Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultra Women's Tennis Shoe Review
Updated in 2023, Lacoste's AG-LT23 Ultras are worn by top pro players and have tons of style, but our team of playtesters wanted to know what these shoes really had to offer on the courts. After a month-long playtest, it was unanimous: These are some of the best shoes of the year! All four of our testers, all with different widths of feet, were shocked by how comfortable these shoes were and how they fit each of them almost perfectly. The cushioning, stability and support made the AG-LT23 Ultras feel fast and helped our team move confidently. If there was a downside, our team found a couple of faults related to the outsoles. These shoes were squeaky on hard courts, and while they offered decent durability, our squad was hoping for better resilience on gritty courts (mainly to keep these shoes in the rotation longer). If you haven't tried shoes from Lacoste recently, this is your opportunity to grab a pair and get laced up; you won't regret it!
Great fit for all foot types (narrow to wide)
Supportive and stable
Comfortable Stylish
The outsoles are a little sticky and squeaky
Final Verdict
Breakdown SummaryBreakdown
Comfort: 9.3
Based on cosmetics alone, our team was very excited to get the AG-LT23 Ultras laced up and on the court; who wouldn't want to wear a pair tennis shoes this stylish? The rave reviews began as soon as the playtesters stepped into their shoes. Tiffani had no expectations since she hadn't worn Lacoste performance tennis shoes before, but once she tried them on, she found a nice fit overall. She said, "These shoes fit my wider feet comfortably, and I also liked the feel underfoot while walking around the office. There was a healthy amount of cushioning in the heel, and the forefoot cushioning was a bit lower for good court feel. I also thought these shoes breathed pretty well. We went through a heat wave during this playtest, and I can't recall my feet feeling too hot on the court. I also liked the arch support since I never gave it a second thought while playing."
"The AG-LT23 Ultras felt really comfortable from start to finish for me."
"From the moment I put these shoes on, my feet were really happy," began Michelle. "They fit so well. I know on the men's side, there have been some fit issues with length, but I prefer a snug pair of tennis shoes, and these Ultras were perfect for me in terms of length and width. The upper is soft and flexible, while the lacing system allows me to cinch up my laces tightly. Underfoot cushioning was soft but not super plush, and it felt responsive. I wore these shoes all day and never needed to take them off! Since we were playtesting them in the summer, I spent a lot of hot days on the court in these. I thought they were fairly breathable and cooled off fast — plus no issues with sweat stains. They quickly became my favorite shoes of the year!"
With the narrowest feet on this playtest, Brittany was surprised by how well the AG-LT23 Ultras fit her. She said, "If I didn't know any better I would say Lacoste made these personally for me. Not only was the length perfect, the width hugged my feet in all the right places. The toe box was wider where I needed it to be and then tapered so I had the exact amount of room I wanted. The shoes were also extremely comfortable, and I was able to go straight to the court without any break-in. The cushioning underfoot was nice and plush in the heel and a little more minimal in the forefoot. There was nice padding around the ankle, and while the tongue was on the thinner side, there was enough cushioning for me even when I tied my shoes tightly. The ventilation was OK; my feet did feel warm, but I can attribute that to playing in the heat of summer."
Zsofi also thoroughly enjoyed her time in these shoes. She described, "I can confidently say that the new Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultras are some of the best shoes I have tested in the past couple years! The shoes were good to go right out of the box. There was no break-in time needed at all! When it came to comfort, I had the perfect amount of cushioning underfoot, both under the heels and in the forefoot area. I didn't think the cushioning was too plush, so I wasn't getting stuck when changing directions."
Foot Support / Stability: 9.1
The AG-LT23 Ultras continued to meet our team's high expectations when it came to support and stability. Michelle always felt confident moving, and her feet were snugly supported. She said, "These shoes were super stable. There was never any doubt in my footwork. I appreciate shoes that are stable and can support me no matter how I am moving, and these Ultras did just that. Now if only I were as nimble as Daniil Medvedev! (I can see why these work so well for his game too.) Zero complaints here!"
Brittany felt like her feet were sitting within the AG-LT23 Ultras and not just on top of them. She explained, "This fit allowed the shoes to mold around my feet and kept them secure within. The stability was also excellent, especially around the ankles, and I have high standards. At the end of the playtest, I was shocked to find that I didn't need to use the additional eyelet (which I almost always do) because the shoes fit tightly around my ankles."
