Tennis has always been a dynamic sport, but as the caliber of athletes participating in the sport has elevated, so has the sport’s intensity — and when the sport evolves, everything that’s central to the sport must evolve. One such aspect of tennis that has evolved with it is the gear, the sportswear.
While in prior years, cotton was the go-to fabric of choice for most tennis sportswear (because its natural breathability and durability), now high-tech performance mesh with comfort benefits now reign, and New Balance, long a brand that has actively participated in the growth of the sport, has engineered its 2015 NB Tennis Collection — also known as the #NBTennis Collection — to be a compliment to the dynamism of the sport.
See select pieces of the men’s collection here, courtesy of our friends at New Balance.
It’s an excellent sport top. Engineered primarily for tennis, it can make any kind of activity more comfortable. It sits softly over the back and chest, and it isn’t baggy — it has a fitted construction, but it’s not tight against the body. Moisture wicks incredibly well from it, and the multi-layered flat mesh in the arms, back, and torso feel silky. It has zoned venting in the shoulders and upper back, which is composed of a micro-mesh with open holes for heat to quick escape. Welded seams across the collarbone prevent chafing and the Chemical Green makes it fashionably distinctive. It looks good on your body and feels good on your body, which makes for an ideal top, even if you’re not on the court or in the gym.
It’s sleek and it’s unassuming, but unlike many training shorts today, it’s nonsense and very articulated concerning its fit. It has ample room on the trunk and thighs, making lateral movements on the tennis court and squats in the gym as easy as pie. The Propel also has some stretch, making even the more extensive movement achievable without a tax being incurred on your shorts. It’s abrasion-less against the body, but has a unique coarseness to the touch (sort of like touching an object covered in matte paint). Running in the Propel feels especially natural.
The Baseline Polo fits snugly against the body, but it looks excellent. For a performance polo, the Baseline Polo has a distinctive premium feel, with its panel piping and flat-back mesh, which utilizes the NB Dry fabric — very effective in keeping you dry and cool. It’s a winning top you can dress up and dress down.
The Baseline Short is a standout among the New Balance shorts selection. Its relaxed fit and long-ish legs make for a really easy-feeling experience. The NB Dry micro-mesh keeps the Baseline very, very light and of course, enable it to stay dry and cool when it comes to perspiration. The Baseline is meant for tennis almost explicitly, but in truth, it works as a great all-around short that excels in activity that requires lots of hip movement. It flatters your leg shape and trunk without being clingy, which makes the Baseline an excellent piece to have.
The filet mignon of this collection is the Challenger Crew. It’s extremely stylish, comfortable, shaped and tailored very well, and most of all, as a performance top, it excels in moving with your body and vents the heat that you build up from activity. It utilizes the NB Ice fabric technology which is smooth flat-back mesh that is open-holed on both sides of the mesh. The Challenger Crew is the kind of top you’d like to wear to show off when you’re training or performing, or even wear away from the gym as a fashion top. It’s the best that New Balance has done meshing fashion with function in a high-quality shirt.
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