New Balance Coco CG2 review

We have no doubt that the New Balance Coco CG 2 will meet your needs on the court if you are after the following:

• a propulsive and well-cushioned shoe for aggressive playing styles
• a highly stable and supportive tennis shoe with a mid-cut collar
• Coco Gauff's signature shoe with decorative elements associated with the athlete
• a professional tennis shoe that follows a women's sizing scheme

In our opinion, there are very few cases in which the Coco CG 2 may not suit a tennis player.

First of all, it is a women's shoe so male athletes may have a hard time attaining the size and fit that they are used to in men's tennis shoes. Especially those who need a men's US size 11 or higher. If that's your struggle, consider the ASICS Court FF 3 or any other top pick in our guide on best tennis shoes.

Aggressive sliders who easily burn through the inner side of their tennis shoes may also need a better-reinforced tennis shoe. The ASICS Gel Resolution 9 is one of the best in this regard.

The Coco CG 2 is a well-cushioned tennis shoe with a standard 28.2 mm stack height in the heel.

The FuelCell foam obviously makes up the biggest portion of the platform offering fantastic impact protection on hard landings.

The balls of our feet also felt well taken care of by the shoe's 22.0 mm forefoot stack.

A couple of millimeters thicker than average, it adds a welcome touch of cushioning, which lessens the toll of staying on our toes a lot during the game.

The heel-to-toe offset of the Coco CG 2 turned out to be lower than average at 6.2 mm.

We found that a lower drop like that helped us feel more stable and in control of the court. Our feet were never pushed forward by this New Balance shoe as opposed to the higher-drop (12-14 mm) tennis shoes in our lab.

We adore the cushioning setup of the NB Coco CG 2! It features the brand's high-end FuelCell foam which is presented in two densities for a more effective balance of stability and cushioning.

The softer FuelCell foam is hidden inside the shoe's midsole ("at the core", as the brand describes it). Pressing a Shore A durometer against it returned a rather low reading of 17.1 HA which makes it a whopping 70% softer than the average tennis shoe foam!

Playing the key role in dampening the impact and keeping the ride comfortable, the soft FuelCell foam is complemented by its firmer counterpart. The latter acts as a carrier foam and is visible from the outside (the blue component). It helps to make the Coco CG 2 more laterally stable.

Both FuelCell foams work together with the carbon-fiber plate inside the midsole to create a highly propulsive and lively experience.

It was particularly evident during our take-offs, split steps, and sprints to the net.

A well-padded insole complements the underfoot experience. We measured its thickness at 4.7 mm in the heel which is within the average of tennis shoes.

It has an ergonomic shape with a slightly raised arch for added support.

Just as we expected, our caliper showed a narrower-than-average measurement because, technically, we are testing a men's US size 8 in a narrow width.

That's why we measured only 96.3 mm in the widest part of the shoe's toebox. For our medium-width feet, that does feel pretty snug.

At the big toe, however, we got a reading of 76.9 mm which is on par with the US size 9 tennis shoes we've tested in the lab.

The rounded shape of the Coco CG 2's toe tip makes the fit pretty accommodating. Just be mindful with the sizing.

In this review, we are testing the shoe in a women's US size 9.5 (B Standard width) which is the equivalent of a men's US size 8 (B Narrow width).

If you are a man looking to buy the New Balance Coco CG 2, do keep in mind that it is a women's shoe and it is currently available in women's sizes only. As of October 2024, the brand is yet to release the unisex/men's sizes for this silhouette.

Make sure that you are ordering a 1.5 US size bigger than your regular men's size. I.e. for a men's US size 9, you will most likely need to purchase a women's US 10.5 for a proper fit.

Take the width into account as well. "B" stands for standard width in women's sizes but it is considered narrow in men's. So getting the "D" width may be necessary if you have medium-to-wide feet.

Playtesting the Coco CG 2, we were impressed with its stopping power even during the most forceful side-to-side movements. We believe that this NB shoe truly reflects the aggressive playing style of Coco Gauff herself.

First of all, this is a very rare case of a mid-cut tennis shoe! Even though studies show that a higher collar cannot prevent ankle injuries, we felt like it added confidence and a better sense of containment to our lateral movements.

Another prominent stability feature is the carbon fiber plate on the lateral side of the heel. No matter how much lateral pressure we put on it, this ultra-stiff element remained unshakeable.

We should also take note of the raised midsole topline which creates a firm cradle at the base of the foot as well as the stout upper design of the Coco CG 2 in general. The firm leather and suede overlays of this NB shoe make for pretty thick and supportive sidewalls.

Considering the substantial stability components of the CG 2, we are not surprised that it was impossible to twist the shoe with our bare hands!

Rating the torsional rigidity of this tennis shoe with a maximum score of 5, we found its stability to be comparable with the Adidas Barricade and the ASICS Gel Resolution.

We also found the heel lockdown of the Coco CG 2 to be solid.

Even though we assessed the shoe's heel counter stiffness with a moderate score of 3 out of 5, its very generously padded and extended collar offers a pretty secure hold for the heel and ankle.

