Intro

HEAD partnered with SuperFabric for their Sprint SF last year, and are now revamping one of their longstanding durability and stability shoes in the Revolt Pro. HEAD had been largely a two-headed monster with the lightweight, game day experience of the Sprint Pro series, and the durability of the aforementioned Revolt Pro. With version 3.0, the Revolt has gotten some subtle, but important, changes to fit more diverse foot types and game styles.

With the Revolt Pro 3.0, HEAD has taken strides to make the shoe faster, including reducing the weight by about 8 grams. HEAD modified the toe cap to open up the forefoot and give some much needed space for players with a wider, fuller foot.

When I first heard the Revolt 3.0 was going to be lighter, I wondered if I was going to get a copy of the Sprint Pro. But after around 20 hours on court I can say the Revolt Pro 3.0 is not at all a rehash, but a tough, comfortable, and more dynamic performance tennis shoe than in years past.

Examining the Revolt Pro from the ground up, you can see the outsole is designed to work for all court surfaces. There are thicker zones of the outsole designed to protect the shoe from turbulent, hard court tennis, and a slightly more open tread pattern suitable for clay courts. HEAD’s Cooling system, activated by removing the sticker under the insole, helps keep the foot ventilated. It seems like such a simple technology but it’s tech you can feel on hot summer days.

Cushioning & Flexibility

HEAD’s TRI N-R-G midsole system is found in all of their performance tennis shoes. In the Revolt 3.0, the heel is slightly higher to help cushion the impact of your foot hitting the court. The system provides the engine for torsional support, as well as energy return to ensure well–balanced, on-court performance. In my experience with previous versions of the Revolt Pro, they had a pretty extensive break-in period, and felt stiff the first few times on the court. However, the Revolt Pro 3.0 was comfortable from the moment I laced it up, and required absolutely no break in.

With a much-improved comfort level, you might expect some loss of stability, but to maintain the Revolt’s lineage as an excellent support shoe, HEAD modified their Energy Frame tech. With the 3.0, the Energy Frame is better integrated into the shoe’s upper than in the Revolt 2.5. You still get vital lateral stability, but with better mobility at a lighter weight. The Energy Frame works in tandem with the Drift Defense System to better secure and adapt to your foot.

Fit

There is a simple elegance to the Revolt Pro 3.0 in that the laces are the primary source of the shoe’s customizable fit. With some of the more elastic and constricting uppers around today, the best thing about the Revolt Pro 3.0 is that you can adjust the fit simply by re-lacing the shoe tighter or looser. Because of this, there is a much larger cross section of players who could wear the Revolt regardless of their foot type and shape.

After several hours in the 3.0, the toe box and upper construction molded and flexed to my foot’s shape. This gave me the most comfortable fit of any HEAD shoe I have ever worn. In past versions, the Revolt models were quite constrictive on wider feet. In this iteration, HEAD has built a Revolt everyone can appreciate.

Durability

Head struck a great balance with the Revolt Pro’s weight, as well. While the shoe is noticeably lighter than the previous version, the 3.0 doesn’t feel hollowed out with huge cuts to its cushioning system. The result is a shoe that plays faster than it looks, but more durable than it feels. There is a 6 month warranty on the outsole with the 3.0, so you can expect the same high standards for durability of the Revolt Pro’s predecessors.

Overall

If you find yourself stuck between buying a tank-like durability shoe, and a feather-light game day shoe, the Revolt Pro 3.0 splits the difference nicely. You can expect strong stability and support at a slightly reduced weight for a faster response.

About the Reviewer: Sam Jones currently works at Tennis Express on the Content Marketing team. He previously played at Southwestern University, taught tennis for 10+ years and earned his USRSA Master Racquet Technician Certification in 2011. He is an active NTRP 5.0 League and Tournament player.