ASICS Gel Resolution X review

As the brand's most stable and supportive tennis shoe, the Gel Resolution X would be a great match for players who:

• grind at the baseline
• need that extra stability for flat feet, overpronation, or past ankle injuries
• have wide feet, bunions, or prefer a roomier fit
• want to invest in an indestructible tennis shoe

If you are unsure about the Resolution X's raised collar or fit and sizing inconsistencies with the previous versions, you may feel safer with the ASICS Court FF 3 (aka Novak Djokovic's shoe). It is more expensive but feels equally stable and offers top-notch performance.

Another option is the Adidas Barricade 13. It has a more conventional upper design and is even lighter than the X while offering similar stability.

The Resolution X sees a cushioning upgrade with the new FF Blast Plus foam instead of the regular FF in the Resolution 9.

This is reflected in the X's higher shock absorption reading of 98 SA in the heel, proving that it handles impact a bit better than its predecessor at 92 SA. This ensures a very joint-friendly experience, especially during hard landings and forceful lateral movements at the baseline.

However, the new version's forefoot cushioning showed no difference at 70 SA. And while it is a great result for a tennis shoe, it is no different from the GR9. Having sliced both shoes in half, we found that they feature identically small Gel units.

This is where the FF Blast Plush foam makes the real difference. Fusing EVA and OBC, it is more elastic than the EVA-based FF of the previous Resolutions.

Our machine recorded a significant improvement in the X's energy return with 46.6% in the heel (6.3% more) and 46.1% in the forefoot (3.4% more). The new blend helped this clunky ASICS shoe get closer to the category average in terms of bounce and responsiveness, but it's still far from being agile and springy.

Our caliper returned a standard heel stack measurement of 30.8 mm in the X, proving that it's no taller than the average tennis shoe.

However, it is 1.7 mm lower than the previous version, which could be due to the missing Gel unit in the heel.

With a regular forefoot stack of 21.9 mm, the X feels familiar in the ball of the foot area.

With a standard reading of 8.9 mm, the heel-to-toe offset brings no surprises either. It is a common drop for a tennis shoe that keeps the foot better cushioned in the heel, yet close enough to the court in the forefoot.

The dual-density cushioning setup of the Resolution X proved to be slightly softer than the average and notably softer than the previous Resolution.

Its primary compound showed 25.0 HA on our durometer, which falls into a balanced, moderately soft range.

The rearfoot foam proved to be even softer at 17.0 HA, echoing this ASICS shoe's higher shock absorption in the heel.

ASICS states it loud and clear that the Resolution X's fit is different from its predecessors: 'more spacious for men, but snug for women.' Having poured a mold of the shoe's interiors in a men's US size 9, we can confidently confirm that statement.

Measuring the mold in its widest part (ball of foot area), our caliper showed some of the largest measurements we've ever recorded among tennis shoes - 96.9 mm! We highly recommend that male players size down at least half a size or perhaps even a full size in this version.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide measurements for the women's shoe, but ASICS recommends that ladies size up a half size as the Resolution X fits more snugly for them.

Curiously, the shoe gets drastically narrower and pointier towards the front and even drops below the average in the big toe area. At 66.6 mm, its toebox can even feel a bit snug for some.

As rigid and unforgiving as the shoe's toebox coverage looks, it doesn't limit internal space at all.

With a typical toebox height of 25.2 mm, its vertical toebox space poses no concerns.

ASICS introduces the new Dynacing closure in the Resolution X.

Two rows of eyelets allow you to customize the lacing in many different ways to achieve the most secure fit for you. Because we were testing the shoe in our regular men's size, we felt like we could use some extra tightening up and a runner's knot to compensate for all that generous internal space.

What's more, the eyestay here is reinforced against hard court slashes, while the laces are completely hidden on the medial side to prevent them from tearing.

ASICS shoes have repeatedly shown exceptional grip in our lab tests, and the Resolution X continues this trend.

The shoe's AHARPLUS rubber generated a lot of traction in the forefoot, resulting in a high friction coefficient of 0.89. As a result, the shoe kept us planted during hard cuts and quick stops, and bit onto the court instantly during push-offs. It is ideal for hard-stop footwork.

ASICS moves away from the classic herringbone pattern, featuring thick treadlines that get smoother or sharper depending on the area. We also noticed that two pivot points in the forefoot add some fluidity to the rotational movements.

Considering how large and stiff its Dynawall frame is, the ASICS Gel Resolution X is surprisingly flexible in the forefoot. This is one of the brand's claimed updates that we can happily confirm with a measurement.

Checking the amount of force required to bend the shoe by 30 degrees, we found that it takes just a little more effort than average at 18.7N.

But please note that the shoe as a whole still feels quite unyielding, and you will need some patience to get through a lengthy break-in period until it molds to your foot.

