ASICS Court FF 2 review

In our opinion, the ASICS Court FF 2 is an outstanding pair for players who need:

• a speed-oriented shoe with sufficient stability for rapid movements
• an outsole with a strong grip that also lets you slide
• an option with phenomenal durability

The Court FF 2 is a little heavier than average. If you prefer speedy shoes that are super light on the feet, we recommend the ASICS Solution Speed FF 2 instead.

And if you find the Court FF 2's price point too high, there is an excellent option in the same category called the Nike Air Zoom Vapor Pro.

Checking the shoe's heel stack height, our caliper shows 28.8 mm. This is the average heel thickness for a tennis shoe.

On the court, we never experienced a lack of cushioning even though the shoe felt pretty grounded.

Measuring the shoe's forefoot stack, we also got a fairly average reading of 20.6 mm. That's a standard height for a tennis shoe.

The difference in stack heights gave us a drop of 8.2 mm. This is a notably lower number than the brand's officially stated 10.5 mm.

As we mentioned before, the shoe feels more grounded rather than cushioned, so a higher drop doesn't seem to be the case in the Court FF 2.

The shoe uses FF (FlyteFoam) as the primary cushioning in the Court FF 2. We found it to be pleasantly responsive and springy.

Using a durometer, we found that at 32.6 HA, the FF foam is more on the firm side.

But in this case, the lack of plushness is what makes the shoe feel so agile and stable.

The shoe's cushioning is enhanced with the brand's famous Gel inserts in both the forefoot and the heel. And even though these units are not very large, we could definitely feel the added impact protection.

Finally, there is a thin Solyte layer (the yellow one) that completes the shoe's midsole. According to the brand, it is meant to help with the "bounce-back." From our experience with the shoe, the energy return was quite noticeable, whether it was coming from the Solyte or not.

In addition to the already substantial sandwich of cushioning layers, the shoe uses a removable OrthoLite insole.

We measured its thickness at 4.7 mm which is considered well-padded for a tennis shoe.

Aside from its cushioning properties, this insole also helps with moisture management. That's a sweet bonus to the shoe's fairly breathable upper.

First seeing the shoe's tongueless design with burly overlays, we were worried that it would fit too tight. But luckily, for our medium-width feet, the Court FF 2 provided a comfortable contoured fit after a short break-in period.

Measuring the widest part of the shoe's toebox, we got 98.3 mm. That's a pretty standard width for a tennis shoe.

Our toes didn't feel cramped either as the toebox allowed enough space for splaying. Measuring its width around the big toe, we got a reading of 76.9 mm - also an average for tennis shoes.

What we enjoyed most about the ASICS Court FF 2 is how much it helped us speed up while remaining very stable. The shoe's lateral support is just excellent!

The shoe uses a whole bunch of features to create that kind of support. That includes the sturdy Twisttruss holding the midfoot, the extra thick overlays on the upper, and a stiff heel counter.

The risk of twisting your ankle in the ASICS Court FF 2 is very close to zero. The Twistruss system paired with the firm sole and sturdy upper makes it nearly impossible to twist the shoe.

Rating the shoe's torsional rigidity on a 1-5 scale, we believe that it deserves a solid 4 (but very close to 5, which is the stiffest).

The shoe's heel hold is phenomenal! We rated the heel counter with a maximum of 5 out of 5 for being super rigid.

It made us feel securely locked in at all times, no matter what maneuvers the game called for.

In the widest part of the forefoot, we measured this ASICS shoe's sole at 105.3 mm. That's a pretty standard width across the board.

The heel, on the other hand, is more on the wide side. Our caliper shows 93.4 mm in its widest part.

It was quite surprising for us to discover that with all that support, the Court FF 2 still remains fairly flexible.

Using a force gauge, we measured that it takes 34.6N of force to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle. This is less than it normally takes for a tennis shoe. It is also 14% more flexible than the Nike Air Zoom Vapor Pro, for example.

That kind of pliability made the transitions feel very smooth and helped our footwork be more precise.

There is a bit of discrepancy between the shoe's weight on the scale and how it actually feels on the court.

On the scale, we got 13.8 oz (392g) per shoe which is a whole ounce heavier than the average weight of our lab-tested tennis shoes.

But in practice, the weight wasn't bothersome at all! We never felt as if the shoe was holding us back throughout the playtest.

If you are considering the Court FF 2 for the hot summer season, you won't be disappointed. In spite of its thick upper overlays, this ASICS shoe breathes like no other!

To demonstrate its ventilation capacity, we pumped smoke through the shoe's upper, and all of it passed through in a matter of seconds. As you can see from the video below, the smoke escaped not only through the tongue but also through the shoe's toebox.

On a 1-5 scale where 5 is the most breathable, the ASICS Court FF 2 deserves a solid 4.

Trying to figure out how the shoe does that, we put its upper against a source of light. Seeing how transparent the mesh is on the tongue, the toebox, and the side panels made it clear.

Taking it a step further, we also used our microscope to zoom in on the shoe's upper design.

In between the thick and sturdy overlays, we see incredibly thin threads with huge ventilation pores.

ASICS' AHAR rubber has a stellar reputation for its abrasion resistance and longevity. We were able to experience that ourselves after many hours on the court. That material is simply indestructible.

A key parameter that indicates durability is its hardness.

Using a durometer to measure how hard the AHAR rubber is, we got a reading of 86.3 HC. This is indeed on the hard side of the spectrum.

Measuring the rubber thickness with a caliper, we also found this layer to be quite thick. At 3.8 mm, it is a solid average for a tennis shoe.

However, despite being satisfied with the outsole's durability, we think that a durability guarantee would still be a nice touch at this price point.

This ASICS shoe features a unique wavy pattern that caters to Novak Djokovic himself. As an aggressive player, he needs an outsole that would allow sliding and pivoting but would also stop on a dime.

And that is exactly what we experienced with the ASICS Court FF 2. With its efficient grip, moving quickly and changing directions rapidly felt very safe.

The shoe's tongue has just enough padding to buffer the instep from the laces. But it's not too thick to compromise the sock-like feel that makes the Court FF 2 so cozy.

With the shoe's Mono-Sock design, the tongue is fully integrated into the upper.

This kind of upper makes the shoe feel like an extension of your foot, wrapping around it for a secure fit. Actually, it felt like tying the laces wasn't even necessary.

Given the shoe's bootie-like upper, it would've been very handy to have a pull tab or a loop to hold onto when getting the foot inside.

The ASICS Court FF 2 comes with a removable insole. It is easy to take out and replace with any other insert you need.