Diadora Speed Competition 5 Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.4

The air mesh upper and soft underfoot cushioning of the Diadora Speed Competition 5s offered a comfortable experience on court. This shoe fit Kristen like a glove, and after a short break-in period, she enjoyed a cushioned feel for the duration of the playtest. She said, "I was impressed with the feel of these shoes from the onset. They fit true to size when I put them on my feet for the first time. They were comfortably snug and had so much cushioning underfoot that I felt like I sat up off the ground slightly. During my first hitting session I was getting some pretty bad toe jamming on court. Luckily, that issue subsided within the first hour. I also noticed that the underfoot cushioning started to settle in during the first week of play. It compressed and molded to my feet, so I felt lower and more connected to the ground while still maintaining a comfortable, cushioned feel. When I started this playtest the temperature outside was still fairly cool, and I didn't have any issues with breathability. However, as the weather started heating up, these shoes did get quite warm."

Erik also relished the Speed Competition 5's generous cushioning, but he ran into some difficulty in the fit department. He explained, "I really liked the cushioning underfoot, and I found these shoes to be very comfortable on court. The ventilation was decent, although they ran very warm in the Georgia heat. The fit is where I ran into some issues. I had trouble staying locked in as these shoes began stretching out a little wider than I wanted. Wearing thicker socks or two pairs definitely helped fill in the unwanted space. I also struggled with some toe jamming when I was trying to slide or move aggressively; it almost made me want to slow down to preserve my toes."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.0

Despite their lighter weight nature, the Diadora Speed Competition 5s still succeeded in providing a stable ride. Erik noted the added stability provided by the D-Skin upper, but he didn't feel fully supported during aggressive movements due to the fit issues. He said, "These shoes provided nice stability in the forefoot, where they have a cage-like design. The stability around the ankle was okay, but I would've liked to feel more locked in when making lateral cuts. I felt like I was half a step slower, but I never felt like I was going to roll an ankle or anything like that. The support overall was very solid, and I would definitely train in these shoes."

Kristen had only positives to report. She said, "Support and stability were highlights of the playtest for me. I felt locked-in and fully supported, whether moving forward, backward or laterally. Especially factoring in the lightweight feel and cushioned interior, I was impressed with the fact that these Speed Competition 5s felt so stable and supportive on court."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.8

Our playtesters agreed that the Speed Competition 5s are tough enough to stand up to plenty of play. Kristen noticed only minimal wear after putting in extensive time on court. She said, "I put a lot of hours on these shoes over a couple of months. The uppers have held up well, and I haven't noticed much of a change in fit. There's slight wear on the outsoles and some smoothing of the toe guard where I drag my toes, but all very minimal for the time I've spent in the shoes."

Erik added, "I was very impressed by the durability I got out of these Speed Competition 5s. The outsoles held up throughout the playtest with little to no wear."

Traction - Score: 4.2

The Speed Competition 5's Duratech 5000 outsole provided our team with more grip than give. For hard court slider Erik, this caused some difficulties. He said, "These Speed Competition 5s were quite sticky. I prefer to slide into my shots, and I struggled to do so in these. However, for people looking for excellent traction, these Speed Competition 5s will definitely provide it."

Kristen thought the traction worked well when she was sprinting for the ball, but she tended to feel a bit stuck when she tried to make more minor adjustments. She described, "The traction was definitely on the stickier side, and the shoes were also quite noisy on court. On full-out sprints, I could feel the shoes gripping the court, but I didn't necessarily feel slowed down. Where I did notice an issue was on smaller movements. When I needed to make quick adjustments to get to a ball or set up for a shot, I felt a bit held back and stuck to the court."

Weight - Score: 4.4

With the men's Diadora Speed Competition 5 weighing less than 14 oz and the women's less than 12 oz, this shoe falls on the lighter end of the spectrum, but it still packs enough weight to feel balanced. "Weight was never an issue with these shoes," said Erik. "I liked the weight of them: not too light, not too heavy. I was able to move effectively around the court, and I never felt weighed down."

Kristen added, "I would put these shoes in the lightweight shoe category. They aren't ultra-light, but the weight that is there is used well, offering good support and stability. Overall, I found them to be well-balanced shoes."

Overall - Score: 4.2