Wilson Amplifeel Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.0

Our playtest team liked the level of comfort the Amplifeels offered, but most of them noted that the shoes ran a bit hot and also had a bit too much room in the toe box to keep them feeling secure. For Chris, this extra room in the toe box resulted in some pretty bad toe jamming. He explained, "I liked the level of cushioning the Amplifeels offered. My feet felt well protected on every landing. I thought the heel cushioning did a great job of absorbing impact while the forefoot cushioning felt responsive. Combined with the soft and comfortable uppers, the responsive ride made these shoes feel fast for their weight. I liked the way the uppers flexed with my feet, and they were soft enough to offer 'no break-in required' comfort. My two downsides to comfort were ventilation and my feet sliding forward inside the shoes. I was willing to accept the added heat due to the mid-cut style. However, on quick stops my big toes were taking a beating. I had many instances where my toes would jam into the end of the shoes, and I've lost about 70 percent of the nail on the big toe of my left foot from this playtest."

Chris and Troy both have fairly narrow feet, so it was no surprise that Troy had a similar experience. He shared, "The first time I slipped my feet into these shoes I found a high level of comfort with a nice contoured and supportive fit. As I took them onto the court I found a good amount of midsole cushioning. With some of the shoes I have tested lately I've found minimal cushioning beneath the balls of my feet, but with the Amplifeels there was ample cushioning. The only knock I had on the comfort was that as I broke these shoes in the toe box became too roomy for my slightly narrow feet. With this extra room inside the toe box my feet were sliding around, which caused some rubbing and pinching of my toes. The end of the shoes were stiff as well, so I was experiencing some toe jamming anytime I had to sprint forward and come to a quick stop. The arch support was average, so I preferred the fit of these shoes with the addition of my Superfeet Premium Insoles Orange, which were hard to install with the mid-cut design. Lastly, I found the uppers didn't breathe well, causing my feet to sweat more than usual."

Andy thought the shoes fit his feet pretty well, but he was never really blown away by the level of comfort they offered. He said, "For the past few years Wilson shoes have generally fit my feet pretty well, and these shoes were no exception. Out of the box I found a good fit for my feet, and the shoes flexed naturally with every step. They had adequate, but not plush, cushioning underfoot, which allowed for good comfort while still keeping me connected to my movement. However, I didn't find the shoes to be all that well-ventilated, and I didn't get the kind of arch support I like. They felt a little 'flat' to me on each foot strike. All in all, I had no comfort issues with the Amplifeels, but the cushioning wasn't plush."

Mark turned out to be pretty pleased with the comfort of the Amplifeels. He praised, "The first thing I noticed when I slipped my feet inside the Amplifeels (besides being a little tough to put on) was that I had plenty of room in the toe box. The second was that I had an extremely comfortable 63 steps from my desk to the downstairs court. After I wore them for a while on court I was convinced that they are a great high performance mid-cut option."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.8

One of the highlights of the Amplifeels proved to be their support and stability. Our team felt very confident moving around the court, but our narrow footed playtesters noted that they didn't find that "locked-in" fit that inspires the highest level of confidence. For Mark, though, the shoes worked out great. He raved, "For me, overall stability in these shoes was top notch. The construction of the uppers and the mid-foot shank allowed for confident starts and stops in every direction. I have not worn any mid-cut tennis shoes in quite some time, but I noticed that I felt more secure when moving laterally relative to the low-cut tennis shoes I wear."

Andy also really liked the level of stability the shoes offered. He complimented, "One of the strengths of these shoes proved to be their support and stability. I felt completely comfortable and confident moving at top speeds and sliding around on hard courts. The Velcro ankle cuff did provide some added ankle support -- about the amount that a Neoprene sleeve would -- but I wouldn't say that it would offer enough support for someone trying to replace a heftier ankle brace with straps. Lastly, the low-to-the-ground feel provided a stable base and had me feeling very connected to my movement."

Troy noted that there was a bit too much room in the toe box for his liking, but it didn't affect the confidence he had in the Amplifeels to protect him during play. He shared, "During aggressive lateral movements these shoes provided a high level of stability. The mid-foot region was firm enough to prevent torsional twisting, and the built-in ankle wraps helped lock in my heels. The one area where the support was lacking a bit for me was the toe box. The extra space in the front of the shoes allowed my feet to slide around a bit too much for my liking. This wasn't necessarily a detriment to performance, but it was a bit uncomfortable for me. Overall, though, I was confident in my movement with the level of lateral stability that these shoes provided."

