abrupt stops. Besides the fit, I thought the Revolt Pro 2.5s were comfortable overall. I didn't have a break-in period like I did with the previous version, and I liked the amount of cushioning underfoot. There's ample cushioning around the ankles, which feels nice, but it also caused some support issues. The ventilation was not really an issue for me, and the arch support never bothered my feet."

Brittany just couldn't find a size that fit her narrow feet. She said, "When I first tried on the Revolt Pro 2.5s I noticed two things about the fit. The first thing was that the shoes run a tad wide, so I had plenty of extra room on the sides. Secondly, I found my toes were right up against the front of the shoes. I debated going up a half-size but was worried that the next size up would be much too wide for my feet. I think my feet are right in between a size 8 and 8.5 in these shoes, so I'm not sure a perfect fit is possible for me. As for break-in, it took about two hours before I felt the uppers starting to soften. The cushioning underfoot was solid and supportive, whereas the cushioning around the ankle and tongue was definitely on the plush side. Both the ventilation and the arch support were more than adequate for me."

"As a big fan of the Revolt 2.0s, I was excited to playtest this update," added Kristen. "However, shortly into this playtest I was left a bit disappointed. When I first slipped the Revolt Pro 2.5s on they seemed to fit comfortably, and I was happy to see that they were a tad less bulky than the previous iteration. Once I got on the court, though, I started getting some bad toe jamming; the shoes were just a little too short for me. Also, the underfoot cushioning felt quite stiff at first. After I hit for an hour on court the cushioning did soften up a bit, but it never felt as plush as the previous iteration, and the shoes didn't offer the same arch support. I did still find this version's uppers to feel fairly soft and well ventilated."

While Michelle was happy with the Revolt Pro 2.5's excellent cushioning, she had some of the same fit issues as the other playtesters. She described, "No doubt about it, the Revolt Pro 2.5s are comfortable, well-cushioned shoes. The second I stepped into them I appreciated the padding that surrounded my ankles and feet. The cushioning wasn't necessarily plush underfoot, but it was supportive, and I felt the shoes envelop my feet like a cloud. However, I did find the shoes to run short. I wore my true size, and my toes were pushing against the end of the shoe throughout the playtest. I should have sized up at least a half-size, possibly a full size. I experienced toe jamming any time I was pulled wide or had to make an aggressive cut, which was unfortunate. That was probably my biggest complaint."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.5

The Revolt Pro 2.5s offered solid stability, but our playtesters were left searching for a more locked-in feel at times. Brittany was a little disappointed with the previous version's support and stability. She compared it to this update, saying, "I wasn't able to get a locked-in feel around my heels with the old 2.0s. I felt that there was a slight improvement in these updated 2.5s. While I wasn't 100 percent locked in, I didn't feel myself slipping out as much. When I playtested the previous version I was still pretty fresh off a major ankle injury and needed more support and stability in my ankles; I don't need as much ankle support now that my ankles are stronger."

"As I mentioned earlier, there's a lot of cushioning around the ankle," continued Tiffani. "That creates a very comfortable feel, but just like with the previous version, I had a tough time cinching down these shoes around my ankles. The cushioning was so thick that I couldn't get a secure fit, so I had to keep stopping to retighten my laces when I played in them. That issue aside, the stability was good in these Revolt Pro 2.5s. The shoes didn't feel like they would tip over, but they were just a bit too loose through the ankle."

For the most part, the support and stability worked for Michelle. She explained, "The shoes fit a bit wide, and it wasn't as easy to cinch up the laces because of all the padding, which I thought would lead to some stability and support issues. However, I never felt like these shoes lacked support or stability. I felt pretty confident moving aggressively, and I wasn't worried about tipping over or twisting an ankle. The shoes did feel a bit bulky, but they never felt like they were getting in the way."

Kristen just wasn't getting the locked-in feel she desired. She critiqued, "I liked the cushioned heel cup, but my ankles didn't feel very well supported in the Revolt Pro 2.5s, so I never felt completely locked in. I had to really tie these shoes tight before playing to maximize support. Even then, they started loosening up on me while I was playing, which caused my feet to slide around inside them. I found myself retying these shoes multiple times during a hitting session to get better support. I think the Revolt Pro 2.5s would be better suited for people with wider feet who can find the right fit."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.2

One of the highlights of the Head Revolt Pro 2.5 shoes was their excellent lifespan, especially combined with the outsole durability guarantee. Michelle had nothing but praise about her pair's durability. She said, "The durability of these shoes was definitely a strength. The shoes had very little wear after this playtest, and It was great to see such a comfortable pair of shoes hold up so well. I was also happy that the traction wore consistently through the playtest."

Kristen saw some slight wear but was still extremely impressed. She said, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s were quite durable. My pair has a slight touch of smoothing under the toes, but nothing major. These shoes also come with a six-month outsole guarantee, so there shouldn't be any issues when it comes to durability."

"I gave both the sole durability and toe durability top marks," said Brittany. "I put a solid number of hours on them and am seeing absolutely zero wear. The outsoles look virtually brand new. I suspect I have many, many hours left in these shoes."

Tiffani agreed with the rest of the team. She said, "The Revolt Pro 2.5s are really holding up well for me. I've played at least 15 hours in these shoes, and I don't see any smoothing on the outsoles or the toes. There's a durability guarantee, but I don't think I'll be needing to use it."

Traction - Score: 3.9

Our playtesters found a slightly sticky feel from the soles of the Revolt Pro 2.5s. Across the board, this shoe's outsole made our playtesters confident in their ability to move aggressively on the court. Kristen said, "I never really had to think about traction when playing in these shoes, so that translated into a good balance of grab and give."

"I would say the traction from these shoes was on the stickier side rather than offering too much give," explained Michelle. "I think this shoe would be suited to the player who likes to reliably stick to the court, as opposed to a shoe that might be more prone to slipping."

Tiffani added, "I can't recall ever thinking about these shoes when it comes to traction. I would place the traction levels pretty much in the middle of slippery and grippy."

Though Brittany generally prefers an outsole with a bit more slip than grip, she agreed that the Revolt Pro 2.5s helped her move smoothly on the court. She said, "The traction was in between grippy and slippery. I would say it leaned slightly toward more grip at times. However, while I prefer a little give at times, I never had any issues with the traction slowing me down. I never felt stuck in place and felt very confident making quick cuts in every direction."

Weight - Score: 3.5

The Revolt Pro 2.5s land right in the middle of the weight category: not clunky, but not particularly nimble either. Tiffani found that these shoes felt a little lighter than the number on the scale showed. She described, "These shoes aren't light, but they definitely don't feel heavy. I was actually surprised to see they were on the heavier side (12.2 ounces for size 8.5). They felt pretty streamlined on the court, but I would put them in the middle-weight category."

"For me, this shoe felt much lighter than 12.2 ounces," Kristen noted. "It doesn't feel as quick as a Nike Vapor or Babolat Jet, but I still felt pretty light on my feet."

The weight of the Revolt Pro 2.5s was middle of the road for Brittany. She said, "These shoes are similar in weight to the previous version, and just like that version, I found the 2.5s a little heavier than I like. While they never felt clunky, I prefer lighter shoes and didn't feel super quick on my feet. However, the shoes are a decent weight considering how durable they are."

Michelle was left wishing for a slightly faster feel. She explained, "I can't say these shoes felt heavy, but they did feel a bit bulky on my feet. Unfortunately, I never felt super fast or quick in these. I didn't feel weighed down, but these shoes just didn't feel very streamlined."

Overall - Score: 3.7