by: Nima Naderi
Aiming to defend his title at Flushing Meadows in late August, 14-time Grand Slam winner Rafa Nadal is slated to wear the latest colorway of the plush and responsive Nike Men’s Lunar Ballistec in royal blue and hyper red.
Receiving these sweet shoes to review courtesy of @MerchantTennis, I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable this sneaker was from the first try on. With no break-in required, the Lunar Ballistec does fit half a size big (so watch out for that) but the comfort and cushioning remains second to none. I was a massive fan of the previous Court Ballistec from Nike (owning four pairs in total) but the Lunar Ballistec is definitely an upgrade. For starters, the Lunar Ballistec has gone back to a more friendly lacing system that is not susceptible to tearing like it was with the Court Ballistec. The Lunar Ballistec also has a flywire update, which is enhanced by the adaptive fit technology found in the legendary Vapor 9.5. This technology for those that have never tried it, provides a customized fit for each player’s needs.
If court speed is your thing like it is mine, then you’ll appreciate the drop in weight of this model compared with its Court Ballistec predecessor. Previously weighing in at 16.1 ounces, the Lunar Ballistec comes in at a fast and furious 14.2 ounces. Drop shots beware.
I will say however that the traction of the Court Ballistec was a tad better than with the Lunar Ballistec but the smooth soccer design of this shoe did make me feel quicker to balls in the forecourt in addition to the side-to-side movement on the baseline.
Highlighted by a six-month guarantee, the US Open version of the Lunar Ballistec also features Nadal’s trademark bull logo at the rear of the shoe.
To pick up the latest Lunar Ballistec, as well as the newest Fall 2014 Nike collection for the summer hard-court swing and the US Open, make sure to hit up www.merchantoftennis.com for everything you’ll need to play your best this summer.
