Wilson Rush Tour 5 review

We believe that the Wilson Rush Tour 5 caters to intermediate and high-level players who:

• are willing to pay extra for an advanced cushioning setup with a high energy return
• want rock-solid stability that doesn't compromise comfort
• prefer stiff, structured shoes with a secure heel hold

The premium price point of this Wilson shoe can be a major turnoff for many buyers. Luckily, we tested a much more affordable Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour 2 and can confirm that its cushioning, responsiveness, and lateral stability are in no way inferior to the Rush Tour 5.

And if you are not chasing cutting-edge technologies but prioritise trusted and proven stability shoe designs, you are better off with the ASICS Resolution X or the ASICS Challenger 15, among other stability tennis shoes.

The Rush Tour 5 showed a standard shock absorption of 101 SA in the heel and 68 SA in the forefoot.

To be completely honest, we expected higher results from the shoe's unconventional cushioning setup, but we weren't disappointed either. It still treated us to a comfortably balanced platform, with a good mix of impact protection and court feel.

On the bright side, we were utterly impressed with the propulsion this Wilson shoe provided for acceleration and recovery moves.

As the first-ever tennis shoe to use the advanced Pebax foam with a carbon plate (Dual Axis Speed Carbon Chassis) in its midsole, the Rush Tour 5 demonstrates how much running-shoe technologies can elevate energy return on the court. With 63.9% in the forefoot and 58.1% in the heel, the shoe outperformed all other tennis shoes in our lab!

That made it feel amazingly explosive for every push-off, jump shot, and sprint to the net.

Despite its complicated midsole construction, the Wilson Rush Tour 5 measured a standard heel stack height of 30.8 mm.

It may not be the most grounded tennis shoe in our catalogue, but it feels moderately elevated and on par with the ASICS Gel Resolution X.

We also found the shoe's forefoot stack height to be on par with the average at 20.8 mm. It is not too low to feel jarring to the ball of the foot nor too tall to lose contact with the court.

Subtracting the shoe's forefoot stack from the heel stack, we got a moderate drop of 10.0 mm.

Falling squarely within the category average, it provides a common, familiar offset for a tennis shoe. It's not too high to create a pronounced forward slope but has enough heel elevation to reduce stress on tight Achilles and calves.

The Rush Tour 5's split view above shows the red Pebax foam occupying the forefoot and midfoot sections of the midsole. Pressing our durometer against it yielded a lower reading of 40.0 AC, indicating that it is softer than the average tennis shoe foam.

The heel section, on the other hand, is made of a firmer R-DST + EVA foam. With a durometer reading of 50.5 AC, it is significantly harder than Pebax, adding rearfoot control and stability to the Rush Tour 5's platform.

The two midsole foams are also topped with a generously padded Performance Sockliner that adds even more comfort to the shoe's step-in feel.

The Wilson brand tends to be on point with its footwear fit and sizing, and the Rush Tour 5 is no exception.

With a perfectly average width of 92.3 mm in the ball of the foot, this tennis shoe offers a predictable amount of forefoot space for a medium-width fit.

Our one-to-one gel cast of the shoe's interiors showed no aggressive toebox tapering either. Measuring its width in the big toe area registered a standard 68.8 mm.

Vertical space also felt sufficient, with ample wiggle room above the toes.

Our calliper measured the shoe's toebox height at 23.9 mm, which is on par with the category average.

Overall, this Wilson shoe's fit feels accommodating for a medium-sized foot, lowering the risk of pressure points, rubbing, and blisters even during longer matches.

Testing one of the most expensive tennis shoes in our lab, we expected nothing less than premium outsole traction. And the Rush Tour 5 delivered it!

Its Duralast rubber showed an exceptionally high friction coefficient of 1.01 in our lab test, proving to be tackier than the average tennis shoe outsole. We felt like we could fully trust its grip during quick directional changes as well as sudden starts and stops.

In this review, we are looking at the all-court version of the Rush Tour 5, but the shoe is also available in a clay-court variant.

The Wilson Rush Tour 5 features a traditional herringbone outsole pattern, mixing thinner and thicker tread lines for effective grip.

A cutout in the midfoot area reveals the carbon plate inside the shoe's midsole and helps to shave some weight. In the forefoot, vertical and horizontal flex grooves make the shoe's outsole a bit more pliable.

Even without a carbon plate extending into the forefoot, the Rush Tour 5 remains remarkably stiff due to its raised midsole cradle.

Players who prefer a stiffer response from their tennis shoes will love the rigidity of this Wilson shoe. It required an exceptionally high force of 25.0N to bend, 50% more than it takes on average!

On the downside, it does not accommodate the agile, manoeuvrable footwork of speedy players.

We must admit that the springy, propulsive ride of this Wilson shoe makes it feel much lighter than the static scale number suggests!

Weighing 14.1 oz (400g) in a men's US size 9, it is notably heavier than the category average. But to be fair, it is on par with the other flagship stability tennis shoes we've tested, sacrificing lightness for enhanced cushioning and lateral stability.

