I don’t typically review tennis gear, let alone shoes. I usually know what I like and stick to it without visiting hundreds of reviews or demoing a million rackets. In terms of shoes, they have always been a bit of an afterthought. I’m about a 4.5 player and for years I was satisfied with the $50-$70 price point. The reason I liked that price point was because I tear through the front of the shoe, no matter if it’s a $50 or $100-dollar shoe. I play about twice a week.

Two years ago, this shoe habit reached a boiling point. I bought a pair of $50 dollar Nike’s which lasted two months before getting torn up. I know I could probably send them back and get new ones, but I just don’t have the time for that headache. So, I decided to read some reviews and begin testing shoes. I upped my price point to $90-$100. I figured I could pay the extra money if the shoes didn’t disintegrate on me. I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort and light quality for the new price point, but both Nike’s and Adidas still got torn up within six months.

I then decided to try Asics and my world changed. So for about a year now, I’d been playing with these bad boys.

And they were great, and absolutely recommend them. You can sweep your toe through the court, no problem, and they are very comfortable too. So, when it was time to buy a new pair of shoes again, you’d think I’d buy the same pair right? Wrong.

Although I loved the shoe, I wanted something that wasn’t covered in a tough plastic material. I want my foot to breath. I want more mesh. I took a plunge and bought myself some Adidas Defiant Bounce.

I’ve been playing with this shoe for a few months, and I can honestly say I love it better than the Asics. The sole has a nice sticky quality to it which helps me to set for my shots better. Also, it’s mostly mesh so my foot can breathe. Finally, they just feel good! Get out there and buy them. They’re on sale.