Has anyone bought the new ASICS Gel Progressive shoe, it’s the most expensive indoor shoe they have in their range for Badminton/Squash, according to their website. I have to say it looks good and not tried their shoes before, as I always purchased Yonex Shoes. I now need better cushioning and comfort, as I recovering from an Achilles tendon injury.
Yes, I ordered them yesterday. Hoping to receive them in a couple of days. Will post a review afterwards. Have the Asics Blade 3 now, but they are at the end of their lifetime. I love the Blades for their comfort and stability and I hope the new Progressive is an improvement on them!
As I did not want to mislead you in any way after just one single training session, I waited with my review after I played some matches.. I played some today and I won, so the shoes have to be amazing But seriously, I like the shoes very much. I worn my blades to the max, so the transition between old blades en new progressives may influence my opinion, but I think the progressives are definitely more comfortable and stable. The fit is excellent, as the laces are somewhat wider than with the blades, so you can adjust the tightness better. The extra comfort is really noticeable in the front of the shoe. The sole is a bit thicker and that extra damping works like a charm for me. I suffer quite fast from blisters and painful feet, but I did not encounter any problems with these shoes. Even the blisters that were already on my feet, hurt less during the game. The shoes feel a bit "stiffer" too, so your feet are stable and you can land easily after big jumps and leaps and you can recover quickly. And again, this may also be the case if I bought new blades, but as far as I can remember, the progressives are better and more comfortable shoes! On the Asics site can be seen that the progressives are slightly heavier than the blades, but this was not noticeable to me. Because of the great fit, the shoes fly with you over the court So, my advice, if you want new, comfortable and fabulous badminton/indoor shoes and you do not want to wait another six months until the new Blades 4 arive, go for the Progressives! I think you will not regret you decision! I will post some pictures of my flashy red monsters tomorrow. Now it is time to rest and enjoy my victory Good night!
Well, here are two quick pictures of the shoes. At the second photo you can see them besides my Blades 3. If you want more detailed pictures, let me know, than I will make some!
I paid €95 for them.. ($121/£76) Quite a reasonable price, as I believe they are worth every penny and the blades lasted almost one year, which is very long for me!
I would probably go for baddy shoes instead of asics generic indoor shoes, for badminton. it will work ok (just as handball & basketball shoes) to play with, but baddy shoes are probably a better option.
I think that is purely subjective and not per se true.. Brands like Asics and Mizuno have at least as much experience in making indoor shoes as Yonex and Victor. So you can assume that all shoes are made with care, great technology and the intended sports motions in mind. I played with 4 different brands over the past years (Yonex, Victor, Forza, Asics) and for me, the fit of the Asics is the best and thereby they play better too. I couldn't care less that Asics doesn't make badminton rackets. So I think the best option, is not whether a brand is specialized in badminton, but whether the shoes are made with the movements of badminton in mind and fit and feel best to the player. The fact that I got blisters in Yonex shoes, because of fast lateral movements, but not in Asics, gives to think too don't you think..
Hi everybody, Asics gel blade 1,2 and 3 are specially designed for badminton. if you have had different badminton shoes from Yonex, lining or victor. You will notice that they have some similar designs from Asics and Mizuno. which asics and mizuno had the designs long long times ago. For example: Yonex uses the hexagonal shape for the bottom of their shoes, Mizuno has been using the similar shapes long before Yonex did. If you look at your Yonex shoes, you can see the support of the outsole of the shoes for the smallest toes' area. Asics has had the similar design for at least ten years. If you really compare the badminton shoes from different companies. You will see a lot of similarities, but one thing for sure is that Asics and Mizuno are the real companies who design shoes for our feet. They really hire peopel to design shoes for us. I stopped using Yonex shoes long time ago. Asics gel blade gives me better traction, actually better anything.
DO you know why the japanese badminton team players wear Asics or Mizuno shoes other than Yonex? even though they use Yonex rackets and Yonex shirts. They are sponsored by Yonex, but they have thier own choices for shoes.
Thanks Wheelie for your feedback. I like to try to the other colour range, the gold model. I did try Blade 3 last year, but it gave me a blister, so had a refund. Not many shops stock badminton shoes, especially this one. So have to ask my local shop to order for me and then if I don't like it and then walk away.
That is interesting. Most Yonex players wear Yonex shoes but the Japanese don't wear it, does it mean that they pay for their Asics/Mizuno shoes, or do they get them for free? also how come Yonex are so relaxed about it and if the sponsored player wears a rival shoe? Have to admit Mizuno Badminton shoes are very rare and not promoted/advertised widley. Also very hard to get hold of, unless you order blind from internet. The trouble with internet orders, esp with shoes you can't try them, as shoe sizes vary a lot, as opposed to physical shops.
I've found exactly the same, very difficult to actually find badminton shoes or even just decent indoor court shoes anywhere to actually try. That's why I normally stick to Asics. I know that if I buy an Asics shoe in a UK size 9, it's going to fit me. I'm still plodding on with a pair of the original Asics Sensei which seem to be indestructable. When I finally manage to kill them off, I think I'll replace them with Gel Beyond.
make sure they fit well! I find that asics put a lot of pressure on my achilles and this caused my injury!
I live in USA, but I have ordered asics gel blade 1,2 and 3 shoes from England and Germany. Three months ago, I ordered two pairs of blade 3. I found out that their size is 1/2 size smaller than the old pairs I had ( I compared them size by size). I also found out that Asics uses a new factory to produce the shoes in Indonesia, not China anymore. I used to wear size 7 and 1/2, but now I have to wear size 8. When I get a better deal, I will order a pair of gel progressive.
What about Mizuno wave bolt indoor court shoe, has anyone tried this. Wanted to try this as well but don't like the black colour.
i like my blade 2 and 3, but i got blisters essentially every time, sometimes blisters on top of unhealed blisters