Head Revolt Pro 3.0 Women's Review

Comfort - Score: 3.4

The HEAD Revolt Pro 3.0s had some major updates when it came to cushioning and fit, and because all four playtesters have tried the previous 2.5 version, everyone was able to offer comparisons. Tiffani started the conversation, saying, "The review of the Revolt Pro 2.5 is still relatively fresh in my mind, so it's easy to compare with this newest version. The issues I had with the preceding shoes are gone with the Revolt Pro 3.0s. These shoes fit more true to size, rather than short, so I didn't struggle with toe jamming this time around. I also liked the cushioning level more with this update. Those who loved the first Revolt Pros might miss some of the cushioning, but I liked the firmer ride in the forefoot. There's still a good amount of cushioning under the heel, and while the ankle collar is slimmer, it's still soft enough to be comfortable. It took just about an hour of court time for these shoes to loosen up and feel comfortable, and after that I had no issues with ventilation or overall comfort."

One of the first updates Michelle noticed was the new fit and the change in cushioning. She said, "I referred to the previous version as a marshmallow at times because it was so plush, but the cushioning was a bit sloppy and my feet didn't feel like they fit well in the shoes. I also found last year's model to be too short for my feet. In my opinion, these issues were addressed and fixed in this update. I was shocked to find that these Revolt Pro 3.0s fit perfectly for me in length, and the cushioning was trimmed down to be supportive and plush, but not overwhelmingly so. I have to admit, the first day I wore these shoes on the court I kept looking down in disbelief because I had no issues. Cosmetically, they look great as well. If I had to be critical, there were one or two times during each wear when I would experience some painful jamming of my toes into the ends of the shoes when running wide, but that was my only complaint."

"When first stepped into this newest iteration of the Revolt Pro line, I was quite surprised," said Kristen. "This is the third version I've worn, and the last two were super plush in nature — both in terms of the underfoot cushioning and the construction of the upper. These 3.0s felt like completely different shoes. The underfoot cushioning was super firm, especially in the forefoot region, and dropped off near the toe box. The uppers definitely seemed less bulky than past versions and a were a little stiffer in feel. They fit true to size, and I wasn't getting the pressure on the big toe from the upper that was present in the 2.5 version. After a few hours on court the underfoot cushioning started to break in a bit and felt a tad more responsive, but it was still pretty thin and firm near my forefoot, which resulted in some soreness after playing."

While Brittany noted some improvements, she also found the cushioning lacking in the forefoot. She explained, "First and foremost, the uppers have a new Drift Defense technology that took about 4 to 5 hours for me to break in. The shoes were very tight in the forefoot and initially caused some aches and pains. Those issues went away once the uppers loosened up. With the last iteration I wasn't able to get my sizing right. I think HEAD updated the length, and the Revolt 3.0s now run true to size. My normal size 8 was a perfect fit. As far as cushioning, I felt the 2.5s had an excessive amount around the tongue and ankle collar. I am happy to see the cushioning was reduced without sacrificing comfort in those areas. However, I did notice a lack of cushioning underneath my forefoot, especially when I was up on my toes when moving around. I didn't have any issues with arch support or ventilation (just don't forget to take off the sticker underneath the insoles to open up the perforations)."

Support/Stability - Score: 3.7

Our playtesters noticed improved support in the Revolt Pro 3.0 update, in addition to a high level of stability. Michelle's biggest gripe with the support and stability in the previous version had to do with the fit being too wide and open. She raved about the 3.0, saying, "This update fit my feet well and offered me loads of support and stability. The Drift Defense upper reminded me a lot of the Nike Air Zoom Cage 3; I felt confident moving aggressively and never experienced any extra twisting. I remember how bulky the 2.5 felt, and this update was more streamlined and more performance oriented."

Taking advantage of the extra eyelet, Tiffani found a great, supportive fit. She said, "This series has always felt stable to me, but the support was never as strong due to the extra bulky, albeit comfortable, ankle collar. With previous versions I really struggled to lock in my ankles, and I needed to stop in the middle of games to tighten and retie my shoes. I did end up using the Revolt Pro 3.0's extra eyelet, but once I tied my shoes I felt locked in and ready to play."

"I felt more secure in the Revolt 3.0s in the forefoot area," continued Brittany. "However, like the last two models, I was not able to get the locked-in feel around my heels. To make up for that, I tried using the last eyelet to cinch my laces tighter around my heels, and that did help a little. I thought the shoes offered the stability I need to feel confident when moving around the court. I was never worried about rolling an ankle or tipping the shoe over."

