adidas Avacourt 3 Women's Tennis Shoe Review

The adidas Avacourt 3s have a generous toe box for players with wider feet, and with the Repetitor midsole foam and extra padding in the heel and tongue, comfort is a highlight. Even though her feet are on the narrow side, Brittany was impressed with the comfort level on display. She described, "I found a medium width in the heel and midfoot and a generous medium width in the toe box. Like other adidas shoes I have playtested, the Avacourt 3s felt a tad long, but I didn’t need to go down a half size. I could also feel the arch support underfoot, and the longer I wore the shoes, the more they molded to my arches. Comfort was the absolute highlight for me. There was plush cushioning underfoot from heel to toe, and good cushioning around the ankle collar. The tongue was not too thin or too thick; just right. I also appreciated that I didn’t need a break-in period, and I was able to play comfortably from the first practice to the last. Ventilation-wise, I had no issues. My feet stayed nice and cool (although we did test in slightly cooler months)."

Tiffani appreciated the wider toe box and the cushioned feel. She said, "The shape of the original Avacourts really fit my feet well, so I was anticipating good things from the Avacourt 3s. Although I think the shape of the toe box isn't quite as wide as the first version, it was plenty spacious for my wider feet, and the soft uppers contributed to the overall comfortable feel for me. The cushioning around the ankles is also quite plush, and these shoes feel soft underfoot. I could sense an arch, but it was placed well and offered decent support for my flatter feet. I often wear aftermarket insoles for added arch support, but I didn't feel like I needed to with the Avacourt 3s. The ventilation was fine for me as well. I have no complaints in the comfort department."

The comfort level did not disappoint Kyla either. She said, "The Avacourt 3s felt comfortable right out the box, with little break-in time needed. The cushioning underfoot was good and provided a plush feel. The body of the shoes fit my feet well and felt secure, but the toe box ran a bit wide for me. The ventilation was solid, and I didn't experience any overheating during play."

Michelle thought this update was an improvement on the Avacourt 2s, aside from one or two small issues. She explained, “When adidas first introduced the Avacourts I fell in love with them immediately! The style is just so beautiful, and they are easy to wear with any outfit. With this third iteration, the comfort is a standout feature. They are plush underfoot, and the uppers are so lightweight, breathable and supportive. I did have a tiny bit of an issue off court, though. The shoes were a bit slappy when I was just walking around, and they squeaked a little around my heels (this was noticeable even just walking to pick up a ball on the court). This made me take them off when I wasn't on court, which was a bummer because I love the style. I also don't love the flatter laces because I struggled to get the shoes really cinched up. I found the laces to be extra long as well, and they wouldn't always stay tied, even when I triple-knotted them."

Although they all praised the Avacourt 3s' comfort, our playtesters did struggle to get the level of support they needed for competitive play. Michelle would have liked an extra set of eyelets to help lock things in. She said, "I liked the stability the Avacourt 3s offered, but I was hoping for more support. As I mentioned above, I just didn't feel like I could get my laces tight enough, and my ankles and heels were moving around. There wasn't an extra eyelet to utilize here, so I would just cinch up the laces as best as I could."

Changing the laces might solve Tiffani's issues with the Avacourt 3s. She said, "Initially, I had some trouble locking in my heels. I decided to tie the shoes with a runner's loop, and that technique kept my heels from lifting out of the shoes. The one unfortunate issue I had was that the flat shoelaces didn't stay tight, so I was retying my shoes between games to keep them feeling secure. Other than that, I had no problems with lateral stability or any issues with toe jamming. I think for the long run I will switch the laces out for laces similar to the laces adidas uses on the Barricade 14s, which hold their tension better for me."

The stability level was good for Brittany despite the fact that the Avacourt 3s felt too roomy for her narrow feet. She described, "The one thing I struggled with during this playtest was the support. I have the narrowest feet on the playtest team, and I felt like I had too much room inside the Avacourt 3s, especially in the toe box. The longer I wore the shoes, the more I felt the uppers stretch out. When I was moving aggressively, I could feel my feet slipping and sliding inside the shoes, and I was craving a more locked-in feel. No matter how tightly I tied the laces (which I had to constantly retie), I couldn't get my ankles locked in, and they were slipping up and down as I moved. There is a positive; I felt the overall stability was enough to meet my standards. I never felt like I was going to tip over the side of the shoes or roll an ankle."

