Babolat Jet Mach II Women's Review

Comfort - Score: 3.4

There was one glaring issue from the start of the playtest: the Jet Mach IIs fit short — so short that half of our playtesters sized up a full size. Tiffani had to size up a half size when we playtested the previous version of the Babolat Jet, so she expected this update would run short as well. She explained, "I tried on three different sizes. I started with my usual size 6: too small. I tried on the 6.5: still too small. In the end, I went up a full size to a 7 before my toes weren't touching the ends of the shoes. Going up a full size also helped with the width, and my feet fit comfortably in these shoes for the most part. During play, I had no uncomfortable rubbing or toe jamming, but like the previous model, my feet ached after I finished. I appreciated the minimal cushioning because it left me feeling low to the ground and connected to the court. The ventilation level wasn't great, but it was never an issue when I was playing."

Recalling the previous Jet playtest, Michelle's first gripe about these Jet Mach IIs was the fit. She said, "I found them to run short, and I would most definitely size up at least a half size — probably even a full size. However, I wear a size 10, and that's the largest size Babolat makes for women's shoes. Although I know a 10 is pretty large, I also know many women who play tennis and wear a size 10 or 11, so I really wish Babolat offered these shoes in larger sizes. Because of the short fit, my toes were constantly jammed at the end of the shoes, and it felt like the sides of my feet were squished in the toe box. Luckily, this bothered me more off the court than on it, and honestly, I didn't notice it too much once I got moving. But the moment I stood still, the shoes were putting pressure on my feet. There was a piece on the medial side that was bugging me a bit because it just put constant pressure on my feet. Aside from my issue with the fit, the comfort underfoot was nice. These shoes are light, yet they still have some soft cushioning. The upper was soft and supportive, but there was that piece on the medial side that was a bit concerning; I actually remember this issue in the previous iteration of the Jets as well. Ventilation was just fine, but, unfortunately, the fit hindered my overall experience; I don't think I would have had any issues if I wore a bigger size. Next time, I will probably move over to the men's shoe."

If you're a fan of the quick, light, responsive feel of the Babolat Jets, Hannah thinks you'll feel right at home in this update. She explained, "Comfort-wise, the only difference for me on this playtest was that I went up an entire size, from a 7 to an 8, rather than just a half size. I've never worn a size 8 shoe before, but it was the right decision with these Jet Mach IIs. Going up a full size eliminated most of the rubbing and pressure on my forefoot and toes. It also allowed me to use my personal insoles, which really helped these shoes perform the way I wanted them to. The cushioning is minimal, and the streamlined design provided excellent court feel. I found the ventilation to be sufficient, and I never worried about my feet getting too hot. I also liked the fact that the Jet Mach IIs were not too stiff. They felt soft around the uppers, and after I put my insoles in my heel and midfoot were held comfortably in place."

These shoes ran a bit short for Kristen as well, but she only went up a half size, from a 7 to 7.5. She said, "The Jet Mach IIs have a narrower, streamlined fit and more of a square toe box, which suited my feet well. They felt comfortable right out of the box and didn't require any break-in. I found these shoes to have nice cushioning in the heel, but the forefoot cushioning was quite thin and seemed to wear down quickly, causing some foot soreness after playing."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.3

The Jet Mach IIs' uppers are made of strong Kevlar to provide players with support during aggressive movements. As a fan of more supportive, stable shoes, Michelle usually enters a lightweight shoe playtest with a bit of apprehension. She was pleasantly surprised with the support she found in the Jet Mach IIs. She said, "I appreciated the technology Babolat has injected into the uppers, which supported my feet well. The fit on my pair was quite snug, which helped in terms of support. Stability was great, too. I was never too concerned about losing my footing or rolling an ankle. The Jet Mach IIs felt pretty low to the ground and kept me feeling connected to my footwork."

Hannah found that the Jet Mach IIs' support was a little lacking, at least until she added her own insoles. She explained, "when I played in the previous version my toes were taking the brunt of the force on starts and stops, which led to a complete loss in stability on aggressive movements. However, moving to a larger size in the Jet Mach IIs eliminated 90 percent of these issues. After just a few matches I found that I was sprinting around the court with confidence. The slight lip on the front edge did give me a bit of trouble at first, and I lost my footing once or twice, but it wasn't an issue once I acclimated to the shoe. The caveat in this category is that I had to insert my personal insoles to achieve an adequate amount of support. That extra layer underfoot boosted the arch support from being completely flat, offered some much-needed cushioning and helped the shoes feel more stable on explosive movements. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the minimalist, lightweight style that Babolat is going for here. I will always sacrifice some support to feel light on my feet, but in this case, the Jet Mach IIs felt a little too minimal and flimsy without the insole."