"Support was absolutely top-notch," said Zsofi. "I felt confident in my steps and changing directions fast. The AG-LT23 Ultras were just snug enough around my feet to provide that support, but they did not create any pressure points."
The good times kept on rolling in this category for Tiffani. She continued, "I always felt secure and was not sliding inside the shoes. There are times when medium-width shoes fit my wide feet OK, but don't hold my feet in. That's usually because the uppers are soft enough to stretch to fit me but then aren't supportive enough to support my feet when I’m moving laterally. Thankfully, I had no issues with support here. I also usually use the last eyelet on shoes to feel extra secure, but I didn't do that with these AG-LT23 Ultras."
Overall Sole Durability: 8.3
With all the playtesters loving the performance and style of the AG-LT23 Ultras, it was no surprise they really put these shoes to the test when it came to durability. Brittany logged more than 15 hours on a couple of different courts. She said, "Looking at the outsoles, I would say they held up very well. I can see the start of some smoothing under my big toes, but they have plenty of life left in them. The toe bumpers show some scuffing on both shoes, but at this time it looks purely cosmetic."
On the other hand, Zsofi, possibly the most aggressive mover on the team, noted outsole durability as this shoe's one negative point. She said, "I did unfortunately see some wear on the outsoles. Because of that, these AG-LT23 Ultras might not be among the most durable shoes I have tested recently."
"I don't have any significant wear on my outsoles after about a dozen hours of hard court use," added Tiffani. "There's little to no smoothing under the balls of my feet, which is one of my high-wear areas. The toes are also holding up well in terms of durability. However, I was wearing the white version of these shoes, and I'm a bit sad that I scuffed my toes because I liked the look of them so much. I can't really blame the shoes since they're holding up well, but you can tell I'm a toe dragger if you look at my shoes!"
Michelle found the AG-LT23 Ultras about as durable as she thought they would be. She described, "I am seeing some smoothing under my big toes, which is normal for me. I wore these shoes constantly through the playtest, so I am happy with the level of durability and expect to get some more use out of them. I wouldn't say they are the most durable shoes, but they're adequate for sure. They performed how I was expecting them to in the durability category."
Traction: 8.4
Our team was in agreement; the outsoles of the AG-LT23 Ultras were a little sticky and a lot squeaky! Zsofi explained, "These shoes do start out a bit tacky, but as the playtest went on, they smoothened out a bit and that loud sound went away pretty fast. I had zero complaints about traction otherwise."
As soon as Tiffani started warming up with short-court tennis, she realized how squeaky the AG-LT23 Ultras were. She said, "These shoes were pretty loud as I made small adjustments with my feet. It never really went away and might be one of the only downsides I have for these shoes. The traction is on the stickier side, and I had one instance of feeling a bit stuck. On the whole, though, I really felt confident in my movements and felt like I could cover the court well in these shoes."
While Michelle wasn't put off but the noisy outsoles, she definitely noticed them. She said, "I think everyone who has worn these shoes will agree they are squeaky! But it didn't bother me and was a good reminder that I was moving my feet. I would say the outsole was fairly tacky, and I appreciated that. I never slipped or felt too stuck to the court, so I was happy with the traction. As the outsole got more use, I found the squeak wasn't as loud — or maybe I just got used to the sound."
"The AG-LT23 Ultras are on the squeaky side," added Brittany, "but not as squeaky as some of the other shoes I’ve been testing. I did notice the sound mostly at the beginning of the playtest. I also thought that the outsoles offered more grip, and I prefer a little more give, especially when I am moving aggressively side to side. However, as the playtest wore on, the outsoles smoothed out just slightly, making them a little less sticky and noisy."
Weight: 8.6
Our team was convinced that the AG-LT23 Ultras could possibly fit in the lightweight category based on how quick they felt moving around on the court. Michelle described, "If I never saw the weight of these shoes, I would say they were on the lighter side. But the weight did make sense because the AG-LT23 Ultras were fairly stable, cushioned and supportive, and not flimsy at all. I gave them high scores in this department, seeing as they felt light and hid their weight well. They fall into the same weight range as an Asics Gel Resolution 9 and felt lighter to me."
