Wilson Rush Pro 3.0 Women's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.4

Our playtesters enjoyed the soft upper and supportive underfoot cushioning when they stepped into the Rush Pro 3.0s. As a seasoned tester of Wilson shoes, and Rush Pros in particular, Brittany was able to pick up on some changes from previous iterations. She said, "I have playtested all versions of the Rush Pros since they came out in 2013. When I first slipped these shoes onto my feet I noticed a softer upper, a wider toe box (my narrow feet had plenty of extra room), and supportive cushioning. I didn't have a break-in period with the Rush Pro 3.0s, unlike the 2.5s, which I attribute to the softer upper. I also stayed in my true size. I thought the arch support was improved; in fact, I didn't even notice it, which is a good thing! As far as overall comfort, I was experiencing some uncomfortable toe jamming toward the end of the playtest, which took my score down a couple notches."

Tiffani found an increase in comfort from previous Wilson shoes she's tested. She noted, "These Rush Pro 3.0s felt very comfortable right out of the box. With previous versions of these shoes (and just Wilson shoes in general), I've struggled with pressure points in the toe box due to my wider feet. However, the mesh uppers of these shoes felt comfortable, with no rubbing or pressure. Even the durability feature on the medial side of the toe box felt soft enough for me. The underfoot cushioning felt light and a bit squishy, so my feet sank into them nicely. I've been wearing pretty rigid insoles in all of my shoes lately, so I was missing some support through the arches. Otherwise, these shoes felt pretty comfortable, with average ventilation."

Although Michelle found these shoes comfortable out of the box, she ran into some issues on the court. She said, "The Rush Pro 3.0s offered step-in comfort and right away felt like solid all-around shoes. The cushioning was apparent and supportive as soon as I got my feet in them. I had no rubbing issues or anything like that, but my biggest problem with this shoe was the toe jamming. It has been happening pretty consistently for me in Wilson shoes. It affects my movement too; I'll experience a painful moment and then try to avoid replicating that feeling, which turns into me stopping short before I'm at the ball. I noticed this happening a lot when I was drilling, especially during drills with lots of running. Aside from the jamming, I really had no complaints, but the jamming was enough to hinder the comfort score significantly for me. If I recall correctly, I didn't experience the same toe jamming with the previous version, but know I have had this problem before in Wilson shoes like the Kaos and Amplifeel."

Julie was pleased with her first experience with Wilson shoes. She said, "It was my first time wearing Wilson shoes, so I was pretty excited about this playtest! I didn't have any expectations, but the Rush Pro 3.0s ended up being super comfortable at first fit. I even compared them to slippers when I was walking around the office. The cushioning was plush, yet responsive, and the mesh uppers provided ample ventilation. The medium width of the shoe left some room in the toe box, but it wasn't an issue. However, I did experience toe jamming on the court, not only on sudden stops but also on simple adjustments, which definitely weakened the overall comfort score for me."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.7

While the Rush Pro 3.0s' support and stability levels were satisfactory out of the box, our playtesters found that those levels began to dip as the playtest went on. Tiffani explained, "Initially I was loving these Rush Pro 3.0s all around. The support and stability were great for me for the first few hours. However, I started getting some toe jamming around the three-hour mark as the uppers stretched a bit. I would slide forward into the toe bumper on hard stops. It wasn't as painful as when I playtested the Wilson Kaos shoes a few years back, but it's still not fun to experience toe jamming. The lateral stability felt good, though. The shoes offered a nice platform, so I didn't feel in danger of rolling an ankle."

Brittany had a similar experience. She said, "I had two very different opinions when it came to the support and stability of the Rush Pro 3.0s. On one hand, I thought the stability, particularly in the ankle area, was excellent. I was never worried about rolling an ankle when I was moving side to side, and the collar and laces kept my ankles firmly in place. On the other hand, the upper loosened up after a couple of hours and stopped holding my feet in position. When I was moving aggressively and making sudden stops, my feet were slamming forward into the toe bumper. The bumper is very thick and hard, although not as hard as the Kaos, and this resulted in some toe jamming."

Julie also experienced some toe jamming. She said, "The shoes were pretty stable given their level of flexibility. I appreciated that the tongue is attached because it made my feet feel secure, and it helped strengthen the lateral support. The uppers are soft and offer lots of comfort without compromising lateral support. Unfortunately, my feet were sliding back and forth in the shoes, leading to toe jamming. This made me lose a certain amount of stability and slowed me down, especially when changing directions."

