Breakdown

Comfort: 8.5

Our playtesters were surprised by how cushioned these KSwiss Ultrashot Team shoes felt underfoot given their feather-light weight. They also appreciated the breathability of the mesh in the uppers. Mark was particularly impressed with the plushness. He described, "The overall comfort of the Ultrashot Team shoes was great. In particular, the cushioning beneath the heels and under the balls of my feet was outstanding. I have to say the degree of comfort of the upper was not far behind. In terms of breathability, the amount of mesh versus TPU provided good ventilation. The location and height of the stock arch insert was darn near perfect for my somewhat higher instep as well. For the first few sessions, the fit of the Ultrashot Team shoes was snug, yet comfortable. That said, after more court time in them, the uppers felt like they were stretching a bit and required an extra tug on the laces to keep the shoes snug." 

Jason was not expecting the Ultrashot Teams to be as well cushioned as they were. He said, "I thought these shoes were really comfortable and a nice fit for my feet. They were slightly wider in the toe box, so my toes didn't feel like sardines in a can."

Troy appreciated the cushioning in the heel, but he would have liked more plushness in the forefoot. He explained, "When it came to comfort, I found it to be pretty good overall, but not exceptional. Right out of the box, the uppers felt nice and comfortable on top of my feet, and the ventilation was pretty good, so I never felt like my feet were too hot. I would also tip my hat to the cushioning located in the heels. It was well padded underneath, but the forefoot cushioning was mediocre in my opinion. I guess my message to the designers would be if you are making this a more comfort-forward option in the Ultrashot line, go all in and give these shoes extra cushioning under the foot, especially up in the front where most players put their weight. The fit was good for the most part, and I could cinch these shoes up for a secure feel, but the length was a little snug initially, so I got some unwanted pressure on my big toes."

Foot Support / Stability: 7.4

The Surgelite cushioning and the TPU shank in the midsole give the KSwiss Ultrashot Teams good support and stability. Mark compared these shoes to the KSwiss Ultrashot 3s, saying, "I am a huge fan of the Ultrashot 3 for at least three reasons: excellent stability, support and comfort. For the most part, the Ultrashot Teams were pretty similar as far as midsole cushioning and the width of the footprint, making them feel pretty stable overall."

The stability of these shoes fit well with Troy's game. He noted, "The support was good overall, in the sense that I really liked the lacing system and how snugly I could cinch the laces to get a secure fit. The tongue felt pretty comfortable, so I could tighten up the laces nicely to get a locked-in fit. The only area where I didn't find that secure fit was in the width of the toe box. It was slightly generous for me, but that wasn't really an issue. On the other hand, I did notice a step down in stability compared to the KSwiss Ultrashot 3s, which I have played in recently. That said, these shoes provided enough support, and the stability was more than adequate. Because these KSwiss Ultrashot Team shoes are rather flexible, I would steer players who move laterally with a lot of force and slide on hard courts toward the Ultrashot 3s to get the stability needed for that type of movement. For the recreational or club-level player, these Ultrashot Teams should be fine."

Jason liked the stability of the Ultrashot Teams but could have used a bit more support. He said, "I thought these shoes had decent stability when I was moving side to side. I could feel the uppers flex, but never to the point where I felt like my feet were going to roll over. However, I was left wanting more support. I tried cinching up my laces, but I couldn't get a locked-in fit and feel. I was sliding forward within the shoes and was getting some instances of toe jamming."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.0

In many instances, achieving a lighter build in a court shoe comes at the expense of durability, but that was not the case with the KSwiss Ultrashot Teams. Our team was impressed with how well the shoes held up during testing. Jason explained, "For a shoe weighing less than 13 ounces, I felt like the durability was excellent. I put a good 10 hours on them, and even though I do see signs of wear, they are pretty minimal. I could easily play another 10 hours in them with no issues."

Although he is not much of a toe dragger, Troy was pleased by the durability of the reinforced toes and outsoles. He said, "The outsoles were pretty solid throughout the playtest. I noticed the typical wear to the tread pattern, mostly under the forefoot region. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just a little bit of smoothing to the rubber; in fact, the outsole rubber held up a bit better than I expected. I don't drag my toes like I used to back in my junior college days. That said, the protective material at the tip of the toes did a good job whenever I dragged a bit coming out of my serves or hitting a volley. As far as the upper material, I can't really attest to that since I hardly ever turn my foot that far. I did like the feel of the upper, though, in terms of how it felt, supported, and breathed throughout the month or so that I tested these shoes."

Again comparing these shoes to the Ultrashot 3s, Mark said, "Durability-wise, I have to give the Ultrashot Teams close to the same high marks that I aim at the Ultrashot 3s, which is pretty impressive to me since the Team version is a substantially lighter court shoe."

Traction: 8.6

It was unanimous! Our playtesters all praised the KSwiss Ultrashot Team shoes for their excellent traction. The grip did not disappoint Troy, who said, "I felt very confident throughout the playtest when it came to the traction and grip on the hard courts that I played on. I am not a hard-court slider, but I don't like it when the rubber outsole feels too sticky. Like most other KSwiss tennis shoes I have tried, the KSwiss Ultrashot Teams felt good the first time on the court. I liked how the classic herringbone tread pattern performed because it is pretty dense in design and gave me a lot of contact with the court. Sometimes when those herringbone ridges are too fine, they start to feel slick, like taking clay court shoes to play on hard courts."

The grip he got during hard court play really impressed Mark. He said, "Great traction! I never tested out the versatility of the Ultrashot Team's modified herringbone tread pattern on a soft court, but on every hard court I played on, these shoes provided me with reliable and predictable traction."

Jason appreciated the blend of grip and give he got with these shoes. He said, "Luckily for me, the outsoles did have a bit of give to them. I didn't experience any hard stops, which helped with the stability aspect because I could slide out a bit to slow down. But if you don't slide, don't worry; I think you'll still be happy with the level of traction and grip you'll get with these shoes. I was pushing off with no issues or slippage."

Weight: 9.0

The playtesters all agreed that for shoes with so many great features, it's amazing how lightweight and speedy the Ultrashot Teams feel. Mark was particularly impressed. He said, "On its own, 12.7 ounces (U.S. men's size 10.5) for a tennis shoe is pretty light. Considering how much performance is packed into the KSwiss Ultrashot Teams, I would have guessed that it weighed more than it does."

The light weight of these shoes helped Jason chase down his shots. He said, "The lightweight feel is something that makes these shoes stand apart. I felt quick moving around the court in them, so no complaints from me here."

Although he appreciated the light weight, Troy would have traded more cushioning for a slightly heavier shoe. He explained, "As part of the Ultrashot family, which is known for stability and durability, these KSwiss Ultrashot Team shoes felt very light. Once I wore them a couple of times, they were easy to move in around the court. They flexed well and felt very speedy as I moved in all directions. Most of the time I didn't even think about these shoes as I was playing, which usually means they have a comfortable and natural feel. I enjoyed their lightweight feel, but as I mentioned in the comfort section, I would have liked a really thick cushion in the midsole, especially in the forefoot, so I would add a little more weight to achieve that."

Breakdown Summary