What are the Best Pickleball Shoes?

I've been trying to figure out which pickleball shoes I should wear since I started. Finally I decided to just look to the top pros to figure that out! 42% of the top 40 pros wear the same brand of tennis shoe. That's wild! Join me as I take a look into which shoes are best for pickleball.

Connect with me:

[Realty]

I currently wear Asics volleyball shoes which have done well for me so far, but now thanks to this video, I'll be getting one of your recommended brands.

[konnmehameha]

A lot of basketball shoe companies especially based out of asia because so much play is outdoors in asia and they make XDR shoes which are super durable for outdoor courts which are the same texture as pickleball courts.

[HardyHarz]

Thanks for the discount!!

And I agree, I have the Gel Resolution 8s too, which I got for the outsole warranty, and they’re just ‘meh.’ They’re not very comfortable and they actually bottomed out kind of fast and I stopped wearing them because they were killing my feet. I’ve since switched to the Nike Zoom Court NXT because I play on the balls of my feet mostly and I wanted something with good forefoot cushioning. So far, they’ve been light-years ahead of anything else I’ve tried (my previous shoes were the Adidas Ubersonic 4s). Super stable, comfortable, and I can play 4+ hrs without my feet hurting 👍

So it does come down to the player for sure, your body mechanics, etc. I use Foot Dr. Zach’s videos a lot for guidance when it’s time for a new pair - his channel is def worth checking out.

[mistymountains]

I've tried a lot of the court shoes, and so far the best for me are the Asics Gel-Renma Pickleball shoe. I did swap out the insoles for better ones. I know that these shoes definitely saved me from turning or breaking an ankle a week ago! If I had had my old shoes on, I fear I would have ended up in the ER.

[justinlauria]

We don't deserve you Shea, you're too good to us!

[BestPickleballCoach]

Great advice Shea. Proper shoes are so important and often overlooked. Thanks for the video.

[RollSoundRollcamera]

Babolat sfx3 îs the best wide shoe IMO. I have 6 pairs of the same shoe. They work best for me, Im a heavy 5'8 dude

[pierresuran]

Great video and thanks for doing the research! Hope to cross paths in Atlanta. I’ll be out there competing at the pro qualifier

[olegyamleq]

thanks for doing the digging dude!!! we have the babolat and the sketchers here in Montreal for about $150-225. thanks

[davidturner]

That fact that he didn't even say anything when he started setting up a mattress to do flips, lol.

[vazdigital]

My question is which one of these shoes is the most durable and the sole doesn’t wear out. I burn through the soles like crazy!

[thorazine]

So i just bought and really like the KSwiss, however I'm slipping on the outdoor dusty courts a few times in 2days, I just bought the Babalot mens jet tere, the traction looks different than the Kswiss, it's promoted as a tennis shoe, I'll give it a try.

[Dhji]

Thanks for doing this research and posting this. Good luck in your tournament.

[kathymedlar]

Oh my goodenss...you make a great video. I was able to focus on what you were sharing by watching your mattress set up... Cracked me up. I went to the Superstore for your discountand they do not sell the brand you were talking about...Babolat. I'm confused. How do I get a discount on that brand????

[voiceofreason]

Great research as usual, thanks for doing that.

I would point out that a person doesn't necessarily want the best shoe for Pickleball, they want the best shoe for THEM.

A man with weak ankles might want a 3/4 height shoe because it gives him more support. A pro might not want the heavier shoe but an amateur might give up some court mobility for superior stability.

[jerryjobe]

I doubt if you know more about shoes than my podiatrist in Scottsdale. He puts out a list from his professional association of shoes for different sports and activities - he says you need a COURT shoe for pickleball. You might know that MOST all European shoe makers ONLY MAKE standard width of shoes - - which is pretty dumb in my mind.
A shoe should FIT YOU first and they should be STABLE next -- the wearability is down the line in my view -- you must take care of your feet first.
Everybody should have a good pair of orthotics and there are many good brands OTC - you DO NOT need $600 orthotics from a podiatrist.
I had a ruptured tendon in my leg & foot from pickleball. I bought the New Balance 608's and they are super. They have four loops in the middle of the arch that secures the fit far better than any shoe I have had in my 81 years -- I bet that I have ten pairs of orthotics & my good friend in my podiatrist, so I kinda know. I will try to find you his list of court shoes. I do remember that AZICS were on the list.

[kb]

Have you tried legit basketball shoes? Like Kobes/Jordan/KDs? Low pro though, not high ankle ones.

[quidproquo]

did you link the video from The Pickleball Studio?

[Realty]

Well dang! Wish I saw this video a few days ago, because I would have looked for you at the PPA North Carolina Open. (I live in Charlotte) It was such a great experience for both playing and watching and it's pretty cool for me that you mentioned Yana Grechkina, because she impressed me the most with how hard she hits, despite her petite frame. I talked to her about that in a short interview I'll be posting soon on my Charlotte Pickleballers channel.

[zachcarmichael]

Best for your money is the Nike Air Precision 6. They're $60-70 new. Great traction and much lighter than typical court shoes.