Breakdown

Comfort: 8.2

Our playtesters gave high marks for the overall comfort of these adidas Ubersonic 5s. The light weight, ventilation, fit and extra cushioning, both under the heel and at the heel collar, were a welcome update from the previous version. Brittany found these shoes to be very comfortable right out of the box. She said, "The Ubersonic 5s were shoes I could slip on my feet and head straight to the court in. There was no break-in period, and the uppers were soft and flexible. There was plush cushioning underneath the heels and around the ankles, and although the cushioning on the tongue and underneath the forefoot was minimal, I never experienced any discomfort. When it came to the fit of the shoes, I found them to be a generous medium with a roomy toe box. The length was perfect, and I would say the arch support was on the higher side for tennis shoes, but it hit in the right spot, and I felt fully supported. The shoes were also very well ventilated — both from the uppers and the mesh inserts in the outsoles."

The Ubersonic 5s softened up after a brief break-in period, and they felt so good that Michelle didn't need to take them off after her hitting sessions. She explained, "I used to love the look of the Ubersonics, but I craved more all-around cushioning, specifically underfoot. With this update, I instantly noted the plush heel collar and found a more comfortable response from the upper and underfoot. I will admit, I wasn't expecting to need a break-in period, but it did take an hour or two to get the shoes to really fit my feet (the heel collar was a bit stiff the first hour and then softened more with each wear). For me, the fit was great — true in length, medium in width and the toe box was wide enough and felt better to me than previous versions, where I felt my toes had too much room at times. I found good arch support and appreciated the vent on the bottom of the shoes as well. I also loved the cosmetics of these shoes, and they were so comfortable."

It took a little time for Tiffani to adjust to the higher arches of these shoes, but she appreciated the added support they gave her. She noted, "Typically, adidas makes shoes that fit my feet well, and I happily found that to be true with the Ubersonic 5s. They felt roomy enough in the toe box for my wider feet, and there was no squeezing from toe to heel. I really enjoyed the updated ankle collar, which felt plush and cradled my heel nicely. The underfoot cushioning felt a bit more substantial than the Ubersonic 4s, but that was a welcome change. I still felt connected in the forefoot, but there was a little more protection under my heels. These shoes were also quite breathable. I did need a little break-in period for the arch support, which was higher than most tennis shoes, but after about an hour I felt settled in the arch and enjoyed the added support."

Zsofi was impressed by the Ubersonic 5's light weight and snug fit, but she would have preferred more cushioning underfoot. She said, "I always prefer shoes that are more lightweight and speed oriented, so I was excited to be on this playtest for the new Ubersonic 5s. I didn't really need much break-in time for them. They were pretty good to go right away. I also felt very light on court with them on, so they lived up to my expectations when it came to weight. On the other hand, I would have liked some more cushioning. Sometimes I felt like I was just hitting the ground too hard when I was playing, so I did want a bit more shock absorption from the shoes."

Foot Support / Stability: 7.9

For such lightweight shoes, adidas did a great job making the Ubersonic 5s reliably stable and supportive. Our testers all agreed this was one of the most important updates from the previous version. When she used the second eyelet, Tiffani found the support and stability she needed. She said, "I was surprised how locked in I felt in these shoes. Initially, I didn't even use the last eyelets, but after about three hours I did opt to lace up the extra eyelets for more support. With the low-to-the-ground feel, I felt confident moving around the court. I really don't have any complaints in this category."

Zsofi agreed, adding, "The Ubersonic 5s were very stable, which is a big feat considering just how lightweight they are. Once I utilized the second eyelet, I felt truly locked in and supported on court. Overall, I'm very impressed with the stability levels of such a lightweight shoe." 

The enhanced support and stability of this version felt like a major improvement to Michelle. She described, "I previously thought the Ubersonics allowed my feet to slip around, and I didn't find the most support. With this update, I enjoyed the new level of support and never felt like I was moving around too much inside the shoes. The addition of Speedframe to these shoes was well received by me, and I noted improved stability from these Ubersonic 5s from my first wear. I was really happy to see that adidas addressed the stability levels and made these shoes work even better in this category!"

For Brittany, the Ubersonic 5s started out by giving her the support she needed, but they ended up being too roomy for intense play. She explained, "My feelings changed over the course of the playtest when it came to support and stability. Thanks to the low-to-the-ground nature of the shoes and the extra eyelet to lock in my ankles, I found the Ubersonic 5s to offer the stability I needed at the beginning of the playtest. A week or two into the playtest, after an extremely tough singles match, I noticed that my ankles were a little sore later on in the day (especially the one that had a major injury to it). So for the most part, the shoes held up on the stability side. For support, I really tried to make the most of the roomy interior and laced them as tightly as I could. At first the Ubersonic 5s did seem to hold my feet in place, and I had no issues, but the uppers opened up by the end of the playtest, and I just had too much room within the shoes. My feet were sliding around, and the movement was most noticeable while sprinting forward to a quick stop."

