Wilson Amplifeel Women's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 2.8

With EVA midsoles utilizing R-DST+ technology and a Pro Torque Chassis, the Wilson Amplifeels offered the TW playtesters a nice blend of cushioning and arch support. Brittany is recovering from an ankle injury and wore an ankle brace during most of the playtest. She said, "When I tried these shoes on for the first time I noticed that it took a little bit of effort to get them on my feet, especially my right foot that's in an ankle brace. There just wasn't enough room for both my foot and the brace, and the strap that wraps around wasn't long enough. I wouldn't recommend wearing ankle braces with these shoes. When I did get both shoes on (with brace) I found the cushioning to be around average, with enough cushioning underfoot to be comfortable. However, I did experience a couple episodes of toe jamming when I made abrupt stops. The ventilation was below average, and my feet did warm up playing in these shoes."

"I've never worn shoes with this sort of ankle collar before, so I had no idea what to expect," confessed Tiffani. "The first time I wore them I had forgotten to pack taller socks and wore them with my usual no-show style socks. I strongly recommend against that because the collar rubbed my ankles and heels. Switching to quarters and crew socks solved that problem, and I didn't have any more rubbing in those areas. These shoes weren't super comfortable at step-in, but the width felt OK for my wider feet. The cushioning was adequate. I didn't feel low to the ground, but there wasn't a plush feel underfoot either. When I started playing I wasn't finding enough arch support, and I felt a strain through my arch area. These shoes aren't very breathable either, and I always opted to take them off right after playing. I also got quite a bit of rubbing on the top of my feet, especially on the lateral side of my forefoot."

Michelle never quite got comfortable in the Amplifeels. She explained, "I wanted to really like these shoes, I really did, but as soon as I started moving on the court I suffered from bad toe jamming, and it ruined the whole playtest for me. I had a similar experience in the Kaos shoes, so this might be a fit issue I have with Wilson shoes. It was hard for me to put these on since my toes just got mashed and bruised. The ankle collar was also a bit uncomfortable if I wasn't wearing high socks -- it was a bit itchy and just kind of dug into my skin. I can't say there was a ton of cushioning either, which was something I was hoping for."

Hannah had a similar experience to the other playtesters, saying, "The Amplifeels lacked overall comfort. They just didn't form to my feet very well, and while they were stable and supportive, they were also on the bulky and stiff side. Cushioning was definitely prominent, but for me the cushioning was overshadowed by a few negative qualities. The roomy toe box and forefoot construction made it difficult for me to push off and move forward quickly. I also experienced minor toe jamming when switching directions. The ventilation was lacking, and after about an hour and a half on the court my feet were very warm, compromising a fresh and explosive feel on the court. Other than making it necessary to wear high socks due to the rubbing of the bootie, the extra padding around the ankle made for a smooth transition into the high top design."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.9

The Amplifeels' mid-cut ankle collar and Velcro strap offered a unique system for added support and stability. "The support and stability are the highlights of these shoes," noted Hannah. "The high top construction is an awesome concept to bring to the tennis court, especially for those of us with weaker ankles. It's worth noting that the stability of these shoes made it possible for me to move freely without too much hesitation, despite the comfort issues I ran into. I recommend wearing high socks for two reasons. It makes for a better fit around the ankle, and it reduces the rubbing on the skin."

Brittany had some ups and down with the support and stability that the Amplifeels offered. She commented, "I appreciated the ankle support that the Amplifeels offered. It kept my ankles in place, and I felt confident when transitioning out of an ankle brace and into just the shoe. I would have liked a little more support in the forefoot since my feet were sliding around. The shoes were stable when I was moving side to side, and I felt very confident that I wasn't going to roll an ankle (which is a big plus for me right now!)."

