Breakdown

Comfort: 7.1

Our whole team noticed improvements to the stability and breathability of these ON The Roger Pro 2 men’s shoes. This version was better suited to Chris' feet than the previous one. He explained, "I found a better fit in the ON The Roger Pro 2s than I did in the original version. This update has a performance fit that felt narrower and closer to a true medium, whereas the original version felt pretty wide to me. The uppers offered nice breathability, and my feet never ran hot in these shoes. My arches were well supported, and I never felt any aches or strains when sprinting around the court. I liked the level cushioning in the heel, but would have preferred more cushioning in the forefoot."

Oak appreciated the responsiveness of the shoes, but he noted that it came at the expense of extra cushioning. He said, "These The Roger Pro 2s are extremely firm shoes, make no doubt about it. The level of support is very high, and I found a little more arch support compared to similar offerings from Nike, Asics and adidas. While the overall support is extremely thorough, the cushioning took some breaking in and getting used to. The shoes don't feel all that plush, so comfort is not a defining trait. If you're looking for off-the-charts cushioning, these shoes may not be the best option for your needs. That said, what the shoes lack in cushioning, they make up for with responsiveness. In the forefoot, the fit was ever so slightly roomy, which allowed me to spread out my feet when on my toes to maneuver. The ventilation was adequate, but it was nothing amazing."

The width of the The Roger Pro 2s helped accommodate Munish’s ankle brace, but also caused some heel slippage. He described, "The cushioning is very minimal and low to the ground, but despite that, these shoes still have good underfoot comfort. I liked that feature on the previous The Roger Pros, and I like it on the Pro 2s as well. They're also a bit wide in the forefoot, and I always appreciate that. I've been wearing an ankle brace on my right foot for a few weeks, and the extra width helped. The arch fit was low, and I felt a bit of discomfort from that. I found my heels slipping a whole lot during play, even when I used the extra eyelets. The heel slippage ended up hurting my feet over an extended period of play, and I had to stop playing for a bit."

Although he wanted to love them, Jason realized these The Roger Pro 2s were not a great fit for his feet. He said, "I hate to say it because these shoes look great and have an association with Roger Federer, but the ON The Roger Pro 2s were not comfortable shoes for me. There is a plastic piece on the lateral forefoot that pushes against the toe box, and it was pressing against my pinky toes. The underfoot cushioning felt pretty minimal to me, which provided a very low-to-the-ground ride that I liked, but I would've preferred more cushioning."

Foot Support / Stability: 8.8

Support and stability were two of the highlights of the ON The Roger Pro 2s, and our whole team noticed improvements in this category compared to the previous version. Feeling confident in his movement on the court, Chris said, "The most impressive part of this update was the support and stability the ON The Roger Pro 2s offered. I felt way more secure in this version than I did in the original. The fit felt more contoured and performance based, rather than the wider comfort fit of the outgoing model. These shoes are very low to the ground in the forefoot, which also helped give them a performance feel."

Recovering from an ankle mishap, Munish appreciated the support and stability of these updated shoes. He said, "The stability of the The Roger Pro 2s is great. I'm coming back from an ankle injury, and these shoes have helped a lot. I have played in the shoes with an ankle brace on and also without one, and I found great stability and support in both situations. I think the extra width helps the stability aspect quite a bit."

Jason agreed that these The Roger Pro 2s felt stable. He added, "The stability of these shoes felt pretty good. The uppers felt firm and rigid when I was moving laterally and changing directions. It may be due to the fact that my feet felt a little squeezed in the shoes, but I also thought they were pretty supportive. I didn't experience much movement within the shoes."

After getting used to the feel of the shoes, Oak was happy with the level of stability and support. He explained, "The ON The Roger Pro 2s have a unique feel on the court, where my feet feel primarily flat against the ground. It definitely takes some getting used to, and I think there are both positives and negatives to what this specific shoe shape offers users. Let's start with the negatives. As a result of the flat shoe design, it is extremely difficult to 'roll' or pivot off your toes. If you are good about being on the balls of your feet, the shoes will reward you, but they are punishing when you are not as engaged with your footwork. Additionally, due to the lack of roll for the jump (first movement toward the ball), the initial direction change can feel a bit delayed, which at times made me feel slow to the ball. However, once I did get moving, the shoes were fairly fast and more than once bailed me out of a difficult situation at the end of my run. This 'bail out' nature is definitely a positive, but I wish the shoes didn't get me into such a difficult position to begin with. Where the flat shoe chassis really shines, though, is its stability. They really feel supportive during the weight transfer through my motion, and I enjoy how they hold true to form when in a more off-balance position."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.6

By the end of the playtest period, the improved durability of the ON The Roger Pro 2s was more than evident to our playtest team. The way these shoes held up surprised Munish. He said, "These shoes are a lot more durable than my The Roger Pros. I have been using the Pro 2s for weeks now, and I don't see much wear on them. I even started wearing these shoes out and about, and I still found little to no wear. This is probably the most improved aspect of this update."

