Breakdown

Comfort: 8.0

When it came to comfort, our team was impressed with the underfoot cushioning and the soft uppers. The testers mostly found the Hypercourt Supreme 2s to be an improvement from the previous version, but players with flat feet should be aware of the somewhat high arch support. If your feet are sensitive in this region, you'll want to pay close attention to Jason's experience. He explained, "This updated version has more underfoot cushioning for a plusher ride, but the fit also feels narrower to me. Luckily, the Hypercourt Supreme 2s did break in the more I wore them, and they became more comfortable as they broke in more and the playtest wore on. I think the biggest downside for me was the arch soreness I was getting. However, I do have fairly flat arches, so this may not be an issue for everyone." 

Mark also had some slight issues with the fit, but not the shoe itself. He noted, "Underfoot cushioning was great from the first step into my new pair of Hypercourt Supreme 2s, and the cushioning, along with the overall support, never wavered. I can give the same high marks to the stock arch insert's height, which was fine for my somewhat high instep. On its own, the breathability of the Hypercourt Supreme 2s was sufficient, and if I factor in how supportive the shoe is, I could say the ventilation is great. Fit-wise, the width was medium, but I did feel a bit cramped in my typical size 11s, and I would go up a half size to an 11.5 if I did the playtest again.”

For Troy, breaking in the shoes fixed most of his initial fit discomfort. He recalled, "Right out of the box I found a snug fit. They felt a little narrower than I recall from the first generation, but it was fine for my medium to slightly narrow foot type. I guess the slight downside was that they felt a little short at the very tip of these shoes, so I had a bit of discomfort at the tip of my toes during break-in. I also tried on a size 10 (a half size larger), but I felt like I had too much room in the front. I wore the 9.5 for the test, which felt a little snug in length with some extra pressure during the break-in, but I wore thin socks and was able to get through it. After about a week of wear (around 5 hours of testing) these shoes broke in nicely and fit me well. I found plenty of support, especially arch support. When it came to the cushioning under my feet, these shoes were surprisingly good; I definitely noticed a bit more material under my feet. Maybe it was a combination of cushioning and a bit more outsole rubber, but I felt like the Hypercourt Supreme 2s got a bit softer and plusher as I wore them more. The comfort was impressive, while the overall ventilation and breathability were pretty average. I never really felt too hot inside these shoes and appreciated the cutouts in the Durawrap X material that exposed the mesh underneath." 

Chris noticed a wide fit for his feet, but he still found the shoes comfortable. He said, "As with the original Hypercourt Supremes, this second version fit a tad wide on me. I have narrow feet, and the Hypercourt Supreme 2s felt slightly generous in width compared to what I'd consider standard D-width shoes. As a result, my feet were sliding around inside the shoes a bit. I really only noticed this on lateral moves, when I found the shoes twisting on my feet. When coming to a quick stop, the shoes held me much better, and I fortunately did not suffer any uncomfortable toe jamming into the ends of the shoes. The arch fit was nice and solid, with the shoes flexing correctly under my toes. I liked the way the uppers moved with my feet, and they felt OK in the ventilation department. The level of cushioning was also ample to give my feet a comfortable ride." 

Foot Support / Stability: 8.5

Assuming the fit was secure, the Hypercourt Supreme 2s were extremely supportive and stable for our team members. They were all able to make the shoes work, with Troy in particular walking away more than satisfied. He noted, "I was thoroughly impressed with the overall support and stability of the Hypercourt Supreme 2s. Looking back at the first generation of the Hypercourt Supreme, I found good support right out of the box and for the initial part of the playtest. That said, after a couple weeks of wear they softened up a bit and didn't hug my feet quite as well. This update felt even more supportive and much more stable, to the point where I felt like they needed a break-in period to soften up a bit just for the overall comfort. The midfoot shank was more substantial with this second version and proved to do a really good job of creating torsional stability. These shoes felt very stable when I was making lateral cuts and changes of direction."

Mark also found ample support underfoot, even exceeding that of the previous generation. He said, "The prior model delivered more than sufficient overall foot support and shoe stability. That said, I felt one of the main themes of the second generation of the Hypercourt Supreme is support and stability, which is slightly improved." 

These shoes became a little less impressive when the fit wasn’t perfect, but they were still workable. For Chris, the slightly wider fit was never going to completely mesh with his narrow feet. He explained, "I found the Hypercourt Supreme 2s to feel stable underfoot, with no undue twisting. However, because of the generous fit, the shoes did twist on my feet. The compromise was more one of comfort, and I didn't feel like I was going to roll an ankle. Even though the fit wasn't ideal, I still felt safe moving aggressively in the shoes." 