The Wilson Rush Tour 5 relies on a multi-layer approach to stability, with supportive elements incorporated all over the shoe.

It packs an extended forefoot outrigger, a supportive midsole cradle with raised sidewalls, a stiff Dual Axis Speed Carbon Chassis in the midfoot, and an external Ceramic 5D overlay that wraps around the midsole for additional support.

All of these features work together to provide a strong lateral containment that makes the shoe resistant to rollovers even during the most aggressive cuts and abrupt stops.

Given the number of rigid elements that brace its midfoot, we are not surprised that it takes a considerable torque of 22.0 Nm to twist this Wilson shoe!

About 20% stiffer than average, it is one of the most twistproof tennis shoes in our lab!

A structured heel counter leaves no chance for heel wobbling either.

In addition to an already stiff internal heel counter, the back of the Rush Tour 5 is also reinforced with ceramic and rubber overlays. Together, they raised the shoe's heel counter stiffness score to the maximum possible 5 out of 5 in our manual test.

With this incredibly secure lockdown, our heels never felt like they were swimming during explosive direction changes.

A pronounced outrigger extends the shoe's midsole width well above the category average. Our calliper measured its widest point at 116.1 mm in the forefoot.

However, the shoe's heel width measured a moderate 87.3 mm, putting it in line with the average.

It would be a shame to trash a £190 shoe after a few toe drags, so we are glad Wilson reinforced its medial side with both rubber and PU overlays.

After subjecting the shoe's Duralast rubber wing to 18 seconds of abrasion with our Dremel, we observed only minor damage and awarded the toe guard a solid durability score of 4 out of 5.

Even though the Rush Tour 5's toebox is well protected by sturdy overlays, it still leaves a lot of exposed mesh for lightness and breathability.

But it's not just any mesh; the brand's proprietary Gammaweave mesh is claimed to 'ensure breathability and durability,' but our Dremel test showed that's only partially true.

As our tool burned through the material's topmost layer but not through the entire upper, we kept our toebox durability score moderate at 3 out of 5.

To our disappointment, the textile lining inside the shoe's collar left much to be desired. Easily torn by sandpaper, it doesn't seem likely to withstand the nonstop friction of tennis matches for long.

Sadly, we couldn't rate the heel padding durability of this expensive shoe any higher than 2 out of 5.

Considering Wilson's promise of 'consummately durable rubber,' we expected more impressive results from the Duralast rubber on the Rush Tour 5.

We wouldn't call it frail or fast-wearing, but its durability test results are merely average, showing an average damage of 1.0 mm.

Gladly, the shoe doesn't skimp on rubber thickness, which helps prolong the lifespan of its outsole. Measuring 4.5 mm on our calliper, it is a solid outsole thickness for a tennis shoe.

If the GammaWeave's durability results are not particularly impressive, perhaps it excels at ventilation instead?

Unfortunately, as our smoke-pumping test showed, it's not the case either. Compared to the more traditional upper textile of other tennis shoes, the Rush Tour 5's mesh is nowhere near as permeable. Not even the tiniest plume of smoke passed through the shoe's toebox.

A closer look at the textile revealed just how intricately layered and tightly woven its composition is! Because of that, we couldn't rate the shoe's breathability any higher than the minimum 1 out of 5.

One of the Rush Tour 5's most immediately appealing qualities is how luxuriously comfortable it feels right out of the box.

With its insole, collar, and tongue all generously padded, the shoe wraps the foot in 360-degree comfort. Its tongue, in particular, proved slightly thicker than average at 10.3 mm, successfully keeping lace pressure at bay.

The comfort and lockdown of this Wilson shoe are further amplified by the EndoFit system, which is essentially a fully gusseted tongue design.

Elastic gussets on both sides of the tongue create a secure, sock-like fit around the foot, holding it firmly in place throughout movement and eliminating the problem of tongue sliding and bunching altogether.

Another major contributor to the Rush Tour 5's step-in comfort and shock absorption is the Super-compressed EVA Performance Sockliner. We found it considerably thicker than average at 7.2 mm.

Unlike other insoles, it also comes with raised edges, adding a touch of containment for the foot from the inside.

Technically, the shoe's insole is removable, but due to its thickness and unconventional design, we wouldn't recommend replacing it with a custom insert, as it may alter the fit and performance in unpredictable ways.

There is no finger loop on this Wilson shoe, but its extended heel collar and extremely rigid heel counter help with putting the shoe on.

But please note that the EndoFit, aka tongue gussets, limit the shoe's opening a bit.

The Wilson Rush Tour 5 is by far the most expensive tennis shoe in our roster. Does it live up to the price point? Well, somewhat.

It is undoubtedly an innovative shoe, given the multiple advanced cushioning and stability technologies packed into it. However, some of its shortcomings, such as the fragile interior lining, lack of breathability, and average durability, make us question whether we would purchase this shoe at full retail price.