We were happy to see a sizeable lateral flange in the forefoot part of the midsole.

Measuring its width between the most extended points, our caliper showed a wider-than-average reading of 115.0 mm. This creates a very reliable base when diving in for a shot and pushing back with maximum force.

P.S. Let's not forget that this is a measurement for a women's US size 9.5 (technically, men's US size 8), so if we got the women's US 10.5 size (= men's US 9), the platform would've been even wider!

The widest part of the heel also showed a solid measurement of 87.7 mm which is on par with the average midsole dimensions.

The Coco CG 2 turned out to be the stiffest tennis shoe we've ever tested in our lab. But it is the very first carbon-plated tennis shoe as well!

Bending it to a 90-degree angle with the help of a force gauge, we found that it took as much as 52.0N! This is 70% more force than it takes a tennis shoe on average.

Ironically, high stiffness is also the shoe's biggest "flex." Its Energy Arc carbon plate is shaped and positioned in such a way that it acts as a springboard loading each step with maximum energy return.

This is indeed one of the most propulsive tennis shoes we've tested by far! Amazingly snappy, it helped us fly through the entire playtest feeling extra light on our feet.

With its higher-than-average collar, generous in-shoe padding, and beefed-up midsole, we expected the NB Coco CG 2 to show a high number on our scale...And yet, it turned out to be only an ounce heavier than average!

That way the CG 2 is not even among the heaviest tennis shoes on our roster.

Despite its highly reinforced upper, the New Balance Coco CG 2 made a notable step up in breathability compared to v1.

We were amazed at how effortlessly the smoke flew straight through the shoe's toebox in our breathability test!

A closer look through our microscope revealed the shoe's secret.

We saw some pretty sizable mesh pores in between the protective TPU triangles.

Comparing the ventilation capacity of the CG 2 to other tennis shoes in our lab, we gave it a high breathability score of 4 out of 5.

To minimize the toll of abrasive slides on the shoe, New Balance extended the protective NDure overlay far back on the medial side of the upper.

At first, the look of it inspired confidence in the shoe's toe drag guard but, unfortunately, there is a nuance...

Because the most common toe drag area of the shoe was covered by the protruding midsole foam, our Dremel burned right through the material in a matter of seconds!

In less than 22 seconds of drilling, the foam layer was gone completely!

Even though the outsole rubber and the TPU triangles proved to be much tougher, we had to lower the overall toe guard durability score of the CG 2 to only 2 out of 5 because of the exposed foam.

On a lighter note, the protruding triangular pattern of the NDure toe cap proved to be exceptionally resistant to abrasion!

Even after 12 seconds of drilling them with sandpaper at 5K RPM speed, the triangles were practically unscathed!

We also appreciate the fact that these TPU elements are scattered and leave plenty of space for ventilation and flexibility without compromising durability.

This is what a truly durable tennis shoe toebox looks like - 5 out of 5!

The dense fabric inside the Coco CG 2 also showed promising results in our abrasion test.

The material successfully resisted our 4-second Dremel challenge with hardly noticeable scuffing.

Given that other tennis shoes ended up with a gaping hole after the same test, we readily assessed the shoe's heel padding durability as 4 out of 5.

When our Shore C durometer returned an above-average reading of 89.4 HC, we expected solid durability from such a hard rubber compound.

Unfortunately, the translucent rubber gave in to our demanding 22-second sandpaper test and got damaged more significantly than we had anticipated.

The dent turned out to be 1.9 mm deep which is 50% deeper than the tennis shoe average...Not a great sign of longevity.

It's nice that the CG 2 packs a pretty thick layer of rubber (5.1 mm) but considering its lack of wear resistance, this may not be enough to prolong its outsole life.

We were elated to find that the Coco CG 2 comes with a 6-month outsole durability warranty. Because without one, we would be deeply concerned about the shoe's outsole durability for the price.

Coco Gauff's signature shoe treated us to an excellent mix of grip and give.

Its hexagonal outsole kept us surefooted at every angle but didn't get in the way when we had to pivot or slide.

The New Balance Coco CG2 comes with an above-average price tag but we found it to be fair as the shoe carries more than just the name of the US female champion.

It is fully loaded with the brand's progressive technologies in cushioning (FuelCell foam) and energy return (Energy Arc carbon plate) among other components that make the CG 2 a truly professional tennis shoe that's worth the extra.

We already mentioned the abundant padding of the Coco CG 2, so let's take a closer look at it.

Our caliper measurement returned 7.9 mm of foam in the shoe's tongue and it looks like there is almost twice as much on the collar!

On the bright side, we have no complaints regarding the shoe's foot containment. Its fully gusseted tongue contributes to a pretty secure fit hugging the foot on both sides and never letting the tongue slide.

The finger loops are not only there to carry Coco Gauff's signature - it is a practical element that helps with the on-and-off.

The insole of this New Balance shoe is easily removable in case you need to wear a custom orthotic or a different insert.

Curious fact: The CG 2 features some visual easter eggs that are associated with Paris (Coco's favorite city) as well as the elements inspired by her favorite New Balance sneaker, the 550.