Babolat Jet Mach 3 review

Do not miss out on the Babolat Jet Mach 3 if you demand the following features from your tennis footwear:

• a super light and nimble shoe that accommodates dynamic all-court playing styles
• a shoe that feels very grounded and connected to the court

Considering how much engineering has been put into the Jet Mach 3, we expected it to perform much better in our durability tests. If you want a more hard-wearing tennis shoe with similar characteristics, the ASICS Solution Speed FF 3 is the best alternative.

And if you are ready to sacrifice a couple of ounces in return for added cushioning and durability, your alternatives will also include the Adidas Ubersonic 4.1 and the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6. Both are speed-oriented shoes as well.

The Matryx upper on the Jet Mach 3 didn't look like a highly breathable fabric at first but we are glad that our lab tests proved that wrong.

As the smoke started to fill up the shoe's upper, it very quickly found its way out - a great indicator of ventilation capacity.

Hovering the shoe's half-cut upper over the light, we also found that it is a rather transparent fabric and there were no major obstructions to the airflow either.

Examining the Matryx under the microscope left us puzzled - how does such a densely woven fabric get to be so breathable? We couldn't even see the pores in between the threads! So it must be the soft and light nature of the weave that makes this material so airy.

Anyway, this doesn't change the fact that the Babolat Jet Mach 3 is better-aerated than the average tennis shoe. We happily rated its breathability with a high score of 4 out of 5 thereby approving it for hot summer sessions.

As a speed-oriented tennis shoe, we expected the Jet Mach 3 to be ready for some aggressive toe drags. But its medial toe protection just didn't look quite reassuring. Visually, it even looked less promising compared to the shoe's main rival, the ASICS Solution Speed FF 3:

Drilling the primary toe-drag area of the shoe's overlay confirmed our worries - the sandpaper left a pretty deep dent in the rubber.

Even though it offers a decent amount of protection, we don't think its longevity is on par with the ASICS tennis shoes we've tested. On a 1-5 durability scale, we couldn't give it any higher than 2.

We found that the Matryx fabric lived up to its breathability promise but how about the "extraordinarily durable and abrasion resistant" claim? Our expectations were set high by the fact that the Matryx was made in part with Kevlar, a high-strength material that's even used in bulletproof vests!

To our regret, the fabric's durability performance in our 12-second Dremel test was only decent. The material got notably scuffed by the sandpaper and showed more wear than the average tennis shoe in our lab.

Even though it was not a see-through hole, the tool still burned through the topmost layer of the Matryx. That's why we had to lower the toebox durability score of this Babolat shoe to 3 out of 5.

Gladly, the fabric is guarded by thick rubber overlays in all of the high-contact areas. But if you happen to brush the Matryx parts against the court, we don't expect those to last very long.

A series of disappointments continue with the frail inner lining of the Babolat Jet Mach 3.

Only 4 seconds of sandpaper exposure were enough to tear this thin mesh completely. That was enough to lower the heel padding durability score to only 1 out of 5.

But what about the shoe's renowned Michelin rubber outsole? Will it return any better results? We measured its hardness, wear resistance, and thickness to find out.

The hardness looks good showing 83.4 HC on our Shore C durometer. While it's not in the hardest range (88-92 HC), it is enough to promise solid resistance to abrasion.

As we drilled the shoe's Michelin rubber for 22 seconds at a high Dremel speed of 10K RPM, we saw that the material put up a good fight.

Our tread gauge measured the depth of the dent at 1.1 mm which is not impressive but good enough to promise average tennis shoe longevity.

It was also reassuring to discover that the Babolat Jet Mach 3 packs the typical 4 mm of rubber thickness in its outsole.

But considering its hardness and reaction to abrasive surfaces, we can't guarantee that this rubber would outlive the average tennis shoe outsole.

Trying the Babolat Jet Mach 3 for the first time, we instantly felt that speed was the shoe's number one priority.

Tipping the scale at only 11.0 oz (312g), this tennis shoe made it to the top three lightest court shoes we've tested (along with the ASICS Solution Speed FF 3 at 10.9 oz).

It may lack the cushioning and sturdy stabilising component of other tennis shoes, but the Jet Mach 3 is unmatched when it comes to effortless acceleration.

On foot, this Babolat shoe feels pretty consistent with the other speed-oriented models. Its moderate heel stack of 28.3 mm creates a rather grounded underfoot experience.

But if you're coming from the more cushioned options like the ASICS Court FF 3 or the Mizuno Enforce Tour, you will notice the difference in impact protection for sure. Our feet felt a little more beat up at the end of the playtesting session.

Expectedly, the forefoot stack of the Jet Mach 3 is also on the lower side. Our calliper returned only 18.2 mm of stack height in this area.

We believe that players who prefer more intimate contact with the court will appreciate this setup.

According to Babolat's official specs, the heel-to-toe drop of the Jet Mach 3 comes in at 10.1 mm. And this is precisely the same as the measurement we got!

This is a typical offset for tennis shoes in which the heel is moderately raised above the toes to provide shock absorption in the rearfoot while keeping the forefoot flexible and grounded for control.

As a whole, the Babolat Jet Mach 3 feels moderately soft but it gets a bit softer in the heel.

