adidas adizero Defiant Bounce Women's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.5

Bounce cushioning and knit uppers contributed to the exceptional comfort of the adidas Defiant Bounce shoes. Michelle highlighted the shoes' versatility, saying, "These shoes were definitely a comfortable option for me on and off the court. While the Bounce technology isn't as plush as BOOST, it definitely provided a soft feel, which translated into me wearing these shoes all day long. The knit uppers are really comfortable and the seamless construction made it so there were no hot spots and no rubbing. I wore these onto the court most days, and I also found myself wearing them into the gym. Typically, I wear Nike Metcons to workout in because they allow me to connect well with the ground for my Crossfit style workouts, where I really need to feel the ground on exercises (like deadlifts, squats, box jumps, etc.), and these did just that. While they offer good cushioning, the feel underfoot wasn't bulky, and I felt connected to the court or ground no matter what I was doing. Ventilation was pretty good as well. The shoes never heated up too much, and my feet were receiving good air flow."

Brittany didn't need a break-in period and was able to wear the Defiant Bounces straight onto the court. She commented, "When I slipped these shoes on my feet I was rewarded with an ultra comfortable fit. I'm a big fan of the 'bootee' construction, and the uppers felt soft and pliable. Although the cushioning wasn't as plush as the BOOST, it was still above average. The mesh uppers kept my feet cool and dry on the court, and I continued to wear these shoes long after leaving the court, wearing them to the gym and on runs. The arch supports hit my arches in the correct spot with the perfect amount of support. The length was true to size, and the width was a true medium."

"These shoes have a soft feel all over right out of the box," added Tiffani. "Although the other testers all stayed in size, when I tried them on I noticed that they fit long on me. I ended up dropping to a size 5.5, and I usually wear a 6. The fit was perfect for me then, and my wide feet felt good in them. The uppers are soft and pliable, so they didn't apply too much pressure on the sides of my feet. I did need to be careful not to tie the shoes too tightly, however. I tend to pull my laces as tightly as I can for a secure fit, but when I really cinched up these laces I had some pain on the sides of my feet. When I loosened them a little bit my feet relaxed and comfort was restored. I noticed a bit of an arch support in these shoes, and it was never an issue for me. Ventilation was fine, too. I though the cushioning was light and comfortable without being too much. I could pretty much wear these shoes all day without any problems."

Agreeing with the other playtesters, Hannah added, "From the office to the gym to the court, these shoes provided all day comfort, and they didn't disappoint on the court. They feature excellent ventilation and the type of subtle cushioning I prefer. The cushioning wasn't too soft or built up. My feet were always comfortable without losing that springy feeling. The cushioning of the 'bootee' around the ankle was also an extra bonus. The 'bootee' construction locked my narrow feet in really well even though these are wider fitting shoes and the laces aren't extremely functional. My feet never felt like they were swimming around, and I never experienced any toe jamming. These shoes fit my flat feet quite nicely. The arch support felt minimal, which I found to be comfortable without inserts, but also completely customizable with an added arch support. Another bonus of the flatter construction of these shoes is the comfort they offer in the gym! Lifting in these was awesome, and I found all of the characteristics translated to my off-court training really well."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.6

The Defiant Bounces feature a seamless "bootee" construction for a supportive and snug fit. For the most part, Hannah was impressed with the support and stability she received while wearing the shoes. She stated, "The question surrounding these versatile shoes was whether a cross-over shoe would have the stability needed for the aggressive moments tennis requires. My answer was 'yes!' I tend to gravitate toward less supportive on-court shoes anyways because I like a little bit more freedom in my movement, so I was already on board. The low to the ground profile and the 'bootee' with the straps on the sides of the uppers locked my feet in pretty well, and I never felt unsure of my footing. The only time I ran into issues with the support was when a personal injury and long periods of wear and a lot of impact causedvsome pain in my calves and shins. I combatted this by using my arch supports."

Tiffani had a small adjustment period when it came to moving in the Defiant Bounces. She said, "As I mentioned in the comfort section, I had to make sure I didn't tie the shoes too tightly for comfort reasons. I had to learn to trust that these shoes were going to hold my feet and ankles even though they feel super soft. There was a bit more give to the uppers than I'm used to feeling, but once I trusted the shoes I was moving well without any problems with support or stability."

"I like how the 'bootee' construction kept my feet in place when I was moving aggressively," continued Brittany. "The uppers were on the softer side so I wouldn't classify the shoes as the most stable, but I didn't have any issues once I got used to the feel. Also, the uppers didn't stretch out and they maintained the same amount of support throughout the playtest. The shoelaces were thin and that prohibited me from really tying my laces tight enough to get a 100 percent locked in feel, but for me that was only a minor complaint. I'm recovering from an ankle injury so I'm look for just a little more ankle support when I'm playing matches, but I still enjoyed these shoes during practice sessions and doubles."

