On Roger Pro Review: Volleying for Top Honors

While the partnership between tennis legend Roger Federer and Swiss running brand On was intriguing at first — a running company making performance tennis shoes? — after multiple seasons of the Roger Pro silhouette, the tandem seems to have a good grip on its staying power. Each restock gets the internet buzzing as athletes looking to take over the hard court (and clay) race to get the shoes designed by one of the sport’s greatest players.

The Roger Pro has been on our radar ever since its exclusive 2021 release at NYC stockist Kith. Sure, the hype around the shoe has always been noteworthy, but sooner rather than later we began asking ourselves, “How do these tennis shoes actually perform?”

To see if the Roger Pros live up to their namesake, I donned the stylish sneakers for a handful of recreational games at my local courts. Admittedly, I’m no closer to competition-grade tennis than a handyman is to watchmaking, but I’m able to return a few volleys here and there and can hold my own with about half of the recreational crowd. In these weekend excursions, I took note of how the Roger Pros performed underfoot in terms of traction, pickup and overall comfort. My matches were played on hard courts, as recommended by the brand — the tread pattern doesn’t lend itself to softer surfaces like clay or grass.

Does the On Roger Pro serve up some pro-grade performance notes? Is this the sneaker to give me a newfound passion for the court? Here’s what I found.

On Roger Pro: What We Think

The Roger Pros are a premium tennis shoe built for premium players. There’s plenty of snappiness, comfort and support across the stylish silhouette, but I think the overall profile is a bit much for most recreational athletes. The Speedboard carbon plate and underfoot geometry reward good footwork during play but punish bad technique or flat-footed landings. Sure, this could be a testament to my (lack of) tennis skills, but I doubt I’m the only athlete that missteps through the occasional rec game.

Additionally, I enjoy the engineered mesh upper and traction of the continuous rubber outsole, but after just a few wears it’s clear these sneakers weren’t designed for the long haul. At nearly $200, replacement pairs would be an afterthought for a multi-time Grand Slam winner, but for the common athlete? It may be too much to tackle.

On Running

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Ben Emminger

On absolutely aced the looks and comfort.

At first unboxing, I was immediately struck by how aesthetically pleasing these tennis shoes were. The Roger Pros don’t hold that “sporty” vibe you’d get with other worthwhile silhouettes like Nike or Adidas, and the profile looks fashionable enough for off-the-court events around the country club. The white base (while difficult to keep pristine) really gives this sneaker its clean-cut look, and the accent colors of Mint, Green or Indigo pop subtly enough for some extra personality. Given the toe spring geometry and Speedboard carbon plate, I wouldn’t recommend these kicks for casual wear, but if you’re in a pinch and have these at your disposal, I think you’d be happy with how well the sleekness fits into your wardrobe.

Looks aside, my feet felt uber-comfortable in the Roger Pros as well. The tongue has a pronounced thickness that matches the plush collar, creating a cozy cradle that sustains from first serve to match point. The midfoot cage also does a great job of eliminating any sloppy space at the medial and lateral sides of the foot, which I found to be a definite perk when jostling side-to-side in the throws of a Sunday morning rally.

Ben Emminger

The chunky looks don’t play into the “maximalist” title.

While the plush comfort and stable base of the Roger Pros were treats of the fit, admittedly, I was nervous as to whether this “maximalist” profile would translate to the court. After all, we’re talking about a shoe designed for Federer himself, an athlete not exactly known for clunky play. Thankfully, the 13.4-ounce silhouette proved that looks can be deceiving once I got into my forehands and backhands. There’s little effort needed to get these sneakers in motion, and the engineered mesh upper does a great job of balancing breathability and support. Rushing toward the net doesn’t give you a parachute experience with the wind passing through the mesh, but there is enough ventilation to keep your feet cooled off.

The Roger Pros lend themselves to fast-paced play, for sure, and I felt the most connected to the sneakers themselves when my pace of play was cranked to 11. As I said before, though, I am by no means an avid tennis player, and that intensity is only sustainable for short periods. If you’re not accustomed to playing at a level that’s near-professional-grade, these lightweight companion pieces can soon turn into an on-court rival…

Ben Emminger

Your footwork needs to be on point with these high-performing tennis shoes.

If you start to get lazy in your play with the Roger Pros, you’re definitely going to feel it. The stiff midsole, Speedboard carbon plate, aggressive toe spring and centralized weight at the forefoot all mesh together for a sneaker designed to be played with aggression, meaning staying on the balls of your feet. When I kept this footwork top of mind and tried my damndest to play with action, I felt like the shoe rewarded my efforts with comfort, traction and energy return. When taking a quick breath, though, all those factors worked against my game, creating a rigid landing that can begin to feel unpleasant, almost like a coach berating me to play better.

Like with marathon shoes for your running shoe rotation, I’d recommend taking stock of your goals and tennis aspirations before purchasing the Roger Pros. Because of the heightened emphasis on performance and competition, these shoes may be overpowered for your slower-paced matches, and those components designed to improve your game could actually turn to hindrances. There’s definitely a market for these impressive tennis shoes, but at this stage of my career (if you can call it that), I’m better of sticking to more affordable, middle-of-the-road sneakers.

Ben Emminger

The Roger Pro burns bright and fast when it comes to durability.

The Roger Pros require zero break-in, which at first seems like a nice convenience, especially for an athlete who undoubtedly doesn’t play enough to get a shoe into prime condition. After just a few matches, though, I began to see why these sneakers are good from the start — that premium performance has a very short shelf life. Even after just a few hours of play, I began to notice some heightened wear and tear across the outsole, particularly at the raised edges that creep up along the medial and lateral sides of the foot. This makes sense as these the patches of rubber exposed to slides and scuffs most often, but the amount of wear was a little concerning.

Speaking of the outsole, each match lent itself to more and more ground feel at the forefoot, which indicated to me that traction was slowly dissipating. This didn’t surprise me too much given how shallow the tread is, but for a tennis shoe costing near $200, I expected them to hold up a little better. I also have my doubts about the engineered mesh upper. While these Roger Pros were tested and worn under clear skies, if the durability trend continues up the shoe, I suspect this fabric could be worse for wear sooner rather than later — and that’s not even accounting for how difficult it is to keep these puppies clean.

Ben Emminger

On Roger Pro: Alternatives

If you’re looking to collect a pair of sneakers tied to one of tennis’s greatest icons or have a high-stakes match approaching, I could see how the Roger Pros could be enticing additions to your cart. However, I feel there’s an abundance of silhouettes available that can deliver worthwhile on-court results with better resiliency, all under the $200 price tag. For example, the Asics Gel-Resolution 9 offers loads of stability and cushioning, albeit with a slightly higher weight at 14.1 ounces. If you fancy Federer’s former brand partner, the Nike Air Zoom Vapor Pro 2 can keep your game energetic and stylish. Other brands like New Balance and Babolat are also worth their weight and can be suitable for rookie and veteran players alike.

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