"I thought the weight was distributed evenly throughout the shoes, and I was able to move around with ease."
Despite what the scale said, Brittany thought the AG-LT23 Ultras felt lightweight and speedy on court. She said, "I couldn't tell if these shoes were supposed to be light or heavy. The AG-LT23 Ultras play a lot lighter than the scale indicates, and I think this was partly due to the smooth heel-to-toe transition. I actually felt light and quick on my toes."
"The weight of the AG-LT23 Ultras is perfect," added Zsofi. "They helped me feel very light on my feet and allowed me to move fast on court. I never even thought about the weight of the shoes, which tells me it was optimal."
After playing in the AG-LT23 Ultras a few times, Tiffani could hardly believe it when she saw their actual weight. She said, "When I'm playtesting shoes, I don't check the weight on the scale. These AG-LT23 Ultras felt nimble on court, so when I did check in on the weight, I was shocked to see that they were on the heavier side. They certainly didn't feel like it. I felt like I could pick my feet up and move easily without being slowed down at all. The weight is distributed well and feels appropriate for the court."
Breakdown Summary
Comfort | 9.3 |
Ventilation | 8.4 |
Arch Support | 8.6 |
Foot Support / Stability | 9.1 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8.3 |
Toe Durability | 8.3 |
Traction | 8.4 |
Weight | 8.6 |
Final Verdict |
9.2 |
Playtester Thoughts
Tiffani
These Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultras feel much lighter than I would have expected once I saw the weight on the scale. The other shoes that feel lighter than the scale to me would be the Asics Court FF 3s. The AG-LT23 Ultras fit my feet much better than the Court FF 3s but offer a similar blend of performance features.
I like almost everything! The AG-LT23 Ultras are comfortable, stable and pretty breathable.
The AG-LT23 Ultras are a bit loud on a hard court, and I prefer a bit less grip from the outsoles.
Tiffani's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 9 |
Ventilation | 8.5 |
Arch Support | 8.5 |
Foot Support / Stability | 8.8 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8.5 |
Toe Durability | 8.3 |
Traction | 8 |
Weight | 8.5 |
Overall | 9 |
Michelle
These AG-LT23 Ultras are like a hybrid of some of my favorite shoes on the market! They feel like faster, lighter versions of the Asics Gel Resolution 9s or even the adidas Barricades. They are also similar to a KSwiss Hypercourt Supreme but with a better fit and more stability.
Stylish, stable, supportive, great fit. No complaints! I can't wait for more colors.
None to report!
Michelle's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 9 |
Ventilation | 8 |
Arch Support | 8.5 |
Foot Support / Stability | 8.5 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8 |
Toe Durability | 8 |
Traction | 8 |
Weight | 8 |
Overall | 9 |
Brittany
I hadn't playtested Lacoste shoes in over a decade, so I came into this playtest with no expectations. I was thoroughly impressed with how well these AG-LT23 Ultras performed, and I'd put them up there with some of the top tennis shoes on the market. They will easily go into my top three shoes. A couple others to try out include the Asics Court FF 3s, KSwiss Hypercourt Supremes and adidas Stella Courts.
Everything — from the looks to the high-performance characteristics.
A slightly sticky and noisy outsole at the beginning, but that is being really picky.
Brittany's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 9.2 |
Ventilation | 8 |
Arch Support | 9.5 |
Foot Support / Stability | 9.3 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8.7 |
Toe Durability | 8 |
Traction | 8 |
Weight | 8.8 |
Overall | 9 |
Zsofi
It’s a bit hard to compare these Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultras because they are just the best overall! I would probably compare them to the Asics Gel Resolution 8 or maybe the Babolat Jet Mach III.
Comfort, looks, support, speed, everything!
If I was pressed to find something, I would have to pick the outsole durability, but the positives totally outweigh the negatives.
Zsofi's Breakdown | |
Comfort | 9.8 |
Ventilation | 9 |
Arch Support | 8 |
Foot Support / Stability | 9.7 |
Overall Sole Durability | 8 |
Toe Durability | 9 |
Traction | 9.4 |
Weight | 9 |
Overall | 9.8 |