NikeCourt Zoom NXT Review

Hello to everyone who finds themselves reading this article, I hope that you will find it informative, and I hope to be able to use my experience of using different styles of trainers for tennis and whether it’s worth paying the extra money for a top-of-the-range pair.

So, before we begin, here is a little about me. I’ve played tennis for over ten years, primarily on an outdoor hard court. Sadly, this is the only facility available locally to me – as you can imagine, all the local players depend on the weather being kind!

During this time, I’ve used all sorts of trainers for tennis, from standard road running trainers at the very beginning and then moving through a few different styles of tennis shoes before settling on various versions of the Adidas Courtsmash shoe.

After suffering a few injuries, I decided to invest in a more expensive pair to see if the added features, such as extra cushioning, better support, and stability, would pay dividends in this area and help improve my game.

I recently invested in a pair of NikeCourt Zoom NXT shoes and wanted to review how I got on with them, from first use to how I’m finding them after numerous sessions, and whether I’d go for another pair.

About the NikeCourt Zoon NXT shoe

GET THE NIKE COURT ZOOM NXT

The NikeCourt Zoom NXT was launched in 2022 and followed the NikeCourt Zoom lite 3. 

The Nike website states that the NikeCourt Zoom NXT has been developed using insights from top athletes, so added features such as forefront cushioning were included.

The mesh design helps keep cool during warmer weather and contributes to the trainer’s lightweight feel.

The NXT is available in bright and bold colours allowing you to stand out on the court. Choose from:

A downside of the NXT is the cost, which comes in at over £100, maybe more than many people are willing to spend.

I certainly had to think long and hard about justifying spending that much money; however, after using them for several months, the added comfort and protection, and because my minor injuries have diminished, I feel it has been well spent.

Key Features

Zoom NXT vs the previous version

The NikeCourt Zoom Lite 3 was released before the NXT, and each trainer has pros and cons.

NXT

Lite 3

The main differences the Zoom NXT offers on the court are the increased traction and less weight than the Lite 3’s. However, the Lite 3’s price is also much less than the NXT line, which may affect some people’s decisions when deciding what trainers to purchase.

Nike Court Zoom NXT Review and Playtest

Initial Impressions

When I first opened the box, I was super impressed with how the Zoom NXT shoes looked, and I couldn’t wait to use them on the court for the first time.

I felt so good during the first session; the NXT shoes were so light compared to what I was used to, and I felt like I was getting in a position much easier and quicker.

Moving around the whole court became so much more of an enjoyable experience, and my regular hitting partners certainly noticed a difference.

They were also super comfortable and far less rigid compared to other trainers I’d used, such as the Courtsmash, which was predominantly a leather-based design and far heavier. The added cushioning also gave me an extra bounce in my push which was very useful when serving.

After the first session, I was delighted with the Zoom NXT and wished I’d invested in higher-quality tennis shoes much earlier.

I also didn’t notice any of the minor injury issues that had started to plague me. However, I couldn’t fully attribute this to the trainers, although it was a promising start!

Comfort

From my perspective, I have no complaints about the comfort aspect of the NXT. The soles are well cushioned, giving your movements a ‘springy’ feeling, which is complemented by the lightweight mesh design allowing maximum breathability.

I also feel that the NXT provide good ankle support. Although they don’t appear any different to other tennis trainers I’ve used, my ankles felt safer when wearing them, especially when you must flex or turn quickly.

The NXT laces also allow maximum tightening around the foot, and, coupled with the partial inner sleeve; they feel comfortable when on foot.

Just a tiny word of caution; I usually wear a UK size eight shoe; however, I went ½ a size up in the Zoom NXT as they are very snug on the foot. 

Another thing to note with the Zoom unit is that the heel area is quite firm. So for players who want a cushioned heel, this shoe might not work. But if you’re someone who is constantly on the ball of your feet, this won’t be an issue.

Stability

I found the NXT to be stable trainers that offer great reassurance that when you plant your foot, it will stay in a good position.

Even though the upper part of the trainer is predominantly made out of mesh, the NXT encloses the foot well, and I felt there was very little movement of my foot inside the shoe.

The soles feel comfortable underfoot, and the excellent traction offers peace of mind on all types of shots, from baseline rallies to approaching the net.

As mentioned, I’ve used the NXT shoes on outdoor courts in damp conditions, and they’ve always been very reliable in the stability department. 

Durability

This is an area where the NXT falls slightly short compared to other tennis shoes I’ve used.

The Zoom NXT are wonderful in plenty of aspects. However, even though Nike has tried to retain durability whilst upgrading other areas of the trainer, there is only so much that’s physically possible.

The mesh design of the upper trainer is prone to damage when playing on a hardcourt surface, and the upper laces area also feels particularly weak and is susceptible to scuffing and potentially breaking after only a moderate amount of usage.

I have used the Zoom NXT shoes moderately over the winter months and already feel they’re showing more damage compared to other trainers I’ve used, and they may not make it to the end of the summer season.

Traction

The Zoom NXT offered excellent traction around the court. As I purchased them at the end of last summer, I was a bit dubious about their ability to cope with the damp and potentially slippy outdoor court over the winter months. However, they have handled the adverse conditions incredibly.

When wearing the NXT, I’m much more confident with foot placement, safe in knowing that the excellent traction will stop me from slipping or falling over.

They are also excellent when you need to turn quickly or if you find yourself out of position and have to recover quickly because the traction design provides reassurance that the NXT shoes will support you.

Weight

The NXT were much lighter than the Adidas Courtsmash tennis trainers I had previously used.

The lightweight design of the Zoom NXT is undoubtedly geared towards minimising weight whilst allowing maximum performance.

The upper part of the trainer is made out of breathable mesh, which adds almost no weight to the trainer and offers excellent breathability.

The sole also strikes a good balance between being thick enough to offer excellent comfort on the court and not too heavy so that it feels like you’re being dragged down.

Nike has also managed to get a good amount of cushioning into the NXT that again offers excellent comfort levels without compromising too much on weight.

Final Verdict

I have noticed a significant improvement in my ability to move around the tennis court quickly when playing in Nike Court Zoom NXT compared to other shoes I’ve used.

Their lightweight design allows me to shuffle back and forth along the baseline easily whilst also allowing me to approach the net quickly when needed because of their excellent traction.

I also need to mention that the lightweight design and good comfort levels have made for a much more enjoyable experience, and I feel that these factors have left me less tired following a tennis match.

An area that the NXT shoes do fall short of is their durability, which is understandable given that they are designed to be a lightweight hard-court tennis trainer. Several other customers say their shoes failed on the eyelets, but that’s not happened to me yet.

So if you’re playing regular hardcourt tennis, you could quickly burn through a pair of  Zoom NXT shoes quicker than some more durable tennis shoes like the Asics Gel Resolution 9.

The pros outweigh the cons, and I’m glad I spent the extra money on the Zoom NXT because they’ve given me a better tennis experience over the last six months. I’m looking forward to using them more over the summer season.

The Zoom NXT is available in men’s and women’s sizes and retails for approximately $140.

Pros

Cons

Is Nike back on the right track with their tennis shoes thanks to the Zoom NXT? Is this a good replacement for the GP Turbo? Let me know in the comments.