adidas adizero Ubersonic 4 Women's Review

Comfort - Score: 3.8

With a noticeable update in sizing, new construction features and a fashion-forward cosmetic, the adizero Ubersonic 4s enticed our playtesters even before they stepped foot on the court. "The first time I put them on, I noticed the fit had changed a little," began Tiffani. "The length wasn't as long as the adizero Ubersonic 3s and felt closer to true to size. The width was also not quite as wide and felt more like a true medium. The shoes were soft enough that they didn't constrict my wider feet too much and didn't need a break-in. The updated cushioning felt nice in the heel, but the forefoot region felt very low to the ground and minimal. I don't mind that feeling and was connected to my footwork. The one issue I had with comfort was the laces. They're rather thin, as is the bootie. I could feel the laces pressing on my feet, and part of the lacing system pinched the top of my feet as well. This was the only drawback to an otherwise comfortable ride."

Michelle found the adizero Ubersonic 4s to be a comfortable pair of shoes, and she loved how snug the bootie construction held her feet, but she did have a bit of a break-in. She explained, "I wasn't expecting to need any break-in, but I did experience some rubbing around the ankle collar on the medial side the first few times I played in these shoes. I also really struggled to cinch up the shoes with the laces. They were hard to pull tightly, and the thinner laces did sort of cut into my feet. On a positive note, I was really happy with the Lightstrike cushioning underfoot; it felt cushioned and responsive, yet still light and not at all bulky. As far as fit, like Tiffani, I thought this update fit better than previous versions and wasn't too long or too wide, which I appreciated."

This was Kristen's first time wearing an adizero Ubersonic, so she came into this playtest without any expectations. She said, "These shoes offered a great fit in terms of length, and in terms of feeling comfortably snug thanks to the bootie construction. I liked the feel and look of the shoes from the get-go, and I stepped on court for the first time with absolutely no comfort issues — until I stepped off the court. Once off court, I noticed they had been digging into my ankles a bit, and I needed to be sure I wore a higher sock that extended past the ankle collar to avoid rubbing into my ankles. The other thing I noticed when walking around in these shoes was that the upper on my right foot would crease and dig into the top of my forefoot. Luckily, I never experienced that issue when moving on court, so I would take the shoes off as soon as I was done hitting instead of keeping them on for the rest of the day as I sometimes would otherwise. Underfoot, these Ubersonics were great. I absolutely loved the underfoot cushioning and the responsive feel. I felt extra 'on my toes' and super speedy on court in these shoes."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.2

Our playtesters take support and stability seriously when testing their shoes, and they were ready to put the new uppers of the adizero Ubersonic 4s to the test. One of Michelle's critiques of lighter shoes is that they usually aren't as supportive or stable. She described, "For me, these shoes did a great job with support and stability, and I found this to be a standout feature. These shoes really hugged my feet and left me feeling confident from all areas of the court. The bootie was very supportive and kept my feet from spilling over in the shoes. And I was really happy with the stability. I could tell even before putting them on and bending these adizero Ubersonic 4s a bit that they would be more stable than what I normally find from lightweight shoes."

Kristen thought these shoes offered great stability on the court for the majority of the playtest. She said, "It was only after putting upward of 10 hours in the adizero Ubersonic 4s that I noticed the responsiveness of the cushioning was wearing down a bit. Especially in the forefoot of the shoe, the cushioning underfoot started to feel super bare; I started to feel the impact of the ground more and experienced some sliding in the shoes at that point as well."

"These adizero Ubersonic 4s have a really low ride in the forefoot," added Tiffani. "This helped me feel stable at all times. Even when scrambling out wide, I didn't fear rolling over. These shoes held me in quite well; I heard some of the men on the playtest team say they experienced some toe jamming, but I thankfully had no issues with that."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.2

When playtesting speedy shoes, our team usually expects a bit of a tradeoff when it comes to durability. This seemed to be the case with the adizero Ubersonic 4s for all three ladies. Kristen was not surprised to find that these lightweight shoes wore down noticeably, but she wasn't disappointed either. She said, "I do have some smoothing at and around the toes, particularly on my right foot, which I drag on my serves. However, I found the durability to be mostly in line with other shoes I've tried in this weight category."

"Light, fast shoes are often not the most durable, and the adizero Ubersonic 4s definitely fall into that category," Tiffani explained. "I noticed the toes starting to wear after just a few wears. The very tops of the toes have some protection, but these shoes are just not made to be ultra durable. Players who are hard on their shoes would likely want to save these Ubersonic 4s for match days."

Based on the amount of wear Michelle has already put on her adizero Ubersonic 4s, she doesn't expect them to last all that long. She said, "Unfortunately, these are not the most durable shoes. I am seeing some solid wear after 10 hours, and I know they won't last me very long. Because they are so light, that is just a tradeoff. If you are looking for a durable shoe and play on gritty courts, I would avoid these Ubersonics. I think they would be a better option for players looking for match-day shoes or something comfortable and light to teach in."

Traction - Score: 4.4

When it comes to traction levels on shoes, each of our players has her own preference, but all came away happy with the adizero Ubersonic 4s. Tiffani really likes when she doesn't need to think about how she's moving around the court. She said, "The adizero Ubersonic 4s allowed me to feel smooth when moving. I don't recall thinking about the traction levels at all when I was playing."

"The traction was great for me," added Michelle, who prefers grippier outsoles. "The shoes had enough tack and give when I needed it. I was expecting them to be a little slippery, but I didn't find that to be the case. No complaints in this area."

Kristen felt like the Ubersonic 4's outsole kept her in full control of her on-court movement. She described, "The blend of traction seemed to be ideal in these shoes, as it was something I never really thought about while playing. I had plenty of give to feel super speedy on court, but at the same time had just enough grip to where I never had any unwanted sliding or slipping issues."

Weight - Score: 4.7

Our team knew the adizero Ubersonic 4s would be among the lightest shoes they've playtested in a while. Michelle explained, "These shoes were super light and quick. They were never bulky or heavy. I always felt fast and light on my feet when the Ubersonic 4s were on."

Kristen felt like the adizero Ubersonic 4s allowed her to fly around the court. She said, "I don't know if it's because I'm finally getting over a quad injury or because of the weight of the shoes, but I felt extra speedy in these adizero Ubersonic 4s. It's been a while since I've worn lighter shoes, and the lightweight feel and the responsive midsole cushioning made for a pretty optimal combo."

"The adizero Ubersonic 4s feel very quick," added Tiffani. "The fit felt more streamlined, and there's not much to weigh them down. I have no complaints in the weight department."

Overall - Score: 4.0