Breakdown

Comfort: 7.9

Air Zoom cushioning, along with engineered mesh uppers, keep the Nike Vapor 12s comfy and breathable. For Michelle, these shoes were primed to spring into action right out of the box. She said, "I am fairly familiar with the Nike lineup of tennis footwear from the past several years. I was excited to try the Zoom Vapor 12s after hearing how Nike worked on these with the help of pro players and built them off the more stable Vapor 11s. I loved the way these looked and couldn't wait to get them on my feet. They felt really comfortable right away, with no break-in needed at all, and they were easy to lace up and put to work. Like the Vapor 3s, there wasn't a ton of underfoot cushioning, but a bouncy Air Zoom unit helped with buffering and court shock. The uppers were comfortable, and the heels kept my feet locked in as well. The Zoom Vapor 12s felt a bit faster than the Vapor Pro 3 shoes we tested just a couple of months ago, and I felt more locked in.”

These Zoom Vapor 12s fit Brittany's slim feet well. She described, "With the narrowest feet on the playtest team, I was happy to slip on the Vapor 12s and get a nice glove-like fit that was maintained throughout the playtest. The length was standard, and I stayed in my true size. I was happy to feel a little bit more arch support than a typical tennis shoe, and it hit in the perfect spot. I didn't need a break-in period and was able to head straight to the court to play. I found the Zoom Vapor 12s comfortable overall, even though they aren’t the most cushioned shoes I’ve worn. There was decent cushioning around the ankle collars and tongues, but it was definitely more minimal underfoot. I had no issues with ventilation.”

Fit was an issue for Zsofi, however. She said, "When I first put the Zoom Vapor 12s on I noticed how long they were. I had too much space between my toes and the end of the shoe. When I tried to go down a half size, the shoes became too narrow for me, so I ended up staying with my regular size. It just felt like the shoes never fit my feet perfectly because of this length issue. When it came to comfort, I was wishing for more cushioning under my feet. I did love how close to the ground my feet were, but the Vapor 12s just felt a bit too stiff underfoot, which kind of created a clunky sensation when I was moving. They didn't flex much more after a good 15 hours of play, and this stiffness persisted."

As a fan of previous Zoom Vapors, Ana was disappointed that the Zoom Vapor 12s weren’t a little more plush underfoot. She explained, "I had high expectations for these Zoom Vapor 12s since I have been a fan of the Zoom Vapor line for a while. Unfortunately, I can’t say these are the most comfortable shoes. I thought they were missing some cushioning, especially in the forefoot. It felt like there was no cushioning when I took a step, and they almost sounded like tap shoes on the court. These indeed are low-to-the-ground and stable shoes, but I could have used more comfort. They did break in after a couple of hours, but they were never truly comfortable. I also struggled with the fit and sizing. I didn't think the 12s were true to size length-wise. I normally wear a women's size 9, so I have a little room in the front of my toes, but these shoes felt like they were too long. The length was perfect when I tried on a half size down, but the shoes were then too narrow. I ended up keeping the size 9s, but I struggled to get used to the length. The ventilation and arch support were both fine."

Foot Support / Stability: 8.1

For such lightweight shoes, the Nike Zoom Vapor 12s are stable and supportive, and the midfoot shank allows for confident lateral movement. The stability and support did not disappoint Michelle. She noted, "I thought these were really stable shoes, and I felt like I had all the support I needed. The lacing system allowed me to get a cinched-up fit, and I really liked the upper material because it was supportive. Unlike the Vapor Pro 3s, the uppers held their shape with wear, and I felt locked in. The Vapor 12s were really stable, which I loved, so I never felt like I was going to lose my footing or roll over the shoes. The shank is visible on the shoes and did its job well.

Althoug support and stability were overall good, Ana's feet never felt firmly locked into these shoes. She said, "The new Nike Vapor 12s offer a good amount of support and stability. I did struggle with the ankle support a little, but I was able to use the last eyelet for an extra locked-in feel. For some reason, my feet moved around a little in the shoes even though they were my size width-wise. The shoes struggled to give me locked-in support, but they were stable enough because of how close to the ground my feet were, just like previous Zoom Vapors. One thing I wish Nike had brought back with this new model of the Vapors was the side lacing system, like the original Zoom Vapor Pros."

