Features of the babolat shadow shoes : + Spring Flex technology + Spring VK + Vibrakill + Michelin OCS + HTS technology + Blue/White
Shadow 2 Follow up on the April post with a live pic from bad mania fb Also up on the Babolat website now, the new Shadow 2: http://www.babolat.com/product/badminton/shoe/shadow-2-m http://www.babolat.com/product/badminton/shoe/shadow-2-w
I had the (neon?) blue version a few years ago and they were very good grip-wise. Quite stable and feels light too. Only downside is the durability of the insoles, they do wear out quite fast and changing them will change the feel of the shoes considerably (i.e. becomes uncomfortable). I've since thrown them out and moved on to other brands.
You got me there, demolidor. Wearing that pink shoes will be awkward on court, i guess i will have to buy the yellow model instead.
Getting the yellow 2013 version Babolat Shadow 2 in a couple weeks! Looking forward to it and to pit it against my Yonex SHB65FT shoes in terms of weight, comfort, and grip. Here's a PDF of Michelin's OCS (optimized cell system) in the shoe which provides increased grip and stability. Apparently the size 43 is about 310g/shoe which would be 15g less than my current pair. View attachment Babolat and Michelin.pdf
Update: I played my first few hours with these shoes. One thing I really like about them is the bottom in the area of where the arch is, is completely uncovered and gives direct access to the insole of the shoe. Yes that's right, you can actually touch and poke your insole from the bottom of the shoe meaning it is the most breathable shoe you can probably find out there. The grip was phenomenal, then again it could just be because it was new so I'll test this out again later, but at least it wasn't bad from the start. I wear a size US 9 in SHB65FT and SH9000ACE, so I got the same size for the Shadow 2 (2013). What I didn't like was that the area around my toe had too much room, it definitely isn't snug like ergoshape or even more so with quattrofit, (I find quattrofit almost suffocating). The space would be suitable for people with wide feet, I would think. An issue I had was when the shoe material creased it dug into the top of my foot. Unlike the softer material on the SHB65FT, which easily creased, the Shadow's material was a little stiffer so it dug into my feet more. Maybe it will loosen over time. Weight: SHB65FT is 324g/shoe and Shadow 2 is 304g/shoe both are size US 9. Overall, it's a good shoe but I think SHB65FT still wins in terms of comfort. I really hope I warm up to the Shadow 2 as that 20g advantage could be useful in the long run.
I got the Shadow 2M too. like most of the contributors here, the break-in period was short and a bit painful. but my second session with this shoe is WOW! a lightweight shoe with exceptional grip. this shoe is a joy for any awkward positions/movements around the court. you really can count on its build quality to support your feet and body weight. talking about its durability in the long run, can't say to that yet. i am still on my 6th hour playing with the Shadow, but, so glad i bought it.
Do you notice that there is quite a bit of room above the toes? I feel like they could have reduced the toe height area.
If both are priced the same, which one is the overall better buy, a Babolat Shadow Tour or Yonex SHB-02 LTD ? or
Well, if you asked me, I'd say the Babolat Shadow Tour. I personally like its nice color. Which one got the wider fit between these two, mate?
Yeah, agreed, if we only go by eye candy factor, this Babolat shoe is one heck of a looker. And AFAIK it's quite light, stable, & supportive too. But SHB-02 LTD purple is not a laggard by any mean in those factors, and we know Yonex's power cushion is one of the best in the business. My gut feeling says that this Babolat's is using better material overall, and built more sturdy & durable. It is just a question whether its cushioning is sufficient enough so the other factors will push it forward as the winner. The quattro fit Yonex's known as tight fit shoes bro, but i think the Babolat is not much wider either, perhaps just a little bit here & there on the toe box area. This comes just from picture observation, so anyone that has personal experience using both shoes can chime in & shed some light on us here.
Dang! That babolat shadow tour is a heck of a looker! Too bad its not available in this color in the Philippines!
Yes, I see those Babolat shoes are truly a winner for their looks, but if they're not wide fit then I'm out. I think you should go for the Babolat, mate. Then maybe you can provide some good review for us here.
I got the money & permission from my wife to get a new pair of baddy shoes, but really can't afford a bad choice since i've already tasted the quality of Yonex's shoes cushioning on my SHB-02 MX and it is great. Yonex will always be the safe choice, but can this Babolat tips the scale in their favor ?? Dilemma, confusing yet tempting dilemma.
Well, you can't tell until you've made the call. I can feel your dilemma mate. Many of us have gone through the same kind of dilemma I guess . But I do think these Babolat deserve the shot. You can sell them if you find them not in your taste. Or maybe any other brand would please you? I heard that Victor produce some very good shoes.