Breakdown

Comfort: 8.7

Our playtesters thought the Yonex PC Ad Accels offered a nice level of comfort for such lightweight shoes. The Power Cushion + midsole had a relatively low profile, but it delivered good cushioning, and the Durable Skin Light uppers conformed to everyone's feet with little to no break-in time. Brittany was impressed by how well the Ad Accels fit. She said, "As expected from Yonex shoes, the Ad Accels had a snug medium fit that was perfect for my narrow feet. Honestly, I felt like these shoes were custom made just for me, from the heel to the toe box. They had a perfect glove-like fit, and I was able to walk straight to the court and start playing with no break-in time. As far as cushioning is concerned, I thought there was adequate cushioning under the heel, but a little less under the forefoot. I didn't have any comfort issues even though I would consider these to be more minimalist shoes. The ventilation was OK, and nothing stood out there. My arches were fully supported as well, and I didn't have to think twice about them."

After a short break-in period, Zsofi was surprised by how good these shoes felt on her feet. She said, "When I first put on the new Yonex Ad Accels I thought they would be a bit too narrow for me, but they opened up really fast (after about an hour of playtime), and they became super comfortable. They felt nice and snug, and I had zero issues with fit. The comfort level was amazing, and I really enjoyed that plush feel underfoot."

Michelle found the perfect fit after adjusting the laces. She said, "From the first try-on, these shoes reminded me of the Yonex Sonicages; they’re snug, yet supportive and light! They almost felt like ballet slippers, cinched up at the toe box and snug in a good way. They fit my medium-width feet snugly, but I had no issues and didn't want to size up. I would not recommend these shoes to players with wider feet, though, because of their snug medium width. The uppers were comfortable. I had a slight break-in period, but in a bit of a different way. I noticed some strain on the top of my feet, close to where I tied the laces. I used the last eyelet and that resolved the issue."

Foot Support / Stability: 8.2

It was unanimous. All of our playtesters were impressed with the level of support and stability the Yonex PC Ad Accels provided. The lacing system, carbon plate shank and cushioning around the ankles ensured their feet were well supported and stable, which gave them the freedom to move with confidence on the court. Brittany sets the bar high for this category due to previous injuries. She explained, "I have high expectations in this area and can be a pretty tough judge on shoes, especially those in the lightweight category. To my delight, the Ad Accels met all my needs. In fact, after two hits I looked down and realized I hadn't even utilized the last eyelet, which is something I always need. I then went ahead and used the last eyelet to get even more security. My feet were held nicely in place no matter which direction I was moving, which wasn’t the case with the Yonex Eclipsion 5s, and they felt fully supported within the shoes. The lacing system allowed the shoes to hug my ankles nicely, and my ankles felt safe moving side to side. Even after a long hitting session, the shoes had enough stability that my ankles were never sore."

Michelle was surprised by the support she got from these shoes when she used the last eyelet. She said, "For such a light pair of shoes, I was shocked by the level of support and stability. I found more support in these shoes than I did in the Eclipsion 5s. I did utilize that last eyelet because the uppers are really flexible, and I wanted to connect the shoes better to my feet. Doing that helped, and I had no support issues after the adjustment. The stability was also impressive to me."

Yonex's Accel Booster technology was a standout for Zsofi. She said, "I'll be honest; I was a bit hesitant when I first put the Ad Accels on. My first impression was that they might not be as supportive as I would like, but I was very positively surprised as the playtest went on! There was something special about these shoes; at first I didn't really know what it was, but later on I realized that it was not only the amazing cushioning underfoot, but also this super springy sensation I got from each step I took. There is a springboard-like technology (Accel Booster shank) built in underfoot, which delivers this amazing rebound effect. It was so bouncy that at certain times I almost wasn't sure where I was stepping. Initially, this gave me a feeling of instability, but as the playtesting went on I got more used to how these shoes performed and felt more confident each time I played."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.2

Lightweight shoes have a reputation for outsoles that wear down more quickly than their heavy duty counterparts, but that wasn't the case with the Yonex PC Ad Accels. Zsofi was particularly impressed. She said, "The durability was top-notch; I barely saw any wear at all. I definitely played more than 10 hours during this playtest." 

Michelle agreed, adding, "The rubber compound Yonex is using seems to be really durable. I wore these a fair amount and didn't see too much smoothing by the end of this playtest."

The overall durability of these shoes was a pleasant surprise for Brittany. She said, "I easily put in 10-plus hours on a gritty indoor court playing singles and doubles. Knowing the Ad Accels are lightweight, I had expected some wear. At the end of the playteste there was some smoothing under the big toes that moved up toward the toe bumper, but to be honest, I expected to see more wear than I did. The toe bumpers held up great, as did the uppers. Although I wouldn't categorize these shoes as durable by any means, I was willing to sacrifice some durability for all the other positive aspects."

Traction: 5.9

Our playtesters found that the outsoles of the Yonex PC Ad Accels definitely had more grip than give. The grippier outsoles were something that Michelle adjusted to well. She said, "The traction was no doubt on the stickier side, but it wasn't an issue for me. There were a few times I actually slid into a wide slice shot and laid my inside foot down on the court while getting to the ball."

While the Ad Accels did keep Brittany feeling connected to the court, she would have liked more give in the outsoles. She described, "When I started this playtest, one of the first things I noticed was the sticky outsole. It did a good job — almost too good of a job — gripping the court. There were times I felt stuck and a half-second behind when I was changing directions. I typically like a little bit of give, especially so I can pivot out of my shots, even though I am not the biggest slider. I was shocked, and maybe even slightly impressed, that at the end of the playtest the Ad Accels had maintained that consistently grippy feel. If there were a positive side, my feet sat lower to the ground, so I felt extremely connected to the court."

These outsoles had a little too much grip for Zsofi. She commented, "When it came to the outsole traction, the outsole traction of the Ad Accels felt a bit too sticky for me. During certain movements I felt a bit stuck because of the traction. Normally, I prefer shoes that allow me to adjust out of my shots a little easier, and I was hoping for the traction to get less sticky as the playtest went on, but it didn't really change. It all comes down to personal preference in the end, but I would have preferred a bit more give from the outsoles." 

Weight: 9.3

One thing all of our testers did agree on was how much they enjoyed the light weight of the Yonex PC Ad Accels. These shoes earned high marks for how light and speedy they were. Brittany was struck by how stable and supportive these shoes felt given their weight. She explained, "The highlight of the shoes was their lightweight feel. I think Yonex mastered the combination of support, stability and light weight. I felt quick and fast, and I could chase down every drop shot hit my way (thanks Chris)."

The zippiness of these Ad Accels really stood out for Michelle after she wore other shoes that were geared more for stability and support. She said, "I thought the Ad Accels were really light shoes. There were days I started off wearing one of my favorite supportive, stable shoes and switched into these, and I was shocked at how quick and fast I instantly felt."

Zsofi felt very agile on court in the Ad Accels. She said, "The weight of the Ad Accels was ideal for me! They felt super light on my feet, and they provided a very speedy sensation while I was moving on court." 

Breakdown Summary