New Balance has been a major player in the tennis shoe market for a while now. A few reasons for this are their great selection of widths, innovative tennis shoes for all levels of the game, and overall quality. They sponsor several high-profile athletes, such as Milos Raonic and Coco Gauff.
Current New Balance tennis shoe technologies include:
Abzorb, Acteva, C-Cap, Fantom Fit, Fresh Foam, FuelCell, Hypoknit, NB Ice, Ndurance, NDURE, ProBank, and REVLite.
Abzorb
New Balance's Abzorb technology is similar to EVA foam in that it's comfortable and lightweight, but provides better resistance to compression set. This means that shoes containing this technology will have longer-lasting shock absorption properties, support, and cushioning. It has been updated over the years, and comes in multiple variations:
- Abzorb: Features DuPont™ Engage® and slip-resistant rubber combined with a soft midsole and insert.
- Abzorb SBS: Utilizes Styrene–Butadiene–Styrene and a cored design to displace energy and minimize load.
- Abzorb FL: Makes use of DuPont™ Engage® and Isoprene rubber for premier comfort and performance.
Acteva
New Balance's Acteva technology provides a lightweight midsole with exceptional durability. It comes in three variations:
- Acteva: 12% lighter than standard midsole foam, and utilizes DuPont™ Engage® for enhanced durability.
- Acteva Lite: 24% lighter than standard midsole foam, and utilizes DuPont™ Elvaloy® and DuPont™ Engage® for resistance to compression set.
- Acteva Ultra Lite: 32% lighter than standard midsole foam, and utilizes DuPont™ Elvaloy® for optimal resistance to compression set.
C-Cap
New Balance's C-Cap is a compression-molded EVA that enhances midsole cushioning and flexibility. This means that players can expect comfortable support that does not inhibit overall responsiveness.
Fantom Fit
New Balance's Fantom Fit is an ultralight upper material designed to be both supportive and responsive to your every move. It is created by fusing two thin materials together with a no-sew process to avoid unnecessary seams.
Fresh Foam
New Balance's Fresh Foam is a luxurious foam designed to be one of the smoothest and softest performance foams on the market. It provides excellent cushioning and overall comfort as a result.
FuelCell
New Balance's fastest performance foam to date comes to tennis in the form of FuelCell midsole technology. FuelCell was designed through data-driven midsole shaping to offer optimized transitions, and help those with the fastest footwork in the game move even faster. You can expect the highest energy return and propulsion in New Balance's history from FuelCell.
Hypoknit
New Balance's Hypoknit is a lightweight and breathable knit upper that's reinforced with a backer that includes data-driven perforations for targeted support during tennis specific movements. The result is a lightweight, breathable, and supportive experience.
NB Ice
New Balance's ICE technology utilizes an intuitive cooling fabric that encourages 2-way circulation. This enhances ventilation and rates of drying.
Ndurance
New Balance's Ndurance is a highly effective rubber compound that enhances durability in high wear areas of the shoe. This translates to an extended operational life of your shoe, as well as long-lasting performance.
NDURE
New Balance's NDURE is designed to provide additional durability to high wear areas of the shoe. This is done through the implementation of a forefoot cage. Added benefits of this technology include increased comfort and overall support.
ProBank
New Balance's ProBank is designed to distribute forces evenly throughout the shoe, which enables quicker and more efficient changes in direction. This is achieved through lightweight stability technology that secures your midfoot during intense performance.
REVLite
New Balance's REVLite was specifically engineered to provide the same levels of responsiveness and durability found in heavier foams. The end result is an innovative foam compound that matches the performance of its 30% heavier counterparts. This lightweight dynamic is achieved without minimizing construction, or sacrificing stability or cushioning.