Oak felt the same way after many hours of court time. He added, "So far, the durability of these The Roger Pro 2s has really impressed me. I have put nearly 30 hours on them, and the outsoles hardly look worn at all. I usually wear through my shoes in the same spot (left shoe, medial toe section), but in that particular area, I can hardly spot any wear on my The Roger Pro 2s. The uppers have also broken in nicely, and I really enjoy how they hug my feet. I think the lack of a TPU upper is another benefit to the flatter chassis because the stability factor offsets this in an entirely practical way. These shoes have broken in without breaking down, which can be a concern with some mesh uppers."

Even on an abrasive court, Jason saw little wear on the soles of his The Roger Pro 2s. He said, "I put about 10 hours on my pair of shoes and didn’t see much wear and tear. The rubber seemed to have held up well on our indoor court, which is quite gritty."

The uppers of these The Roger Pro 2s seemed more durable than the outsoles for Chris. He explained, "While the uppers of my pair of Roger Pro 2s held up well, I did smooth out the outsole under the big toe area of the right shoe. I've seen shoes wear faster for me in that area, and I would say the ON The Roger Pro 2s were middle of the road when it came to durability."

Traction: 8.3

Our playtesters awarded these ON The Roger Pro 2s high marks in the traction department. The combination of grip and give worked well for Chris, who noted, "I liked the level of grip these The Roger Pro 2s offered. I found ample traction when making aggressive lateral cuts, and I was able to pivot easily without the shoe feeling stuck to the surface, so the outsoles offered enough give too."

Munish was comfortable moving around the court in the The Roger Pro 2s. He said, "I don't have any complaints about the traction. It's definitely an improvement from the previous version because I remember being able to slide somewhat in them, which is something I don't really do. I played with these shoes on a few different hard courts, some with more grit than others, and I liked how well these shoes gripped each court I tested them on."

Oak found just the right balance of grip in the ON The Roger Pro 2s. He said, "The traction afforded by these ON shoes is fantastic. I felt like I had excellent grip for effective pivoting, which allowed me to counteract the lack of jump the shoes had. I didn't find myself sliding in these shoes all that much, but on more desperate sprints forward for drop shots, the shoes would stop neatly if I needed to brake before accidentally touching the net. I am curious to see how these shoes might slide over time if I ever manage to break through the outsoles a little bit."

The traction was on the sticky side for Jason. He explained, "The outsoles seemed to be pretty grippy. I got plenty of traction and had no issues with pushing off and not being able to grip the court well. In fact, I would've liked some give to them. I found it nearly impossible to slide out of shots.”

Weight: 8.0

Weighing 15.2 ounces (size 10.5), these ON The Roger Pro 2s are slightly heavier than average for men's court shoes, but the carbon fiber Speedboard plate helps generate energy return for a zippy feel when moving. Munish described, "These shoes have some weight to them, but they still feel fast. I never thought the The Roger Pros and Pro 2s were heavy until I weighed them. You really don't feel it."

Jason agreed with Munish and added, "I didn't really mind the weight of the shoes. I know on paper they do seem to be on the heavier side, but it wasn't an issue for me."

The balance between the weight of these shoes and their stability impressed Oak. He said, "These The Roger Pro 2s definitely have a little heft on the court, though it isn't too obvious when moving. The weight contributes nicely to the stability factor without hindering movement like some heavier shoes. I think if the shoes were any lighter, they would likely have some issues in terms of support somewhere. If they were any heavier, I would start to think of them as more sluggish."

Chris did feel a bit sluggish playing in the The Roger Pro 2s. He said, "While the ON The Roger Pro 2s did not feel heavy, they also did not feel fast. When sprinting for a ball, I found the forefoot slapping down at contact with the court rather than transitioning nicely from heel to toe. I also felt slower to get going, as I wasn't getting any responsiveness from the forefoot cushioning."

Breakdown Summary