Breakdown

Comfort: 8.9

Despite not being super beefy in terms of construction, the Cybersonic 2s proved to be extremely comfortable. They scored very well in this category and exceeded expectations for a line of shoes that weren't previously known for their comfort. The Cybersonic 2s offered a secure fit for Chris' narrower feet. He explained, "I liked the overall fit and feel of this Cybersonic update much more than the original version. The Cybersonic 2s felt like they flexed better in the uppers, and I found it easy to find a comfortably supportive ride. My feet felt locked in, so I didn't have any uncomfortable sliding around inside the shoes, and I was able to tie the laces securely without putting any undue pressure on the tops of my feet. Underfoot, I found enough cushioning to feel protected from hard court play but not so much as to feel elevated and disconnected. Breathability was also solid in the Cybersonic 2s, and my feet never felt overheated."

The Cybersonic 2s felt so comfortable to Mark that they have become his new go-to shoes. He said, "From the start of this playtest to beyond the end, the adidas Cybersonic 2s delivered premium cushioning and fit my medium-width feet to a T. The medium height of the stock arch insert was fine from my first step into these shoes and actually improved with wear. Although we are not yet in the warmer part of the season, my feet never felt overheated even with a thicker sock."

The comfort and fit were standout areas of performance for Oak. He said, "The comfort of the Cybersonic 2s was one of the most noticeable first impressions for me. The fit and feel reminded me quite a lot of the recent adidas Ubersonic 5s, but with substantially more heel cushioning, underfoot padding and overall support. It's not that the Uber 5s were uncomfortable, but these Cybersonic shoes are just much more elevated and plush by comparison. I thought the ventilation was noticeably less than that of the Ubers, which are some of the most well-ventilated shoes currently available, but I still felt good amounts of air during all my movements. The arch support was adequate, but this is never a huge area of concern for me."

Likewise, Jason thought the comfort here was ample, making for an enjoyable playtest experience. He said, "These Cybersonic 2s fit my feet more comfortably than the original Cybersonics thanks to a wider toe box. The underfoot cushioning seemed similar to the previous version, offering a more responsive ride. I liked that this update didn't require a break-in period, whereas the original version did."

Foot Support / Stability: 8.8

Continuing the theme of excellence, the support and stability of these Cybersonic 2s proved to be among the best in recent memory for our playtesters. For Jason, this category is where the shoes truly started to make a name for themselves. He said, "The support and stability are where these Cybersonic 2s really shine. My feet felt locked in, and I wasn't experiencing any rubbing when moving forward. The stability was excellent as well. The Cybersonic 2s allowed me to move how I wanted without thinking about it."

The Cybersonic 2 was an instant classic for Mark, one of our resident counterpunchers. He described, "Since my former favorite shoes are no longer available, I have been waiting/hoping for a good replacement. That said, I am very happy to report that the Cybersonic 2s deliver every bit of that support and stability with even better comfort, making me completely forget about those other shoes!"

When moving with intensity, the Cybersonic 2s catered to Chris' every need, and then some. He said, "By far the biggest improvement in the Cybersonic 2s was felt when I was moving aggressively. I loved the locked-in feel, and I felt even more secure than I do in the Barricade 13s. I was shocked. I felt like the previous version of these shoes worked against me when I was moving on court, whereas these Cybersonic 2s felt like they were working with me. The shoes flexed in all the right places while feeling stable where needed. Whether I was defending or attacking, I felt like I was moving to the best of my ability in these shoes."

Oak also appreciated how supportive the Cybersonic 2s were on nearly every movement. He explained, "The support of these Cybersonic 2s was more than enough, and I felt stable maybe 95 percent of the time. There were occasional moments in awkward positions when the shoes started to give way, but I would chalk that up to user error. Most of the time, you won't run into stability issues with these shoes, provided your footwork is overall clean enough. Stability-wise, I was very impressed when undergoing aggressive movements or slides. The Cybersonic 2s let me feel free on court and encouraged me to go after that extra ball. I will say that the shoes did a great job of keeping me sure-footed in both tennis and padel, so it was nice to see their versatility firsthand."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.4

Perhaps one of the more surprising areas of performance for these Cybersonic 2s was their high level of durability, easily exceeding that of the previous iteration. As one of our playtesters more prone to burning through outsoles, Oak was somewhat shocked by how well his Cybersonic 2s have held up, and he continued to wear them long after this test concluded. He described, "Durability for these Cybersonic 2s has actually been much better than expected. From what my friends have told me, the durability of both the uppers and outsoles on the first generation of these shoes was subpar at best. On the 2s, the outsoles have held up astonishingly well for me, and my most high-wear area (left medial toe) shows practically no sign of balding, which I was very happy to see. The uppers have done a nice job of molding to my feet over time without breaking down and feeling unsupportive. The toe durability has also been outstanding, so pretty much no complaints on the whole regarding the shoes' longevity and lifespan."

