Babolat SFX 4 review

We believe that the Babolat SFX 4 is likely to meet the needs of beginner and recreational tennis and pickleball players who:

• prefer stable shoes that put comfort and cushioning first
• have a tight shoe budget but want a great bang for the buck
• need a wide-fitting shoe

We wouldn’t choose the Babolat SFX 4 for aggressive baseline play. Its broad platform feels steady, but the shoe lacks side-to-side containment as a dedicated stability shoe. The ASICS Gel Challenger 15 is a much more structured and supportive option in that regard.

If your game relies on quick adjustment steps and frequent scrambles to the net, the SFX 4’s heavy build and muted push-off may feel sluggish. We’d opt for the lighter ASICS Solution Speed FF 4 for easier footwork without giving up impact protection.

And for hot-weather matches, we’d consider the Nike Vapor Lite 3 instead.

We were pleasantly surprised by the cushioning and impact protection of the Babolat SFX 4 on hard court.

Showing above-average shock absorption in both the heel (102 SA) and the forefoot (75 SA), it softens the blow of hard stops and landings remarkably well.

However, the shoe's midsole foam is far from responsive. In fact, it feels rather dull, with very low energy return of 42.3% in the forefoot and 42.1% in the heel.

That makes its platform feel grounded and controlled but offers zero springback.

With an above-average heel stack height of 32.8 mm, this Babolat shoe feels more elevated than most tennis shoes.

While the extra midsole foam provides more room for comfort and cushioning, it may be less preferred by players accustomed to a more intimate court feel.

Our caliper also confirmed that the SFX 4's forefoot stack height sits above average at 22.2 mm.

This is a welcome setup for athletes who enjoy more protection under the ball of the foot and the toe joints.

True to its specs, we measured the shoe's heel-to-toe drop at 10.6 mm, which is a typical offset for tennis shoes.

A slightly elevated heel helps reduce stress on the Achilles and calves and makes forward weight transfer a bit easier during the game.

However, combined with the shoe's spacious fit, this drop can cause toe jamming if the lockdown is not secure enough.

Babolat doesn't specify the type of foam used for the SFX 4, but given the shoe's price point, we believe it's standard EVA foam.

But to our surprise, this basic cushioning foam turned out to be slightly softer than average, with a durometer reading of 44.7 AC. It is still firm by our standards, but that bit of give adds a nice touch of underfoot comfort in this Babolat shoe.

We don't see heel extensions and pronounced rocker geometries on tennis shoes very often, so the Extra Cushion rearfoot design on the Babolat SFX 4 definitely stands out.

The elongated heel extends the shoe's cushioning platform further back to accommodate heel-first landings, especially as they happen at different angles.

One of this Babolat shoe's main selling points is the SFX design, which stands for Superior Fit eXperience. It promises a wider fit and is claimed to be 'designed for wider feet.'

Creating a one-to-one gel cast of its interiors, we couldn't wait to check if that was true.

Surprisingly, our caliper measured a regular, medium-range width of 91.9 mm at the cast's widest point.

However, it's the shoe's spacious toebox that makes all the difference.

We immediately noticed that the SFX 4's gel cast looked more rounded than usual, and measured its big-toe area width at an above-average 72.4 mm. That makes it one of the few tennis shoes we've tested that proved to have a wide toebox.

But would we opt for a half size or even a full size smaller than our usual size as the brand recommends? Only if we had narrow feet or preferred a snugger, more performance-oriented fit.

Even with its large toe bumper and protective toebox overlays, the shoe still provides a generous amount of vertical space.

We measured its toebox height at an ample 26.1 mm.

The acclaimed Michelin rubber proved its worth in our lab tests yet again, showing an exceptionally high friction coefficient of 1.31 in the Babolat SFX 4. It is, in fact, one of the tackiest blends we've seen among tennis shoes!

We had some of the most confidence-inspiring experiences on the court, as the shoe's grippy outsole kept us planted on hard cuts, push-offs, and full-speed moves.

The Michelin outsole only covers the shoe's forefoot and heel areas, ensuring grip where it's most needed and saving some weight by not extending to the midfoot.

As an all-court shoe, the SFX 4 features a variation of the herringbone tread pattern with a mix of thinner and wider treadlines for effective grip in multiple directions.

Despite its above-average forefoot stack and sturdy toe box reinforcements, this Babolat shoe remains sufficiently flexible up front.

