We have known K-Swiss to make some pretty comfortable shoes since their insurgence into the tennis market in 1966. Through the years they have developed many different durability shoes that seemed to do well, but couldn’t keep up with the Nike Cage or Adidas Barricade. In today’s time, I think they have finally found a great competitor in the shoe market with the Ultrashot 2. Compared to its predecessor, the Ultrashot 2 gets updates in the midsole with SurgeLite technology and a thicker tongue construction so you will get even more cushioning without a heavier feeling shoe. Let’s see how the Ultrashot compared to some of the best durability shoes on the market today.

Cushioning and Stability
Cushioning and stability are hands down the best parts about the Ultrashot 2. As soon as I put the shoes on, the SurgeLite midsole felt super comfortable and light around my feet almost like I’m putting on fuzzy slippers. Whether I was walking or running around the court, my feet were always pleasantly cushioned and I never had to worry about losing that soft, cushy feeling. These shoes won’t need much of a break-in period since it already has pretty soft cushioning. The tongue has more cushioning than the previous version which was a nice addition. Players may need to be careful though about lacing their shoes super tight as I did encounter some pain on the top of my foot during play. Stability is very good and I always had plenty of support whether I moved side to side or front to back. The stability is also consistent throughout the shoe so you never feel off balanced when you are sprinting on defense or attacking on offense.

Fit and Breathability
The Ultrashot 2 has a pretty traditional fitting and is true to size. The upper construction of this shoe takes up most of the room so it won’t feel super big until you really wear down the cushioning. The toebox will feel a little wider than most shoes, but I personally didn’t mind this feature since I like room in my tennis shoes. Players that have narrow feet may feel these shoes are too wide after playing in them for awhile. What I found very helpful is the heel which has a little more grip than usual. This is a new technology K-Swiss has added - Heel Grip Lining - allowing better security for your foot so it can’t wiggle around. This grip will have a slightly rough texture so players will want to wear quarter crew or regular crew socks instead of no-show socks.

Breathability was not the greatest for me, but I didn’t encounter much problems since I played in cooler conditions. If you do plan on using these shoes in the hot temperatures, I would suggest bringing a couple pairs of performance socks as your feet will get pretty toasty and sweaty.

Durability
Another great feature about the Ultrashot 2 is the outsole durability. K-Swiss updated their outsole to Aösta 7.0 which is a high-density rubber compound that increases the durability levels but makes the shoe lighter in weight. I never encountered any problems with the outsole even after playing for a month in these shoes. The front holds up very well and won’t show signs of breaking thanks to the DragGuard and Durawrap technologies. One downside I found was that the outsole felt very grippy and made me almost trip over my own feet a couple of times. The grippy texture is great for planting to hit your shots, but became a problem every once in a while when I was on defense.

Overall
A great durability shoe from the K-Swiss brand and I believe many players should switch to it today. Selling at a lower price point than most durability tennis shoes and with a 6-month outsole warranty, players can’t go wrong with this option. Cushioning, stability and durability are some of the best in the industry. The Ultrashot 2 tennis shoe is an excellent choice for players want something to last for years and still be comfortable.

About the Reviewer: Chris Virk-Brown currently works at Tennis Express on the Content Marketing team. He previously played at Neumann University and coached at the collegiate level for 3 years. He is an active USTA League and Tournament player.