Best Shoes for Pickleball

Wearing the right shoes for the game of Pickleball is not just a good idea but extremely necessary.

When you wear improper footwear, Pickleball holds injuries such as rolled ankles, ruptured Achilles tendons, pulled hamstrings, strains, sprains, and many more. That is why you need the best shoes for Pickleball for your protection and comfort.



What Makes an Effective Pickleball Shoe

Instead of grabbing a pair of athletic shoes, When you wear improper footwear, Pickleball holds injuries such as rolled ankles, ruptured Achilles tendons, pulled hamstrings, strains, sprains, and many more consider the forward, backward, and lateral movement required on the Pickleball field.

Walking shoes, running shoes, and even Cross Training shoes ate too little for playing Pickleball; they need more essential features for the movements involved with this game.

The Best shoe type for Pickleball is a COURT SHOE or a TENNIS Shoe, which offers good comfort, grip, and ankle support and has a rubber sole with patterns conducive to fast lateral movements.

The general rule of thumb is to replace your Pickleball shoes after 3 to 4 months of regular playing, or around 60 hours.


Pickleball Shoe Types for Different Courts

The Type of Pickleball shoe that you may need vastly depends on the type of court that you will be playing on, and they will differ for men and women;

  • Men on Indoor Wood or Composite Gym Floors – A Court, Volleyball, or even indoor Tennis shoe is ideal for men playing indoor Pickleball on a composite, wood, or gym floor type.
  • Men on Outdoor or Hard Gritty Surfaces – It is best to opt for a proper outdoor or Tennis Court Shoe on a Hard, Gritty, or even an outdoor surface type.
  • Women Indoor Wood or Composite Gym Floors – A court, Volleyball, or Tennis shoe designed for indoor courts are ideal for women’s floor types; a gum rubber sole is also advised.
  • Hard and Gritty Indoor or Outdoor Floors – Women’s tennis court and outdoor shoe types are your best options with the right support for quick lateral, forward, and backward movements.

Features of a Good Shoe for Pickleball

  • Uppers – Mesh and synthetic uppers offer a lightweight and secure fit. Abrasion-resistant mid and toe wraps or reinforcements.
  • Outsole – A durable rubber and abrasion-resistant outsole with a good grip.
  • Cushioning is cushioning in the insole and midsole for shock absorbency.
  • Heel – A secure heel lock system or design.

Reviews: The Best Shoes for Pickleball

Below you will see some of the most sought-after shoe brands and models that are perfect for Pickleball;


1

Shoes for Pickleball

The Adidas Barricade is a tough and comfortable shoe ideal for Pickleball.
  • Synthetic and mesh uppers are lightweight and breathable.
  • The Abrasion-resistant Adituff materials wrap around the toe and medial forefoot for protection against drag and lateral movements.
  • There is a 360-degree TPU support foil in key abrasion areas for stability and synthetic overlays for support.
  • A hard-wearing AdiWear rubber outsole.
  • This shoe is also available in many color selections.

2

Pickleball Shoes

From Asics, we have their Popular and high in demand Gel-resolution 7.
  • Flexion Fit fabric uppers with a form-fitting and breathable design.
  • Rearfoot and Forefoot GEL cushioning for shock attenuation.
  • A Solyte Midsole and SpEVA midsole that is more lightweight and cushioning.
  • The Trusstic System reduces the sole unit’s weight and retains structural integrity.
  • There is also a PGuard Toe protector.
  • This shoe has availability in many color options to choose from.

3

Shoes for Pickleball

The Price T22 is another widely sought-after shoe, perfect for Pickleball and other similar sports.
  • Breathable and lightweight synthetic and mesh uppers.
  • A 4Foot wrap for a glove-like fit that locks the feet into place.
  • The wishbone shank ensures excellent midfoot stability.
  • There is also a PRC 1000 outsole for unmatched durability.

4

Shoes for Pickleball

The Adidas Gamecourt is a breathable, lightweight Tennis shoe ideal for Pickleball.
  • Soft and breathable textile, synthetic uppers that offer a regular comfortable fit.
  • Inside is a Cloudfoam cushioned and shock absorbing Midsole.
  • Adituff abrasion-resistant toe area and an Adiwear outsole for supreme durability and abrasion resistance on the court.
  • