Every time you’re on the field or court playing your favorite sport, you’ll be glad to have the best and most comfortable gear you can afford. For some sports, you’ll have a decent bit of equipment you’ll want to invest in, which can make getting some of the more high-quality stuff a bit more difficult.
For tennis, you will luckily not need a lot, at least compared to many other sports. You will, of course, need a racket, but let’s not forget the importance of a good set of shoes. In tennis, you’re going to be running back and forth a lot, constantly racing to catch up with your opponents returning shots. Investing in a good pair of tennis shoes can help you maintain your footing and momentum and prevent you from losing your balance at critical points.
Thankfully, our kids won’t have to miss out on feeling comfortable when playing tennis, as there are a variety of different tennis shoes available in kids’ sizes, such as the one you are about to read about in this review. If you’re interested in investing in a pair of well-made and well-designed tennis shoes for kids, be it as a gift or investment in a young tennis player’s future, then read on and discover why the NikeCourt Junior Vapor X Kids tennis shoe should be on your radar.
Table of Contents
NikeCourt Junior Vapor X Kids Tennis Shoe
The tennis shoes for kids are part of the NikeCourt series of tennis shoes. As with most tennis shoes, these are designed to provide the best comfort possible on the tennis court, as they have been designed with tennis in mind. These, in particular, the Junior Vapor X, are pretty popular and have been rated highly by many folks.
The approach to how they provide this comfort culminates in delivering several perks, making these shoes an excellent option for those looking for a tennis shoe that provides support, breathability, and feel comfortable. Again, this isn’t necessarily anything new, but we’ve found that they have managed to strike a great balance that keeps your feet healthy and going during the most intense of matches – or at least keeps your kids going.
These shoes make use of the Dynamic Fit system, which features prominently on their running shoes. This causes the shoe to cling and wrap around, hugging your feet tightly to form, quote, a “second skin” to provide maximum comfort no matter the shape or size of your foot. Using it in these tennis shoes provides that same level of comfort and control as in those running shoes, which is an excellent asset in tennis when you need to make quick cuts and turns and run in short bursts of speed to return your shots of your own.
Comfort and control aren’t everything, however, and in tennis, you’ll need to be able to respond and sprint quickly. It’s a pretty demanding sport in terms of fitness, but these tennis shoes help maintain and build that speed thanks to Nike’s Zoom Air technology. This technology comes in the form of low-profile cushioning that feels responsive and first debuted in their running shoes. Athletes worldwide have used this technology to their advantage, as it is designed to be not only responsive but also disperse the energy from each footfall efficiently so that nothing is wasted as you rebound off the ground, allowing your strides to quicken as the time between footfall is reduced.
Another excellent design choice incorporated into these shoes is the herringbone outsole design. Taken initially from basketball shoe designs, the use of herringbone outsoles are perfect for playing tennis as the movements you’ll be required aren’t altogether very different. Both sports require a significant amount of maneuverability and control and the need to move in bursts of speed. Herringbone outsoles help with this as they are designed specifically with the biomechanics of movement in mind for these sports, and the traction can be a great asset in giving you an additional competitive edge.
While these three technologies in tandem provide a great measure of comfort, control, and speed, the materials provide another great benefit. By focusing on using synthetic materials with mesh designs, these tennis shoes are exceptionally lightweight and breathable while maintaining excellent support and speed thanks to Nike’s specialized designs.
Further comfort is provided by a foam midsole that offers additional cushioning, and this midsole is also removable and replaceable in the event it becomes worn out. If you’re prone to blisters and abrasions that come from shoes and other footwear, you may find that these can help reduce the amount your ankles and feet suffer.
Who Is This Product For?
As the name might indicate, these are tennis shoes designed specifically for kids. These shoes come in a variety of colors and sizes that can cater to the specifications of pretty much any young tennis player.
As we stated before, these shoes are great for the young tennis player and use some of the best designs and technologies that make them an excellent choice for practically anyone. However, that also means a hefty price tag is attached, especially compared to other kids’ tennis shoes on the market. However, weighing the pros and cons, you might find that the price tag is well worth it, especially if you can manage to fit them into your budget or have been saving specifically for a good pair for your child.
While these are great for most foot shapes and sizes, thanks to Nike’s Dynamic Fit system, it would be impossible to cater to every type of foot. In particular, with these shoes, it appears that flatter and wider feet may have a bit of difficulty. These shoes can result in discomfort and blisters if you have wider feet.
Specifications
- Uses Dynamic Fit system for comfort
- Uses Nike’s Zoom Air technology for speed
- It has a herringbone outsole design for traction and control
- It comes in a variety of colors and kids’ sizes, unisex
- Very lightweight with synthetic materials
- Mesh design adds more breathability
- Removable insole
- Foam midsole for added support
As we’ve already covered, the use of various technologies that have been developed over the years has come together and been put into this shoe. This makes it an all-around excellent option for the most part, with very few negative aspects that are impactful for most.
The Dynamic Fit system causes the shoe to hug tightly to the skin, to minimize as much space as possible between the inner layer of the shoe and the skin of your feet. The goal of this is, of course, to provide as much comfort as possible while moving around, and the synthetic material keeps it all lightweight so you won’t feel weighed down. A mesh design across the top of the shoe keeps the air flowing, which can counter the buildup of sweat that might have come from a design that hugs so closely.
Zoom Air technology coupled with the herringbone outsole design keeps you light on your feet and able to make quick turns and sprint in bursts of speed. This also adds to your control, keeping traction as you move so you aren’t likely to skid or slip out on the court, so you can remain nimble without feeling like you’re about to faceplant.
However, it would be best if you still took care of your shoes, as they have a few negatives. First and foremost is how the Dynamic Fit isn’t a wholly perfect system and doesn’t precisely fit wider feet, leading to discomfort and blisters. The price tag can also be an issue for many, as it is pretty expensive for a kid’s tennis shoe. This price tag becomes less attractive when you realize that the synthetic material isn’t exactly the most durable. While it is reasonably solid and able to keep up for a reasonable amount of time, it isn’t as durable as Nike’s closest competitors, Adidas, and the durability in their shoes, especially at this price bracket.
Pros
- Lightweight and breathable
- Excellent control, speed, and comfort
- Makes use of decades of research and development
- It comes in a variety of colors and sizes
- Provides support with the removable and exchangeable insole and midsole
Cons
- Expensive for a kid’s tennis shoe
- It Will be uncomfortable for wider feet
- Not as durable as other shoes in its price bracket
Final Thoughts
The Junior Vapor X kid’s tennis shoe is an excellent option for a tennis shoe for a young tennis player. They provide a superior level of control and comfort, thanks to various technologies and designs that Nike has developed over the years and launched in their other sporting shoes.
The cons of these shoes, while they can turn away some, are not dealbreakers for the most part. The most significant problem is the hefty price tag which can be an immediate problem, but if you’ve been saving or can manage to fit these into your price tag, they will be a worthy investment that will serve you well.