Michelle added, "These shoes held my feet in place well. I felt secure moving aggressively and never was worried about losing my footing or turning an ankle. However, I do wish they could have been a bit more supportive to help with the toe jam."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

When it came to scoring these Rush Pro 3.0s, our team gave the highest marks to sole and toe durability. Brittany described, "Durability was a highlight of these shoes for me. I put 10-plus hours on court drilling and playing doubles, and the outsoles are holding up perfectly. I don't have any wear and anticipate a long life out of these shoes. The toe bumper is thick, and while I do see some smoothing, there is a ton of material left; I won't be going through the toe bumper any time soon."

Michelle continued, "These are fairly durable shoes. I'm satisfied with how well they have worn through the playtest. The outsole remained consistent, and the uppers are maintaining durability as well. Unfortunately, I didn't always want to wear these shoes due to the toe jamming, so I can't say I put them to the test as much as I would have liked. I did wear them a bit off the court, though, since I like the clean white cosmetic. I have no complaints in terms of durability."

Although Julie noticed some slight wear on the outsoles, she was thoroughly impressed by the pristine look of the toe guard. She commented, "I tested these shoes for 10 to 12 hours, and I started to notice some slight smoothing of the outsole after six hours on court. Although the outsole durability was only average, the toe durability was great! The added protection on the forefoot is solid and prevents any quick wear from toe dragging."

Tiffani saw little to no wear on her pair by the end of the playtest. She said, "Considering how light these Rush Pro 3.0s are, I am quite impressed with their durability. These shoes don't show much wear at all after about 10 hours of playing on hard courts. The toe bumper is equally built up, so I'm not doing any damage there either."

Traction - Score: 4.0

While some playtesters found that the Rush Pro 3.0's grippy feel aligned perfectly with their preferences, others could have used a touch more give. For Julie, the traction was ideal. She described, "The traction level was just how I like it! I wasn't stuck on the court; I could move freely but still had a good grip. The outsoles smoothed out a little as the playtest went on, and the shoes lost some traction. It became a tad more slippery, which wasn't a negative in this case. I never slid too far, and the few slides that happened were always smooth and manageable."

Although Brittany never felt stuck to the court, she thought there was room for a bit more give. She said, "The modified herringbone tread pattern offered a grippy response when I was moving around. I thought the shoes did a good job of gripping the court without sticking to it. It was a very consistent response throughout the playtest that I was able to rely on when changing directions. Personally, I prefer just a little more give, especially during point play."

Tiffani felt secure in her movements over the course of the playtest. She said, "I found these shoes to be on the grippier side and a little bit squeaky. The traction was easy to trust, so I was never worried about losing my footing. The grip level stayed consistent throughout our playtest."

Michelle reflected, "I'm wondering whether a bit more give to outsoles may have helped with the toe jamming. With that being said, the traction didn't really bother me at any point, so I can't take points away here. I was confident that the outsoles would keep me on my feet and upright at all times."

Weight - Score: 4.2

The weight of the Rush Pro 3.0s proved to be a standout feature for our playtesters. Tiffani explained, "The mesh uppers and streamlined design made these Rush Pro 3.0s feel very light and agile around the court. I think the Rush Pro line has gotten sleeker over the years, and this latest option is the fastest yet. Weight was definitely a highlight of these shoes."

Michelle had no qualms when it came to weight. She said, "For a more durable option, I appreciated the weight of these shoes. The never felt bulky or weighed me down. The fact that I don't have a lot to say about the weight of these shoes proves they were just right for me; not too light and not too heavy."

The Rush Pro 3.0s felt perfectly balanced to Julie. She noted, "These shoes were lightweight, but they were still heavy enough to make me feel secure and supported. It's safe to say the weight of the shoes was a positive for me during this playtest; I felt quick on my feet without being weighed down at any time."

Brittany was glad to see that Wilson had cut the weight of the Rush Pro 3.0s a bit compared to the previous version. She concluded, "The weight feels average to me, not too light and not too heavy. I thought they felt slightly lighter on my feet than the 2.5s when I was moving around. When I got around to weighing them, the 3.0s weighed about a half-ounce less than the 2.5s, reaffirming the lighter feel."

Overall - Score: 3.8