There was a lot of hype around the launch of the adidas Cybersonics. They bring EnergyRod technology to tennis for the first time (along with a premium price point), and our team was excited to see if the shoes lived up to their high expectations. Tiffani started by saying, "These Cybersonics have a bit of a futuristic look to them, so I was eager to try them on. Putting these shoes on did require a bit of effort on my part due to the bootie construction and my wide feet, but the loop at the heel does help quite a bit. Once I got my feet in the shoes, I found them comfortable from start to finish. These Cybersonics fit truer to medium than a lot of other adidas tennis shoes, which tend to be more generous, but the uppers are quite flexible, so my wide feet didn't feel squeezed. I liked the cushioned feel, and the shoes didn't run hot, so I could wear them after tennis comfortably for longer than usual. I also enjoyed how the Cybersonics flexed with my feet, so I felt supported through the arch area."

Michelle was surprised by how perfectly the Cybersonics fit her feet from first to last wear. She explained, "The bootie construction really hugged my feet in place in a comfortable, yet supportive way. The shoes molded to my feet and felt like they were made just for me. As for cushioning, I would say the Avacourts have been one of my favorite go-to tennis shoes because they are so cushioned; this Cybersonic felt nice underfoot but not as plush as the Avacourts. The cushioning felt like it had a good amount of rebound. It was more responsive than soft cushioning, which is great for matches and when I want to be at my speediest. They felt more cushioned than the Ubersonics, which I appreciated. You could say they felt like they fell perfectly between the Ubersonics and Avacourts. I would still go to the Avacourts for hours of court time, whether it's hitting, coaching or a long day of tennis things. I would opt for the Cybersonics for match situations because I felt more locked in, quicker and more confident in these shoes."

"I was excited to be on this review to see what the Cybersonics were all about," began Zsofi. "Before putting them on, my initial thought was that they looked a bit bulkier than shoes I like, so they would probably be on the heavier side, but to my surprise they didn't feel heavy at all! I felt very speedy in these shoes on court, so the seemingly greater mass did not translate into a heavy weight. The team at adidas really nailed the technology in these shoes because they felt very light on my feet. When it comes to cushioning, I didn't think the Cybersonics were as cushioned as the Avacourts, so if you are looking for more of a plush feel, I would suggest trying the Avacourts first."

Brittany could tell right away she would not need a break-in period with the Cybersonics. She said, "After my first hit, I didn't experience any rubbing or stiff material. The shoes offered a nice glove-like fit for my narrow feet with the perfect toe box. The length was true to size, and my arches felt nicely supported. I was impressed by the cushioning underfoot both in the heel and forefoot. There are some cushioning pods around the ankle as well, and while I did find the tongue to be on the thinner side, I didn't have any comfort issues."

The Cybersonics provided our testers with all the support and stability they needed. Throughout the playtest, Michelle continued to rave about the fit of these shoes, which for her also translated into great support. She explained, "The supportive bootie molded to my feet and kept me locked in. That upper construction paired with the mesh upper and lacing system allowed me to feel snug inside the shoe without feeling overly constricted."

She continued, "While it sort of looks like a gimmick, the EnergyRod that is visible at the heel and runs through the midsole really adds a level of stability, which was top notch. I felt very comfortable running hard off the court to get a ball and recovering just as quickly for the next ball. I always joke that I want a pair of running shoes that will make my mile times shorter; these tennis shoes actually made me feel quicker when scrambling to get balls on the court."

Having experienced ankle injuries in the past, Brittany pays close attention to the support and stability shoes offer. With the Cybersonics, she was satisfied with this aspect of the test. She said, "I felt fully secure moving side to side, and I never experienced any soreness during or after play. For the most part, the bootie construction held my feet in place when I was moving forward and backward. My only small knock on the shoes was that I was unable to get my heel locked in place. I tried a couple of different things, including different sock thicknesses and using the last eyelet, and I was still experiencing my heel slipping up and down as I was walking."

