Nike Air Zoom Vapor Pro Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.0

Our playtester with the narrowest feet, Chris, needed only a slight break-in to get the Air Zoom Vapor Pros to start flexing and moving efficiently. He said, "Once I had the shoes broken in, I loved the way they felt on court. The level of cushioning was perfect for me. I felt protected from the court yet still had that connected feel for confident movement. The fit felt a tad wider than the outgoing Air Zoom Vapor Xs, but I was able to get a secure fit with my usual two pairs of socks and by cinching the laces tightly. My arches felt protected, and the shoes flexed correctly under my toes while offering good rigidity under the arch area. The ventilation also did its job, and I can't once remember feeling too hot inside the shoes."

Jason, whose feet are on the wider side, had some minor difficulties with the fit. He said, "If you have narrow- to medium-width feet, these would be very comfortable shoes. Even though the cushioning was more minimal, it was still enough to take the shock out of harsh landings. The issue for me was with the fit in the forefoot. The shoes don't feel all that narrow, but I think they taper more sharply in the forefoot, which caused rubbing on both my pinky toes."

"I think one thing that has been fairly consistent through the many iterations of the Air Zoom Vapor is the step-in comfort that they offer," Michelle added. "The heel collar is always well padded, and the cushioning underfoot is responsive and soft without being too plush or overly cushioned since it is so quick and light. I have medium-width feet with a high arch and have never had an issue with the fit of these shoes, and this update fit just like the previous Vapor Xs. The length was perfect, and the width was a snug medium. I loved the new tongue, which feels stretchy and comfortable, and the new lacing system allowed me to cinch up my shoes. I did note some discoloration as the playtest went on due to sweat, but the upper felt really breathable. I know some of the playtesters with wider feet experienced some rubbing, which luckily never happened to me. I had a tiny break-in issue on the lateral side of my ankles with a little rubbing, but this is something I tend to experience every now and then with several shoe brands."

Tiffani compared these shoes to past models, saying, "Some of my favorite Nike shoes have been Vapors, like the Vapor 9 and Vapor 9.5. I was really happy when I slipped on these Vapor Pros. The Vapor X shoes had hard plastic pieces that rubbed the sides of my feet, especially through the midfoot, and gave me blisters. I didn't have this problem with the Vapor Pros. Although they weren't really wide enough for my feet, these shoes didn't rub or pinch too badly. Players who needed the wide version of the Vapor X will likely find the Vapor Pros too narrow as well. Still, I really liked the flexible feel out of the box, and the cushioning felt low and responsive. These shoes also felt well ventilated."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.1

Having tested several Nike shoes over the past year, Michelle appreciated how each model offered something a little different while still providing solid support and stability. She explained, "I would say the Vapor Pros are clearly the lightest premium shoes from Nike, but fortunately it never felt like they sacrificed support. The new upper was not only noticeably more breathable and thinner, but the material felt like it truly added support. Also, these shoes had a good amount of stability. They definitely aren't going to be the most stable shoes in Nike's lineup, but I never felt like I was going to twist over the side of them. I felt confident pushing the limits in these Vapor Pros and can understand why so many pros are wearing them. I tend to prefer shoes with lots of stability, so I give the slight edge to Nike's Vapor Cage 4s and React NXT Vapors."

For shoes as light as these Vapor Pros, Jason found the stability to be pretty solid. He said, "I was moving around confidently and was able to plant my feet, slide a little, and recover with no issue or risk of my ankle rolling. As for the support, I felt that it was really good. It probably wasn't as good as the Vapor X with its Dynamic Fit system, but it's still very good."

"These shoes aren't as stable as the Nike Vapor Cage 4s, but I sat down low in them so I felt secure moving side to side," Tiffani added. "I did find it necessary to use the last eyelet to shore up the support through the heel, and I found the laces to be annoyingly short after lacing them up that way. I barely had enough to tie them, but it still worked."

