Breakdown

Comfort: 9.1

According to our playtesters, the comfort of the Wave Enforce Tour 2s left little, if anything, to be desired. The Wave Enforce Tour 2s are loaded with premium underfoot cushioning, largely owing to the ENERZY NXT foam throughout the shoes. For Mark, the Wave Enforce Tour 2s got more and more comfortable the more he wore them. He described, "Under, over and around my feet, the comfort level of the Wave Enforce Tour 2 was great from the start, and actually improved with wear. The stock arch insert was a bit low relative to my high instep but never posed a comfort issue. That also improved once the heels and balls of my feet began to sink into the midsole."

Chris felt comfortable as soon as he stepped on court in the Wave Enforce Tour 2s, no break-in necessary. He said, "I loved the level of comfort I found in the Wave Enforce Tour 2s. The amount of cushioning felt very plush and really took the sting out of playing on hard courts. I also found a lot of comfort from the uppers. It didn't take long for the shoes to feel like they were flexing with my feet, and I was sprinting around the court comfortably on my very first wear. I was able to get a secure fit for my feet without having to tie the laces uncomfortably tightly. I didn't experience any uncomfortable rubbing from the upper materials, and the shoes felt adequately ventilated. My arches felt well protected, and the flex point of the shoes under my feet felt perfect."

Similarly, Troy experienced high levels of cushioning and a decent level of comfort for the entire playtest, which isn't always the case. He explained, "The underfoot cushioning was great right out of the box, and I felt like the shock absorption remained good for the duration of the playtest. There was a bit of a drop-off, like I notice with just about all shoes, when the foam sort of compresses over time, but it was still better than most shoes I have tested. The fit of these Wave Enforce Tour 2s was a bit wide for me, but nothing that caused any issues; I don't recall any uncomfortable rubbing, pinching or toe jamming. The arch support was slightly low for me, so after my first couple of wears I decided to use some heel inserts to give me the support I needed. I have experienced plantar fasciitis in the past, so I tend to take precautions when I am wearing shoes with a low arch or a softer feel to them. I found the ventilation to be sufficient for my needs; the uppers had a decent amount of mesh and airflow, and I never felt like my feet were too hot or stuffy inside these shoes."

Jason also found great comfort and a great fit from the Wave Enforce Tour 2s for his wider feet. He said, "This updated version is just as comfortable as the previous one, with a slightly wider fit and great underfoot cushioning. I could easily spend hours on court in these without any discomfort. The lower arch support worked well for my foot shape and felt really natural."

Foot Support / Stability: 8.5

These Wave Enforce Tour 2s provided ample support while remaining flexible for some nice give during lateral movements. Jason thought the stability of this update was noticeably better than the previous version. He explained, "The stability feels like a step up from the last model. That said, I wouldn't mind a slightly more rigid upper for even more support. I felt secure and locked in when I wore thicker Tennis Warehouse socks, but when I wore thinner socks my feet moved around a bit inside the shoes, causing some light rubbing on my pinky toes."

Troy found marginal improvement in the stability compared to the previous version, and he appreciated how the shoes supported his movement. He said, "Much like the previous version, the stability was good enough for my needs. Like the original model, these shoes are more flexible and a bit softer overall compared to high-level stability shoes like the Asics Gel Resolution Xs or the KSwiss Ultrashot 4s. With that said, I found enough stability during side-to-side movements to give me confidence when I was pushing off or recovering back to the middle. The support was good for the most part as well. Like the last version, there was a bit of wiggle room for my feet; the toe box fit slightly wide, but it was nothing that caused any issues in terms of support or comfort. One key improvement for me here was the heel-lock. It wasn't the most secure lockdown for my heels and ankles that I have ever experienced, but it was noticeably better than the last version. When I used the last eyelet and cinched the laces tightly, the back of the heel held my feet a bit better than before. So all in all, I found this Wave Enforce Tour 2 to be a slight improvement over the first generation when it came to support."

Mark felt sufficiently supported underfoot by the Wave Enforce Tour 2s and reveled in their versatility and speed around the court. He described, "The Wave Enforce Tour 2s feel low profile in terms of keeping me close and connected to the court. The overall foot support and stability were great, no matter the directional change, which may be due to the outrigger on the lateral side."

Chris felt like he could wholly trust the Wave Enforce Tour 2s when the heat was on. He added, "I felt very safe sprinting around the court in the Wave Enforce Tour 2s, and I was able to get a secure fit even though I have narrow feet. I liked the locked-in feel at the heels of the shoes. When stopping aggressively on lateral moves, I felt secure with no fear of rolling over. Likewise, quick sprints and stops toward the net also felt secure, and my feet were not sliding around inside the shoes."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.4

The Wave Enforce Tour 2s proved to hold up extremely well for our team throughout the course of the playtest. For Mark, the shoes broke in nicely without breaking down -- an important distinction. He said, "The outsole durability was on par with most other court shoes that feature an outsole warranty. With the outsole covering a portion of the medial side of the shoe near the big toe, that part of the upper was protected against court contact."

