Head Endure Pro Men's Tennis Shoe Review

The Endure Pros offered our testers a comfortable ride, with this being one of the shoes' standout areas of performance. Both the BOA version and the standard edition were well received, with most testers feeling like either would be a good option for them. These days, Troy tends to prioritize comfort in his footwear, and he found plenty in the Endure Pros. He explained, "I found the comfort and breathability to be pretty good overall, especially with the cooling system that allows airflow from the bottom of these shoes. From the first time I slipped them on, the Endure Pros hugged my feet like gloves. The more I wore them the more they molded to my feet for a very comfortable feel. The layer of cushioning under my feet wasn't super thick, but the DynaFoam that Head used did a good job of absorbing shock. There were times when I noticed the midsole foam sort of bottoming out in the heels, and I could feel the court. I think either adding a bit more thickness or using a more dense foam would have helped solve this issue. I found the arch support to be lacking just a bit -- not necessarily the height, but more the way these shoes flexed. As the playtest went on these shoes felt a little too flexible throughout the midfoot region. I think I had a slight preference for the laced version over the BOA version. The difference in comfort was minimal, but I felt like the laces distributed the pressure points more evenly on top of my feet."

Mark found consistent comfort and a great fit from both versions of the Endure Pro, leaving him feeling fresh even after longer hitting sessions. He said, "The length was spot on, and the width felt like a medium, which was ideal for my foot type. Even without using the lacing system for either Endure Pro shoe, the fit hugged the curves of my feet nicely, and once laced up, the uppers secured my feet in place during play with zero constriction. The listed medium arch height was sufficient, and it actually improved with wear once my heels and the balls of my feet sank into the midsoles. I would say the midsole cushioning was sufficient up front and more substantial under the heels of my feet, which left my legs feeling relatively fresh after matches."

Jason also enjoyed wearing the Endure Pros on court, and he praised the BOA version's uniquely comfortable feel. He noted, "I thought the Endure Pros had a nice level of underfoot cushioning that made them comfortable to wear on court for hours at a time. What was nice about the BOA model was that there were no pressure points, even when I was really cinching down the dial. Another plus was the out-of-the-box comfort -- no break-in needed."

Despite some initial wariness, Chris thought both the standard and BOA models of the Endure Pro felt great on court. He said, "I found both versions of the Endure Pro to be comfortable during play. Before I wore the BOA version I was concerned that the wires that cinch the shoes would dig into my feet, but I was pleased to discover there were no pressure points and no discomfort from the system. Underfoot, I enjoyed the level of cushioning at both the forefoot and heel. I felt protected from tough landings and quick stops thanks to the comfortable ride these shoes offered. The ventilation was very good, and my feet stayed cool even during longer hitting sessions. I also liked the amount of support these shoes offered under my arches. I felt very comfortably secure in both versions of the Endure Pros."

Our team found that the Endure Pros performed surprisingly well in this category, especially considering the soft, flexible upper and breathable construction. Both versions of the Endure Pro provided Chris with very reliable support, and he particularly appreciated the BOA edition's speedy adjustability and foot-hugging fit. He said, "I found a very secure ride in these Endure Pros. I liked the ease of use of the BOA version because I could dial up the tension or click it back slightly much faster than I could untie and tie the laces, which made the BOA shoes the better option for a mid-game adjustment. The uppers held my feet nicely in both versions, and I never felt like I was spilling out over the edges of the midsole when coming to a hard lateral stop. I felt locked in on forward sprints too, and I had no issues moving as aggressively as possible in both pairs."

Although he found himself favoring the traditional lacing version, Jason was impressed by the amount of lateral stability both Endure Pro models provided him. He said, "Both models were really good. I thought the uppers and the midfoot shanks kept my feet locked in place. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the BOA model did in this department. The two BOA dials were key. I've tested shoes with one BOA, and it did not do nearly as well. Being able to finely tune how tight I could get the shoes on my feet was icing on the cake."

While Troy found good comfort, he thought the support was a little lacking in both Endure Pros, owing to their more flexible upper construction. He said, "I loved the glove-like fit of these shoes, and I found pretty good support for the most part, minus a couple of minor knocks. The fit was good for me, but these shoes felt just a little on the flexible side as time went on. The support was good at the beginning of the test, but after about 15 hours of wear it felt like these shoes were flexing too much under my arches. I would say these shoes were sufficiently stable. I felt low to the court in the forefoot, and that gave me confidence when I was moving laterally. I would have liked a bit wider base in the forefoot or more of a lateral outrigger to help me really plant and cut on lateral movements on the baseline. I liked how snug and tight I could get the fit with the BOA version. I felt like I could get the shoes to be just as snug and supportive with the laced version, but with better comfort."

