Wilson Add a shoe review

We can confidently recommend the Wilson Add a shoe to tennis players who want:

• a well-rounded shoe that is cushioned, stable, and not heavy
• a stable shoe that's not too firm or rigid
• a highly durable tennis shoe at a moderate price

The shoe's lack of breathability and webbed eyelets can be a deal-breaker for many tennis players.

or the Adidas Barricade 13 Extended heel collar. It is lighter, more breathable, and has a conventional (reliable!) lacing system with a great lockdown.

Another option is the one piece is placed on the sides for lateral stability Wilson Rush Pro 4.0.

In terms of cushioning, the Add a shoe feels very well-balanced. It is not too high off the court but not too grounded either. We have no complaints about the impact protection of this shoe.

Measuring its stack height in the heel, our caliper showed 29.1 mm. That's the average heel height across tennis shoes.

In the shoe's forefoot, our caliper returned 20.0 mm which is also the same as the average.

We felt enough support under the balls of our feet for split steps, quick sprints to the net, and explosive takes-offs.

We applaud Wilson's precision when it comes to the heel-to-toe drop!

In the official specs, the brand states that the Add a shoe has a 9-mm drop. Our own measurements confirm this showing a 9.1-mm offset.

It also happens to be the average heel-to-toe difference across tennis shoes. This setup is most optimal with just enough heel elevation to provide comfort and take the pressure off the Achilles without compromising stability.

Stepping into the Wilson Add a shoe, we were amazed at the plushness that greeted our feet inside.

It is not common for tennis shoes to have soft cushioning these days. But Wilson found a way to mix it in without compromising the shoe's stability.

It is by far one of the softest tennis shoe midsoles we've tested in our lab!

Measuring the R-DST+ foam in the heel, our durometer returned 22.1 HA. That's a whopping 35% softer than average! We absolutely loved the shock absorption it provided on hard landings.

For the forefoot cushioning, the Wilson Add a shoe uses a lighter and even softer EVA foam.

Pressing our durometer against it, we got 21.0 HA which is 5% softer than the heel cushioning. We thoroughly enjoyed the bounce it provided when we stayed on our toes or pushed off the balls of our feet with maximum force.

The only drawback of such soft foam is that it tends to bottom out faster compared to other cushioning foams.

The cushioning of the Add a shoe is elevated by the well-padded OrthoLite insole. It is a bit thinner than average at 4.1 mm but its molded shape feels beautifully ergonomic underfoot.

The Wilson Add a shoe treated us to an accommodating fit straight from the box. Unlike many tennis shoes we've tested, this one required zero breaking-in.

We found this surprising because our caliper measurements of the shoe's toebox weren't different from the average. In the widest part of the forefoot, the tool showed 101.9 mm which is standard for a tennis shoe in a men's US 9.

Perhaps this is because the Add a shoe doesn't have the same thick and sturdy upper overlays as other tennis shoes do.

This Wilson shoe also has a standard amount of space near the tip of the toebox. Measuring it where the big toe ends, our caliper showed 76.8 mm.

We firmly believe that Wilson should've gone for the standard eyelet system in the Add a shoe.

Not only are these thin webbed eyelets more prone to tearing, but they also mess with the shoe's fit. We can see how people with narrower feet (or those who prefer a very tight fit in their tennis shoes) would want to crank down the laces a lot in this model.

This will result in more pressure around the midfoot and quicker deterioration of the eyelets and laces.

The Wilson Add a shoe looks like it's been meticulously engineered and packed with technologies and stabilizing features.

And on foot... it feels exactly like that.

This tennis shoe has a good amount of stability to prevent ankle rolls very well. But we must warn you that it doesn't feel as secure as the flagship stability shoes out there - the Asics Solution Speed FF 3 or the Adidas Barricade 13.

The mainstay of the shoe's stability is the 4D Support Chassis 2.0 which comprises two parts:

• one piece is placed on the sides for lateral stability
• the other runs underfoot for added propulsion on take-offs (think of a springboard at the pool)

Together these pieces add plenty of torsional rigidity to the Add a shoe. Stiffness makes this tennis shoe immune to awkward foot and ankle rolls on forceful multi-directional movements.

In our manual test, we rated the shoe's torsional rigidity with the highest score of 5.

As part of the shoe's stabilizing hassis, the Add a shoe features a substantial heel counter.

We rated its stiffness with the highest possible score of 5 in our manual push-squeeze test. There is absolutely no give to the back of the shoe which kept our heels securely in place even during the most intense footwork.

However, the platform of the Wilson Add a shoe doesn't seem to be very false. In fact, it is a bit narrower than average.

