finally arrived. as stiff a sole as hero, but a little lighter cause its low cut... cost a bomb though. S$299...
I saw a pair of these recently at my club the guy bought it while on vacation. It looks interesting, but it's not something I would want to wear. How does it perform though? The sole looks completely different from normal court shoes.
It's much softer than the other Li-ning shoes (e.g. Lin Dan hero). For me, the shoe does not provide enough cushioning, so I've actually stopped using it until I get an aftermarket insole.
Heads up! This shoe may be available in North America soon! I may get myself a pair and post some pictures.
Good : soft cushioning on the sole... Bad: very heavy! Overall: try not to buy! although good quality and nice, but the weight is the big problem!
I found that usually light shoes aren't as durable - similar to racquets. Example, a light racquet needs to have lesser material to give it that light weight which ultimately compromises the structural integrity and strength of the racquet.
light rackets doesn't mean that the overall weight is light... it is more to the BP of the rackets. for this shoe, it is heavy and it is not durable as my coach shoe already spoilt after less than a month. there are also light and durable shoe.. if you really wanted to buy a comfortable shoe... very easy... just look out at what the Chinese player using then you will know... none of them wear Hero II for compeitition...
Thank you for the site e1981 For those who want this shoe in North America, it's available at www.shopbadmintononline.com
When I wrote "light racquet", I mean a physically light racquet as oppose to a different balance point making the racquet feel "light". Sorry for the confusion. The HERO II has more cushion and material on the sole giving it more durability which is why it is slightly heavier than the other Li-Ning shoes. You won't find top Chinese players using this shoe as they don't care about durability when it comes to competition and only want performance! Remember, they are sponsored so they can easily get a replacement racquet, string, shoe, bag, etc. Whereas us end customers would want something more durable so that we can stretch that hard earned dollar!
I just bought these shoes and hoping to arrive within a few days! I also bought the Victor SH9100 D to switch between each other to lengthen the life on both.
I have yet to try on the pair to play but there is definately alot of heel cushion. It almost feels like the shoe completely hugged my feet when I tried it on.