Breakdown

Comfort: 8.3

From a comfort perspective, our team was quite satisfied with how the adidas Defiant Speed 2s felt and fit. The uppers proved breathable, and the Lightstrike cushioning was quite supportive. Chris thought the Defiant Speed 2s were exceptional in many ways. He explained, "I was very happy with the fit and feel of the Defiant Speed 2s. They didn’t require any break-in for me, and I was sprinting around the court in them comfortably on the very first wear. The uppers flexed nicely and moved with my feet. Throughout the test, I never had any poking or pinching, and I enjoyed a very comfortable ride. There was plenty of cushioning for me, but I'd say it’s on the minimal side, which I would expect from speed-oriented shoes. My arches felt supported and I was able to move around the court with confidence. The Defiant Speed 2s also offer good ventilation, and my feet never felt too hot during play."

Likewise, Mark quite enjoyed the fit of the Defiant Speed 2s. He said, "I did not wear the prior model of the Defiant Speeds, but I am familiar with the Ubersonic 4s’ midsole, which is featured in these Defiant Speed 2s, and I have to say the underfoot cushioning was more than sufficient in the heel and decent toward the front of the Defiant Speed 2s. Along with good cushioning, the length was spot on and the shoe provided a glove-like fit for my somewhat narrow size 11 feet. I do have a high instep, and I never gave any thought to the arch support, which for me means it was just fine."

Troy managed to find ample comfort, despite some concerns with the overall geometry of the shoes. He described, "I'll just start off by saying that the ventilation was great! Now to be honest, it doesn't get crazy hot here in the California central coast region, but there have been some hot days lately, and these shoes were great for keeping my feet cool. I would say these shoes have a fairly snug or slightly slim fit (in terms of width), so they worked well for my foot type. The Lightstrike cushioning in the midsole was comfortable. It wasn't all that thick of a midsole layer, but what was there was nice and plush, and it did a good job absorbing shock, which surprised me considering they’re such lightweight shoes."

For Oak, the comfort of the shoes was a standout feature. He said, "From a comfort perspective, these shoes felt very nice and soft on my feet. They felt roomy enough to let my feet breathe easily, yet snug enough to remain sturdy when I was moving more intensely. I, however, wasn't the biggest fan of the fit; these shoes are a little bit flatter overall, with a very minimal heel-to-toe drop. I personally like having a little more heel cushion underneath me because that keeps me leaning forward, and more importantly, moving forward through my shots. It's a personal preference thing for sure, but I found the flat-footed nature of the shoes to be more disagreeable than workable."

Foot Support / Stability: 7.5

Support and stability were where our playtesters’ opinions of the Defiant Speed 2s started to vary, suggesting that these shoes might be fairly player-specific as opposed to a universal all-rounder that would suit any player. Troy was able to identify some stability issues around the heels of his shoes. He explained, "These shoes had a snug fit and contoured to my feet well, so the support was good for the most part. I wasn't sliding around inside the toe box, and when I cinched up the laces these shoes felt nice and tight. That said, the Defiant Speed 2s cut low around the ankles, and I was left wanting either a bootie construction for more ankle support or a higher cut on the upper. These shoes didn't have much in terms of a midfoot shank, and they were pretty flexible, so they didn't feel very stable. However, the saving grace would be that my feet sat pretty low to the court, so I didn't feel like I was going to topple over." 

Thankfully, Mark found a little more success with the Defiant Speed 2s. He said, "Compared to other lightweight offerings, the adidas Defiant Speed 2s are pretty stable while moving laterally. Between the midsole keeping my feet low to the ground and the breathable upper being substantial enough to maintain better-than-average support, I felt safe diving in and out of shot scenarios wearing the Defiant Speed 2s."

The Defiant Speed 2s didn't provide Oak the kind of on-court confidence he was hoping for. He said, "When it came to support, the Defiant Speed 2s were incredibly movement-specific for me. For example, I wasn't really able to move off my toes all that well. I couldn't pivot off them easily, and I wasn't able to fully trust the shoes if I was airborne and coming back down. The Defiant Speed 2s allowed me to turn and burn in a straight line fairly effectively, but any movement more nuanced than that proved tricky to execute. As a more defense-oriented player, getting into position is something that I can't really afford to waste time with, and the Defiant Speed 2s, sadly, didn't quite have the initial propulsion or 'jump' that I was looking for on a lot of shots." 

On the other hand, Chris was delighted by the support his Defiant Speed 2s provided. He noted, "The minimalist theme of these shoes carried over to stability, but a high level of support impressed me. I was able to move confidently during matches and practices, and I never had to worry about any issues. The uppers wrapped my feet well and I found the fit to feel very secure. The shoes flexed and moved with my feet, transitioned well from heel to toe, and they felt very natural to move in. There was some flex from the chassis of the shoes on lateral moves, but I felt like it was working with my movement rather than hindering it in any way."