For Chris, the durability was quite impressive relative to other adidas options. He said, "I found a decent level of outsole durability from the Cybersonic 2s. I had some wear in my high-wear areas at the end of the test, but nothing out of the ordinary. I'm finding better outsole durability here than I did with the Ubersonic 5s we recently tested, and I feel like I'm moving even better in the Cybersonic 2s. The toe tips and upper regions of the toe box also did a good job of withstanding my toe-dragging tendencies."

Mark was seriously impressed by the level of durability he found from the Cybersonic 2s. He noted, "Admittedly, I was surprised by the level of durability the Cybersonic 2s exhibited. At this stage of my tennis life, I am not as aggressive as I used to be when it comes to sliding, dragging or inverting my feet during on-court movements. As a result, I give high marks to the overall outsole and upper durability."

The Cybersonic 2's durability exceeded Jason's expectations for a lighter weight shoe. He said, "I thought the outsoles held up well, especially considering they are one of adidas' lightweight offerings. I was able to get about 10 to 12 hours on them, and they show some minimal signs of wear and tear on the medial toe area."

Traction: 9.0

Once again, the Cybersonic 2s proved to be highly capable shoes across a variety of playing styles, which is a testament to their premium performance. After a short break-in, the traction became the perfect "Goldilocks" level of responsive and sturdy for Mark. He explained, "The traction of the adidas Cybersonic 2s was predictably sticky for the first few minutes of play but gave way to what I describe as a proper combination of grip versus slip. I did not have the chance to put the modified herringbone tread pattern to the test on a soft court, but on every hard court (clean or not), traction was top tier."

As with the previous version, Jason encountered a few issues with the traction of the Cybersonic 2s. He said, "I felt the outsoles on the original Cybersonics were a bit too sticky, and unfortunately, the second-generation outsoles are quite similar. If you love a ton of traction, you'll really enjoy these. However, I would want a bit more give."

The level of traction and grip allowed Chris to trust the Cybersonic 2s regardless of what movement he was attempting to pull off. He described, "I'm rarely (if ever) disappointed by the level of grip I find playing in adidas shoes, and the Cybersonic 2s continue that trend. I found the perfect blend of grip and give. I was able to push off aggressively and come to a controlled stop. When looking to pivot and take small adjustment steps, there was enough give to allow me to move without feeling stuck to the court."

Oak found great success with these outsoles, and he thought the performance was up to scratch on a variety of court types and surfaces. He said, "These Cybersonic 2s have a relatively unique outsole pattern, with multitudes of different directionality and tread patterns. I've never seen anything quite like it honestly, and I was very impressed by how it felt and played. The Cybersonic 2s have really good traction along with really good responsiveness, and they're quite adept for sliding if need be. The traction was also quite good when I was playing on artificial turf."

Weight: 8.8

Across the board, the weight of the Cybersonic 2s was never something that our team was overly aware of, and they could trust the shoes to support all kinds of movement. The Cybersonic 2s offered effortless playability for Chris. He noted, "Not thinking about my shoes is a sure sign for me that the shoes are working with my feet and aren’t feeling heavy or bulky. I was very happy with how I was able to cover the court in the Cybersonic 2s."

Oak found the Cybersonic 2s to exist in a harmonious space where the weight only ever felt supplemental instead of detrimental. He explained, "I thought the weight of these Cybersonics was more substantial than lightweight speed shoes, of course, but they didn't feel overly heavy. The Cybersonic 2s are light enough to undergo fast acceleration if necessary, but they're heavy enough to be supportive and encourage good footwork. Overall, I thought the shoes' ability to maneuver was never hindered by their weight, which can sometimes happen with medium to heavyweight shoes."

Similarly, Jason was able to easily get into a groove with the Cybersonic 2s, as he enjoyed their lighter nature. He said, "The Cybersonic 2s felt pretty lightweight to me. I definitely felt fast on the court with them on thanks to the Energy Rod. Once I had them on my feet, I didn't give them a second thought. Like Ron Popeil would say, 'Set it and forget it!' "

Lately, Mark has been doing something of a "blind" weight test for shoes so he's not influenced by the scale when evaluating their performance. He described, "After testing so many shoes over the last several years, I figured out that I prefer not to know what the weight is before I wear them a few times. It wasn’t until I had around 30 hours of play on these Cybersonic 2s that I peeked at their listed weight. They averaged 14 ounces (size 10.5), and I felt that adidas did a great job of trimming weight without sacrificing comfort or support."

Breakdown Summary