Rafael Nadal loves a good tradition. Having worn his trademark headband and sleeveless shirts for years, he’s generally resistant to change. This, too, was the case when he was asked to switch sneakers.

While the switch was a big deal to Nadal, it seems like he’s become well accustomed to his new sneaker and he’s got to love the colors too. His sneaker is black, white, and a classic gold, giving him just enough flare to go with the classic neutrality the shoe brings.

The shoe can look great, but most want to know how it feels. After breaking in, we found the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 is even more comfortable than the popular Nike Cages and Breathe Frees from previous generations.

In comparison to other tennis shoes, the shoes weigh in a little heavy at 17.7 ounces. The thing is, if you aren’t told that before buying the shoes, you wouldn’t believe it. The weight distribution doesn’t make them feel clunky at all.

Two great features are new to Nike tennis shoes on the Courtballistec 1.3. LunarLight is a lightweight cushioning in the mid sole, and DragOn X. The LunarLight is used in the midsole to help keep players light on their feet by reducing weight. The DragOn X is great on the Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 because it protects the toe when serving much better than previous models.

While we loved nearly everything about them, we did find a minor drawback; they were stiff the first time we wore them out on the court. We’d stay away from any serious matches the first time wearing these, as you may not be happy with the feel. Wear them out for a day to break them in and you’ll be fine. They also ran a little big. My foot is generally an 11, but the 10.5 fit us better. Trust me on this, no need to question it.

The Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 is built to last for the competitive player. However, those who wear through shoes quickly have no reason to fear because each new pair comes with a 6-month out sole guarantee. If the outsole shows considerable wear, all you have to do is fill out a form (included in the box) and send back your used Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 for a Nike product voucher. The voucher will be worth the suggested retail value of the shoe you sent back.

So to wrap it up, we recommend this shoe for the player who wants comfort, durability and wants to wear the same thing as some of the top professionals do. The Nike Air Courtballistec 1.3 has the stability and traction you need to move around the court with ease.