NikeCourt Vapor Lite 2 review

We highly recommend the Vapor Lite 2 if you are in search of the following:

• an entry-level tennis shoe with excellent value for money
• a sleek court shoe that feels light and nimble
• a budget-friendly tennis shoe with promising outsole durability

Players with wide feet are very likely to feel constricted in the Nike Vapor Lite 2. And because it is not offered in wide widths, we recommend looking into the ASICS Gel Dedicate 8 which is an affordable option that comes in wide.

Another reason to consider a different tennis shoe is if you have overpronation or you prefer more stable footwear. The ASICS Gel Challenger 14 offers fantastic lateral stability at a moderate price.

There are no bells and whistles in the Vapor Lite 2's engineered mesh but it just works.

The moment we pumped smoke into the shoe's upper, it escaped straight away! We don't often see this kind of ventilation in tennis shoes but we are certain that the Vapor Lite 2 can handle the heat of a summer game.

Hovering the shoe's half-cut upper over the light, we also discovered large ventilation holes on its side panels along with the visible pores of the mesh itself.

Combining these findings with our own experience on the court, we can readily give the Vapor Lite 2 a high breathability score of 4 out of 5.

For a tennis shoe under $100, we were amazed at the sturdiness of the Vapor Lite 2's toe protection. It even looks strikingly similar to that of the more advanced (and expensive) Vapor Pro 2.

But is it just as durable? There is only one way to know.

Using a Dremel with a sandpaper tip, we drilled the rubber aggressively at 10K RPM speed for 22 seconds. And as you can see, the material showed amazing resistance!

Even though the tool left a visible dent in the toe drag guard, it was not destroyed completely. Considering that there is an extra (blue) layer of protection beneath the main rubber, we can confidently rate the Vapor Lite 2's toe guard durability with a high score of 4 out of 5.

Quite impressive for a shoe in this price range!

On the flip side, you should be careful not to slash the shoe's mesh layer against the court because it is evidently more prone to wear and tear.

But even though the fabric quickly gave in to sandpaper, it was not destroyed all the way through! And that's why we rated the toebox durability of this Nike shoe with a more moderate score of 3.

On the other hand, the shoe's inner lining gave in much easier and showed a glaring hole after only 4 seconds of Dremel drilling.

Because its durability doesn't look very promising, the heel padding of the Vapor Lite 2 gets only 2 out of 5.

When we tested the Vapor Lite 2's outsole durability, we couldn't believe our eyes. That kind of rubber for only $85?!

First of all, that compound is tough. With a durometer reading of 90 HC, it is one of the hardest tennis shoe rubbers we've come across.

And guess what, that outsole showed tremendous abrasion resistance! Just like its advanced counterpart the Vapor Pro 2!

Even 22 seconds of aggressive drilling at 10K RPM speed left nothing but a minor scuff on its surface! According to our tread gauge, the dent is barely even measurable with a depth of 0.3 mm.

Finally, the amount of rubber (4.0 mm) on the Vapor Lite 2 allows us to conclude that the shoe promises above-average outsole durability for its price point.

With its rather simple construction and absence of bulky stabilizing components, it is not surprising that the NikeCourt Vapor Lite 2 weighs lighter than average.

Our scale recorded 11.9 oz (336g) in a men's US size 9 which is about an ounce lighter than the average tennis shoe.

True to its name, the Vapor Lite 2 made us feel nice and nimble on the court.

Measuring the shoe's midsole thickness in the heel returned 30.7 mm.

This is a typical heel stack height for a tennis shoe offering enough impact protection for most players.

We also found that the shoe's forefoot stack is on par with the average.

With a measurement of 19.2 mm, it created a solid buffer between the balls of our feet and the hard court without muting out the latter.

As you can see from the photo below, the shoe's heel is notably thicker than the forefoot resulting in an 11.5-mm offset.

But even though the Vapor Lite 2's heel drop is slightly taller than average, our toes didn't feel pushed forward.

A visible heel bevel also helped to smoothen our heel-to-toe transitions and accommodated a rocking foot motion whenever we leaned back to serve.