Brittany thought the support of these shoes was more successful than the stability. She explained, "I feel like I have playtested several shoes recently where I liked the stability but not the support. The Zoom Vapor 12s were the opposite. Similar to the Vapor Pro 3s, I struggled to get a locked-in fit around my heels. I attempted to fix the issue by using the last eyelet, but I found myself having to retie my laces a couple times throughout a hitting session to try to maintain a snug fit around my ankles. However, the shoes did offer a low-to-the-ground feel, so I felt connected to the court. Overall, stability was just good, not great. However, I found the support to be much better in the Vapor 12s than in the Vapor Pro 3s. The uppers didn't open up and I had no movement within the shoes, so my feet felt very secure in every direction."

On the other hand, stability scored higher marks than support for Zsofi. She said, "I definitely had to utilize the second eyelets to make myself feel nice and locked in. Once I did that, I also had to make sure I cinched up the laces very tightly to prevent my feet from moving around inside of the shoes. Now, when I did that, a part of the tongue was cutting into my ankles in a weird way and causing pain, which wasn't ideal. Despite the issue with support, the shoes did feel pretty stable."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.1

According to our playtesters, Nike did a good job of balancing the durability and the lightweight construction in the Zoom Vapor 12s. These updated shoes held up well for Zsofi, who said, "Durability-wise, I didn't see any wear on the outsoles. I think they come with pretty durable rubber and will last a while."

Due to an injury, Ana didn't push the Zoom Vapor 12s to their limits, but she saw little wear after several court sessions. She said, "I was not able to truly test the durability of the shoes since I am coming back from an injury that prevents me from playing matches, which is where I move the most. However, the soles barely had any wear, and it seems like the uppers will last longer than the previous versions due to the extra material on them."

The Zoom Vapor 12s met Michelle's durability expectations. She explained, "Similar to the Vapor Pro 3 shoes, the Vapor 12s aren't the most durable, and I am seeing some smoothing under my big toes. It's nothing detrimental, and honestly, it's what I was expecting."

Brittany was surprised to see wear in unexpected areas of the Zoom Vapor 12s. She described, “Since the Zoom Vapor 12s are lightweight shoes, I did expect to see some wear and tear on the outsoles by the end of the playtest. After playing more than 15 hours on hard courts, I was starting to see some smoothing, but not in my typical spots. The colorway of the shoes I playtested has gum rubber outsoles, and I was surprised to see some wear toward the back of the shoes, specifically around my heels, which is not normal for me. There was also some smoothing on the lateral edges. However, the toe bumpers and uppers held up extremely well, and I am not seeing any wear in those areas."

Traction: 7.9

The new rubber compound in the outsoles of the Nike Vapor 12s not only helps make the shoes lighter and more durable, it also offers optimal traction. Traction was a highlight of this playtest for Ana. She said, "The traction was surprisingly great. I didn't think the shoes were too sticky, and I was not slipping around the court much. I had a good grip on the court and was able to easily switch directions."

"I was happy with the traction levels of these Zoom Vapor 12s," Zsofi added. "No complaints - the outsoles have the right amount of tack and give without being too slippery."

Michelle appreciated the traction of these Zoom Vapor 12s on the padel court and the tennis court. She described, "I enjoyed the traction level of these shoes. They felt fairly fast, and there was some give if sliding is your thing. I found a good balance -- nothing too tacky and the ability to get up and go when needed. I wore these Vapor 12s a few times on the padel court as well, where I did experience some sliding."

The outsoles on Brittany's Zoom Vapor 12s ended up being grippier than she was expecting. She said, "The gum rubber outsoles were a little stickier than the Vapor Pro 3s I playtested a couple months earlier. This meant I was really gripping the court, and at times I felt a little stuck when pushing out of my shots. I did feel like the traction smoothed out toward the end of the playtest, but I still would have preferred a little more give."

Weight: 8.9

Our whole playtest team agreed that the Nike Vapor 12s felt lightweight and speedy on the court. The balance of sturdiness and weight stood out to Brittany. She explained, "The highlight of this playtest was the lightweight feel. Not only were these shoes lightweight, but they also felt secure (and not flimsy), which is great for aggressive movers. The Vapor 12s felt super quick on the court, and I was able to change directions with ease."

The Zoom Vapor 12s' weight impressed Michelle as well. She said, "I thought these shoes felt pretty fast! They feel more streamlined and race-ready than the previous Vapor 11s and the Vapor Pro 3s. They are quick from the first step, and the uppers are light, supportive and breathable. These shoes definitely belong in the lightweight category in my opinion!"

Zsofi agreed, adding, "One of the highlights for me during this playtest was how lightweight these shoes felt! It was definitely a huge plus for me."

These Zoom Vapor 12s also felt lightweight to Ana. She said, "Just like the previous versions of the Zoom Vapor line, the Zoom Vapor 12s are light. These are not the lightest shoes I have played in, but they aren't heavy either."

Breakdown Summary