Likewise for Chris, the durability was certainly up to scratch, and the outsoles resisted abrasion quite well. He said, "The Wave Enforce Tour 2s held up well for me. I have a history of being tough on outsoles and the toes of shoes, but these proved to be durable. I do have some smoothing of the outsole under the big toe of my right foot, but I was happy with the durability there considering this is always my highest wear area. The uppers also held up well, with some scuffing showing rather than significant wear."

The Wave Enforce Tour 2s did exhibit some signs of wear and tear underfoot for Troy, but it was nothing serious enough to affect performance. He explained, "The durability was pretty solid for me throughout the playtest. The forefoot rubber, including the medial side of the toe box, had a good amount of thickness. I noticed some slight wear to the tread underneath my big toes, but other than that the rubber compound held up nice and tough. In terms of the toe tip, the durability was average, but the medial side proved to be well protected thanks to the extra rubber that extended up on the upper. The upper durability was good enough for my needs, although I don't turn my feet over and drag all that often."

Even after hours of on-court use, Jason's Wave Enforce Tour 2s are showing only minor signs of wear. He said, "The outsoles held up really well throughout the playtest. I put close to 15 hours on my pair and they show very minimal signs of wear and tear. I see slightly more tread loss on the medial forefoot, but that’s about it."

Traction: 9.0

While all of our playtesters have different preferences, they all loved the Wave Enforce Tour 2's blend of grit and give. Troy said, "The traction was great. I found the rubber on the outsoles to be slightly on the sticky side, but I never thought it was too much grip. When I needed to plant and cut, the rubber outsoles did a good job of grabbing the court and making me feel confident. I also liked how the rubber broke in nicely throughout the six weeks or so that I tested these shoes. Initially, they felt sticky, but as time went on, the traction level got a little less grippy, with just enough give. Overall, I loved how the rubber outsoles gripped the hard courts."

The Wave Enforce Tour 2s provided Jason with just enough give to move smoothly on court. He noted, "I have no complaints with the level of traction. The outsoles have good grip, and pushing off was no problem. I did find some give to them, so when I did attempt to slide out of a shot, I could do it without many issues."

Mark found exactly what he was looking for in terms of traction. He said, "From the start of this playtest to the finish (and beyond), the traction of the Wave Enforce Tour 2s was spot on! I played on hard courts from clean and gritty to a little dirty and slick. That said, the only time I think about traction is if there is an issue, and I am happy to report that regardless of the hard court surface, I never had to consider the subject during play."

The story was much the same for Chris, who enjoyed the excellent traction the Wave Enforce Tour 2s provided. He described, "I was able to sprint, stop and pivot to the best of my abilities in the Wave Enforce Tour 2s, and I liked the amount of grip I found when I had to get going. The outsoles grabbed the court well and allowed me to push off aggressively for a quick sprint. When coming to a stop or changing directions, these shoes offered enough give to take the stress off my joints."

Weight: 8.3

Despite their average weight, the Wave Enforce Tour 2s maneuvered exceptionally well, prompting most testers to consider them lighter than their actual weight. The weight never proved detrimental, or even that noticeable, to Mark. He explained, "On paper I consider the weight of the Wave Enforce Tour 2s, which is around 14.6 ounces for a size 10.5, to be middle of the road. However, if I were not aware of their weight before playing in them, I would have guessed that they weighed less because they feel very agile around the court."

Chris also found the Wave Enforce Tour 2s to move very well, and he had no complaints about the weight of the shoes. He said, "While the Wave Enforce Tour 2s might not be the lightest shoes on the scale, they felt natural and easy to move in on court. I think the easy way the shoes flexed and moved with my feet, plus the way they transitioned well from heel to toe, made them feel faster than their weight would suggest."

Troy agreed that the Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt light and natural on court. He added, "In terms of the number on the scale, I would say these shoes are middle of the road. However, I felt like the comfort and softness of the cushioning and uppers made them easy to move in, and they felt nice and smooth during heel-to-toe transitions. In the overall spectrum of the shoes that we carry, these Wave Enforce Tour 2s aren't as speedy as the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6s or the Asics Solution Speed FF 3s, but compared to other high-durability, stability-focused options, these Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt rather light and nimble."

Like the rest of the team, Jason felt speedier than he expected in the Wave Enforce Tour 2s. He described, "These Wave Enforce Tour 2s felt lighter and quicker than their static weight would suggest. I didn't find them to be too heavy or clunky at all, and I was able to move how I wanted to move with no problem."

Breakdown Summary