New Balance Coco CG1 Tennis Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.3

As the biggest fan of mid-cut shoes on our team, Chris started the playtest feeling right at home in the Coco CG1s. He said, "These shoes broke in quickly, allowing me to play comfortably in them within the first hour of wear. I liked the way the uppers felt around my feet, and I felt comfortably secure inside the shoes. My one knock would be ventilation. My feet did run a tad hot in the Coco CG1s. Underfoot, the level of cushioning was good, and I had zero aches or pains even after long hitting sessions."

Michelle put in tons of hours with these shoes, both on and off the court. She said, "I can admit it's not every day we get a product that really is different and makes me stoked to get on the court; these shoes made me giddy with excitement when they arrived! I put them on right away and wore them for several hours before I could even get on the court with them. However, having had issues with the New Balance Lav v2, I was a bit unsure of what to expect from these new shoes. Luckily, my expectations were exceeded. They fit my medium-width feet just right, and while they come up higher and feel a little bulkier than other shoes, I didn't really need any break-in time. They are comfortable and have nice padding throughout. I never felt like the cushioning was lacking, but they weren't overly cushioned either. The uppers held my feet just perfectly, and I felt snug and supported with no rubbing and no blisters. The only complaint I had was the uppers are not super breathable, and my feet were most definitely sweaty after wearing these. I often kept them on all day because I loved the styling, and they also felt great on, but I did occasionally encounter soggy socks."

"The cushioning hit a nice middle ground between overly plush and minimal, and after a two-hour break-in, they molded to my feet," said Sage. "Despite preferring low-top shoes, these mids were a pleasant surprise. I didn't experience any rubbing or blisters, I felt connected to the court, and my feet felt great even after a long hitting session. There is plenty of room in the toe box as well, and players who like to use a custom insole should have the space to do so here. Ventilation was the only moderate downside. The uppers didn't breathe all that well, but that's one aspect of shoes I'm not overly concerned with."

"Opening the shoe box, I was so excited to see the Coco Gauff shoes waiting for me," said Brittany. "Slipping them on, I found a perfect fit for my narrow feet in both the heel and midfoot, and also plenty of space in the toe box. I felt like I sat nicely within the shoes and had a locked-in feel. The cushioning underfoot felt nice, and it was almost on the plusher side both under the heel and forefoot. Walking around, the uppers of the shoes felt a bit stiff to me. I had at least a one to two-hour break-in period before I started noticing the uppers loosening and molding around my feet. The longer the playtest went on, the better the shoes performed. The Coco CG1s ran extremely warm for me, and I don't often say this, but I needed better ventilation. Part of my playtest was in humid Atlanta in August, and my feet felt like they were on fire; I wanted to take them off immediately. This continued back at the indoor court in San Luis Obispo as well. Also something to note: I needed to wear at least quarter-length socks; with no-show or low-cut socks I was getting rubbing around my ankles."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.7

Our whole team agreed that the Coco CG1s felt very stable and supportive on the court. Michelle described, "These are some of the most supportive and stable shoes I've ever worn. However, they still are modern enough that they don't feel like tanks on my feet! They gave me so much confidence when I was moving that I almost felt like I could slide into my shots, and I rarely slide on a clay court, let alone a hard court."

The support was present from start to finish for Sage. He said, "After the Coco CG1s were broken in, the flexibility and stability helped me move through the court without having to think about my shoes. The mid style on my ankle also led to increased confidence on the run."

"I had high hopes for support and stability," said Brittany, "and luckily, I was not disappointed. My feet retained the locked-in feel from the initial try-on throughout the playtest. I actually liked the band that went across the top of my feet; it helped keep my feet in place when I was moving aggressively. The mid-cut provided top stability for my ankles."

Chris echoed, "I quickly learned I could trust the Coco CG1s, and I was able to sprint around the court with no concerns. My ankles felt safe, and my arches felt protected. The fit was a tad wide for me, so support from the uppers was not perfect. I was able to adequately cinch the laces down to keep my feet mostly in place, but the fit was not ideal."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.9

The durability of the Coco CG1s was a bit of a debated topic among our team. Some playtesters were satisfied, while others craved a bit more from the outsoles. Sage described the durability as solid, and he thought the uppers kept their shape without issue. He said, "I did notice the start of some smoothing on the outsoles near the end of the testing. They aren't the most durable shoes on the market, but I don't foresee players blowing through them either. My pair is easily still playable after about 15 hours of court time."

