Customer Reviews

New Balance Men's CT1003 Tennis Shoe

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having tried myriad different tennis shoes over the years, I've struggled to find any that I could feel confident would protect my ankle. Most shoes salespeople I talked to wanted to put me in high tops, wides with extra cushion, "support shoes" etc etc. What I found was that my ankle still rolled under duress when playing. It got so bad that I gave up tennis for past 10 years. the last time I tried to play (about 4 years ago) I rolled my ankle (again)and experienced "peroneal subluxation" which became chronic.

Getting the bug to play again, I decided to read up on foot physiology. What I finally figured out is that cushion, padding, high tops all contributed to my problem by allowing too much freedom for my foot to move under stress within the shoes.

The CT1003 is not a super cushioning shoe but what it does is lock down my foot very comfortably, provide very good support under stress and almost eliminates the snap that comes with "peroneal subluxation". So good in fact, that I'm wearing them when I'm not playing tennis and throwing out all my other shoes to find everyday shoes that fit like they do. The NLock is awesome, it truly provides great support without binding and cutting off circulation. New Balance deserves a Nobel for this, why it hadn't been invented before I don't know but it works for me. I was faced with surgery, now I realize the right shoes really can make a difference.

Don't let salespeople put you in shoes just so they're comfortable when you leave. The CT1003 took a few days of wearing around town before they broke in, I was worried they were too narrow but once they wore in a bit they are perfect.

Get a good fit and definitely try on these shoes if you have ankle problems.

Thank you New Balance.

This review has been edited since I first wrote it. New Balance is all I used wear for tennis shoes because I need solid support for my wide feet and this is the only brand that consistently delivered. The four stars were for my first review when I briefly wore a size 11.5EE that turned out to be too big.

However, they have changed the last and build significantly compared to the 1002, the predecessor of this 1003 model. As I mentioned, I used wear 11.5EE which I ordered first in the 1003, then switched to 11D (that's right, two sizes down). My right foot (bigger than the left) welcomes the change and the 11D is perfect, but my left foot now has too much room... What happened? Did New Balance switch designers, manufacturers or what? Wearing with the 11.5EE caused my right foot to develop a painful spur. Wearing with the 11D made me realize that the 1003 just doesn't have the support in the front of the 1002 and 1001. The stiffness isn't there and on pronounced moves (a run to the net and sudden stop, for instance), I notice that the material is just way too soft for action sports shoes. This has been my last New Balance purchase. On to a better, more reliable brand. The Red and Black version is great to look at and I will probably continue to wear it as a sneaker, just not for tennis or any other activity that requires a solid shoe for a good workout. Don't waste your money, look elsewhere. I'd give this shoe 2 stars at best now.

Excellent quality, traction and cushion on a hard surfaced court. Good ankle support and keep dry lining. I wish that I had purchased these tennis shoes as soon as they were on the market. They are very comfortable. No "break-in" was necessary. Wow, what are you waiting for; the balls is in your court...

All of New Balance's shoes are fantastic!
They're the only shoes that keep my feet comfortable all day.
These shoes are a nice looking style that go with about anything.

I have been using these tennis shoes for about a month, and I have to say they are the most comfortable pair I have ever worn. What is great about New Balance is that they offer the different widths, and my 2E's are perfect. They are reasonably lightweight and allow for quick lateral motion and stops/starts. I couldn't be happier with the shoes (even though I was initially reluctant because of the price). Shipping was fast!

I have been in search of the perfect tennis shoe. I want something versatile as my job requires me to stand for many hours a day. I have gone through Salomons, Nikes and a plethora of other shoes. This is my first pair of New Balance shoes ever and they fit great and work really well. Highly recommend without a doubt!

can't say much about the actual shoe. They shipped a shoe that was two sizes smaller than I ordered and two sizes too wide. 5 emails to amazon and golfsmith, and NO RESPONSES!! Avoid golfsmith at all costs.

I like New Balance tennis shoes because they don't overdo the arch and that gives me greater comfort. However, it is frustrating that none of their "upper line" shoes for tennis come in narrow widths. I always have to put in an extra pair of inexpensive insoles underneath the new balance insoles to help my foot fill out the shoes.

Very good shoes but one shoe is not simetric with the other shoe, there is some diferences with one shoe and the other shoe.
Other review is that there are diferences in size with New Balance and Adidas shoes. I bought size number 9, the same in Adidas, but my New Balance is little bigger than the same size in Adidas