Measuring the widest part of the shoe's midsole in the forefoot, our caliper showed 110.1 mm. This is just enough width to create an outrigger which helps to stay steady and bounce back from lateral cuts.

In the widest part of the shoe's heel, our caliper showed 86.7 mm. Again, a couple of millimeters narrower than average but just enough to keep our feet stable.

Even though the Add a shoe comes with a stiff shank in the midfoot, it doesn't seem to affect its flexibility at all!

We were able to bend our feet most naturally in this Wilson tennis shoe. Perhaps this is also thanks to its softer midsole foam? Anyway, this is what makes this tennis shoe feel so different from the rest of the market.

To measure exactly how pliable the Add a shoe is, we used a force gauge to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle.

The tool showed that this Wilson shoe requires as little as 23.9N to do that! This is 30% more flexible than the average tennis shoe.

Playtesting the Add a shoe, we couldn't put our finger on its weight category. It is not really a heavy shoe but not a light one either.

Weighing the Wilson Add a shoe in a men's US size 9, our scale showed 13.0 oz (367g). This is right in the middle of tennis shoes but on foot, the shoe feels quite light.

This shoe from Wilson is impossibly stuffy! We think that everyone who plays tennis in warm weather should avoid the Add a shoe.

What the brand calls "minimally layered upper" couldn't be further from the truth.

We always double-check our own experience in the lab to stay as objective as possible. But even in our smoke-pumping machine test, the shoe's upper refused to let the smoke out! As you can see from the video, there is just a tiny streak coming out of the eyelet area.

Even when it's put against the light, this material fails to show any ventilation holes.

We went further by investigating the fabric through our microscope. But it only confirmed our previous findings - it is a hella warm shoe.

On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the most breathable, we gave the Wilson Add a shoe the lowest score of 1.

On the bright side, the lack of breathability is very well compensated for by the shoe's impressively durable upper.

The Add a shoe has a substantial toe drag guard on the medial side as well as an enlarged toe bumper and rubberized overlays on the high-wear areas. But apart from that, the shoe's mesh is incredibly wear-resistant by itself!

To test its durability, we applied a Dremel with a sandpaper tip to the fabric for 12 seconds. The speed (5K RPM) and pressure (3.2N) remained consistent for comparable results.

As you can see, the tool didn't even get through the topmost layer of the mesh! This further convinced us that the Wilson Add a shoe can be recommended to aggressive toe draggers out there.

Add a shoe!

Another sensitive area of every tennis shoe is the interior heel padding. Non-stop multi-directional movements of the game create a lot of friction in this part of the shoe, causing it to tear before any other part.

Impressive upper and outsole durability.

We applied the tool's tip to the fabric for only 4 seconds (because the material is THAT delicate) at the speed of 5K RPM.

As the photo below shows, the Add a shoe didn't do so well here. Looking at the large tear in the lining, we had to rate the shoe's heel padding durability with the lowest score of 1.

Even though the Wilson Add a shoe is a moderately-priced tennis shoe, it doesn't skimp on the outsole rubber.

The first thing we noticed was how hard its Duralast rubber compound was. Based on our durometer measurement, its hardness comes in at 87 HC which is on par with the more expensive models.

But the only test that can convince us of a shoe's outsole durability is of course the Dremel test.

For the outsole, we set the Dremel speed higher (10K RPM) and hold it against the rubber for longer (22 seconds).

We were truly impressed that the Rush Pro's outsole only wore off by 0.72 mm! This is shallower than we expected and is a promising sign of long-term durability.

We also measured the shoe's outsole thickness at 4.1 mm which is the same as the average of tennis shoes.

For added reassurance, Wilson also offers a 6-month outsole guarantee for the Add a shoe. That means you can get a replacement in case the outsole on your pair blows sooner than 6 months.

Expect the Wilson Add a shoe to feel a bit tacky during the first few sessions. Its lug pattern needs a little breaking in before it allows you to slide out of shots easily.

Another option is the.

But if you need to cinch up the laces real tight, you would want a well-padded tongue, right?

Unfortunately, the Add a shoe doesn't have much to offer. Measuring the shoe's tongue thickness at 5.7 mm, we found it to be thinner than average.

We were happy to discover that the Add a shoe comes with a fully gusseted tongue. The brand itself calls it Endofit, or a full inner sock.

This setup really contributed to the lockdown as the shoe's lacing system turned out to be somewhat lackluster.

In the absence of a pull tab, you will need both hands to get your foot inside the Wilson Rush Pro's inner sleeve. And if you don't want to ruin the shoe's heel padding too soon (it is quite fragile in this shoe), we recommend using a shoehorn.

You have the option to swap the shoe's stock insole with your own custom orthotics. But we don't see the need to do so given the high quality of this molded OrthoLite insert.