ASICS Men's Gel-Rocket 6 Volley Ball Shoe

Requirements:-Needed a replacement shoe for hard core badminton-Needed to last at least 4-6 months-Needed a shoe that was light, responsive, and is designed for quick lateral and lunging movements-Needed a shoe that was aesthetically pleasing-Did not want to spend over $100 if I have to buy 2 pairs a yearBackgroundI play competitive badminton for several hours 3-4 times a week. There is a lot of side stepping, lunging, and jumping required. I've used Yonex and Victor shoes and those generally cost around 90-120 per pair. Yonex shoes look cool, but they are not great for long hours of play. People complain about the cheaper Yonex shoe and how their feet hurt after playing, especially their metatarsal bones. They also tend to rip on the top where the "leather" meets the "claw" on your pinky toes. I purchased the higher end "limited edition" Yonex shoe and I had the same complaint. So someone suggested that I try Victor shoes. Victor shoes are VERY well made, but also VERY expensive! They definitely last longer than Yonex shoes, but you're paying a premium for it. I paid 120 per pair and have gone through 2 so far. My feet don't hurt after playing, but my wallet does. I wanted to find a shoe that was comparable to Victor's and didn't destroy my bank.Solution:Asics are known for their running shoes, but they also have a variety of sport tuned shoes. These shoes are designed for volleyball, but the court movements and footwork are very similar to raquet ball, table tennis, and badminton. Some people say that these shoes run a little higher and I have to agree. Victor shoes are the flattest (closest to the ground), then Yonex, then Asics. But if you have proper footwork, then you shouldn't be stumbling over your feet anyways. I have rolled my ankle a few times, but everyone will at one point or another.Longevity:These shoes last a LONG @$$ time! I'm still using my original pair and I think it's been around 1 year. There is one rubber part of the shoe where it's really worn past the foam and touching the leather, but the leather will not tear. I think I will retire these shoes soon, but not because they are broken or anything like that, but because I want to switch colors.Size:These shoes tend to run a little bit bigger on both ends of the spectrum. I believe Asics does this because court sports require a lot of quick burst movements and that extra room will prevent your nails from digging into the leather, but it can also cause you to have more blisters. To solve this issue, I use 2 pairs of socks when I play. With this, I have the added cushion to fill the gap caused by the larger size and less friction to reduce blistering.Insoles:I never use stock insoles for any of my badminton shoes. I use Spenco's Total Support Original. Some people will opt for the Spenco Total Support Max, but I feel it's the same and you can find the Original cheaper at most places. The insoles that come stock with the asics are good enough for your normal player, but will probably die within the first 3-6 months. Most avid players will agree.Conclusion:The price + longevity + feet not hurting after hours of play = a satisfied customer. If you're not picky about shoe height, then this is the shoe for you!

The Gel-Rocket 6 affords great stability, response and cushioning at a very reasonable price. I've been using them for court vball since I've got them, and they were great out of the box with a very short break in period. They've held up well since, with no signs of fatigue or unusual wear. The only thing I would change would be to give them more ventilation and drop a little bit of weight.I get a lot of compliments on the shoes... they're a great design with great colors.

PROS:LightweightGreat bright colorFit around the foot wellExcellent supportGreat floor gripCONS:Of course I'd like to have paid lessI bought these to play volleyball in (and eventually racquetball) and chose them because the reviews said folks were playing both volleyball and racquetball in them.Was a little nervous buying shoes online and not being able to try them on but since they were ASICS I felt pretty confident.Yep, was not disappointed. Practiced and played in them once and so far... wow. In fact, in the volleyball match I didn't even think about my shoes from the time I put them on until I was taking them off after four games.This is especially pertinent because the shoes I had been playing in were on my mind every time I would try to move quickly in any direction. Granted they were (really good) running shoes, which I love when I'm running, but the toe was so swimmy I never felt confident making quick moves and adjustments. Now I'm very confident.

I bought the shoes for racquetball, and after three weeks, they have been great. I normally wear size 11.5, but I have a fairly wide foot, so I always order a size 12 in asics. The shoes fit exactly as I had expected, and just like my other asics shoes. I'm impressed by the amount of traction on the wood floors of the racquetball court; they seem to have just the right grip-not too little, not too much. All in all, I think they are a great deal. They have better soles than some of asics' more expensive volleyball shoes.

The shoe quality is great. Would have loved to have a 9W. 9M is little tighter. Otherwise the shoe is great. Good grip. I use it for badminton. Able to move lot faster around the court. Would recommend to buy the next available size than the one that you usually buy.

I have been wearing Asics for volleyball, running & cross-training almost exclusively for the last 20-25 years and these are among the best of the lot! Perfect fit, good stability, just the right amount of grip and good toe support. I would actually say these feel somewhat better (so far) than the last 2 pairs of top line Asics volleyball shoes that I've owned, so I will probably buy 1-2 additional pair even before these come close to wearing out. Highly recommended!

I've only played 4 matches (12 games) on them, but so far I'm happy. Good traction. Comfortable. Hopefully they last longer than my Volley Lites.

I purchased these for my daughter. She has a wide foot and we know that the Asics brand run small. She wears a 10 1/2 to 11 in women's and we ordered her an 11 1/2 in men's. They fit great and so far she loves them for volleyball. She loves the bright colors too.