When you head to the courts, you always see plenty of Nike and adidas shoes around with a few others in the mix like Prince, Babolat, and New Balance. One shoe you will not see very often just might be one of the best shoes around, the Yonex SHT-308.

The shoe game is always a trade off, for the stability and comfort of an adipower barricade 7 or an Air Max Courtballistec 4.3, you have to trade away that low to the ground, light weight feel that makes you feel fast on the court. On the other hand, you move to a lighter shoe like the Asics GEL Solution Speed, and you start worrying about stability for those lateral movements and stops.

How is it that in the day and age of increasing technology, that it seems impossible to find that perfect shoe? For some, waiting for that day could be a thing of the past with the Yonex SHT-308 shoe. This is not your typical “all-around” shoe that does everything pretty well; this is a special shoe that does everything very well. It is one of the lightest shoes around, more than an ounce lighter than the Zoom Vapor 9 Tour that has been getting so much attention this year.

This shoe is about so much more than just light weight however, with an innovative comfort system that includes multiple pieces that all work together to create a harmonious experience for the foot. The 3-Layer Power Cushion in the heel provides incredible shock absorption and added repulsion to keep the player moving fast with less muscle fatigue.

So we have touched on just a few of the things that keep this shoe light weight and comfortable, but what about stability? Yonex has that covered too with more components than you would see inside your iPhone. An updated outsole design offers better contact with the court while the Round Sole promotes efficient movement and a nifty new heel shank increases lateral protection even more.

Even with all of the technology listed, that is not even half of what goes into making the Yonex SHT-308 a serious contender for shoe of the year in terms of pure performance. Ultra-light, superior cushioning, incredible breathability, and serious stability, what more can you want from a shoe?

A word of warning for the purists, these shoes do have a bit of color to them. Expect to turn heads with bright blue and bright red options in addition to a slightly more understated white and navy color that will soon be joined by an all black with silver model.