Babolat Propulse BPM All Court Red Men's Shoes Review

Price:

€

Upsides

Lightweight
Fast feeling
Good traction

Downsides

Nothing we could agree on

Summary

The aptly named Babolat Jet shoes are among the lightest and fastest-feeling performance tennis shoes that we can recall. The super low-to-the-ground ride and unique lightweight upper material had our TW testers moving around at top speeds feeling like they could run down every one of their opponents' shots. The shoes' uppers also provided a nice soft feel with plenty of stability that protected us when making aggressive changes of directions. Support and durability were two areas where we thought these shoes were lacking. They are so soft that some of our testers noted that their feet would ache a bit after wearing them for a long time, and the minimal outsole material showed signs of wear early in the playtest for almost everyone. However, if you're looking for an ultra fast, lightweight feel, the Babolat Jet has been shot into the upper echelon of match-day performance shoes.

Babolat Jet Men's Shoe Scores
Overall Comfort	4,3/5
Ventilation	4,2/5
Arch Support	3,5/5
Foot Support/Stability	3,9/5
Overall Sole Durability	2,8/5
Toe Durability	3,7/5
Traction	4,5/5
Weight	4,9/5
Overall	4,1/5

Comfort – Score 4,3/5

The comfort and cushioning of the Propulse BPM proved to be more than adequate for our playtesters, but they both struggled to get the shoes laced down and feeling secure on their feet. One tester felt the shoes were ready to go right out of the box while the other thought they took a little while to break-in. However, over time they both found that the shoe really softened up. This was nice for cushioning but made it difficult to get a secure, locked down fit.

Foot Support/Stability – Score 3,9/5

We thought the low to the ground design of the Jet helped give it a stable feel during play, and none of our testers had any issue feeling protected during play. The upper material held the foot decently well too, but some of the testers noted that the material softened up a bit during the test and wished for a bit more rigidity for better stability. All in all, while the uppers could’ve been a bit stiffer for better protection, all of our testers were able to move at top speeds with little to no issue with the stability of the shoes.

Durability – Score 2,8/5

Durability was certainly not a strength of the Jet, and almost all of our testers’ pairs were showing signs of wear and tear fairly early on into the playtest. A couple of them found the durability to be "below average " even compared to other shoes in their weight class. We found them to last similarly to the Nike Vapor 9.5 Tour - one of our most popular and best-selling shoes. The lacklustre durability seemed to be a natural trade-off for the lightweight, fast feel that the shoes offered.

Traction – Score 4,5/5

Everyone was very pleased with the level of traction that the Jet offered. The Michelin rubber compound that we’ve grown to love in Babolat performance shoes once again provided a good blend of grip and give that allowed for total confidence and comfort when changing directions. A couple testers noted that there was just enough of a slippery feel that it would allow players who like to slide on hard courts to do so quite easily, making these shoes well suited to aggressive modern players.

Weight – Score 4,9/5

The highlight of the Jets for us was just how light and fast they felt out on court. A couple of our testers were hard pressed to remember any other performance tennis shoes feeling so quick and speed-oriented during play. The lightweight upper material combined with the low to the ground ride gave our team the feeling that they could run down any ball.

Overall - Score: 4,1/5

Likes

Chris- "I loved the fit, comfort, traction, speedy feel and also the looks of the shoes. These are my favourite Babolat shoes so far. "

Jason- "Great speedy feel with above average cushioning and traction. "

Andy- "Unbelievably light and fast feeling. Very soft and comfortable, too, with plenty of stability. "

Troy- "It was a good fit for my narrow feet. The fast feel and excellent traction had me moving aggressively on court. "

Dislikes

Chris- "They are too expensive at (XXX add TWE price) when I can get the latest Asics Gel Solution Speed 3s or adidas adizero Ubersonics for (XXX add TWE price). "

Jason- "I would've wanted just a bit more support and stability. That's it. "

Andy- "Maybe a little too soft; they didn't offer enough support underfoot. The outsoles was also not that durable. "

Troy- "Not as plush-feeling my favourite lightweight shoes. The outsole wore out too fast for my liking as well. "

Comparison:

Chris- "These were light, fast and comfortable shoes. Other options would be the similar fitting adidas adizero Ubersonics and for a slightly narrower fit the Asics Gel Solution Speed 3s and Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tours. "

Jason- "For overall performance, I'd put this in the top tier of match-day shoes that include the Vapor 9.5 Tour, Ubersonic and Gel Solution Speed 3. "

Andy- "The only shoes I could think of that felt this light and fast is the adidas adizero Ubersonic. The Jets are a little softer feeling and not quite as supportive, but they both sit super low to the ground and make you feel like you're sitting in a sports car. "

Troy- "These shoes definitely fit in with the top lightweight shoes on the market like the Asics Gel Solution Speed 3, Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour, adidas adizero Ubersonic and KSwiss Hypercourt Express. The Jets were slightly less comfortable, but at the same time was slightly faster feeling on court (except for the Asics Gel Solution Speed 3, which is in my opinion the best performance shoe on the market). "

Playtester Foot Types:

Andy - Medium width / Low arch

Chris - Narrow width / Medium arch

Jason - Wide width / Low arch

Troy - Narrow width / Medium arch

Review date: March 2016. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us: information.en@tenniswarehouse-europe.com.