Overall Sole Durability: 7.9

It was unanimous! Our whole playtest team was impressed with the durability of the adidas Ubersonic 5s, especially given their light weight. Zsofi was very happy with how they held up. She said, "Personally, I didn't see any wear on my shoes, and I think durability was top-notch during this playtest!"

The Ubersonic 5s ended up being more durable than Brittany had expected. She said, "For being lightweight shoes, I was impressed with the durability. I played 10-plus hours on both indoor and outdoor hard court surfaces and am seeing very little to no wear on the outsoles. The little wear I do see is some slight smoothing underneath my big toes, which is a high-wear area for me. I am seeing some scrapes on the toe bumpers and uppers, but it looks to be more on the cosmetic side."

Michelle noted that the Ubersonic 5s should hold up well for all but the most aggressive players. She explained, "I am not super tough on my outsoles, so I was happy with how this speed-oriented pair of shoes held up for me. However, as we tested them, I did see a younger player who is faster and more aggressive in their movement do some damage to these shoes. With that being said, I think durability is going to be fine for most of us, but if you have a tendency to put holes in your shoes, you might want to go to something beefier, like the Barricades &mdash with the trade-off being more weight on your feet."

While Tiffani agreed that the Ubersonic 5s might not be tough enough for every player, she found them plenty durable for her game. She added, "In our video with some of the tennis influencers I saw Beckett from the TennCom channel eat through the uppers of his shoes in just a few slides. I, however, am not a hard court slider and am quite pleased with how the outsoles held up. I do drag my toe, and I can see the slightest wear on the tips of my toes. For speed shoes, these Ubersonic 5s held up quite well."

Traction: 7.8

The Adiwear outsoles of these adidas Ubersonic 5s provided plenty of traction for our playtesters. The consensus was that they have more grip than their predecessors, and opinions were slightly mixed as to how optimal they thought this was. Michelle appreciated the balance of grip and give. She said, "I liked the traction level of these Ubersonics. I feel like the outsoles were on the slicker side in previous generations. This fifth version had a good amount of tack and helped me feel confident moving, starting and stopping. The traction levels remained consistent for me throughout the playtest."

The Ubersonic 5's traction was optimal for Tiffani. She noted, "Like I said, I don't slide on hard courts, but I think more aggressive movers could get a good slide from the Ubersonic 5 outsoles. I liked the balance of grip and give, and I could pivot smoothly and stop when I wanted to. Once again, I have few complaints!"

As the playtest wore on, Brittany felt the outsoles of these shoes getting less grippy. She described, "The traction started off a little on the sticky side for me. There were a couple times at the beginning of the playtest when the shoes gripped the court extremely well, and I felt a little stuck. However, as the playtest wore on the outsoles developed a little bit of give, and they didn't feel quite as tacky to me. Combined with the low-to-the-ground ride, this allowed me to move smoothly without having to think about the traction at all for the last half of the playtest."

On the other hand, the traction did not get less sticky for Zsofi as the testing progressed. She said, " The soles of the Ubersonic 5s felt a bit too sticky for me. I wish the outsoles would have let me adjust out of my shots or on my turns just a bit more. If the outsoles had a bit more give, I think it might have helped with the harsh landings I was experiencing." 

Weight: 8.8

The adidas Ubersonic 5s wowed our playtesters with their effortlessly lightweight feel. While they do weigh a little more than the previous version to add stability and comfort, they still retain their speediness. This was impressive to Brittany. She said, "The lightweight feel was really the shining aspect of the shoes. The Ubersonic 5s sit in between the Ubersonic 4s and 4.1s in terms of weight, and I thought they still felt fast."

The Ubersonic 5's weight was a little deceptive to Zsofi. She explained, "I found these Ubersonics to be very lightweight! Looking at them, you wouldn't expect them to feel that light on court. I almost didn't feel them on my feet while I was playing, so I was very happy with the weight of these shoes."

Tiffani was happy with trading some extra weight for extra comfort. She said, "These Ubersonic 5s do weigh more than the previous model, but for me, it was for all the right reasons. These shoes felt plenty fast to me, and the improved cushioning and support in the heel are well worth the added weight. I was playing some doubles with Troy as my partner, and I was way off the court. The ball got by him, and he didn't think I could get there in time, but I sprinted and was able to drop the ball back over (much to Munish's surprise as well!). Thanks, Ubersonic 5s!"

Michelle agreed that this update's increased comfort was well worth the extra weight. She said, "While I think this fifth version of the Ubersonics weighs a bit more than previous pairs, they still felt quick and light. I will take the added comfort for a bit more weight. I still felt speedy in these shoes."

Breakdown Summary