Kyla is used to heavier, more supportive shoes. She said, "These Avacourt 3s felt a little too light for me, which made them feel less stable during aggressive movements. I prefer a slightly more structured and heavier feel. The lighter build may appeal to players who prioritize speed and quickness, but I personally missed having that more grounded, stable feel. The slippery laces also didn't help, and they tended to loosen and come untied a little too quickly."

The Adiwear rubber compound on the outsole and Adituff abrasion zone in the toe area of these adidas Avacourt 3s deliver durability. The shoes stood up to many hours of competitive play for Brittany. She explained, "I tested these Avacourt 3s out for 15-plus hours on our indoor court and some outdoor courts, all with gritty surfaces. I am starting to see some wear at the tip of both shoes under my toes. I am also seeing some scuffing on the toe bumpers of both shoes, but it looks to be more cosmetic as of now. The uppers look to be in great condition. All in all, I still feel like I have a lot of life left in my Avacourt 3s."

"The durability of these Avacourt 3s was good," Kyla added. "I didn't notice any wear and tear beyond what I would expect from the amount of time I wore these shoes. The outsoles, uppers and toes all held up really well during play."

There were no surprises when it came to how the Avacourt 3s held up for Tiffani. She described, "The Avacourt 3s are wearing at a normal rate for me, and after about 12 hours, they show minimal wear on the outsoles and some scuffing at the toes. The outsoles are on par with the Barricade 14s, but the toes scuff up pretty easily, even though it's cosmetic wear. I have no worries in the durability department."

Michelle only saw some minor wear after a month of playtesting. She said, "I wore these Avacourt 3s often through our month of playtesting, and I think the outsoles are holding up quite well. I am going to say they probably aren't the most durable outsoles, but they aren't the least either! I see some smoothing under my big toes, but nothing detrimental."

A dynamic tread pattern in tandem with the Adiwear outsoles provides the adidas Avacourt 3s with excellent traction. The balance of grip and give worked well for Tiffani. She said, "I would say these shoes are plenty grippy, without feeling too sticky. I don't recall feeling stuck or slow to a ball because of these shoes, and I didn't slip. I also appreciated the quietness of the outsoles on the hard court."

The outsoles of the Avacourt 3s felt optimal to Michelle. She said, "I enjoyed the traction on these shoes -- not too sticky, not too slippery, just right! It’s a good thing when I don't think about the traction, and I have no complaints."

The Avacourt 3s had just the right amount of grip for Kyla from the moment she first put them on. She explained, "The traction on these shoes was reliable and consistent; the grip was at a good level. There wasn't a sticky period at the start that I had to work through. I didn't notice any issues with sliding or sticking."

Brittany thought the traction improved after a few hours of play. She said, “The traction was just slightly sticky for my first hour or two on court in the Avacourt 3s. I playtested the white/silver/grey colorway that had somewhat translucent outsoles, which felt a little more grippy. However, the traction seemed to settle in after a few hours, and I didn't have to think about it as much. By the end of the playtest, the Avacourt 3s were still leaning more toward grip than give, but I felt like it was a nice balance, and I never felt stuck when changing directions."

Weighing in at 10.9 ounces (size 8.5), the adidas Avacourt 3s fall on the lighter end of the spectrum. These shoes felt 'just right' for Michelle's game. She said, "The weight was awesome. The Avacourt 3s are comfortable but not heavy. They feel pretty light on foot, yet still stable enough to move with confidence. They're not super light but definitely not bulky. These are like Goldilocks shoes!"

The weight of these Avacourt 3s surprised Brittany. She explained, “I was actually shocked at how light they were on the scale because, to be honest, they don't feel that light on foot when playing. I felt like there was enough substance in the shoes for stability and cushioning purposes, even at their lighter weight. I felt decently quick overall."

Tiffani thought the weight of the Avacourt 3s was optimal. She said, "These Avacourt 3s didn't feel heavy to me at all, but at the same time, they're not super light. The weight felt average and appropriate for a pair of hard court tennis shoes. I wouldn't change a thing about these shoes in terms of weight."

Kyla generally prefers more substantial tennis shoes, and the Avacourt 3s were no exception. She said, "The Avacourt 3s felt noticeably lightweight to me. For my personal preference, they were slightly too light and lacked some of the more substantial feel I associate with stability. I prefer something with a bit more weight for added support and confidence in movement."