Babolat Jet Mach II Men's Review

Comfort - Score: 4.3

Although they aren't entirely plush, the Jet Mach IIs had a responsive feel on court. With a subtle update to the uppers, the Jet Mach IIs retained a familiar glove-like fit while staying supple enough for easy movement, but we strongly recommend sizing up at least a half size. Troy decided to go up a full size, though he later regretted what he felt was an overcompensation. He explained, "With most of the shoes that I playtest I wear between sizes 9.5 and 10. When I tried on a size 10 in these shoes I found the length to be short and I felt the need to go up to a size 10.5. After about two weeks of playtesting these shoes the toe box opened up a bit. The width was nice and snug for me, but the length actually became slightly long. Wearing two pairs of socks helped me achieve a snug and secure fit. If I could do it over again, I would probably stay in a size 10 and let the shoes break in and contour to my feet. The cushioning in the midsoles, specifically in the forefoot, was minimal. That being said, I found a slight improvement in shock absorption compared to previous versions of the Babolat Jets. The arch support felt about average, but the shoes flexed a bit too much in the midfoot for my liking. After a couple of sessions on court in the Jet Mach IIs, I installed my Superfeet Premium Insoles, and the arch support was much improved. The uppers didn't breathe as well as I would have liked. These shoes tended to get pretty hot after some time on the court, which caused my feet to feel more sweaty than they usually do with lightweight shoes."

Sean also had some difficulty with the fit of the Jet Mach IIs, but he was able to dial it in with a little work. He said, "I went up to a size 10 in these shoes and I usually wear a 9 or 9.5. The size adjustment was not due to the length, but because the protective piece on the medial side was pushing up against my feet. Over time, the shoes opened up and the width fit really nicely, but the length started to feel too long, so I put on two pairs of socks. This made the fit snug and comfortable. The shoes felt more responsive and low to the ground than cushioned or plush, but they were far from uncomfortable. I thought the ventilation was fine — not too hot but not very airy either — and my arches felt sufficiently supported."

After going up a half size, Jason felt the Jet Mach IIs accommodated his wide feet well despite their more narrow fit. "Like with the previous versions, these shoes felt very comfortable on court. There was enough give in the uppers that my E-width feet were able to fit without feeling too cramped. The unique upper materials were breathable enough to keep my feet from getting hot during or after play."

Chris was pleased with both the fit and the comfort of the Jet Mach IIs. He said, "The Jet Mach IIs felt very comfortable from the first wear through to the end of the test. I didn't have to break them in to be able to play comfortably. I did go up a half size, and I strongly recommend doing so because the shoes fit very short. Once I had the sizing right, I found that the uppers flexed and moved well with my feet, so I never experienced any discomfort. I also liked the level of cushioning that these shoes offered; it was pretty minimal, but it was enough to keep my feet comfortable all game long. The arch fit was a tad low for my high arches, but I didn't have any real comfort or support issues."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.2

Our team's main fear was that the super-light, 11.7-ounce Jet Mach IIs would lack the support required for reliable, fast-paced movement. This turned out to be an unnecessary concern, as the shank and the kevlar-polyamide uppers held our testers' feet securely while playing. Chris' movements felt fluid and natural in the Jet Mach IIs. He said, "For such a soft and supple shoe, I was impressed by the Jet Mach II's level of support. Just like the previous version, these latest Jets have uppers that resist stretching on lateral moves. The shoes felt incredibly natural on my feet, so I was very confident sprinting around and making quick cuts. I wouldn't say the guts of the shoes were overly stiff or rigid either; they moved with my feet well while still providing good support."

Sean could hardly believe how stable his pair was. He remarked, "No matter what movement I made, the support system secured my feet superbly. They were really top notch on every turn and cut — high scores here. I'm baffled by how these shoes were so stable, yet simultaneously so lightweight."

Troy enjoyed the low ride and responsive feel of these shoes. He said, "I was content with the level of foot support and stability the Jet Mach IIs provided. The way that my feet ride low to the court surface in these shoes made me feel confident moving around the court. Although the uppers of these shoes weren't the most breathable, I found that this material provided good support around my feet. These shoes have more flex within the midfoot region than my go-to shoes, the Asics Gel Resolution 7s. That said, these Jet Mach IIs made up for the lack of rigidity with great court feel. Stopping and starting while on the balls of my feet came with ease."

While Jason did agree that the Jet Mach IIs were more supportive than he was expecting, he wasn't quite as impressed as the other playtesters. He explained, "The Jet Mach IIs offered really good support and stability, especially considering that they're some of the lightest shoes on the market, but there's still room for improvement. When I tried to plant and change directions more aggressively I could feel the uppers give a little, and they felt like they stretched out and lost some of their stability as the playtest went on."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.8

As you'd expect from lightweight performance shoes, the Jet Mach IIs aren't going to be winning any awards for durability. However, our team was impressed by how well their pairs lasted over the duration of the playtest. For Chris, the durability was about what he'd expect from a performance shoe. He said, "The soles and toes of the Jet Mach IIs lasted pretty well. For speed-oriented shoes, the durability was pretty solid. I saw some wear in the typical areas but nothing excessive. I'd say the durability was on par with other speedy offerings such as the adidas Ubersonic 2.0s and Nike Air Zoom Vapor Xs."

