Lotto Mirage 100 SPD Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.6

Our playtest team found the Lotto Mirage 100 SPDs to be quite minimal, but still cushioned enough to feel comfortable on court. Mark praised the design, saying, "I prefer tennis shoes that are comfortable but not extremely cushioned, which describes the Lotto Mirage 100 perfectly. There are no seams on the inside of the uppers for your feet to snag on or rub against, and they aren't too pillowy. The arch height was also fine for my somewhat high instep. The last impressive surprise for me was that the shoes were breathable despite how supportive the uppers are."

Although Troy found the comfort of the shoes to be solid, he would have liked a little more ventilation. He explained, "The midsole cushioning was pretty minimal in the forefoot and plusher under the heel. Ventilation was decent, though I would have liked a more breathable mesh on the uppers. The arch support was a good fit for my feet, but the overall length of these shoes was short, so I had to go up a half size. The width was nice and snug, and since I have a slightly narrow foot type, this worked out well and added a lot of support."

Because Jason has wider feet, the narrower fit of these shoes hindered the comfort for him. He said, "If I had narrower feet, I'd say these were very comfortable shoes, but because I don't, I found the fit in the toe box to take away from the comfort. The toe box narrows pretty sharply, so I was getting some rubbing on my pinky toes. What I did enjoy was the underfoot cushioning, especially when I used the more padded insoles."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.2

The Lotto Mirage 100 SPDs were quite stable and supportive, given their light weight. Our playtesters felt like they were locked-in and ready to go. Troy found these shoes to be very solid despite their 12.6-ounce weight. He said, "The support and stability are great, which surprised me based on how light these shoes are. The fit was very snug and secure, making me feel locked-in, while the low-to-the-ground ride kept me stable when changing directions. These shoes weren't overly rigid, but the midfoot stabilizer did a good job of keeping my feet secure."

Always willing to prolong a match, Mark put the support of these shoes to the test. He said, "The uppers were actually supportive enough for me to just tuck the laces inside the shoes and go play. I also felt the cushioning underfoot was better than average considering the Mirage 100 SPDs low-to-the-ground stance, and that added to that stable, supportive feel."

Jason liked the light weight of these shoes and found that they got the job done in this category. He said, "For fairly light shoes, I thought they did a good job all around. They're both stable and supportive enough for 90 percent of my movements. I would've liked the uppers to be a bit stiffer for quick lateral stops, but other than that, I was happy."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.8

Our team certainly put the Mirage 100 SPDs to the test throughout this playtest, and the shoes held up nicely considering their weight. Troy saw some minor wear on his pair, which didn't come as a surprise. He explained, "Durability was pretty average for me. They weren't extra durable, like an Asics Gel Resolution 8, but I expected that given their weight. I had some slight balding under the balls of my feet and near my toes. I enjoyed how the outsoles performed, but I would have preferred Lotto back them with a durability guarantee."

Jason agreed, adding, "Durability was what I would expect from lightweight shoes. The outsoles started showing signs of wear and tear about 10 hours in, but I think I could've put in another 10 to 15 hours before needing to switch to a new pair."

Mark praised the durability of these shoes, comparing them favorably to another popular lightweight model. He described, "I would say the main storyline for the Mirage 100 SPD is lightweight and breathable, along with decent comfort. Combining those traits into one tennis shoe usually means it will not offer a high degree of durability, but I have to say this shoe is pretty resilient. I found the Mirage 100 SPD to be far more durable than the Nike Vapor X, which is actually heavier."

Traction - Score: 4.2

The Lotto Mirage 100 SPD's outsoles felt quite grippy to our playtesters. Mark explained, "The outsole rubber compound and the modified herringbone tread pattern worked very well on the three different hard courts that I tested these shoes on. Initially, their traction was a little sticky, but once the coating rubbed off, traction and acceleration were spot-on for me."

Overall, Troy was a big fan of the traction. He said, "There was really nice grip out on the hard courts. I could feel the outsole grabbing the court when I needed to stop. Changing directions felt seamless, and I could push off explosively without any slippage. The traction wasn't too sticky either, so I was pleased."

Jason found the outsoles to be very sticky on court, maybe a little too sticky for his tastes. He said, "Those who want a grippy, cling-to-the-court feel will love the traction of these Mirage 100 SPDs. For me, they were too sticky. I prefer outsoles that have more give than grip so I can slide in and out of my shots. I tried to slide once in these and didn't go anywhere, but fortunately, the uppers were stable enough that I didn't tweak an ankle."

Weight - Score: 4.5

Weighing in at 12.6 ounces (size 10.5), the Mirage 100 SPDs provide a very light and speedy ride. They allowed our playtesters to move fast to every ball without sacrificing stability. Jason found these shoes to shine in the weight department. He said, "I thought the Mirage 100 SPDs felt lightweight and fast. It didn't matter which insole I had in; the shoes never felt too heavy to me."

Mark agreed with Jason. He added, "Any time a size 10.5 men's tennis shoe weighs less than 13 ounces, I consider them to be lightweight. At a scant 12.6 ounces, these shoes definitely qualify as light. They deliver that speedy feel around the court, and to my surprise, without sacrificing lateral stability."

Troy also thought the Mirage 100 SPDs offered a great blend of speed and stability. He explained, "These shoes are definitely on the lighter side, but they were super flexible right out of the box. I think Lotto did a good job of cutting down on weight as much as possible while still maintaining a stable ride. The slim fit of these shoes made them feel very streamlined, which also helped with the lightweight feel. The weight is very similar to the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 4, but these shoes feel more rigid."

Overall - Score: 3.9