Michelle is a player who really likes to feel supported on the court. She critiqued, "The lacing system wasn't ideal for me. I felt like the 'bootee' offered good support, but I would have liked to customize the fit to be even tighter when I was on the court. The Defiant Bounces fit fine lengthwise so I didn't even consider sizing down at all. I also gravitate toward shoes that play more on the stable side. Because of the looser fit there were times when I was craving more stability -- mainly when I was pulled wide and had to get back into the point. Support and stability would probably be the areas where these shoes could be improved."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.9

The adiwear 6 outsoles on the adidas Defiant Bounce shoes surprised the TW playtesters. Tiffani was all positives when it came to durability. She said, "When shoes are as light and meshy as the Defiant Bounces I fear that they're not going to hold up, especially on the gritty hard court here at TW. These shoes, however, have impressed me with their durability. The medial side of the forefoot was where I started to see some of the tread wear down, but that's typical for me. I'm also a toe dragger, but I haven't managed to do much to the toes of the shoes. The Defiant Bounces got a big thumbs up from me in the durability category."

Hannah was also impressed. She said, "I was trying to wear these shoes down throughout the playtest to find the boundaries of their durability, and I was unsuccessful in causing any significant wear! I was surprised. For on-court shoes that double as a street or cross-training shoes with all-day comfort, and after significant time on the court, in the gym and just walking around, the durability held up really well."

"I wasn't expecting these shoes to be durable, and I was actually really trying to wear down the outsoles," Michelle admitted. "I was kind of bummed because I went into the playtest wanting to wear the shoes down, but I liked the cosmetics and didn't want to ruin my shoes for future wears. Luckily for me, adidas made these shoes to be decently durable! The outsoles held up a lot better than I expected them to. There is some smoothing under my big toe on each shoe, but that's it. They exceeded my expectations in terms of durability. I'd put them in the same playing field as the Gel Solution Speeds."

Brittany found the durability to be about average. She explained, "I put a lot of hours on them, so I wasn't surprised that I started seeing some smoothing under my big toe. However, I still think they have plenty of hours left, so I'm not worried about the durability. The toe durability was better then expected, and all I could see were some scuff marks, without any real damage. I was interested to see how the knitted mesh upper would perform, and besides some dirt marks, I didn't see any damage or change in performance."

Traction - Score: 4.0

All the playtesters agreed the Defiant Bounces' full herringbone tread pattern offered more give than grip. Hannah enjoyed the slightly slicker feel that the Defiant Bounces offered. She said, "The full herringbone pattern on the outsoles was also a unique feature of these shoes. On hard courts the traction felt good. It wasn't too sticky at all. Even with the all-surface outsole, it felt like there was a good amount of give, which I was pleased with."

Michelle has liked the traction level of other adidas shoes (like the Ubersonic and Tempaias), and she was happy again with the Defiant Bounces. She offered, "I like sticky outsoles that allow me to move confidently without worrying about slipping or sliding on the court. These outsoles provide a good level of give and stick -- most of the time I was good with my movement. There were a handful of times when I felt a little give from the outsoles, but it wasn't detrimental, and I think it only caught me off guard because my feet weren't super snug inside the shoes."

"Even though the Defiant Bounces have a full herringbone tread pattern, I still found great traction on hard courts," raved Brittany "If I had to pick a little between give and grip, I would lean more toward give. I liked that I didn't feel stuck on the court, but I had enough traction to never feel like I was spinning my wheels. The shoes are also low to the ground, so I had excellent court feel when moving aggressively."

Tiffani also got more give than grip from the Defiant Bounces. She noted, "The full herringbone tread pattern isn't something that I'm used to wearing on hard courts. I had just finished a playtest with some shoes that were on the stickier side of the traction scale, so one of the first things I noticed with the Defiant Bounces was that they allowed for a bit of a slide. I really liked that I could pivot quickly in these shoes, and that stops weren't super abrupt. I also felt a bit of give on some take-offs, but I prefer not to feel it there. Still, though, I was willing to let that small issue slide because I enjoyed the Defiant Bounces a lot overall."

Weight - Score: 4.1

Weighing in at 11.3 oz (size 8.5), the adidas Defiant Bounces were on the lighter side. Brittany felt super fast in these shoes, saying, "As soon as laced them up I completely forgot I was even wearing them. I was moving quickly around the court and never felt like I was slowed down by the shoes. I was even able to chase down a couple extra drop shots. However, with this quickness came the decrease in stability and durability that I mentioned above."

Tiffani felt the Defiant Bounces were on the lighter side, but not as light as other adidas offerings. She compared, "These shoes felt light on my feet when I was walking around and didn't weigh me down on the court. I didn't think these were the fastest shoes that adidas makes, though. The adidas adizero Ubersonics still hold that title in my mind. These shoes have a flatter platform so I didn't feel propelled forward as much."

"The weight was good," Hannah said. "I wouldn't put them in the lightest category, and although I felt fast and appreciated the extremely streamlined design of these shoes, because I have narrow feet I craved a narrower design to complement the already minimalist qualities. Despite this personal preference, I felt speedy in these shoes and found it easy to take off to chase balls down."

Michelle wrapped up the playtest by saying, "While not the lightest shoes on the scale, these shoes play on the light side. I didn't necessarily feel as quick in these as I do in the Ubersonics, but I think that had more to do with not feeling completely locked in when I was moving."

Overall - Score: 4.2