K-Swiss Hypercourt Express 3 Clay Shoes Grey / Khaki

The K-Swiss Hypercourt Express 3 Clay, comfort translated to the red dirt

The clay court version of the best selling shoe in the K-Swiss range. It keeps the generous forefoot and the out of the box plushness of the Hypercourt Express 3, with a herringbone outsole built for clay. Light grey, pale khaki and dark grey colourway.

Who is this shoe for?

For the club player whose season runs on clay and who wants comfort ahead of outright performance. The fit is wide through the forefoot, which makes it one of the few genuinely comfortable clay shoes for a broad foot. Cushioning is maximum and the drop is 10 mm: you sit high off the ground, which protects over long sessions but costs a little precision in heavily loaded slides. Note the outsole is built for clay, this is not an all court model.

The technologies explained

• Herringbone outsole: the reference pattern on clay, gripping on push off and clearing the surface rather than packing it into the tread.
• Surgelite+: the new midsole foam, an ultra light and highly resilient compound for lasting comfort and responsive cushioning.
• Preformed TPU shank under the foot: it improves support and stability through fast lateral movement, exactly where a comfort shoe tends to collapse.
• Durawrap: an extra line of defence against toe dragging, precisely the move that destroys a shoe on clay.
• Seamfree construction: a seamless synthetic and mesh upper, light and breathable, with a grip lining at the heel.
• Stay-Tied lacing and an Ortholite insole: laces that stay done up, and a breathable insole with an anti microbial treatment.

The Extreme Tennis team's view

This is the clay shoe we point players towards when they come back disappointed by competition models, too narrow or too firm. It needs no break in and the forefoot volume is genuinely above market average. The trade off is that it remains a comfort shoe: on a long slide with the foot heavily angled, you feel the midsole working more than an Ultrashot would. For a heavy, very aggressive competitor, the Ultrashot 4 Clay is still the better call.