Although she appreciated the overall lightweight nature of these shoes, Kristen was missing some support from the midfoot to forefoot. She said, "The uppers seemed too malleable and didn't keep my feet in place during play. When I was on the run my feet pushed against the lateral sides of the shoe, and because the material stretched with the pressure of my feet, my feet felt like they were falling over the edges of the shoes. Although I never fell, I had the feeling that I could roll an ankle at any time. I also had to make sure to cinch up these shoes well and double knot them because I had a problem with them opening up during play. I had to stop multiple times during my hitting sessions to re-tie a lace that had come loose."

When it came to support and stability, Tiffani felt that the Jet Mach IIs did well for their weight. She explained, "The super-low profile helped me feel connected to my footwork and confident in my movements. I had some issues with my feet aching after play, which was similar to my experience with the previous Jets. I had no issues with toe jamming or pain when I was on the court, but if I didn't take my shoes off after I was done playing my feet would start to hurt, especially in the forefoot. The built-up protection on the uppers also tended to push into the medial side of my forefoot."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.6

For lightweight shoes, Hannah thought the durability of the Jet Mach IIs was pretty much on point. She said, "After the set I played and a handful of hits, there was some smoothing on the bottom, especially on the outer edges. There was also some visible wear on the edges and the lower front of the toes. The Jet Mach IIs aren't much less durable than the comparable Nike Vapor Xs, but they also aren't going to last as long as more built-up shoes, like the Asics Gel Resolution 7s."

Tiffani got good durability from her Jet Mach IIs considering their weight. She said, "They won't be as long lasting as many other models, but I don't see premature wear on the outsoles or toes. They should last about as long as other speed shoes, like the adidas Ubersonics."

Michelle found that the Jet Mach IIs held up just about as well as she anticipated. She said, "These Jet Mach IIs had decent durability for lightweight shoes. They performed just how I expected. I don't think they will wear out too fast, and my pair still looks like it has a good amount of life left in it, but they definitely aren't going to be as durable as some other shoes out there. On a related note, I've always liked the feel of the Michelin rubber on the outsoles. It's a bit softer than other outsoles and it just feels nice when it's making contact with the court."

Kristen added, "I experienced some noticeable wear on the soles, as well as some smoothing at the toes."

Traction - Score: 4.2

Overall, our team was satisfied with the balanced level of traction the Jet Mach IIs offered. "I had no issues with traction," said Michelle. "I think the outsoles offered just the right amount of grip. I felt secure, and I never slipped while wearing these shoes."

After testing some overly grippy shoes, Tiffani was happy to get into these Jet Mach IIs. She said, "The traction level was right where I like it. I could pivot quickly, but I also found plenty of grip when I needed to take off to the next shot."

The lack of a stable shoe feel somewhat hindered Kristen's traction experience, but she did appreciate the outsole grip. She said, "I didn't notice any sliding or sticking, but I was purposely trying not to move too aggressively in them since I didn't find a stable, locked-in feel."

"We recently tested shoes with much stickier traction, so the Jet Mach IIs were a nice change." Hannah elaborated, "I prefer a little give on the tread to make my transitions between shots feel more fluid, which is exactly what the Mach IIs delivered. The mix of give and grab complemented my aggressive footwork and made it feel like the court surface was working with me and not against me."

Weight - Score: 4.5

The lighter weight of the Jet Mach IIs was a highlight of the playtest for our team. Hannah said, "They played like one of the lightest performance shoes on the market, and they should cater to players who don't like all that extra material weighing them down on the court. This is the first thing I look for in a shoe since I love not having to worry about what's on my feet. Because of the feather-like weight of these Babolat shoes, I was able to play worry-free and always stay on my toes."

"These shoes definitely fall into the lightweight category," agreed Michelle. "They felt speedy and responsive, and their streamlined shape made me feel like I could go from standing to sprinting at a moment's notice. Even with the low weight, they never felt too light or too minimal in terms of stability or durability."

The Jet Mach IIs are some of the lightest tennis shoes Tiffani has ever worn. She said, "The Mach IIs are built very low to the ground, with minimal cushioning. These shoes are as minimal as I want to get with my on-court footwear. I felt quick around the court in these shoes."

Kristen typically likes fast, lightweight shoes, but the Jet Mach IIs may have been a little too light for her. She said, "In this case, I would have liked a bit more weight for added support and comfort."

Overall - Score: 3.6