Diadora's history of high-level cushioning and comfort continues with the Diadora Speed B.Icon 2. Starting the playtest on a positive note, Chris said, "The Speed B.Icon 2s took hardly any break-in for me, and I was playing comfortably in them within the first hour of wear. I liked the way the shoes fit my feet. I have narrow feet, so I often have to really crank down on the laces to get a secure fit. These Speed B.Icon 2s held my feet nicely, so I was able to feel secure and comfortable. The level of cushioning was good for me; I felt low to the ground and able to react quickly, yet there was enough cushioning for comfort. I also liked the level of arch support. The shoes offered enough flex to move with my feet yet were also supportive enough to keep my arches protected on quick sprints to the net."

"Beginning with what did not change for the second generation Diadora Speed B.Icons, the midsole cushioning was outstanding and provided the same high level of comfort and energy return as the first," continued Mark. "The construction of its upper is also basically the same as the prior model in terms of the ratio of mesh versus TPU, making the shoes both supportive and breathable. The arch height also feels the same (medium height). The most notable change here is the length; the B.Icon 2s were true to size for me compared to the prior iteration running a bit long."

Austin felt that comfort was a primary area of focus for the Diadora Speed B.Icon 2s. He said, "From the first on-foot experience, I could feel my feet settling into and compressing the midsole. The forefoot and heel of the shoes are notably plusher, while the more rigid, plastic midfoot shank offers a degree of arch stability. The newly updated upper provides adequate ventilation, and while I did feel a slight pinch in the pinky toe of my left foot, it was short-lived, and I found the fit appropriate and true to size."

On the other hand, Howard had a different experience with the B.Icon 2's cushioning. He said, "Overall comfort is about average, considering these are speed court shoes. With the limited cushioning, I felt the majority of the impact from the ground. For my feet, arch support was good. I did not have any issues with pain in the arch area of my feet, and the shoes fit true to size."

Our team's opinions were mixed when it came to the support and stability of the Speed B.Icon 2s. While initially hesitant, Mark ultimately found the shoes to perform quite well in this category. He said, "The B.Icon 2's midsole stack height, particularly in the rear of the shoe, appears to be high, and I was concerned that the shoe would not be maneuverable enough for me. However, once inside, I realized that my feet are pretty close to the court after all, making these shoes both very stable and maneuverable. As far as foot support, the upper of the B.Icon 2 provided me with plenty of support and sufficient comfort."

Chris felt very secure in these shoes because they were a good fit for his narrow feet. He said, "I liked the way the shoes held my feet on aggressive lateral cuts. When I was defending along the baseline, I was able to stop and push off at full force and trust the shoes would give me the support I needed.”

"The longer I played with the Diadora Speed B.Icon 2s, the more I noticed the shoes opening up," noted Howard. "I found myself tying the shoes a bit tighter than I normally tie my court shoes. Overall stability was good, and I never felt worried about rolling an ankle or having the shoes slip underneath me."

Stability was the biggest knock Austin had against the Speed B.Icon 2s. He explained, "Although the comfort is premium in these shoes, I found I was lacking some support underfoot. In a way, I found the midsole's cushioning almost a little too soft. It wasn't until about the five to six hour mark that the shoes really seemed to open up, and my feet were seated deep enough that the instability seemed to fade away."

The Diadora Speed B.Icon 2s held up to our playtest team's high durability standards. Howard can be extremely hard on his shoes, and his Speed B.Icon 2s survived the playtest with only a few scuffs. He said, "The bottom of the shoes held up very well. After several hours of playing with the Diadora Speed B.Icon 2s, I didn't notice any wear on the outsole. The toe area held up great! I had several scuffs in the toe area, but I was not able to budge into the next layer. Overall I'd say durability is top-notch with the B.Icon 2s."

"While I am not a notorious toe-dragger, I do have a penchant for wearing through my shoes toward the interior tip of the toe box, and I was very pleased with the lack of wear the Speed B.Icon 2s showed after 10-plus hours of playtesting and match play," added Austin. "Because the shoes took some time breaking in, the durability was a nice trade-off."

Mark kept it short and sweet, saying, "Although the Diadora B.Icon 2s do not feature an outsole warranty, the Duratech 5000 rubber formula is very abrasion resistant on hard court surfaces while still offering the proper amount of grip versus slip."

Having playtested these shoes for over 10 hours on court, Chris' pair of Speed B.Icon 2s held up well. He said, "I usually see more wear to the outsole under the big toe of my right foot, but these shoes proved up to the test. I had most of the tread left on the outsoles of both shoes, and traction was unaffected. The uppers also held up well. There are some scuff marks at the toe tips, but the material proved to be very durable, with hardly any wear."

While our playtesters vary on their traction preferences, they could agree that the Speed B.Icon 2s were on the slightly slicker side. Mark didn't have to give much thought to the traction of Speed B.Icon 2s, which is always a positive. He said, "I was able to focus on other important things, like the ball, while wearing these Diadora B.Icon 2s. Lastly, I did find myself sliding out of some shots, so I will note that the new B.Icon 2s are probably great for those who prefer to slide more on a hard court."

Howard also found a little more slip than stick. He said, "Traction felt a bit less grippy than what I normally gravitate toward. I felt that I needed to give an extra push off the ground to get the same results I would normally get with my shoes of choice. The lack of traction, compared to what I like, did allow me to slide a bit more on certain shots."

"I liked the level of grip I found in the Speed B.Icon 2s," added Chris, who appreciates a little extra give. "They felt very trustworthy, and I was comfortable sprinting around the court as fast as possible. I liked that the outsole had enough give to allow me to pivot and transition into each movement without feeling like I was ever getting stuck to the court."

Meanwhile, Austin was a little more tentative with his movements, especially at the beginning of the playtest. He said, "Much like the stability of these shoes, I found that the traction left me with some uncertainty on the court. I felt that there was too much give in the tread, especially at the beginning of the playtest. It took some time until the softness underfoot began to firm up, and I found myself able to push off with more confidence."

While the Diadora Speed B.Icon 2s weigh 15.1 ounces on the scale, landing toward the heavier side of the spectrum, they didn't seem to slow our playtesters down. Chris was impressed, saying, "I felt very fast on court in the Speed B.Icon 2s. I think the combination of a good fit, near-perfect traction and an easy heel-to-toe transition made the shoes feel very natural on my feet. It was easy for me to focus on my tennis and not think about my movement around the court, which is always a good sign that the shoes do not feel clunky or distracting. Considering how supportive and durable these shoes are, I was impressed by how fast I felt in them."

"The Speed B.Icon 2s, notable for their low-to-the-ground feel and streamlined design, could easily be interpreted as speed-oriented shoes," Austin continued. "However, while most speedy models are lighter in weight, the Speed B.Icon 2s diverge from this a little bit. These shoes take a more balanced approach; they are not as light as a Nike Vapor Pro or Asics Solution Speed, but also not as heavy as a Nike Vapor 11 or Asics Gel Resolution. As someone who tends to prefer heavier, more durability-oriented shoes, the weight never struck me as an obstacle."

While Howard typically wears tennis shoes that fall into the lightweight category, he appreciated what the Speed B.Icon 2s offered. He wrapped up the playtest, saying, "The Diadora Speed B.Icon 2s felt a bit heavier than what I’m used to. That said, I still felt fast and connected to the ground. I think the weight is perfect for this type of shoe; any lighter and it would feel less stable."