Our team of ladies had a good experience with the original model of these shoes, so each of them was curious to see what the Speed B.Icon 2s had to offer. The first thing Zsofi noted was just how soft and plush these shoes felt. She began, "The comfort levels were top-notch, with really nice cushioning both in the heel and in the forefoot. Overall, the shoes really feel like the previous version, except with a few small changes, such as the reinforced upper. The last version opened up a bit in that upper area after some hours of playtime, but Diadora made an effort to correct that with this new version, so durability won't be an issue here. While the plushness was very comfortable, the shoes were a bit too plush for me. Sometimes I felt like I was getting sort of stuck in my steps, and it caused me to feel a bit unstable at times."

"When I put on the B.Icon 2s, they felt a little snug in the forefoot," added Tiffani, the playtester with the widest feet on our team. "I didn't recall the first edition feeling too narrow for my wider feet and just remembered how much I liked the cushioning. I went back to read my feedback on the original model, and it turns out that I did need to break them in due to the width. I went ahead with my B.Icon 2 playtest and waited for my shoes to open up, but as the hours wore on, they continued to feel constrictive in the forefoot area. They never did fully feel comfortable in the toe box, and I suspect the built-up durability feature on the medial side just didn't allow the uppers to relax. Aside from the width, I did once again love the level of cushioning underfoot. These shoes do run a bit hot because of that cushioning, though."

Michelle fondly remembered the previous version of the B.Icon as the first shoe she got to test in 2022. She said, "Stepping into this updated pair of B.Icons, I noted the same plush cushioning underfoot. However, I thought the toe box felt much more rigid. The widest part of my feet was getting pinched in the shoes due to the updated durability piece on the upper. After my first hit in them, I was struggling with some pain and found I was trying to stay on the outside edges of my feet because the inside edges of my feet were hurting. When putting on the shoes the next day, my feet were still sore. For the next couple of weeks, I experimented with tying the shoes tighter and looser to get them to break in and fit better. After two weeks of wear, they finally seemed to break in. The pain was gone, and the comfort of the shoes unlocked. Once that happened, I remembered why I liked the B.Icons initially! These shoes weren't very breathable either, but this is never a deal breaker for me."

Diadora is known for its plush cushioning underfoot, and when Brittany first tried on the B.Icon 2s, she was not disappointed. She said, "As I was walking around, I could feel plenty of cushioning, not only underfoot but also around my ankles and heels. However, I did note the upper appeared to feel a little stiffer and was putting pressure right around where the forefoot starts. This caused me to have a longer-than-expected break-in period. After several hours, I did feel like the uppers opened up a little; I am hoping it will continue to do so over the life of the shoes. However, the previous iteration opened up too much for me and ultimately became too wide for my narrow feet. Like the previous model, I felt these shoes ran a little warm, and there could be better ventilation."

Our team was a bit divided when it came to the support and stability of the Speed B.Icon 2s. Tiffani started the discussion, saying, "As I tried these shoes on and wore them to walk around in, I couldn't get my heel to sit fully down in the heel cup. The back of my feet felt elevated, so the shoes didn't feel quite secure enough around my ankles to play tennis. However, once I laced up the extra eyelets, I got a better fit around my ankle, and I felt confident to head out to play. Once on court, my feet didn't slip or slide inside the shoes, and they held my ankles well."

Michelle also thought the new B.Icons were very supportive and stable. She said, "Once my shoes were broken in, I felt very secure moving in them. There was never a moment when I was worried about twisting an ankle, and I always felt held in snugly."

In Brittany's opinion, some of the most important aspects of tennis shoes are the support and the stability. She described, "I think the B.Icon 2s nailed both, and I felt very confident (even with a previous ankle injury). These shoes supported my feet well, and I had no movement within them in any direction. They also cinched nicely around my ankles and gave me plenty of stability when playing points. I never had any fears of rolling an ankle."

Unfortunately, because the B.Icon 2s felt a bit too plush for Zsofi and the outsole was sticky, she felt stuck at times. She said, "When I tried to change directions fast, these shoes caused me to feel unstable."

Across the board, our playtesters were quite pleased with the Speed B.Icon 2's durability. Recalling the previous version to be long lasting, Michelle thought this update proved to be every bit as durable — even more so when you factor in the new upper. She said, "I don't think anything has changed here from the previous model on the outsole. After they broke in, I was more apt to wear them more. I still have months of wear left in these shoes! I will also note the added durability piece on the upper was the part that caused me pain. In the previous version, the upper was ripping in this spot, but while I appreciate the fix, it was an overcorrection, and I wish it didn't feel so rigid. However, on the positive side, the upper did not rip and remained intact through the test."

Although Brittany didn't max out the hours during this playtest, she did get enough time in to comment on durability. She said, "Looking at the shoes, I am seeing pretty much no wear on any part of the outsole, even in my high-wear areas. This also goes for the toe bumper, which was nice and thick and sufficiently protected the upper."

Like Brittany, Tiffani didn't put as many hours on the B.Icon 2s as she typically would for playtest shoes, but she was still satisfied with their performance in this category. She explained, "After eight or so hours of hard-court use, I'm not seeing much wear at all. The tread is deep, and the toes are holding up fine as well."

For the majority of our team, the traction of the Speed B.Icon 2s was a little too sticky. Brittany critiqued, "From the start of the playtest, I noticed the outsole grabbed the court well and maintained that level of stick even at the end of the playtest. As a personal preference, I prefer a little less grip when it comes to traction. There wasn't any give when I was pushing out of my shots, and I felt stuck. I also noticed the shoes were extremely loud and squeaky when I was moving my feet (especially on the indoor court we playtest on)."

"These shoes are definitely on the stickier side," added Zsofi. "Depending on what you are looking for, the B.Icon 2s might just give you that extra traction you need."

While Tiffani also thought the traction felt a bit too aggressive at first, she found that it settled in somewhat after more time on the courts. She said, "The outsoles of the B.Icon 2s are very sticky. The first couple of hours, I felt pretty stuck to the hard court, and I wasn't feeling like my movements were smooth. After a couple of hours, they settled into a grippy feel, but I could transition well enough. I prefer slightly more give, though. The stickiness also translated into squeaky outsoles."

Luckily, a grippy outsole is not a problem for Michelle. She described, "Just like the previous version, the traction on these shoes is on the stickier side; but that is OK with me! I tested these B.Icon 2s after testing a pair of shoes that was too slippery for me, so the extra tack was appreciated. I like a sticky outsole!"

Our playtesters all agreed that the Speed B.Icon 2s lie somewhere near the middle of the tennis shoe weight spectrum. "I would probably describe this shoe as a mid-weight option," said Zsofi. "However, when you are wearing them, they definitely feel pretty light!"

Tiffani, who enjoys quick and speedy shoes, noted the B.Icon 2s to be on the heavier side. She explained, "They grip the court and have lots of cushioning, so they didn't feel like the lightest shoes. However, if you're looking for a cushioned ride, some added weight is usually part of the equation."

"I don't think these are lightweight shoes, but they never felt too heavy or bulky," added Michelle. "I had no issues with the weight, and I expected this with the level of cushioning and durability."

Brittany thought Diadora did a great job at distributing the weight of the B.Icon 2s. She said, "They are not lightweight shoes by any means, but they flex nicely, and I have a nice heel-to-toe transition."