Likewise, Jason's fit concerns came into play here, but he was still impressed by the stability. He said, "I thought the Hypercourt Supreme 2s did offer great support and stability. The uppers were rigid enough to hold my feet in place when planting and pushing off. The shoes feel more built up compared to the original Hypercourt Supreme, and I think this is where it shows."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.6

KSwiss is renowned for offering some of the most durable shoes on the market, and the Hypercourt Supreme 2s were right in line with this reputation. Our team found good durability throughout the playtest's duration, even for a slider like Jason. He said, "These shoes proved to be plenty durable — more so than the first iteration. I put approximately 10 hours on them, and the outsoles show little to no signs of tread loss." 

Mark too was impressed with the level of durability displayed by KSwiss. He said, "Although the new Hypercourt Supreme 2 does not feature an outsole warranty, its overall durability, including the outsole, is very good. I would say the durability is on par with (or even better than) tennis shoes that do include an outsole warranty."

For Troy, the lifespan of the Hypercourt Supreme 2s was more than sufficient. He explained, "I found the overall sole durability to be pretty solid. I definitely noticed an increase in durability compared to the last version, and the rubber on the outsole held up well throughout the playtest. Specifically, I noticed a dense amount of the Dragguard 7.0 rubber located under the balls of my feet and the medial side of the toe region; those locations on the outsole tend to be the spots where I put the most wear. The toe durability was sufficient for my needs, and the material right above my toes (Durawrap X) seemed to do a good job of protecting without being too stiff. Other than not being a durability-guaranteed shoe — and KSwiss has the Ultrashot 3 for that — the durability was good in the places I need it most." 

Chris noticed some wear on his shoes, but nothing out of the ordinary. He said, "The outsoles lasted decently on the Hypercourt Supreme 2s. I had some wear in my high-wear areas at the end of the test but nothing too concerning. The uppers also did a good job of holding up against court abrasion despite my toe dragging."

Traction: 8.4

When it came to grip on the court, our team had plenty of praise for the outsole of the Hypercourt Supreme 2s. The rubber's traction was more than sufficient and catered to the specific needs of each individual's movement. For Mark, the traction felt more than adequate. He described, "As with the Ultrashot and Hypercourt Express shoes from KSwiss, the rubber compound and tread design of the Hypercourt Supreme 2 provided as-good-as-it-gets traction, whether or not the hard courts I played on were freshly cleaned." 

Similarly, Troy found no issues overall and felt that KSwiss actually improved this performance characteristic for the shoes. He noted, "I had no complaints when it came to the traction. The main thing for me was that it didn't feel too gummy or sticky on the outsole. The outsoles of the first Hypercourt Supremes felt softer and maybe just a bit grippier on the hard courts. With this update there was a nice firm feel to the rubber, and I had a lot of confidence when making a quick stop, but it also didn't grab the gritty hard courts so much that I felt stuck in place. There was a nice grip-to-give ratio in terms of braking or stopping, and I really like how this outsole held up on the hard courts."

Chris enjoyed being able to stop and change directions seamlessly in these shoes. He explained, "The level of grip was spot on from the Hypercourt Supreme 2s. I found all the traction I needed to push off hard for a quick sprint. Likewise, quick stops could be accomplished in a controlled manner."

For Jason, the level of grip was a little challenging at times, but overall it sufficed. He said, "I felt like the outsoles had a good blend of grip and give, but with maybe a bit more grip than I would've liked. I had no issues pushing off in these shoes, though, and I could slide a little bit when stopping and changing direction." 

Weight: 7.7

The overall weight of these Hypercourt Supreme 2s has been increased from the previous version, translating into more overall stability and support. Thankfully, our team found no major downsides due to this weight increase. In fact, Chris barely noticed the added weight. He explained, "I found the Hypercourt Supreme 2s to feel pretty much middle of the road in terms of weight. Considering the stable chassis, ample cushioning and overall durability of the shoes, I'd say what weight is there has been put to good use." 

For Troy, however, the weight was more immediately apparent. He said, "I noticed there was an increase in weight as soon as I put these shoes on, and they felt a bit more rigid right out of the box. Now don't get me wrong, I do not mind shoes that are a bit beefier (up into the 15-ounce range for size 10.5 US men's) as long as the overall comfort is good. So for me, I did not mind this increase in weight and sturdiness, but I will say it was noticeable. So for those who favored the first generation of the Hypercourt Supreme based on its lighter feel and flexibility, this update could potentially feel a bit on the bulky side."

Mark's experience with this updated model was not impacted by the extra weight. He said, "The update of the Hypercourt Supreme 2s increased the weight by around an ounce over the prior iteration, and I have to say it did not really hinder the shoe's agility, but it did enhance its level of stability." 

Jason could also feel the additional weight, but he did not observe any negative performance impacts. He said, "These shoes definitely feel a bit more substantial compared to the first version. They feel more in line with shoes like the Asics Gel Resolution." 

Breakdown Summary