Introduction
When it comes to cars and racing, Italians are no strangers to stiff competition. There is a constant evolution when it comes to the improvement of speed and handling in racing, with manufacturers striving to be lighter, leaner and lower than their competition. Fila has taken these same ideals and applied them to their flagship tennis shoe - the Flow Prossimo.
Offering characteristics of a "match day" shoe, the Flow Prossimo puts itself in a class of stiff competitors. Featuring a glove-like fit, airy lightweight feel, and low to the ground cushioning, the Flow Prossimo was screaming performance from the initial lace-up. We felt this shoe was primed for a test drive to see if its on court performance could match its highly stylized look.
With our playtest team eager to pull the Flow Prossimos out of the garage and put them into gear, we let them peel out for some extended laps around the TW test circuit.
Comfort
Sliding into the Flow Prossimos was like sinking into a plush leather driver's seat. The Flow Prossimo hugs the foot like a bucket seat wraps around the curves of your body, providing a combination of support and comfort.
Finding the entry into these shoes quick and easy, Chris got off the starting line in a hurry. "I really enjoyed the fit and feel of these shoes. I felt low to the ground, yet found ample cushioning. The uppers were very soft and supple after a brief break-in. The fit was supportive, so I never had any sliding around inside the shoes, and after break-in there was no rubbing, etc. The mesh seemed to do a decent job of allowing my feet to breathe and these shoes felt good on hot days. I liked the way the lacing system allowed easy entry into the shoes. I was able to create a large opening by loosening the top two laces, which made it easy to get my feet into the shoes even when wearing my ankle braces."
Having high expectations based on a previous Fila shoe was Paul. "The first pair of Fila performance tennis shoes I ever wore were the Fila Net Game Speeds back in 2002. I had seen them on an instructor and he told me that 'he loved them'. Soon thereafter, I knew why. The Flow Prossimo were not much different. The second I slipped my feet into those babies the attraction was palpable from the insoles cradling my feet to the seamless glove-like fit. Shear comfort and delight. The Net Game Speeds were always a favorite of mine for many of the same reasons I enjoyed the Flow Prossimos. The ventilation in these shoes was remarkable. I thought it was better than the Nike Air Max Breathe Free II. The low-to-the-ground feeling forefoot had minimal but adequate cushioning. It did the job for about 5 weeks and then I had to add my favorite SOFSOL insoles. These shoes seemed to have plenty of room for not only the SOFSOL, but also the Fila insole on top of it."
Spencer was impressed with the glove-like fit. "From the initial try-on I liked the snug, secure fit and feel of the Flow Prossimos. I was immediately impressed, though not naive enough to think the comfort would sustain upon playing in them. However, the fit remained perfect for my feet, and as I played on there was never any pinching or discomfort through the completion of my hitting sessions. The cushioning was impressive considering the low to the ground feel - much like Nike's Zoom Air. The quick lace system also made tightening my shoes a cinch!"
Though he enjoyed the low profile cushioning, Brad had some toe box and breathability concerns. "I wasn't expecting too much from these shoes, but they were surprisingly comfortable. For me, the forefoot cushioning is what stood out. Not only was the forefoot comfortable, but the shoe had a very low to the ground, performance feel. I did find the shoe was a bit narrow in the toe, and I had some rubbing across the top of the toe from the stitch seam of the toe tip. Even though these shoes appear to be well ventilated, I found the padding behind the mesh kept air from making its way into the shoes."
Arch Support
Our playtest team was consistent in their assessment of the medium-height arches. Giving a blue ribbon for arch support was Paul. "The arch support was perfect for my feet. Really no other way to put it." Chris had no issues with the support. "I found ample support for my medium height arches. The support never bothered me and I had no issues or straining to my arches during the test." Spencer adds. "The arch support was sufficient. I would say the support was medium, as are my arches."
Enduring a short break-in period because of his low arches was Brad. "The medium arch of the Flow Prossimos was a little too high for my flat feet. I had to wear these shoes around the office for a week in order to flatten out the arches enough to where it was comfortable to play in them."
Foot Support/Stability
Offering a nice stable ride with a low to the ground feel, the Flow Prossimos can help shave those split seconds off the clock with efficient changes of direction. Thrilled with the stability was Paul. "Something I've found with Fila performance tennis shoes is that somehow these shoes helped my feet naturally groove into the ready position. It feels like my weight is distributed toward the pivot point, which seemed to sit fairly low to the ground. I don't know if that was the intent of the design or not, but I love it! Some manufacturers design in a lateral support wedge, but the way these shoes seemed to distribute my weight, rolling an ankle never really seemed like it could have become an issue." Brad felt a good balance between stiff and soft materials for a supportive yet comfortable fit. "The glove like fit of the Flow Prossimos offered my feet some really good support and stability. The stiff material of the mid-foot combined with the soft materials of the upper and sides to give my feet a solid foundation of support, yet did not restrict them to where it was uncomfortable."