Our lab test confirmed that at 16.4N, it requires just as much force to bend as the average tennis shoe. It's neither too pliable nor impossibly stiff.

The SFX 4 allowed our feet to flex naturally and move freely through quick split steps, lunges, and rapid changes of direction.

Fair enough; all that extra comfort and cushioning couldn't come without a few extra ounces on the scale.

At 14.2 oz (403g), the Babolat SFX 4 is on the heavier side of tennis shoes, along with the other options in its higher stack height range.

Babolat manages to counterbalance its comfort-oriented design with enough stability to prevent any undesirable wobbling.

Its wide base, cradle-like midsole, and sturdy heel counter provide solid stability and containment for side-to-side movements.

Additionally, the shoe packs three internal fabric straps (two on the lateral side and one on the medial side) to enhance midfoot lockdown. The straps connect laces to the base of the shoe for a stronger hold once the laces are cinched.

Although we can't complain about the SFX 4's lateral stability, we also think that it may not provide enough lockdown and support for aggressive movers and hard-hitting baseliners.

The shoe lacks some of that robust torsional rigidity that the flagship stability tennis shoes like the ASICS Resolutions have. In our lab test, we discovered that at 14.5 Nm, it takes 20% less torque to twist this Babolat shoe compared to other tennis shoes.

But on the bright side, the SFX 4 proved extra rigid in the rearfoot, earning the maximum heel counter stiffness score of 5 out of 5.

Structured and well-padded, it minimizes the risk of heel slipping, sliding, and wobbling during intense movement.

Babolat relies on an extended forefoot outrigger to compensate for the SFX 4's elevated heel stack.

Measuring its widest point with a caliper, we recorded a whopping 119.5 mm, which is by far the widest forefoot among tennis shoes. It provides plenty of surface area to lean on during forceful lateral movements.

The shoe's heel, on the other hand, showed a surprisingly moderate width of 87.2 mm. But we didn't find it alarming, as there is still plenty of landing area in the forefoot.

In addition to its raised outsole edges, the Babolat SFX 4 features a large rubberized toe drag guard on the medial side of the forefoot. We must say that's a solid reinforcement for a tennis shoe in this price range!

As our Dremel test proved, this combination is highly resistant to abrasion, earning the shoe a solid toe guard durability score of 4 out of 5.

The brand wasn't joking when it referred to this protective toebox design as the bucket seat.

Reinforcements aside, there is still plenty of exposed mesh on this shoe's upper, and we have to check whether that textile can resist wear and tear as well.

After 12 seconds of drilling the SFX 4's toebox with sandpaper, we saw some reassuring durability.

The woven textile inside the shoe's collar also showed only moderate damage in our Dremel test, keeping the heel padding durability score in the middle range at 3 out of 5.

The real value for money, however, comes from the shoe's Michelin outsole. The material held up to our Dremel so well during the 22-second test that the dent was barely visible at 0.5 mm!

We don't always see the same results in premium tennis shoes, let alone $100 models!

Who needs an outsole durability guarantee when you have 4.3 mm of highly durable rubber at a budget-friendly price?

There is a good reason Babolat left so much of that airy mesh exposed in the SFX 4.

Our smoke-pumping test confirmed that the fabric provides some ventilation and sweat management, but it is only moderately effective, as the plumes passing through the shoe's toebox aren't particularly thick or steady.

This makes the shoe less optimal for summer use but not suffocating, earning a below-average breathability score of 2 out of 5.

A padded tongue is listed as part of the shoe's SFX design, and its thickness is no joke! At an impressive 18.9 mm, it is the puffiest tongue we've ever seen in a tennis shoe!

And with the shoe's collar and insole equally generously padded, the step-in feel is nothing short of incredible in this Babolat shoe. Perfect comfort straight out of the box!

A semi-gusseted tongue complements the shoe's internal midfoot straps in creating a secure fit.

With a caliper reading of 7.8 mm, we can confirm that Babolat indeed uses the thickest Ortholite insole in their range. It adds a ton of plush comfort underfoot.

A closer look at the insole revealed that it's not only thick but also molded to the contours of the foot for added comfort.

We wouldn't recommend replacing it with another insert, though, as you may end up with too much volume inside the shoe and lose the original OrthoLite's comfort benefits.

The shoe has no pull tabs or finger loops to help with the on-and-off.

We are happy with the amount of value the Babolat SFX 4 offers at such an accessible price point.