Having sliced the shoe in half, we found two types of foam inside - the firmer white one and the softer red one. The primary white foam takes up almost the entire length of the midsole and is responsible for making the Jet Mach 3 feel so grounded and connected. It proved to be on the firm side showing 29.6 HA on our Shore A durometer.

But compared to other tennis shoes we've tested, it is actually on par with the industry average. You cannot have a plush tennis shoe and feel stable on the court, right?

Even as a lightweight shoe, the Jet Mach 3 didn't skimp on the in-shoe comfort and padding.

Its collar and tongue pack enough foam to buffer the ankle and instep respectively from the pressure and friction of aggressive court movements.

The Jet Mach 3 treated us to a pretty comfortable step-in feel thanks to the 4.5 mm thick OrthoLite insole.

Its ergonomic shape feels superior to the flat inserts in most tennis shoes on the market.

It was also reassuring to discover that the Babolat Jet Mach 3 packs the typical 4 mm of rubber thickness in its outsole.

But considering its hardness and reaction to abrasive surfaces, we can't guarantee that this rubber would outlive the average tennis shoe outsole.

We believe that one of the Jet Mach 3's biggest strengths is its ability to hold the foot firmly and securely as we take off for a shot or perform extreme lateral movements.

We were amazed at how much confidence this Babolat shoe gave us considering its very light weight.

A stiff TPU shank in the midfoot adds a good amount of rigidity to the shoe's construction making it much harder to twist.

And when the shoe is hard to twist, the foot is also less likely to spill over it.

On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the absolute stiffest, we gave the Jet Mach 3 a high score of 4.

Looks like we've got a rival to the famous ASICS heel clutch! The rearfoot hold of the Babolat Jet Mach 3 is truly unparalleled!

Our heels and ankles felt cemented by the shoe's mighty heel counter which scored maximum on our stiffness test. There was not a whiff of undue foot movement inside the shoe and heel slips were out of question too.

The Babolat Jet Mach 3 also packs a reliable forefoot flange which is essential for maintaining stability for lateral movements.

Measuring its width between the most extended contact points, our calliper showed 113.8 mm. That's even a couple of millimetres wider than average!

The heel of this Babolat shoe also provides a pretty large landing area which contributes to stability.

Our calliper showed a solid reading of 90.0 mm in the widest part which is exactly the same as the average of tennis shoes.

Another standout feature of the Babolat Jet Mach 3 is its exceptional flexibility. Not only did the shoe bend effortlessly with our feet during the playtest but it also proved to be the most flexible tennis shoe in our lab!

According to our force gauge, it took only 18.8N to bend the Jet Mach 3 to a 90-degree angle. That's about 60% less than it takes an average tennis shoe!

Active Flexion is the name of the game. These grid-like flex grooves in the forefoot, paired with the flexible Matryx upper, managed to achieve an impressive level of flexibility. The identical flex grooves are even present on the shoe's insole.

If it wasn't for the Jet Mach 3's mighty grip, all that lightness and stability would go to waste. We are happy to report that this Babolat tennis shoe knows what it takes to bite onto the court like there is no tomorrow.

It's not a traditional herringbone tread pattern but we found it to be very effective on the playtest.

Sliding felt smooth as well.

The Babolat Jet Mach 3 offered a very snug one-to-one fit to our medium-width male feet in our regular men's US size 9.

Using a calliper, we measured the widest part of the shoe's toebox at 98.2 mm which is a few millimetres narrower than average. We believe that the rubber overlays also play their part in making the shoe's fit a bit tighter.

But wide feet still have a chance with this Babolat shoe as it is also available in a wide variant.

Please keep in mind that the shoe's toebox does taper towards the front as well.

Our calliper returned a slightly narrower-than-average reading of 74.8 mm.

You can also expect a highly secure lockdown thanks to the shoe's semi-gusseted tongue. It doesn't slide during the movement and prevents the foot from doing so as well.

Two of the Jet Mach 3's eyelets are integrated into the shoe's rubber toe guard. It helps to keep the fit tight and secure as you slide in and out of the shots.

The laces themselves are pretty basic - flat and thin they get the job done but, frankly, we are concerned about their longevity. They look frail compared to the laces we normally see in tennis shoes.

Even as a lightweight shoe, the Jet Mach 3 didn't skimp on the in-shoe comfort and padding.

Its collar and tongue pack enough foam to buffer the ankle and instep respectively from the pressure and friction of aggressive court movements.

There is no heel tab on this Babolat shoe but on-and-off was never an issue.

There is an option to remove the shoe's insole but we don't think it would be necessary (or recommended) because of how comfortable it is in the first place.

And keep in mind that its flex grooves are part of the shoe's flexibility system as well.

Cutting-edge Matryx upper, world-class Michelin rubber, several proprietary technologies designed exclusively for the Babolat Jet Mach 3... Based on credentials alone, the shoe's current price point sounds quite reasonable. Especially if we were assessing this shoe as an isolated unit.

However, considering how tough the competition is, we are not so sure. The ASICS Solution Speed FF 3, for example, is slightly cheaper but ticks the same boxes as the Jet Mach 3, weighs equally light, and promises better longevity.

Similar speed-oriented tennis shoes like the Adidas Ubersonic 4.1 and the Mizuno Exceed Tour 6 also have a slightly lower retail price but they trade lightness for better durability.