Reviewing the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3

Rafael Nadal loves a good tradition. Having worn his trademark headband and sleeveless shirts for years, he’s generally resistant to change. This, too, was the case when he was asked to switch sneakers.

While the switch was a big deal to Nadal, it seems like he’s become well accustomed to his new sneaker and he’s got to love the colors too. His sneaker is black, white, and a classic gold, giving him just enough flare to go with the classic neutrality the shoe brings.

While it passes the test with flying colors in the looks department, how does it actually feel? This is obviously more important, especially to serious tennis players. After having worn them for a week after buying them, we’ll never put our Breathe Frees on again. These shoes give us everything we’re looking for in the comfort department.

Weighing in at 17.7 ounces, they’re actually quite heavy. Due to the architecture of the sneaker, the weight is distributed in such as way so that the sneaker doesn’t weigh you down. We were definitely light on our feet, and you have to assume that Rafael Nadal and many other pros wouldn’t settle for a heavy feeling sneaker either.

Two great features are new to Nike tennis shoes on the Courtballistec 1.3. LunarLight is a lightweight cushioning in the mid sole, and DragOn X. The LunarLight is used in the midsole to help keep players light on their feet by reducing weight. The DragOn X is great on the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 because it protects the toe when serving much better than previous models.

While we loved nearly everything about them, we did find a minor drawback; they were stiff the first time we wore them out on the court. We’d stay away from any serious matches the first time wearing these, as you may not be happy with the feel. Wear them out for a day to break them in and you’ll be fine. They also ran a little big. My foot is generally an 11, but the 10.5 fit us better. Trust me on this, no need to question it.

The Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 is built to last for the competitive player. However, those who wear through shoes quickly have no reason to fear because each new pair comes with a 6-month out sole guarantee. If the outsole shows considerable wear, all you have to do is fill out a form (included in the box) and send back your used Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 for a Nike product voucher. The voucher will be worth the suggested retail value of the shoe you sent back.

All in all, the pros wear this for a reason. It’s a great sneaker that gives you everything you’d looking for in a tennis shoe. Shop around a bit to find the best deal, because they’re out there. Good luck!yea

Tennis shoes can be hard to get a read on, especially after just trying them on in the shoe store. Learn more about all of the Nike Air Courtballistec tennis sneakers and more about the Courtballistec 1.3 sneakers at our dedicated Nike Air Courtballistec reviews site.