Mark may have enjoyed the support of the Endure Pros the most. He explained, "I definitely felt safe and supported in either Endure Pro model. In fact, I played matches with the BOA on one foot and the standard Endure Pro on the other and never gave it a second thought. There is a lateral outrigger located just behind the pinky toe, which I really liked, because it complemented stability without compromising my agility on court. The stance of both Endure Pros felt the same, which was somewhat low. Their low profile allowed me to comfortably brake into and accelerate out of my shots with tons of confidence from the first rally and well beyond the end of this playtest."

The durability of the Endure Pros lived up to their name. They held up quite well over time despite their relatively minimal upper construction. Mark had no major issues here, but he would have appreciated perhaps a slightly more rugged outsole. He said, "The overall durability for both the Endure Pro and the Endure Pro BOA was better than average, and specifically, the outsole durability level was decent. That said, being that both models weigh in the 15-ounce range, I would expect a little better outsole durability."

Troy found a good level of overall durability, but he experienced some tread balding in high-wear areas. He explained, "The Head Hybrasion+ rubber compound held up well throughout the playtest. Other than some slight balding in the toe region and near the balls of my feet, the outsole held up pretty well. I dragged and turned my feet over a couple of times, but the TPU protection on the uppers did a great job of resisting abrasion. I found the outsoles to be more durable than the soles of most lightweight, speed-oriented shoes, but they weren’t as durable as some of the heavy-duty durability and stability-focused models. I had no durability issues with the BOA version, but the thin strings that are used for tensioning just seem a little at risk, so I am sticking with the laces."

The durability of the Endure Pros was more than up to scratch for Jason. He said, "The Endure Pros certainly seem like they can endure a lot of court time. The outsoles held up exceptionally well throughout my playtest. I put about 12 hours on them, and they show no signs of tread loss."

Chris thought both the standard and BOA editions of the Endure Pro held up fairly well on court. He said, "I did not have any durability issues with either pair of shoes when it came to outsole wear. I only saw some minor wear in my high-wear area, which is under the big toe of my right shoe. I did see a little more wear to the uppers from toe dragging, but both pairs of shoes were still holding strong."

Despite being a tad sticky at first, the Endure Pros quickly settled in for effective maneuvering around the court. Chris found that Goldilocks mix of grip and give, and felt comfortable both sprinting and stopping. He described, "I liked the level of grip and give I found in the Endure Pros. I was able to sprint around the court and trust I would get the traction needed for a quick start."

Jason also found excellent grip, but he might have preferred a little less of it so he could slide more smoothly. He clarified, "The outsoles felt pretty grippy to me. That meant I had no issues with pushing off, but I would have liked slightly more give when stopping and changing directions."

The Endure Pro's traction was pretty much perfect for Troy, allowing him to move with confidence on court. He explained, "The traction was great, with no issues here. Right out of the box and onto the court, I felt like I could stop and start with a sure grip and confidence. I didn't think the Hybrasion+ rubber compound was too sticky, but there was plenty of grip when I needed to stop or change directions. I felt like the rubber wore in nicely after about a week of wear on hard courts (about 10 hours or so of testing), allowing for that little added give when I was hitting the brakes or changing directions. The traction worked well for me and my movements throughout the playtest.”

Although Mark initially worried that the Endure Pros might be a little too sticky on court, the traction grew much more to his liking as time wore on. He said, “The traction for both Endure Pros was slightly sticky during the first few minutes of moving around the court. However, for the rest of the playtest, and beyond, traction was just like the fit -- spot on!"

Most of our team thought the Endure Pros felt lighter than the number on the scale might have led them to expect. Mark explained, "Both of my size 11 Endure Pro shoes tipped the scales in the low to mid-15-ounce range. Honestly, though, I would have guessed them to weigh less because I felt faster around the court wearing the Endure Pros than I do in a pair of Sprint Pros."

Troy also thought both versions of the Endure Pro felt speedy on court. He said, "I was surprised to find out the weight of these Endure Pros because I felt like they played lighter than their weight would indicate. We found the laced version of a men’s US size 10.5 to come in at about 15.3 ounces and the BOA version at about 15.6 ounces. I didn't really notice a difference in the weight between the two versions, but I will say in general I thought that they felt relatively speedy. Prior to weighing them on a scale, I would have thought they were closer to the mid-14-ounce range. I think the fact that these shoes were very glove-like and had a more flexible feel made them feel lighter than they actually are, and added to that sense of speediness.”

While Jason didn't find the Endure Pros to feel as light as some of the other testers did, the weight wasn't a downside for him. He said, "I don't think the weight is a highlight of these shoes, but it's not a detriment either. Is there some heft to these shoes? Yes, for sure. But once I had them on and was playing in them, the weight was an afterthought."

The weight wasn't noticeable to Chris, who felt like the ratio of performance to weight was pretty ideal. He noted, "For the level of performance offered, the Endure Pros felt appropriately weighted. I was very happy with the overall feel of them on court. I felt fast, I felt stable and my feet felt comfortable. No complaints from me."