Enjoying the stability and flex was Chris. "I didn't find the shoes super stiff and stable, but the support was top notch. I actually really enjoyed the flex of the shoes, as it added greatly to the comfortable ride. The uppers wrapped my feet very well, allowing me to play very aggressively without fear of injury or blisters. The low to the ground ride made for a solid feeling base and I felt like I was moving well in the shoes." Spencer was impressed as well. "For a lightweight performance shoe, the Flow Prossimos offered more than enough stability. What felt like a wider base across the forefoot and the low to the ground midsole combined to create a very secure feeling during lateral movements and stopping/starting. The support was nice as well. My feet stayed in place with no movement or sliding inside the shoes whatsoever."
Overall Sole Durability
No early pit stops were needed for this one as the Evergrind sole held up well for the duration of our test. Both Spencer and Paul agreed that the Flow Prossimos went toe to toe with other high end competitors, while Spencer adds, "As one of Fila's high end shoes, the sole durability had high expectations, which it lived up to. For me, the usual wear is in the forefoot. The Flow Prossimos are no exception and compete with the durability of the top end rivals of other companies." The combination of durability and traction impressed Chris. "I found good durability across the entire outsole with no areas showing significant wear. The outsoles felt quite soft and offered good traction. Usually, a soft rubber compound doesn't hold up especially well to hard court play, but these shoes lasted for the duration of the test and then some." Brad felt the same, adding, "The Evergrind sole of the Flow Prossimos held up very well and did not really show too many signs of wear and tear."
Toe Durability
To help with the speed, a lightweight synthetic material was used for toe protection. Pleasantly surprised with the lightweight durability was Chris. "The Flow Prossimo shoes also surprised me in the toe durability department. At the end of the test I only had scuff marks on the toes, with no significant wear to the shoes. I was very impressed with the durability, as the toes offer a very light, flexible and comfortable feel. In other words, they are durable without being bulky." Spenceragreed. "I'm not a heavy toe dragger, but the little that I do was handled well by the Prossimo."
Traction
The soft nature of the Evergrind outsole provided our playtesters with traction that hugged the court, allowing our playtesters to corner like they were on rails. Providing such a high level of traction is tough to achieve with such a durable rubber compound, but our testers agreed that Fila has managed to do it. Paul was so impressed he rated them in the Superhero status. "The grippy nature of the grooved rubber was truly impressive. The Nike Air Max Breathe Free II may look like Spiderman shoes, but THESE grip like it." Also giving the traction a high grade was Chris. "I loved the traction I was finding in these shoes. Combined with the support and low to the ground ride, these shoes definitely had a fast feel to them. I was able to plant aggressively both when sprinting forward and when changing directions along the baseline, and the shoes always dug in and grabbed the court. Top marks from me here." Brad liked the versatility of performance on multiple court surfaces. "Another area where the Flow Prossimos did well was traction. I got to play in these shoes on both clay and hard courts and they performed well on both surfaces." Enjoying the efficient movement was Spencer. "Traction was excellent. No slipping or sliding. I could stop on a dime in these shoes. I found a good combination of durability and grip with the herringbone pattern."
Weight
Our playtest team found the Flow Prossimos to have a nice balance of weight. For the amount of support and stability offered, the 14.3 ounce (size 10.5) weight is impressively light. Enjoying the light feel of the shoes was Spencer. "These shoes felt light and comfortable. For a high performing shoe, they were very light and breathable. Impressively, there was no suffering in other areas such as support and stability." Chris was in agreement. "I thought the shoes were weighted ideally. There was just enough weight to deliver a supportive ride, but nothing superfluous to slow me down. Again, top marks from me. I was very impressed. I found myself consistently grabbing these shoes for match play over many others I have around from testing." Paul liked the weight even after adding insoles. "The weight of these shoes was fantastic. They were light, but not too light. Light enough so that when additional insoles are added, they are still light!" Brad added. "I would consider these shoes to be pretty light. I never really thought about the shoes once I was on the court, which is a good thing. These shoes are definitely less bulky than other shoes I've worn recently, like the Adidas Barricade IV, Nike Air Zoom Vapor IV, and Reebok Triple Break Pump."
Overall
Many of the performance characteristics found in racing are applicable to the design and performance of the Flow Prossimos. Some may even refer to the Flow Prossimos as the Ferrari of tennis shoes given their impressive on-court results. From the low-profile dynamic cushioning provided by Fila's Superaction midsole to the great support from the thermo-formed Flow cradle, the Flow Prossimos blend speed, performance, comfort and guaranteed durability. By keeping the uppers light yet supportive, and keeping some substance in the sole/midsole to add stability, Fila has built a lighter weight performance shoe that also offers support and stability. Our playtest crew agreed that the Flow Prossimos not only compete with the other brands' high octane performers, but may end up on top of the podium come season's end.
