The forth Generation of the Breathe series has provided a few new upgrades from previous years. The 1st change is the shoe is much narrower than its Cage 1 predecessor, but the fit is similar. I am usually an 8.5 shoe size in Nike but had to go to a size 9 for this one. There is some break-in period required as opposed the Cage 1. The shoe does feel a little stiff at 1st, this did not lead to any pain or discomfort. There is also a new Heat Block feature that is suppose to keep the shoe even cooler than before.

I felt a lot of stability in the shoe, which is typical in the series. The unified tongue is still in place which is a great feature of the breathe line. The air max unit, continues to provide optimal cushioning and comfort. After wearing the shoe for 6 weeks I have seen no visible wear and tear. I am on court 7 days a week and the shoe has held up very well. The new XDR tread that was introduced last year, seems to be much more durable than the previous DRC tread. The shoe also has Drag-On wrapped around the entire front of the shoe which for me provided a more secure feel. The Laces are shorter than last years model, which depending on your preference can be either good or bad. The colour pallets introduced for Spring 08 are White / Black / Engine Orange for the Australian Open and White / Blue / Silver for post Australian Open tournaments.

Something to take into account for all those shoe fans out there is the White/Black/Engine Orange colour is the darkest colour provided for the entire year in this model. The rest of the colour pallets for the remainder of this year, which are featured on this site, are predominantly white with light under tones under the mesh of the shoe. Over all, with the legend that is the Breathe 2, the Cage 2 is my favorite of the Breathe line. There is a 6 month warrenty on out-sole for wear and tear. This shoe is the signature shoe of Rafael Nadal and will also be worn by James Blake as well as Carlos Moya and other Nike sponsored pros throughout 2008. Definitely a heavy duty shoe for the serious tournament and tour player.

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