"I got 15 plus hours on both indoor and outdoor courts in the Coco CG1s," said Brittany. "And I walked around for an additional couple of hours at the beginning to break them in. Both the outsole and toe bumper are showing minimal to no wear. I have no doubts I will be getting many more weeks in them. The uppers are also in great shape."

"The outsole durability of the Coco CG1s was average," added Chris. "When I first looked at the shoes, I expected them to be very durable, but the outsoles showed wear in several areas. I drag my toes, so the tips of the shoes took a beating too. The tip of my right shoe was heavily worn at the end of the test and seems to be the part of the shoe that will fail first."

This is where Michelle's expectations were not completely met for this playtest, though she did still use these shoes more than others she has recently playtested. She explained, "I wore these shoes non-stop from the moment I got them to well past the playtest. However, I was a bit disappointed to see the outsoles smoothing out after a couple weeks of serious wear. On a positive note, while the outsoles are fairly smoothed out there are no holes in them, and some of the 'stick' of the traction is gone, which might be an upside for anyone who finds these to be a bit sticky initially. Also, I guess this is a good justification to buy the new colors!"

Traction - Score: 3.9

With each playtester preferring different levels of tackiness on the court, each had something different to say when it came to the Coco CG1s' traction. Brittany found a little more grip than slip here. She said, "Generally, even having a touch more give is preferred so I can slide out of my shots. The Coco CG1s trended on the stickier side. There were times when I would be pulled out wide and had just a moment of feeling stuck. The grippy feel lasted throughout the entire playtest."

The outsoles also proved to be too sticky for Chris, who said, "I could feel the outsoles getting hung up on the court surface as I was taking small adjustment steps and when I was pivoting. Grip for making quick sprints was excellent, but I would have liked some give so I could slide out of shots."

Michelle liked the Coco CG1s' traction levels. She explained, "I know some of the other playtesters found the outsoles to be a bit sticky, but it was just what I liked. The soles were more sticky than slick, but again, that helped with confidence for me, and I trusted the outsoles to keep me upright even if I decided to be a bit more aggressive with my movement. As mentioned above, the outsoles got fairly smooth after a few weeks of wear, so I would say if you are someone who likes less traction, give them some time and you will get there!"

Sage thought the traction worked best when he had enough time to get into position and plant his feet before the ball arrived. He said, "Shots on the run didn't cause any hesitation, but coming to a stop was a little more abrupt than I prefer. When I change directions I want enough give from the outsoles to facilitate a smooth deceleration, stop and explosion out. These shoes will work well for players who want a firm connection with the court at all times."

Weight - Score: 4.1

Our playtesters would not put these Coco CG1s in the lightweight category, but that didn't stop them from feeling quick and nimble when they were on the court. "These are not lightweight shoes, but I felt fast in them nonetheless," said Chris. "The grip and the stable ride allowed me to move very aggressively in them, and I felt like I could track down every shot with my usual speed."

Michelle thought the Coco CG1s felt heavy in hand but never on the court. She explained, "Because they are more like a mid and come higher up, they naturally have a bit more weight. The upper is also fairly solid and supportive, so I would say some of the weight is hidden in there. With that being said, I'm OK with a heavier shoe that moves swiftly and still provides tons of support and stability. My movement was never limited by the weight of these shoes."

"I love the weight of these shoes!" added Sage. "They fall into a weight range that is fast on acceleration, yet stable during changes in direction or when I have to put the brakes on. The ratio between weight and stability is nearly perfect."

Brittany would have guessed the Coco CG1s would be on the heavy or clunkier side when she first looked at them, but she said, "I was relieved to find that this was not the case at all. They moved and flexed very smoothly. They feel about average weight, and I was never hindered in my movement. It did take a little bit to get used to the feeling of the mid cut, but that didn't slow me down."

Overall - Score: 4.4