Nike Zoom Turbo GP: Cushioning, Enhanced
A pair of beat up Nike Zoom Turbo GP’s in the dark. Beckett Chung. TennCom Media, 2021.
Context
I became aware of the Zoom Turbo GP’s development well in advance of it’s release. Not to brag. One of the slower days at Courtside Sports led me to browsing the Nike B2B website where one can sometimes get a glimpse of equipment to come. Under the tennis section, I read, “Zoom Turbo GP,” and clicked immediately. It was to emphasize cushioning and durability. What more could you want?
Suddenly, Tiafoe was wearing unknown prototypes on court. They looked very cool, taking clear inspiration form the basketball court. I got my first hands on experience while travelling with The Slice to Delray Beach for the ATP 250. So much pro tennis and we were inspired to get out on one of the courts for a hit. Fellow YouTuber, Tweener Head, showed up to the court rocking prototypes of the shoe given to him by a certain touring professional. He insisted they were the most comfortable tennis shoes he’d ever worn, despite them being two full sizes too big.
Fast forward to August, 2020. I instantly buy a pair on release, the white and purple Wimbledon colourway. I intended to do a Heat on the Feet episode with them, but my own personal shortcomings of laziness and lack of inspiration meant that never happened. Instead, what you’d get here is a 12-month long term durability report.
For reference, I have most recently worn the Nike Vapor line, from 9.5 to X to Pro, but have also dabbled in the the Zoom Zero and the Adidas Stycon. I have always been a Nike user #shill.
Fit
Initially, I ordered the GP’s in both size 9 and 9.5, as I felt that the Zoom Zero’s felt long. The GP’s fit true to size one worn in, but initially, they feel like the fit small. I returned the 9 and proceeded with caution in the 9.5’s as they felt very tight around the forefoot. As all shoes do, these stretched out after a few hits and fits perfectly.
The GP’s have the extended eyelets that help the lace tighten the entire upper around your foot. I love this system and how it is now being shared amongst more shoes than just the Vapor line. It ensures a secure fit around through the length of the foot.
Pro’s
The GP delivers on its promise of cushioning and offers unparalleled comfort in the tennis shoe industry. The upper is soft and supple, light and breathable, yet sufficiently supportive. The midsole, feature a double stack of Nike’s Zoom Air, is wonderfully responsive and plush.
The main appeal to me is definitely that midsole. During the Winter months, my joints stiffen up and my knees cry out in pain. Patellar tendonitis. Typically, my knees are what tell it’s time for new shoes. Over time, cushioning breaks down, the energy return becomes less efficient and more shock from every impact travels up through the ground and into your body. For some, it’s the hips, for others the back, but for me, the breaking point is the knees. Thin midsoles break down faster, meaning I have to replace the shoes more often, else I suffer deeply.
The double stack of Zoom keep me playing on the court, hour after hour, pain free until that 12 month mark. I will be honest, I haven’t played as much tennis this year as I have previously, but regardless I put these shoes through their paces, probably logging over 75 hours of hard court play.
By this time, I had burned through the outsole and into the cushioning, but the midsole retained it bouncy feel. Despite this, toward the end of the shoe’s life, I was experience knee soreness, suggesting that the cushioning had broken down enough to stop absorbing the shock.
My solution? Buy another pair.
Con’s
On first sight, my primary concern regarding the GP was the thin upper material. While it does provide supreme comfort, the durability is not ideal. Toe dragging at 12 o’clock on the toebox did my pair in relatively quickly. I’m not one to experience excessive wear in the area, however, with the GP’s, it was a mild issue.
The main problem for me is that lack of rigidity. I wish there was a more pronounced shank in the centre of the outsole to provide some stiffness to promote aggressive movement. I am not an elite mover, but I have been known to slide on the hardcourts during intense matches, something that felt extremely natural in shoes like the Vapor X. I was not able to fully trust the shoe in a hardcourt slide because I feared the shoe would twist underfoot, causing a ankle role. That said, it comes with the territory of having such a thick midsole stack. The higher ride in the GP’s mean a higher centre of gravity and less overall stability. Still, given the absence of a break-in period, I would have liked to see more robust structural integrity.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Nike Zoom Turbo is a win. The durability of the outsole is sufficiently strong, the stability is acceptable, but the overall comfort and cushioning is simply unmatched in tennis today. It’s clearly influenced other offerings, from New Balance and K-Swiss, and will hopefully inspire further innovation in the tennis shoe space. I’m looking forward to a GP 2, or whatever it will be called, so long as the midsole rigidity is increased to compete with other elite offerings.
