Over the past few years Wilson has made big strides with their footwear line. And, so far this year, they've continued the trend, introducing some cool new colorways for existing models as well as a few totally new models—including the Wilson Rush NGX.
Weighing in at 12.4 ounces in a men's size 9, the Rush NGX is comparable to the other lightweight shoes on the market. Designed to be very responsive during fast, aggressive movements, the Rush NGX provides a stable, low-to-the-ground feel.
Luckily, Wilson sent over a couple pairs of the Rush NGX for testing. My first impression of the shoe was very positive—they look sharp and feel court-ready right out of the box. In fact, I took mine out for a hit without any break-in and my only issue was a small hotspot on my ankle. (I've worn them quite a few times since and haven't had any further issues with hotspots.)
The Rush NGX fits true to size with a slightly generous toe box, but definitely not generous to the point where the shoe feels sloppy. As seems to be the case with most lightweight tennis shoes, the tongue is on the thin side, though I've seen plenty of shoes with a much thinner tongue. Lace bite shouldn't be an issue unless you go out of your way to tie your shoes super tight. The upper features plenty of mesh panels for added ventilation and the panels are wisely protected by overlays so they don't get shredded during play.
As always, the lightweight, low-to-the-ground design comes at the expense of some cushioning underfoot, which made the shoe feel just a little hard at first. In the beginning I was also worried about bottoming out the cushioning on shots where I was really stretched and landed hard on my heel. But, despite these initial misgivings, the Rush NGX's cushioning has held up well for me during all of my play sessions—even a few hits that came close to three hours on hard courts. My feet felt fine during and after each session; in fact, I never felt like there was too little cushioning underfoot.
The outsole provides plenty of traction. I really haven't put enough wear on my pair of Rush NGX's to make any definitive statements about the durability of the outsole but it has held up well for me so far.
The bottom line is that the Wilson Rush NGX is an excellent lightweight performance tennis shoe. The shoe's design creates a low-to-the-ground, responsive feeling without leaving your feet feeling unprotected or making the shoe feel too hard. Plus, if you're into brightly colored footwear, you'll love the design and coloring. If you're looking for maximum cushioning there are other shoes out there that might better suit your needs. But, if you're looking for a lightweight, responsive shoe, the Rush NGX delivers the goods.
Check out the Wilson Rush NGX for men and the Wilson Rush NGX for women.
Wilson Rush NGX Tennis Shoes Review
