Is this HNDRD's Breakthrough Badminton Shoe? Hundred Phenom Badminton Shoe Review
- Fee Teng Liew
- 7 hours ago
- 6 min read
The HNDRD Phenom is Hndrd's first-ever foray into their flagship badminton shoe range.
Though it may not be immediately obvious, it actually looked very different 6 months ago to now, and there's a lot of backstory and hard work that's gone into it! So, let me bring you back and actually take you through the story and also go on a deep dive into what this shoe is all about.
This shoe is available in several colourways - my personal favourite is the yellow version! And depending on where you are, the Phenom launched in Q1 2026, although it could be as early as late 2025 in some regions.
If you're interested, you can get yours here!
Nonetheless, it certainly did not come without its hiccups. Like every designed product on the market, it went through extensive design work and rigorous testing before reaching commercial release.
Now let's dive into who's wearing it and what it's all about!
Professional Players Wearing The Hndrd Phenom Badminton Shoe
The Hndrd Phenom is worn by several Hndrd-sponsored players including:
Callum Hemming (England)
Estelle Van Leeuwen (England)
Eloi Adam (France)
Leo Rossi (France)
Nikolaus Jaoquin (Indonesia)
Raymond Indra (Indonesia)
Hndrd Phenom Badminton Shoe: Goodyear Collaboration & Outsole Grip
One of the biggest stand-out features of the shoe is its collaboration with the legendary tyre manufacturer Goodyear. I was told that Goodyear developed a special rubber compound specifically for this shoe!
From my testing so far, the outsole is really grippy on badminton-specific courts. More importantly, it also performs really well on slightly dustier leisure centre courts, which is where many club players actually play.
Another detail I really like is that the Hndrd logo is etched into the outsole rubber. The tread blocks can actually be moved slightly when you press them, showing that the rubber compound is relatively soft.
Overall, I really love the grip from this outsole!
Hndrd Phenom Badminton Shoe: Materials & Fit
Moving up to the upper, you'll notice Hndrd's Armor Mesh. This wraps around almost 360 degrees of the shoe, covering the front, both sides and almost the entire upper. Its primary purpose is breathability, while the surrounding panels provide additional protection.
Alongside Armor Mesh is another material called DuraCore. This is the synthetic leather covering the outside of the shoe. From my experience, there is some cosmetic wear after a few hours of use, which you can see on the front of the shoe material.
Also since I'm right-handed, I drag my left foot more frequently during movement, so naturally the inside of the left shoe wears a little quicker. Importantly, this has absolutely no effect on performance and is simply a characteristic of the material used.
Around the ankle, the padding has been carefully sculpted. It's intentionally designed with a slightly abrasive texture so your foot feels completely locked in. Throughout all of my testing, I found it extremely comfortable with no issues whatsoever.
The insole is another highlight. It features a grippy surface, and if you've worn shoes from Yonex, Li-Ning or Victor before, it won't feel unfamiliar. It's grippy, slightly thinner, soft and cushioned.
Personally, I really like grippy insoles and it actually reminds me quite a lot of the insoles found in Li-Ning's high-end shoes. Yes, they wear over time after a few months, but that confidence you get knowing your foot won't slide forward during a lunge is something I really appreciate!
Remember to protect your precious badminton rackets from chips and scratches with the Premium Racket Protection Tape with free delivery worldwide on ckyew.com/shop. We also have some super limited edition player signed prints too!
Hndrd Phenom Badminton Shoe: How Does It Perform On Court?
Upon receiving the shoe, I wore the retail version straight into a league match brand new with no break-in period! The venue wasn't even a dedicated badminton hall, it was a leisure centre where kids had been playing indoor football beforehand, leaving the floor fairly dusty!
Even then, the outsole grip was great. I experienced no soreness, no rubbing and no issues from the stop-start nature of badminton. Overall, the shoe felt super comfortable immediately.
As mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the grippy insoles. However, one thing I did notice was that the toe box felt slightly wider than I'm personally used to, which makes me think that this is designed to accommodate players with wider feet.
Since my feet aren't particularly wide, I found there was a little extra space at the front. Fortunately, tightening the shoelaces solved this immediately. So despite that, I played a full match straight out of the box and had no blisters, rawness or soreness, even after multiple sessions and days.
The cushioning gives a very low-to-the-ground feel. It actually reminded me more of the Yonex Aerus series (US here) than anything else.
Compared to newer shoes like the Yonex SHB 65 successor models (US here), Yonex Comfort Z ranges (US here) and Victor C90 series which feature thicker, higher cushioning, the Hndrd Phenom feels much lower.
Anyone who's watched my channel knows I enjoy the Yonex Aerus style because it makes me feel quicker around court. So personally, I really like that.
Interestingly, I was told the Hndrd Phenom was originally designed more with the classic Yonex 65Â series in mind. However, to me it feels much closer to an Aerus-style shoe.
If future generations increased the stack height slightly to provide a little more cushioning, I certainly wouldn't mind, that would also be a good option too!
HNDNRD Phenom Badminton Shoe Weight
This pair of Hndrd Phenom shoes weighed 735 grams, in comparison to:
Yonex 65 series: ~650g
Yonex Aerus: ~550g
This actually surprised me because while wearing them, I never noticed the weight! That makes it almost identical in weight to the Victor A970Â series (US here), which visually appears much bulkier and heavily cushioned.
I think there is definitely room for Hndrd to reduce the weight in future versions if they choose. That said, for a first-generation shoe, I think they've come a long way!
Six Months Earlier: The Prototype
Six months before launch, I was invited to Singapore to test what would become the commercial version of the Hndrd Phenom. Essentially, I tested the prototype pair. Now six months later, the number of updates made was staggering!
The mesh on the shoe has been completely redesigned. Both the density and sizing of it changed significantly.
The Armor Mesh side panels were also redesigned. During testing, the small cuts in the panels were beginning to tear and Hndrd quickly identified the issue and updated the design before commercial release.
The tongue design also received major changes. The prototype featured an entirely grey tongue whereas the retail version uses a different mesh material, thicker padding and a more comfortable construction
For the ankle support, the padding was originally smooth and now the retail version features a more textured finish. Personally, I prefer this because it gives greater confidence that your foot is securely locked into the shoe.
The insole also had a complete update. The original prototype featured a completely smooth insole. Again, this comes down to personal preference, but I personally prefer the newer grippy version. It gives me confidence during all the explosive stopping and starting that badminton requires.
One thing that did remain exactly the same, was the outsole. This makes sense because it already performed extremely well when I tested it!
While testing in Singapore, I was playing on dedicated badminton courts where slipping simply wasn't an issue. So what impressed me even more was returning to the UK and testing the retail version on ordinary leisure centre courts. That's probably much more representative of what most badminton players experience.
Overall, Hndrd and Goodyear clearly did a great job developing the outsole compound!
Final Thoughts
I think Hndrd have done a really good job with their very first flagship badminton shoe. I was genuinely impressed by how many improvements they managed to implement during just six months between my prototype testing in Singapore and the final commercial release.
Is this Hndrd's best badminton shoe ever? No, not yet.
BUT, the price-to-performance ratio is actually pretty insane and I'm genuinely excited to see what the next generation brings!
If you've tried the Hndrd Phenom yourself, let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Don't forget to use my discount 'CKYEW' for extra discounts and I'll see you in the next one!