---Introduction---

As some of you may, or may not, know, I'm a keen tennis player. I play around 6 hours a week, although I would like to do a lot more. In order to get the very best out of your tennis ability, using the correct equipment is very helpful. Before I bought these trainers, I had a pair of Adidas ones. Sadly, after just a few months, they have reached the end of their usage life. I have written a review on my Adidas tennis shoes, so please feel free to check it out as well.

I have bought a pair of Nike Air Max Breathe Free II. A bit of a mouthful I know. I purchased them from nikeid/europe. The long and short of it is, that you can customise a number of Nike products to your like and taste. You can also print your own special words on the side, known as your own iD, as long as Nike deems them in-offensive and not protected by copyright laws. I will describe as best I can all of the aspects of them. I hope it all makes sense.

---Style---

The general styling of the trainer is very good. It has a nice shape and form that looks pleasing on the eye. Unlike any other tennis trainer I have ever seen, there are no 'tongues' where the laces are. Instead the flap is sewn to the main part of the shoe. The trainer is therefore almost like a sock, which makes the shoe very good. On the top of the foot, there is meshing, but the wholes in the fabric are very small to stop your feet getting wet. The sole has very good grip and in the centre, there is a Nike emblem where the air pocket is. The air pockets, as with most Nike trainers, are at the back.

As far as the colour goes, it is pretty much up to you. The Nike iD service, allows you to choose what colour you trainers will be. On these tennis shoes you can pick the colour of the toe area and meshing, the airbag, the outsole, the laces and your personal iD. You can put your own writing on the side of the trainers and it appears on the outside of each trainer. Each of these areas can be done using the following colours: black, metallic silver, white, dark and light blue, violet, yellow and red. This means you can create your own unique trainer. I choose to colour mine in red and white, which looks very nice indeed.

---Comfort---

These trainers, as I have said, are more like large socks. This means that your feet are very comfortable because they don't rub on the fabric. This means that you should avoid blisters or getting sore feet. They are very soft on the inside, there is a lot of padding around the heel area. When I play in them they feel very good. There are lots of air holes, which ventilate the shoes. My feet never really sweat, even though they are enclosed. I used to get a lot of sand in my old tennis shoes, because I play on astroturf some of the time. This doesn't happen now, because there is no way that the sand can get in.

---Control---

It is easy to change direction and they are ideal for short sprints. When you have reached the hitting area for the shot, these shoes give you a firm and steady base from which to hit the shot. I find that they almost save me a split second and give me that small bit of extra time to think about the shot execution. They are also very good when you have to land back on your feet, after serving or hitting a smash. They cushion the landing very well and help you regain your balance. I play a lot of doubles and I often have to run to the back of the court if we have been lobbed. These shoes are excellent for those short, sharp sprints. They make your game that little bit better and easier.

---Durability---

I think that these tennis shoes will have a very long usage period for me. They appear very well made and designed. There are two main parts that make up the body of the shoe and they are held firmly together. Also, the toe area has been re-inforced using a strong and thick rubber. This gives added strength in the area which is most likely to wear away or get damaged first. The tread on the sole is also very deep, which means it will last for a lot longer. I also think that the Nike brand name should mean they have longevity in their and also their styling. These are a pretty solid pair of tennis shoes.

---Value for Money---

These shoes cost me £98, of which £8 was postage and packing. They are made in Holland so the shipping does cost a fair bit. These trainers can be bought in tennis outlets, but they are only available in one colourway. They are between £80 and £90 in store, so I got my own design and iD number for just a fraction more. If I get a lot of use out them, they will be worth what I payed for them. I would like to get around 9 months to a years use. It is also good that it isn't likely than anyone you know will have the same tennis trainers as you. Overall, I would reccomend these to any tennis players and if you aren't into tennis, still check out Nike iD for the other products that they offer.

Thanks for reading