Chris also thought the shoes were very stable, but he struggled to get the locked-in fit he prefers. He said, "The Amplifeels offered a very stable ride. They resisted twisting very well when I was moving side to side, and the footprint is wide enough that rollover was never a concern. The fit was too wide for my skinny feet, though, so I didn't feel as supported as I'd have liked. My feet slid around inside the shoes, both side to side and forward when stopping. I never had any blister issues since my hits were limited to hour-long sessions, but they would be a concern over a long match."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

Most of our playtesters were quite pleased with the durability of the Amplifeels. Andy is normally pretty hard on his shoes, but the Amplifeels were up to the test. He praised, "My pair of Amplifeels held up very well over the course of the test. After 10-plus hours of tough wear the outsole tread has shown no signs of balding. The added rubber on the toes and medial side also offered enough protection in those areas, and the shoes held up fine to my hard court sliding. Furthermore, players who are exceptionally hard on their shoes can take advantage of the six-month durability guarantee that's offered with these shoes."

Mark was also very happy with how well his pair was holding up. He said, "I have about 25 hours of play time on my pair, and I am certain I have at least 25 more hours left on them."

Chris does a fair bit of toe dragging, but his pair held up nicely for the duration of the playtest. He shared, "The outsoles and toes held up well for me during this test. I saw the most wear under the big toe of my right foot. I drag that area on all of my serves and on my closed stance forehands, so it typically takes a beating. However, these shoes have made it through a month of hitting, whereas others have been toast in less than two weeks (the fastest wear I've seen was 1.5 hours, with a hole through the outsole and midsole of a shoe). The uppers at the toe tips are showing some wear but are holding up well. There are many scuff marks around the toes of my shoes, but there's ample material there preventing me from wearing through them."

Given how hefty the Amplifeels felt, Troy would have liked a bit more durability. He critiqued, "Considering the weight of these shoes, I found average durability in comparison to some of the other shoes I have tested. After about a month of playtesting I found the tread of the outsole under the balls of my feet worn down slightly. Although the herringbone tread wore down in the forefoot area, I found the rest of the outsole held up strong throughout the playtest. The reinforced toe cap also provided a good amount of protection whenever I dragged my toes."

Traction - Score: 4.3

The Amplifeels provided confidence-inspiring traction for our playtest team. "I liked the level of traction offered by the Amplifeels," Chris praised. "I got enough grab from the outsoles to quickly push off or change directions. I also liked the amount of give the shoes offered when coming to a quick stop. I found enough traction to stop quickly, but not so much that the shoes would get hung up on the court. I was moving confidently and was able to focus on getting to the ball without having to worry about my shoes at all."

Having a similar experience, Andy shared, "I liked the level of traction that these shoes offered on hard courts. They offered a good blend of grip and give that was predictable -- locking up with the court when I needed them to, but also providing enough give to allow me to slide and not put too much strain on my joints."

"On the multiple hard courts that I played on, the traction was spot on," Mark added. "With their modified herringbone tread pattern I'd assume the Amplifeels would work well on clay courts, too."

It took Troy a few wears to get used to how his pair was locking up with the hard courts, but eventually he was able to feel confident moving around the courts at top speed. He shared, "The first few times I took these shoes out on the court I found the outsoles were causing me to slip when I made aggressive changes of direction. After wearing down the tread slightly I felt more comfortable stopping and starting. I found that I was getting more surface area in contact with the court surface as some of the ridges in the tread pattern wore down, and thus the traction improved. After a few weeks of testing these shoes the level of traction from the outsole and the low-to-the-ground feel in the forefoot made me feel safe running down balls all over the court."

Weight - Score: 3.5

While the Amplifeels weren't the lightest or fastest shoes we've ever tested, the bulk of the shoes never seemed to hamper our testers' on-court movement. "For a shoe that weighs roughly 16.1 oz (size 10.5), the Amplifeels felt a bit lighter than I was expecting," Troy remarked. "Once I broke these shoes in I felt light on my feet and was moving well around the court. Due to the built-in ankle wrap, I really felt that these shoes were connected to my feet."

"The Amplifeels are not the lightest shoes, but I never felt like they slowed me down," said Chris, who added, "On the contrary, I felt like I was moving at full speed and covering the court well. The shoes proved durable and felt well built, so having some weight underfoot was expected."

Andy thought the low-profile design made the shoes feel faster than their measured weight would indicate. He said, "While the Amplifeels provided a low-to-the-ground feel, like riding in a sports car, the upper design of these shoes don't feel light or fast. I was definitely always aware that I had substantial shoes on my feet, especially with the mid-height cut and ankle strap. With that said, I don't think you're expecting a lightweight, speed-oriented feel when you're choosing these shoes. Players who opt for shoes like this shouldn't mind the added bulk that comes with the extra support and stability."

"I do not consider 16 oz to be extremely heavy for high performance tennis shoes, and when you take into consideration that the Amplifeels are a mid-cut shoe, I felt their overall weight was merited," Mark concluded.

Overall - Score: 3.5