Tiffani was left wanting more support. She critiqued, "These Amplifeels look really supportive and stable, but I was disappointed in this area. The stability was fine, and I never felt like these shoes were ever even close to tipping over. However, these shoes just weren't supporting me very well. I could feel my heel lift up off the insole when I was running down shots, although the high ankle collar kept my feet inside the shoes, and my achilles felt a small strain the last time I wore them during the testing period. As I mentioned, the support through the midfoot also caused me some issues. I wanted to put in my Superfeet insoles, but it was tough to do because of the high ankle collar. When I was moving laterally my feet were sliding from side to side inside the shoes in the forefoot area. That caused some really uncomfortable rubbing on the top of my feet. The support just wasn't there for me in these shoes."

Michelle had a similar experience to Tiffani. She offered, "While the Amplifeels look to have tons of support and stability, I was a little disappointed that they didn't have more. The ankle wrap held my feet in place and offered support, and I found the shoes to be pretty stable as well. There were a few times when I felt like I was going to tip over in them, but luckily I didn't. They were a bit rigid, but I was never worried about twisting an ankle or anything like that."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

Durability was a standout characteristic for the Wilson Amplifeels with their Duralast rubber outsoles and six-month durability guarantee. Hannah didn't see any wear until the end of the playtest. She said, "The six-month guarantee is an upside to these shoes. As far as toe durability, I did have some scuffing on the toe, which could be cause for concern with more wear."

"I would say the outsoles have held up remarkably well," added Brittany. "I only playtested the shoes around 10 hours and was not as hard on them as I normally am due to my ankle. I saw virtually no wear and expect them to last awhile, but I was able to scuff the right toe bumper quite a bit."

Tiffani continued, "I have only worn these shoes about 10 hours, but there is very little wear to my outsoles or toe area. With the six-month durability guarantee, there's no worry here."

The durability of the Amplifeels seemed good to Michelle, but she didn't fully test the shoes. She said, "Unfortunately, I wasn't super eager to get these shoes on my feet, and they became a chore to wear. The toe jamming was pretty painful and made me want to avoid these shoes."

Traction - Score: 3.7

A herringbone tread pattern on the outsoles allowed the playtesters to move aggressively on all court surfaces. The traction was the highlight of the playtest for Tiffani. She praised, "I always felt sure of my footing in the Amplifeels. The traction was reliable, and I never slipped or got stuck to the court."

Brittany felt pretty confident moving in the Amplifeels. She offered, "They had a very predictable response and gripped the court very well. I never experienced any slipping or sliding when changing directions quickly. The traction remained the same throughout the playtest."

"Traction was good," continued Michelle. "Again, I never really put the traction to the test because that resulted in toe jamming. I found I would slow down and try and take more steps to avoid the jamming in the end of the shoes rather than aggressively go after balls and allow the traction to do the work for me. However, I have no complaints when it came to traction."

Hannah wanted a little more give from the Amplifeels when she was moving aggressively. She said, "I found the traction to be on the stickier side. This meant I definitely had to plan accordingly to plant my foot completely when on the run instead of being able to use a slicker transition. The traction characteristics matched the overall construction and character of the shoes, so it wasn't surprising."

Weight - Score: 3.1

At 13.2 oz (size 8.5), the Wilson Amplifeels are some of the heavier shoes the TW playtesters have reviewed. Michelle didn't mind the weight of the shoes, saying, "These definitely are bulkier shoes. They played about as heavy as I thought they would. Although they felt bulky when I had them on, I never thought they weighed me down."

Tiffani didn't feel very quick in the Amplifeels. She explained, "These shoes didn't feel heavy on my feet considering how much material there is with the addition of the high ankle collar. They were average in terms of weight, but I didn't feel fast in these shoes at all. They just felt clunky on court to me, and I felt a step slower in them. My feet were sliding inside the shoes so I just didn't feel like I could change directions quickly."

Brittany thought the Amplifeels felt exactly how they looked. She remarked, "As I expected from looking at these shoes, they are on the heavier side. However, I expected this from a stable/durable mid-cut shoe. I didn't feel my fastest in these shoes, but they aren't meant to be light."

"In no way did these shoes feel light," agreed Hannah. "I noticed the bulk and substance of the Amplifeels while playing, and I was bothered by the weight after about an hour of hitting. I will say that it was hard to tell if it was the actual weight or the overall clunky feel of the shoes themselves that bothered me."

Overall - Score: 3.1