Ah, pickleball. If you’re a fan of racquet sports, the mere mention of “dinky shots” might be enough to make you smile. But it also means a bad game or injury can quickly ruin the mood. Whether you’re an avid pickleball player or an enthusiastic beginner, a good pair of pickleball shoes can make a huge difference in preventing injuries and helping you move around the court with ease. Just take it from a pickleball pro.
“I saw a lot of people getting hurt, [and] “Most injuries can be attributed to players underestimating the importance of wearing proper court shoes,” says Laura Gainor, founder of Vossberg Gainor, the world’s first pickleball marketing agency. If you’re not sure Does your sneaker fit the bill? We talked to pickleball pros, coaches, and enthusiasts to find out what makes a good pair of pickleball shoes.
We compiled their recommendations and sifted through many more reviews to create the ultimate list of the best pickleball shoes based on factors like comfort, style, affordability, and durability. We’ve even added a few pairs of shoes from brands worn by professional pickleball player Parris Todd. Read on to learn which shoes you should wear on the court so you can play your strongest, most confident game yet.
What makes a good pair of pickleball shoes?
Look for a shoe that’s not too heavy and has an upper (the bottom of the shoe) that provides good long-term stability, says Alia Rieker, pickleball leader at Life Time Colorado Springs. Ideally, you want a shoe that can support lateral, forward, and backward movement.
What if you are a beginner? Nike global coach and pickleball enthusiast Betina Gozo Shimonek strongly rejected this. “The last thing you want to wear is something like a running shoe, which has a lot of support in the heel to allow you to move forward, but doesn’t have a ton of support to move side to side,” Shimonek says.
What about your typical cross-trainer? Rick, who has trained many newbies, says it’s okay to wear your favorite cross-training sneakers when you first hit the field because they typically provide more lateral support than running shoes. But she stresses caution and recommends that you ultimately invest in a pair of court-specific shoes that are better suited for pickleball. “To protect your toes, ankles, knees and hips, you should ultimately invest in a good pair of court shoes to support them on the pickleball court,” the coach explains. As the sport booms in the United States, more and more sneakers are being called pickleball sneakers, but other court sneakers, such as those designed for tennis or even indoor volleyball, are also good choices.
Another detail you shouldn’t overlook: the toes. Rick says you want to make sure your toes move freely in the shoe. “Do they have enough room to grab and hold, but also open and stretch?” she added. “If my little toe gets pinched, it affects the movement of my entire foot.” Rick recommends going to the store to try on some shoes and test the sneakers with some common pickleball moves. “Walk around the store, stop quickly, jump around — really get a feel for the shoes and see how happy or sad your feet feel in them,” she says. If you’re still not sure where to start, check out our list of the best pickleball shoes for some ideas.