Overall Sole Durability: 7.8

Despite being lighter weight shoes, the Defiant Speed 2s impressed with their levels of durability across the board. Our testers found good toe durability and outsole wear for the majority of the playtest. Chris was pleasantly surprised by how well the shoes held up for him. He said, "For speed-oriented shoes, the Defiant Speed 2s lasted pretty well. Both the outsoles and uppers survived the 15-plus hours I put on them during the test, with plenty more to go. They actually proved to be more durable than a durability-guaranteed offering from another brand we have also recently been testing. That's not a bad result for such a lightweight shoe! With that in mind, I'd still say these are more for the player looking for the ultimate in speed rather than Barricade levels of durability." 

The Defiant Speed 2's durability was more than enough for Mark's purposes. He said, "For a player in his 50s like myself, the durability level of the lightweight Defiant Speed 2s was pretty good. That said, if I were in my 20s and writing this review, I might say otherwise."

Troy also found himself impressed by the durability these Defiant Speed 2s displayed. He said, "The outsole rubber held up pretty well throughout the playtest. I found a little bit of balding in the typical areas, but nothing that I really felt worried about. It seemed as though there was a decent amount of reinforcement in the forefoot and on the medial side of the toe region. So for lightweight, speed-oriented shoes, these held up pretty well. Now don't get me wrong, they are not as beefed up on the outsole as shoes like the adidas Barricade 13 or the Asics Gel Resolution 9, but I thought the durability was sufficient based on their somewhat minimal and speedy design. I saw a little wear on the toe region, although I don't drag my toes all that much. However, I will note the added material right above the rubber outsole (ADITUFF) was appreciated, and it provided a nice barrier between the gritty hard court surface and the mesh uppers." 

Although Oak is an aggressive on-court mover, his Defiant Speed 2s were showing little to no wear by the end of the testing period. He noted, "These shoes have proven to be extremely durable. There's clearly a lot of material used to beef up the shoes' overall responsiveness, and thankfully, it feels dense in a good way. The outsoles have held up extremely well over the course of around 15 hours of play, despite me being a more aggressive slider and mover. Additionally, the uppers have broken in quite nicely, although they were a little rigid on the toe box at first. The toe durability is fantastic, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the level of durability across the board." 

Traction: 8.7

The Defiant Speed 2's level of traction was one area that drew some mixed results for our playtest team. Troy was happy to find the level of traction he had come to expect from his footwear. He said, "Much like many of the adidas shoes I have tested over the years, these Defiant Speed 2 shoes provided plenty of traction and grip on the court. I felt sure-footed when planting and making cuts, and I never felt like I was slipping. I also feel like the rubber compound is ideal in that it's not too gummy or sticky. Overall, the traction gave me the confidence to move at my best, and I didn't have to think about it much while on court, which is a positive."

However, Oak experienced some issues with his grip, particularly toward the toe box of the shoes. He explained, "The traction of the Defiant Speed 2s was OK for me until it wasn't. I felt like they were going to slide out on some of my more aggressive movements, and I ended up having a couple of close calls in more dire situations. This manifested in the forefoot traction primarily, where I felt like I was slipping on the court when trying to find stability under duress. However, I will say that the traction when sliding was excellent. I felt like I could control my slide into the ball and still maintain enough grip to push out at the end of the slide."

Chris thoroughly enjoyed the traction the Defiant Speed 2s afforded him. He said, "I loved the level of traction in these shoes, and it's something I often find myself saying when testing anything from adidas. I found a confidence-inspiring level of grip, and I was able to push off and sprint around the court to the best of my abilities. There was also enough give to allow me to make small adjustment steps and pivots without feeling like the shoes were getting hung up on the court surface. I have nothing but praise when it comes to the blend of grip and give."

Similarly, Mark was more than satisfied with his traction and grip on court. He said, "The traction was top-notch overall. Whether the hard court was freshly cleaned or somewhat dusty, the adidas Defiant Speed 2s were trusty, providing the proper amount of grip versus slip."

Weight: 8.9

As these adidas Defiant Speed 2s are designed to be light and speedy, our team found no issues when it came to the weight. For Mark, the measured weight was consistent with his performance on court. He said, "My size 11s were in the low 13-ounce range, and overall the weight on the scale pretty much reflected the agile feel these shoes provided me while on court." 

Despite having some issues with these shoes elsewhere, Oak enjoyed their lightweight feel. He noted, "The weight of the Defiant Speed 2s wasn’t an issue at all, and I have no complaints in terms of the mass of the shoes. I feel like the material they used was supportive, but not too bulky."

For Chris, the Defiant Speed 2s allowed for easy, effortless movement on court. He said, "The Defiant Speed 2s felt very fast and light on my feet. I felt like I was moving at the best of my ability. They felt light, the uppers flexed with my feet, the traction was perfect, and I found ample support. The fact that these shoes last better than expected is a great bonus." 

While Troy liked the Defiant Speed 2's light and natural feel, he would have accepted a bit more weight if that meant better support. He explained, "Coming in at just over 13 ounces for a men's size 10.5, these Defiant Speed 2s felt nice and quick. They also felt flexible, with very minimal break-in time. These shoes transitioned from heel to toe smoothly, and my movement felt natural as I covered the court. I wanted a little more material around my ankles, so I wouldn't have minded a bit more added weight if it was put to good use."

Breakdown Summary