Kristen agreed. She noted, "I would say the stability and support were an improvement over the last iteration. With the previous version I found myself having to stop to retie my shoes often because they would loosen around my ankle, but that wasn't the case with this update. I had no issues with lateral movements, but I did run into some problems with aggressive forward movements. Because the cushioning dropped off under the toes, there was a lack of support that caused my toes to get crunched against the hard mold of the toe box when I sprinted forward."

Durability - Score: 4.4

The Revolt Pro 3.0's standout feature for our team was the durability of the Hybrasion+ outsole. Brittany put over 10 hours of court time on these shoes and was impressed with the results. She described, "I was putting these shoes through the wringer in both practice and point play scenarios. At the end of the playtest I took a look at the outsoles, and they showed zero signs of wear. The same can be said for the toe bumpers. They held up to all my dragging and still look brand new with no signs of wear. I give the Revolt Pro 3.0 top marks in this area."

"These shoes felt plenty durable to me," added Tiffani. "I still haven't put a dent into the outsoles or the toe bumpers. The plastic cage on the forefoot area feels plenty flexible when moving, and it's also holding up nicely for me. I'm not really a slider who tears up uppers, but for me, these shoes are very durable."

Michelle was also pleased with how well her Revolt Pro 3.0s held up. She explained, "These shoes proved to be very durable for me. I wore them for almost a month and am seeing very little wear outside of standard smoothing. The uppers are still in great shape, and the levels of support and traction have remained consistent throughout the playtest."

This update had similar durability to the 2.5s for Kristen. She said, "Like the previous iterations, these shoes offered great durability. Both the uppers and outsoles have stayed pretty pristine throughout the playtest. The only place I noticed a bit of smoothing was at the heel."

Traction - Score: 3.7

Our playtesters all agreed that the HEAD Revolt Pro 3.0s were the stickier side. However, Michelle was a big fan of the grip. She explained, "These shoes offer some solid tack and traction, no doubt about it! You aren't going to find much (if any) give from the outsoles. I actually like that. I prefer feeling confident that my feet won't slide out from under me, and knowing that I can turn on a dime. I know I'm the only playtester who prefers that, so I'm guessing the rest of our team didn't love that about the shoes, but I was happy with it."

As Michelle guessed, the other playtesters prefer a little more give when it comes to traction. Brittany described, "The traction on the Revolt 3.0s felt more on the grippy side to me. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I do like a little more give at times so I don't feel 'stuck' on the court when changing directions. The traction stayed pretty consistent throughout the playtest, although I was hoping for a little more give as the rubber wore down."

The sticky outsole mellowed out a little as the playtest went on, but it was still too grippy for Tiffani. She stated, "The traction level is quite grippy, and it was my least favorite aspect of the test. The outsoles felt very sticky right out of the box, and I got caught up a few times. They got a little smoother after three hours of hard court play, so I could at least pivot out of my shots without too much of a problem. Still, I would have liked a bit more give. Those who really like to stick their footwork will enjoy the traction levels of the Revolt Pro 3.0s."

Kristen echoed those sentiments, adding, "Initially, the traction was super sticky. The first week I played in these shoes I found the overly grippy outsoles to be distracting. I felt like I was getting a bit stuck at times, and I wanted more give when pivoting to change directions and when sprinting to balls. As these shoes wore in a bit, I found I was getting a better balance between grab and give, and by the end of the playtest the traction was no longer on my mind when playing."

Weight - Score: 3.4

Since particularly stable and durable shoes tend to be on the heavier side, our team was pleased to find that the HEAD Revolt Pro 3.0s were about average in terms of weight. Tiffani had no complaints here. She said, "For what these shoes offer in terms of durability, stability and support, I'm happy with how they felt weight-wise. The fit is also a bit more streamlined than the Revolt Pro 2.5s, so I felt faster in this updated version. Although these shoes aren't the lightest, I felt plenty quick around the court in them."

As with the past models, Brittany found weight of the Revolt Pro 3.0s to be around average. She said, "The weight was what I expected for stable and durable shoes. I personally prefer a slightly lighter shoe that helps me feel as quick as possible on the court. The longer I wore the Revolt Pro 3.0s and the more they broke in, the better the weight felt."

Kristen thought the Revolt Pro 3.0s felt a little lighter than the 2.5s. She described, "Like the previous version, I would put these in the middle-weight category. With some of the reduced bulk in the design of the shoes, these 3.0s definitely feel faster than the previous two iterations, but as I noted last time, they still aren't going to feel as light and quick as a shoe like the Nike Vapor or Babolat Jet."

Michelle embraced the weight. She concluded, "The Revolt Pro 3.0s are not going to be in the lightweight shoe category, but I'm okay with that. They feel lighter than the previous version, and as I have mentioned, they are not as bulky. Although I wouldn't call them 'light,' I also never felt weighed down or heavy in them. The weight just made them feel a bit more stable."

Overall - Score: 3.9