Phylon is Nike's basic cushioning foam which is commonly used in the brand's budget-friendly shoes. It's not particularly soft or bouncy but it feels balanced in the Vapor Lite 2. 

Pressing a Shore A durometer against the shoe's half-cut midsole returned 26.3 HA which confirmed that the foam is in between soft and firm.

A 4.9-mm insole also provides a touch of underfoot padding in the Vapor Lite 2. It is a standard insole thickness for a tennis shoe.

There is nothing noteworthy about its shape either - it is a simple and flat one.

Testing the Vapor Lite 2's stability for side-to-side movements, we were pleased with its level of support.

Of course, it's not the kind of stability that an aggressive baseline player would expect in a shoe but it is just right for a beginner/intermediate athlete who swiftly moves around the court.

However, if you have notable overpronation (excessive inward rolling of the foot) or you simply want more stability from your tennis shoes, consider the ASICS Gel Challenger 14. For an extra $15 this shoe offers a considerably higher level of stability.

Torsional rigidity can tell a lot about the shoe's overall stability. The harder it is to twist a shoe, the more stable it feels on the court because it doesn't allow the foot to twist so easily.

Considering the Vapor Lite 2's simple construction, we were surprised that it resisted our manual test enough to receive a higher rigidity score of 4.

However, the shoe's heel counter turned out to be more pliable. It felt rather forgiving to the touch and didn't provide a ton of stopping power when we performed forceful lateral movements.

That's why the Vapor Lite 2 got a lower heel counter stiffness score (3 out of 5) and consequently took a few stability points overall.

We have nothing to complain about when it comes to the shoe's midsole width.

Showing 111.0 mm in the widest area of the forefoot, the Vapor Lite 2 has a sufficient lateral flange for a good sense fo stability.

As for the heel, our caliper showed a few millimeters narrower than average at 84.9 mm. But it's not a critical deviation from the average.

The Nike Vapor Lite 2 doesn't feature any shanks or stabilizing components so its stiffness is rather moderate. It is actually on par with the average tennis shoe according to our in-house flexibility test.

Our force gauge showed that the shoe needed 33.8N of force to bend to a 90-degree angle - just about the same as the average tennis shoe requires.

Staying on our toes felt easy throughout the entire session. 

Using a very hard rubber compound for the outsole, the Nike Vapor Lite 2 doesn't have the tackiest bite on the court.

But we think that most beginner and recreational players won't have issues with the gripping capacity of this Nike shoe. It's not extraordinary but it is sufficient.

Sliding, on the other hand, feels effortless in the Vapor Lite 2 and its durable toe guard accommodates that movement just fine.

On its product page, Nike warns that the Vapor Lite 2 fits small and recommends ordering a half-size larger.

We can subscribe to that only if you have wide feet or bunions, or if you prefer some extra toebox space.

Our caliper measured 99.2 mm in the widest part of the shoe's forefoot which is only a couple of millimeters narrower than average.

Near the big toe, our caliper recorded 74.7 mm which is also a couple of millimeters narrower than average but not critically.

There is just a minor fit construction coming from the shoe's sturdy toe guard.

The tongue of the Nike Vapor Lite 2 is only partially attached to the upper on the sides (semi-gusseted).

Being used to full-length gussets and bootie uppers in most professional tennis shoes, we felt only minor tongue shifting in Vapor Lite 2.

We do have a gripe about the shoe's somewhat short laces. Making a double knot would be a challenge.

This Nike tennis shoe offers some pretty generous padding around the collar and inside the tongue.

The latter showed a slightly thicker-than-average reading of 9.3 mm.

No finger loops or pull tabs on the Vapor Lite 2 but it's fairly easy to put on thanks to the large shoe opening.

The shoe's insole is very lightly glued to the strobel making it easy to remove in case you prefer a custom orthotic.

Considering its performance, we can't believe that the Nike Vapor Lite 2 is one of the cheapest tennis shoes we've tested!

If you are a beginner/recreational tennis player seeking some great value for money, the Vapor Lite 2 is one of the best options under $100!