Description
Babolat ™ Jet Mach II All Court Tennis Shoe
The Brand
Babolat is a French company that has been around since 1875. Over the past 25 years, their outdoor court shoes have consistently improved in quality.
In part, this is because they have partnered with Michelin — also a French company — to develop one of the best out-soles for tennis and pickleball.
Traditionally, tennis players have had to choose between durability without comfort (Adidas) and comfort without durability (Nike). In the past decade, however, Babolat and Michelin have combined to develop a sole that offers sufficient durability with reasonable comfort. This blend gives up a bit on the durability side, but it adds comfort to every step the athlete will take in their shoes. At the same time, this blend ensures that athletes will get sufficient mileage before having to buy a new pair of shoes.
The Category
This court shoe is in our Adult Performance category. Shoes in this category are suitable for continuous adult use over prolonged periods of time. On average, players tend to move about 3 kph while playing doubles racquet sports and about 4 kph while playing singles. So you can get an idea of how long this shoe should last by figuring out how many hours you play per week on average.
The Insole
This shoe features an upgraded insole that is better than we expect to see in comparable shoes. As with all athletic shoes, players should monitor wear on their insoles over time and expect to replace them at about the halfway point in the life of the shoe.
The Shape
We describe this shoe as a D width with a standard toe taper. D-width is standard-width for men’s shoes and wide-width for ladies. Standard taper shoes tend to fit younger athletes better than older athletes because forefeet tend to widen over time.
The Outer Sole
The outer sole of this shoe is a hard non-marking synthetic rubber (Michelin DIN 20). This type of sole offers maximum durability on acrylic tennis/pickleball courts and reasonable traction on most common surfaces — except hardwood and polished concrete. Although wear patterns will vary from athlete to athlete, we rate this sole at 750-1000 km.
The Platform
We rate the platform of this shoe as athletic, which is is our highest rating for court shoe platforms. The platform on this shoe is wide enough and stable enough for aggressive athletic movements in all directions.
The Ride
This shoe features a high cushioning EVA heel pad for an enhanced ride. However, this is an athletic shoe for younger players not a highly cushioned “comfort” shoe for older athletes.
The Upper
The upper on this shoe combines polyurethane leather (on the lace line) with ultra-durable Kevlar® and polyamide fibers over most of the remaining upper. Four reinforced rigid fiber straps provide structural support. This combination of materials makes the entire upper stable, durable, breathable and impressively lightweight.
The Lacing system
The lacing system on this shoe features six pairs of eyelets plus an additional lace-lock eyelet for those who need it. The bottom four eyelets are punched; the top two are reinforced which is exactly what most athletes want. The laces are flat, which is less than ideal from an athletic point-of-view, but which contributes to the overall visual style of the shoe.
Product Details
| Gender | Men |
|---|---|
| Brand | |
| Sport | |
| Grade | Adult Performance |
| Colours | Black, Red |
| Shoe Size | US MEN 7, US MEN 7.5, US MEN 8, US MEN 8.5, US MEN 9, US MEN 9.5, US MEN 10, US MEN 10.5, US MEN 11, US MEN 11.5, US MEN 12, US MEN 12.5, US MEN 13, US Ladies 8.5, US Ladies 9, US Ladies 9.5, US Ladies 10, US Ladies 10.5, US Ladies 11, US Ladies 11.5, US Ladies 12, US Ladies 12.5, US Ladies 13, US Ladies 14 |
| Shoe Width | |
| Item Type | Ships from e-commerce division 2 |
| Try Shoes On | If you want to try shoes on, order them and choose SHIP TO STORE. You will be notified by email when they are in-store so that you can go in and try them on. |