Like Chris, Troy found the durability to be in line with similar offerings from other brands. He explained, "As with most Babolat shoes that I've playtested, the Michelin rubber compound that comprises the outsole held up well throughout the playtest. I'd say that the durability is comparable to other highly rated lightweight shoes, like the adidas adizero Ubersonic 2.0s and Asics Gel Solution Speed 3s. This was impressive considering these Jet Mach IIs weigh at least an ounce less than both of those shoes. The toe region is where I saw the most wear. At the end of the test period there was some balding of the tread pattern underneath the balls of my feet, but the rubber was still gripping the court well. As light as the Jet Mach IIs are, I expected to have worn through the rubber outsole during the playtest period; they definitely surpassed my expectations in this category."

Sean was nearly blown away by how well his Jet Mach IIs held up over the course of his playtest. He said, "I'm still trying to figure out how these shoes manage to be 11.7 ounces (size 10.5) with the level of durability they provided. Working theories include: magic, or an outsole that is made from a very durable material (Michelin rubber is the stuff they use on car tires, and if a car can thrash down the freeway going 75 and be reliable enough to keep the baby on board safe, suffice it to say I had very little wear after about 20 hours on these kicks). These held up better than similar lightweight offerings from other brands."

Jason's experience with this updated model's durability seemed to match with its predecessor. He recalled, "The Jet Mach II's durability was roughly the same as the previous model, which is a positive considering how lightweight these shoes are. High-level, aggressive players will still have no issues wearing the outsoles out, but I found that I still had plenty of tread left after 13 hours of court time."

Traction - Score: 4.4

Our team had somewhat mixed feelings about the traction of the Jet Mach IIs, but no one ever had trouble getting enough grip, so we think most players will feel satisfied with how the outsoles perform. For Troy, the traction was right on the money. He said, "The balance of grip and slip was just where I like it. I found a high level of traction from my first hitting session with the Jet Mach IIs, and they never felt overly sticky. During aggressive lateral movements these shoes provided enough grip for me to come to a controlled stop, but the traction was never so abrupt that I felt like I was going to roll an ankle. I also enjoyed how these shoes grabbed the court when I took a powerful first step toward the ball, allowing me to maximize my energy. I found the traction to be improved over the last Babolats that I playtested, the Propulse Fury shoes."

The traction was also in Chris' wheelhouse. "I really liked the level of grip I got from these shoes," he said. "I got all the traction I needed to come to a quick stop, and I could push off quickly during direction changes. I liked how I could transition between movements as well. There was enough give from the outsoles to let me pivot and take that quick first step without the shoes getting hung up on the court."

Jason was looking for something different from his pair. He explained, "I actually would've liked the traction to be slightly slicker, as I'm trying to incorporate a little bit of sliding in my movement. That being said, the traction was definitely there. I didn't have problems with unwanted slippage when taking that first step toward the ball."

Sean agreed with Jason's sentiments, saying, "I wasn't overly impressed with the traction on these shoes. It erred on the side of having too much grip, which is probably fine for most players, but I prefer something a little slicker, especially on lighter shoes."

Weight - Score: 4.9

Coming in at 11.7 ounces, the Jet Mach IIs are some of the lightest shoes on our website. As noted in the other sections, this great weight didn't come at the expense of comfort or stability. Our playtesters appreciated how quick and natural the Jet Mach IIs felt on their feet. Jason found the weight to be the standout feature of these shoes. He said, "As with previous generations, the highlight of these shoes was how ultra light they felt. They're probably the lightest shoes I've tested in 2018, yet their performance doesn't suffer because of it."

With minimal break-in and adjustment time, Chris quickly found his top speed in his pair. He described, "The Jet Mach IIs felt very light and fast on my feet. I think it was a combination of the shoes not weighing much and the fact that they moved so naturally with my footwork. It never felt like there was any excess bulk or clunkiness from the shoes. I was moving at full speed thanks to the light feel, flexible uppers and great traction."

Sean's love affair continued as he reflected on the weight of his Jet Mach IIs. He beamed, "One word: Phenomenal. I have no clue how Babolat was able to make the Jet Mach IIs this light without making any compromises. Although I'm not privy to that secret, I can say that these shoes felt super light around the court — the weight was top notch."

Troy was happy with the light weight, and he felt that all of his on-court movements were fast and fluid. He explained, "Carrying on from the previous versions of the Babolat Jet, these shoes were ultra light and speedy. They felt very minimal on my feet, but at the same time they provided adequate support and stability. I don't have any data that shows I was actually faster in these shoes, but I felt very light on my feet. It was easy to transition my movements, and I felt very quick coming out of my split steps. Although I appreciated the ultra-fast feel of these shoes, I wouldn't mind bumping up the weight by an ounce or so for a bit more forefoot cushioning."

Overall - Score: 4.2