Chris found the Vapor Pros to be very reliable on court. He said, "These shoes offered just the right amount of flex so they moved with my feet but also gave me a nice platform to push off. The fit was just a tad wide to be ideal, but I was still able to get it secure enough by using thicker socks and lacing tightly."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.9

In Jason's opinion, the durability of the quick and lightweight Air Zoom Vapor Pros was surprisingly good. He said, "For a shoe under 13 ounces (in a men's size 10.5), it held up well through the tenth hour of playtesting. I didn't really see any significant areas of tread loss even though I was able to slide in these shoes."

"They were holding up decently well for lightweight speed shoes," echoed Tiffani. "The Vapor Pros aren't winning any durability awards, and they are wearing out like previous Vapor models. I am seeing smoothing on my toe tips and on the medial edge on the forefoot after a dozen or so hours on hard courts."

The outsoles of the Air Zoom Vapor Pros looked to be built just the same as the outgoing Vapor Xs, and Chris found a very similar level of durability. He described, "I saw the first signs of wear under the big toe area of my right shoe. I drag that part on every serve and most forehands, so the Air Zoom Vapor Pros took some punishment there. With that said, my shoes still had plenty of life left in them at the end of the test and lasted better than my pair of React Vapor NXTs."

Having worn the Vapor X, Michelle knew what to expect in terms of durability since the outsoles seemed identical to her. She said, "These Vapor Pros are not the most durable shoes, but I did find them to last a little longer than some other speed shoes we have been testing. I wore them a solid three weeks and am seeing some smoothing under my big toes, but it's not too slick just yet. If you go through outsoles fairly fast or play on gritty courts and durability is a priority for you, I would suggest skipping these and trying the Vapor Cage 4s instead. Also, it's worth noting that the upper material on my shoes got a bit dirty and dingy as the playtest went on; this was strictly cosmetic, but it was noticeable."

Traction - Score: 3.9

The outsoles on these Air Zoom Vapor Pros allow for quite a bit of movement, and Tiffani is confident that these shoes would be a great option for fans of sliding. She explained, "I had to get used to how much I was sliding out of my shots, and it took me about three hitting sessions to feel comfortable. After that acclimation period, I felt smooth on the court in these shoes."

Chris found himself sliding around a little in these shoes, especially during the first hour or so of wear. He said, "As the shoes broke in and started to flex better, the outsoles became scrubbed in and started to provide better grip. There was still plenty of slide available, and I did find myself sliding out of shots more than normal. All in all, the level of traction started out similar to the Vapor Xs, but as the Air Zoom Vapor Pros broke in and flexed better, I found just a smidge more grip."

"Similar to the durability, I knew how the outsole was going to play traction-wise having worn the same outsole pattern on the Vapor Xs," said Michelle. "I prefer a little more stick from my outsoles. I move a bit more 'traditionally' on the court and definitely don't slide into my shots. The outsole is a little slippery for my personal tastes, but there were only a handful of times when they sort of slipped or gave a little under me."

With his aggressive hard court sliding, Jason loved the Vapor Pro's level of traction. He said, "The outsoles were definitely more on the slick side, which made sliding out of a shot much easier to do, but there was enough grip that I could plant, pivot and push off without slipping."

Weight - Score: 4.7

Our playtesters agreed that the Air Zoom Vapor Pros are light and speedy shoes. Chris thought they moved well with his feet and helped him feel agile on court. He said, "I felt pretty light on my feet in these shoes and was able to cut and change directions well when I had traction."

"Without looking at the scale, these shoes feel light and fast," added Michelle. "The streamlined design kept me connected to the court, and I was ready to get going quickly on any ball. I never felt like the shoes were bulky, and while I may not be the quickest mover, they helped me feel fast and cover the court well."

These shoes felt very lightweight and speedy for Jason as well. He said, "I loved how quick I felt moving around the court in the Air Zoom Vapor Pros. No complaints from me."

Tiffani couldn't find anything to complain about in the weight department either. She said, "These shoes feel light and quick, and they don't feel clunky as I move around. They're not the most durable, but they're actually holding up just as well as, if not better than, the heavier React Vapor NXT, and I would have predicted the opposite."

Overall - Score: 4.3