Hefty and clunky. That's the instant impression that the Resolution X gave us with its 14.7 oz (417g) weight in a men's US size 9. Not only is it heavier than the previous model, but it is also one of the heaviest tennis shoes we've ever tested.

And yet, we believe that it's a fair price to pay if you are looking for the unbeatable stability and durability that the ASICS Resoilution series is known for.

The shoe's protective layers and tightly woven mesh can make its interiors pretty hot and sweaty during intense games in warm weather.

The smoke could barely seep through the toebox of this ASICS shoe, lowering our breathability score to only 2 out of 5.

And even though we could see ventilation pores through the microscope, they weren't large or transparent enough to show up in our LED light test.

Very few tennis shoes can compete with the side-to-side stability offered by the ASICS Resolutions.

And the TPU Dynawall frame of the Resolution X got even larger and sturdier compared to the 9.

This stiff, massive cradle locks the foot in place so securely that we cannot even imagine rolling our ankles in it. Our feet felt planted from the heel to the toes as we performed the most dynamic and forceful lateral moves on the court.

This ASICS shoe is so undeniably sturdy that we couldn't even give it the slightest twist in our manual test. Without the slightest doubt, we rated its torsional rigidity with the highest score - 5/5!

And the famous ASICS clutch is here too!

Trying to push and squeeze the Resolution X's heel counter, we could feel its mighty resistance to all deformation. Not to mention the elephant in the room, aka the raised ankle collar on the medial side, but more on that later.

The stabilizing rigidity of this shoe's rearfoot deserves nothing less than the maximum 5/5 score.

It's not only the shoe's internal space that got bigger, its exterior beefed up quite significantly as well!

The Resolution X's midsole got 6.3 mm wider in the forefoot compared to the 9! At 116.5 mm, it also happens to be one of the widest in our tennis shoe roster.

The shoe's heel also expanded quite significantly to show a whopping 94.1 mm in the widest area. Not the broadest base we've seen, but it is notably wider than average.

It's a very reliable platform for planting your entire foot at the baseline.

If you need a tennis shoe that could survive a zombie apocalypse, the Resolution X is your best bet. From the outsole to the top of the toebox, its indestructible build is truly impressive.

As an extension of the shoe's rubber outsole, the PGuard on the medial side gave us a boost of confidence for sliding and foot dragging on hard court.

Having drilled this area with sandpaper at a crashing speed of 10K RPM, it remained nearly untouched! That's a solid 5/5 for the toe guard durability from us.

But that's not all! The upper part of the shoe's toebox is also covered with a sturdy synthetic material that is ready for some serious wear and tear.

Our Dremel test showed fantastic abrasion resistance here as well, earning this ASICS shoe another 5/5 in the durability department.

Ironically, the lining inside the Resolution X's Achilles area remains the shoe's Achilles heel. But we are happy to see an improvement over the previous version, as the X's heel padding durability scored higher at 3/5.

Featuring ASICS' famous AHARPLUS rubber, the Resolution X's outsole is as tough as it gets. Our Shore C durometer recorded its hardness at an above-average reading of 90.4 HC.

Just as we expected, the shoe's outsole passed our most demanding durability test with flying colors. As shallow as 0.6 mm, the dent left by the Dremel can hardly be called 'damage.'

A generous rubber layer of 4.5 mm only backs up our high expectations of the shoe's outsole longevity.

The Resolution X comes with a 6-month outsole durability warranty, allowing you to get a one-time replacement pair in case the shoe's outsole breaks down during the warranty period.

Measuring the shoe's insole thickness at 5.3 mm, we found it to be just a well-padded and cosy as in the Resolution 9.

The insole is easily removable, but you want to be careful with the size of your custom orthotic, considering the roomier interiors of the X.

Sustainability bonus: According to ASICS, the production of this shoe component involves a solution-dyeing process, which reduces carbon emissions by about 45% and water usage by about 33%.

None of the Resolution X's components reflects light in the dark.

As usual, the Resolution X's internal padding is quite generous.

We measured its tongue thickness at 10.2 mm and found a huge pillow in the collar area as well.

This version of the Resolution has no tongue gussets, but there are thin elastic straps to add some foothold and keep the tongue in place.

Even with a price hike from the Resolution 9, the X remains a reasonably priced premium shoe. It is on par with its primary competitor from Adidas, the Barricade 13.

No pull tabs or finger loops, but the shoe's stiff heel counter and large opening make on-and-off quite effortless.

The Resolution X's collar is now raised much higher on the medial (inner) side to protect the ankle bone from scrapes and slashes against the court. It is very generously padded inside and is reinforced against court abrasion on the outside.

But despite ASICS' best intentions, this design twist pushed even some loyal Resolution fans away, as not everyone's ankle bone sat well with this mid-top setup.

It didn't cause any pressure points in our case, but we advise being cautious about it and trying the shoe indoors before you get on the court.