'First things first, these shoes take some effort to put on. I do sweat a lot, but whenever I wore these shoes the neoprene ankle collar ended up soaked in sweat.' Breathability wise, I thought these shoes ran a bit hot. It kind of gave me the reassurance of extra support, but in all honesty, it didn't seem to be super effective one way or another. I was concerned that the ankle strap would be weird and uncomfortable, but it wasn't.

I have to admit, these have become my favorite shoes to wear in the gym because they are so low to the ground - they are perfect for lifting and perfect for agility and jumps. Once my feet adjusted I found the Flares to be pretty comfortable. So, after the first few initial wears, I did have a bit of soreness in my feet, but nothing was rubbing and nothing was painful, just more of an ache. My feet have become slightly high maintenance over the past year, and my high arch and slightly wider forefoot have become sensitive to many of the shoes we have been playtesting. Also, I found that my feet had to take some time to adjust to them. They aren't the easiest shoes to slip on, but once they were on they felt good.

Michelle agreed with Chris, saying, 'These are minimalistic shoes, so they were never really plush or cushioned. My socks were drenched after every hitting session.' My only knock on these shoes in this category was that they ran hot. The uppers secured my feet comfortably, and I found just enough cushioning from the thick insoles (the shoes seem to have no midsole). I have never felt as low to the ground as I did in the Flares, yet I also felt very comfortable. After a couple of sessions I learned to love how the shoes flexed and moved with my feet. It's somewhat hard to explain, but the Flares made it feel like I was hitting almost barefoot, with just an outsole to protect my skin. It took me a couple of hitting sessions to get used to how these shoes rode on court. Chris described these unique shoes, saying, 'The fit and feel of the Flares were very different from anything else I've worn. The co-ed playtest team stepped up to the plate to try out the new Nike Flares and their minimal ride. All in all, the Nike Flares offer a unique high performance feel for aggressive players.

However, all of our playtesters felt the shoes were missing some much needed ventilation. Traction and weight were highlights, as our playtesters enjoyed the balance of grip and give when starting and stopping, and the light, fast feel of the Flares as they moved around the court. Additionally, the XDR rubber outsoles held up to the vigorous demands of our playtesters. It took quite a bit of effort just to get the Flares on, but once they were on they surprised our playtesters with their excellent support and stability, as the ankle strap and extremely low-to-the-ground ride balanced out their minimal cushioning and uppers.

(Note: The sizes are in women's sizes men please add 1.5 sizes to get your correct length). Because they have a unisex fit, we had a mix of female and male playtesters on this playtest. The Flares provide a light and low-to-the-ground feel that's perfect for aggressive and explosive movers. Set your footwork on fire with the new Nike Flare! These shoes, as seen on WTA tennis star Serena Williams, feature an extended stretch collar that wraps around the ankle for added support.

Nike flare 2 hc review