WILSON KAOS SHOE REVIEW
Summary
The instant we took Wilson's brand new Kaos shoes out of the box, they certainly caught our eye! The aggressive, modern looking cosmetics and bright colors are sure to delight anyone looking for something edgy and flashy. As we took them to the courts, our testers first noted the nice cushioning underfoot. However, once we started testing them, we ran into a little problem -- the dreaded toe jam. The solid material around the forefoot and toe area that gives these shoes good stability and durability also caused our toes to hurt, especially when making quick stops when running forward. That was the biggest issue that we found. Durability was impressive, and the roomy toe box was a nice fit for our playtester with wider feet. All in all, these shoes offer enough stability and durability for players who want something youthful and edgy-looking, but they may not satisfy the demands of more elite players looking for more support and overall performance.
| WILSON KAOS Scores | |
|---|---|
| Overall Comfort | 3,2/5 |
| Ventilation | 3,7/5 |
| Arch Support | 3,9/5 |
| Foot Support/Stability | 3,3/5 |
| Overall Sole Durability | 4,1/5 |
| Toe Durability | 4,0/5 |
| Traction | 3,9/5 |
| Weight | 3,8/5 |
| Overall | 3,2/5 |
Comfort - Score: 3,2/5
There were some mixed feelings from our testers regarding the comfort of the Kaos. Most of our team commented on the nice cushioning they felt underfoot, which was surprising given the light weight of the shoes. They offered a slightly wider fit through the forefoot, which accommodated our wide-footed playtester nicely but left a little too much room in the toe box for players with narrower feet. A couple players also noted having some slight issues with toe jamming during quick stops resulting from too hard a material in the toe box.
Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3,3/5
Most of our team found the lateral stability in the Kaos to be pretty good, but everyone found themselves sliding towards the front of the shoes when making stops moving forward. The TPU cage around the upper helped lock in and protect the foot during changes of directions around the baseline, but when we took towards the net to run down a pesky drop shot and had to put on the brakes, almost everyone experienced "toe jam " towards the front of the shoe. The uppers didn’t quite lock in the forefoot well enough and allowed our feet to slide forwards within the shoe a bit too much. All in all, this area was a disappointment for our team.
Durability - Score: 4,1/5
For the most part our team was pretty impressed with the durability of the Kaos. A couple of our testers put up to 30 hours of wear of these shoes on hard courts and their pairs showed very little sign of wear at the end. The harder material in the toe area that affected the comfort a bit did lend itself to good durability for toe draggers. Overall, this offered impressive durability, especially given its light weight.
Traction - Score: 3,9/5
Our team liked the level of traction that the Kaos offered on the hard courts. Most everyone thought the shoes offered a good blend of grip and give that instilled confidence when changing direction but didn’t make the starts and stops too abrupt. One tester noted that as the test wore on the outsole got a little more broken-in and allowed for a little more give when changing directions, which ultimately improved the overall comfort.
Weight - Score: 3,8/5
Although the Kaos came in at an impressively low 383g weight (size 10.5), our testers felt that they played heavier than that number would normally indicate. The rigid material around the forefoot and toe area was the most likely culprit to making these shoes feel bulky in design. As the test wore on, one tester noted that the shoes softened up a bit and started to feel lighter and "faster, " but all in all these shoes felt pretty middle of the road when it came to their weight.
Overall - Score: 3,2/5
Likes
Jason- "Comfortable and fit my foot shape well. The outsoles provided both great traction and durability. "
Andy- "Great durability and decent cushioning underfoot. "
Mark- "Out of the box comfort and lightweight feel. I also liked how the shoes kept their shape throughout the course of the test. "
Troy- "The upper materials and Endofit tongue system provided good comfort and a glove-like fit in the heel and midfoot. Decent durability as well given their weight. "
Dislikes
Jason- "I had toe jamming on numerous occasions. "
Andy- "Bulky design even though they weigh in less than 14 ounces. Felt 'plastic-y' and didn't move naturally with my feet during play. Also, I had some issues with the dreaded toe jamming. "
Mark- "The only knock I can give these shoes was that I did jam my toes a few times when running straight toward the net, and I think that is mostly was due to the slightly wider toe box. "
Troy- "The toe jamming due to the stiffness of the toe guard was the major issue for me. "
Compare:
Jason- "These Wilson shoes feel like a take down version of most high end tennis shoes, where the comfort is more of a premium than performance. "
Andy- "The Kaos reminded me of the Nike Zoom Cage 2 and New Balance MC 996v2. All three of these shoes have TPU-heavy uppers that protect the feet well but don't move all that naturally with my feet. The Zoom Cage and Kaos both also have a slightly bulkier design that continuously reminds you that you've got tennis shoes on your feet during play. "
Mark- "This was a great playtest for me, and they sort of remind me of the adidas Feather II and III and the current adizero Ubersonics. I also thought they were similar to the Nike Vapor 9.5 Tour in terms of toe box width, but I thought the Kaos shoes are more durable than the Vapor 9.5 Tours. "
Troy- "I found the fit of these shoes to be similar to the Prince T22s, where they were snug in the heel and midfoot but a bit too roomy in the forefoot for my narrow feet. I found some similarities, too, between these and the Yonex Power Cushion Fusion Rev. They are relatively similar in weight, they both have a roomy toe box, and both have a somewhat firm and uncomfortable toe guard. "
Playtester Foot Types:
Jason - Wide width / Low arch
Andy - Medium width / Low arch
Mark - Medium width / Medium arch
Troy - Narrow width / Medium arch
Review date: June 2016. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.information.en@tenniswarehouse-europe.com.
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