As a massive fan of Roger Federer, I was very excited when I first learned he had invested in On and was designing a pro-model tennis shoe. On was already known for their aesthetics on the running side of things, so, at a minimum, they would be making us a good-looking court shoe. More importantly though, Federer had spent most of his career playing in the legendary Nike Vapor; one of my favourite shoes of all time. Since this was going to be his pro model, I figured that the Roger Pro would have that same low-to-the-ground, ultra-responsive feel.

That assumption was correct. The Roger Pro series has always targeted players who want a sleek fit and precise court feel; however, the first iteration had some important quirks. It was designed specifically for Roger Federer, an elite athlete with the footwork of a butterfly and a very wide forefoot. For the average player, it felt a little boxy and was much too stiff underfoot.

The Roger Pro 2 came out after Federer’s retirement, which gave On the freedom to adapt the shoe for more players. They added some cushioning and implemented a more ergonomic shape.

Now, we have the Roger Pro 3, and On has, once again, gone back to the drawing board. They’ve overhauled the fit, updated the cushioning, and changed the outsole's tread pattern, but how do these changes affect performance on the court, and how does this shoe compare to the previous two?

The Fit: Finding the Right Balance

The original Roger Pro was so wide and boxy that On overcorrected it a bit too much with the Roger Pro 2. It was a very narrow shoe, and had a stiff lateral shank that made it uncomfortable for anyone with a medium-to-wide forefoot.

With the Roger Pro 3, they’ve found that perfect balance between the two. It’s noticeably wider than the 2 in the forefoot, which allows your toes to splay during aggressive splits and directional changes. The upper is also slightly softer, and the lateral rubber piece is less intrusive, eliminating the pressure I felt with the previous one.

The rest of the shoe maintains a similar silhouette that tapers through the arch, and holds your heel down exceptionally well.

It's a design that will fit many more players, but it’s important to understand that this is still a sleek, close-to-the-foot fit. If you have a wide foot and usually play with wider shoes, it will still be too snug. I have medium-wide feet and I noticed a little bit of pressure on the lateral edge during my first hitting session, but the upper has since broken in and that is completely gone. This is the exact fit I want from a natural court shoe: snug with zero dead space and no uncomfortable pressure points whatsoever.

Cushioning & Ride: The Introduction of Hyper Foam

The biggest upgrade to the Roger Pro 3 is to the cushioning system. If you have any experience playing in the first two versions, you’ll know they were exceptionally firm, and could feel very punishing under your feet. That minimalism was designed to maximize court feedback, but it could create a "stamping" sensation if you didn’t have precise footwork and high ankle elasticity.

On has completely revamped this cushioning by introducing Helion HF (Hyper Foam) into the midsole.

The previous models used a traditional, thin layer of EVA foam stacked on top of a rigid carbon plate. The Roger Pro 3 adds a layer of PEBA Hyper Foam on top of the standard EVA, which is the same foam they use in their elite carbon-plated racing shoes. This is a thin layer, so it doesn’t make the shoe feel like a springy runner, but when you’re scrambling or making big lateral cuts, it absorbs shock significantly better than the first two Roger Pros.

The real magic of the PEBA foam is in how responsive it is because it snaps back into place much faster than EVA foam. Instead of sinking into the cushioning, the midsole acts like a launchpad, so you maintain the responsiveness of a minimalist shoe while gaining a little more explosiveness.

This cushioning update is a win-win in every sense. It’s more comfortable and it keeps the core identity of the Roger Pro as a non-intrusive, natural-feeling court shoe. Part of me wishes that On had implemented this Hyper Foam sooner because they had the technology and were already using a carbon plate, but we have it now, and it makes the shoe significantly better than the first two.

Lockdown, Support, and Stability

On the Roger Pro 3, lockdown is the foundation of support. This mesh upper fits close to the foot and is a little bit stiffer than other mesh materials, which minimizes rollover. Incredible lockdown has been a theme throughout each version of the shoe, but On has subtly redesigned the lacing system to make it even better on the 3.

The new lacing system pulls from a deeper part of the midfoot so when you cinch the laces, the upper wraps more effectively around your arch without creating pressure points on top of the foot.

In terms of stability, the carbon plate still provides fantastic torsional rigidity. The shoe also rides low to the ground so you feel very planted and well-balanced. Of course, by introducing the softer PEBA foam, On ran the risk of making this shoe more wobbly than the previous two, but that’s not the case. They added just enough Hyper Foam to soften the ride without sacrificing any of the rock-solid stability that players demand from this line.

On-Court Movement and The New Tread Pattern

The Roger Pro 3 represents the industry standard for what a premium "player's shoe" should feel like when moving around the court. It’s fast, predictable, and provides fantastic feedback with the court.

On did rework the tread pattern this time around, opting for a diamond pattern rather than the traditional herringbone of the Roger Pro 2. The goal with this change is to reduce friction and allow for easier sliding on hard courts. While I can’t test this shoe’s sliding performance at the moment because of an ankle injury, my experience with diamond patterns leads me to believe it will be better; however, I still don’t think the Roger Pro 3 will be the best sliding shoe on the market. I tend to prefer slightly more flexible shoes for sliding because they follow your foot's movement more closely, but if you’re happy with a rigid shoe like this, you won’t have any issues.

One thing to note: there is no added protection around the top medial lace, so if you drag your inner foot during slides, you’ll wear through the laces faster than on some other shoes.

Final Thoughts

The Roger Pro 3 remains a high-performance court shoe designed for advanced players. Despite the added comfort of the Hyper Foam, this is still a rigid, very responsive shoe made for players with exceptional footwork who can absorb impact from the court themselves. If that’s you, this shoe will reward you with incredible speed, precision, and much more security than other natural court shoes like this.

If you do want to try on this brand-new On Roger Pro 3, you can come visit one of our shoe-fitters in-store, or you can get yourself a pair online now.