Zsofi felt supported and stable from the moment she laced up her Cybersonics. She had no complaints when it came to stability, saying, "Personally, I do prefer to stay lower and closer to the ground. The midsole of the Cybersonic is a bit thicker than my preference would be, and that was my only knock."

Tiffani noted that these shoes felt pretty light, which doesn't always equate to a lot of support and stability. She added, "The Cybersonics managed to keep me confident in my movements. My right ankle didn't feel sore after playing in these shoes, which is now something I am looking out for after a couple of injuries last year. For how quick and light these shoes felt, I'm quite pleased with their performance in this category."

Durability was another clear strength of the Cybersonics. During this playtest, Brittany spent more than 10 hours on court playing mostly singles and another few hours playing pickleball. She said, "Looking at the outsoles, I was impressed that I was only seeing slight wear underneath my toes. The toe bumpers show some wear on both shoes, but there is plenty of material left to last the lifespan of the shoes. I did have some wear on the midsole toward the front of the shoe where some of the paint was flaking off. This looks purely cosmetic and didn’t affect the performance."

After over 15 hours of hitting, Zsofi was just starting to see the first hints of wear on her outsoles. She described, "There is so much material to work with that durability will not be an issue. The uppers held up nicely too."

Tiffani was not expecting the Cybersonics to be very durable because they felt so light on her feet. However, after about 10 hours of use on hard courts, she said, "I'm not seeing much wear on the outsoles. I don't expect them to be as durable as the Barricade, but I'm happy to see they are holding up well. I have some smoothing on the toes, but it's nothing out of the ordinary."

"This is not the first time I've said this about an adidas shoe in the past year, but I am shocked at how little wear the outsole is showing," added Michelle. "I wore these shoes for a few weeks, and there is barely any smoothing on the outsole. The outsole durability might be one of the best I've seen from any pair of shoes in the past year, and that isn't an exaggeration. While I wish there was a durability guarantee on these shoes, I'm not sure I would be able to wear them out in six months!"

When it comes to levels of traction, our team sometimes disagrees on what works best, but the Cybersonics left everyone pleased. Zsofi found just what she needed here, and she thought the reliable grip emphasized the stable feel of these shoes. She said, "I felt like I had a great balance between give and take when it came to traction. The shoes feel very stable, and the amount of traction I was getting only added to this stability."

Tiffani didn't recall ever feeling stuck or slow in the Cybersonics. She added, "I also never slipped in these shoes. I felt smooth in my movements and confident that I would stay upright. It was a great blend of grip and give for me."

Michelle felt confident and fluid with the traction these shoes provided. She said, "I like a stickier outsole and felt like these shoes really stuck to the ground when needed, but not in a limiting way. I could recover quickly and get my feet back under me after running a ball down. I also will note that I never slid out or felt like I lost control of my footwork. As I mentioned above, durability was great, and the tread remained intact throughout the playtest."

The modified herringbone tread pattern worked well for Brittany. She noted, "The pattern looks a little tighter in some places and wider in others, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I am happy to report that I had a nice blend of give and grip. While I don't slide on hard courts, I do like having a little give when pushing off, and these shoes performed well in this area. I also didn't have to think about the shoes when I was moving, which is a win in my book."

Without looking at the weight of the Cybersonics on the scale, the ladies all considered these shoes to be quick and lightweight. There was no doubt about it, Tiffani felt fast in these shoes.

"These shoes felt light and quick, but heavier than the Ubersonic 4, and I would assume a bit lighter than the Avacourt," said Michelle. "I would easily throw the Cybersonic in a lightweight category, even if the weight on the scale says otherwise."

"I will say these shoes lived up to their name," added Brittany. "I felt super speedy moving around the court. I thought the Cybersonics offered a nice heel-to-toe transition, and I could move around in any direction quickly without having to think about my shoes. I think adidas did a great job designing lightweight shoes without sacrificing some of the other key elements."

For Zsofi, these shoes felt very light and speedy on court. However, when she compared them to the Avacourt, which is her preferred option from adidas, she said, "The Cybersonic felt a bit heavier, but I would still categorize the Cybersonic as a lightweight, yet durable shoe."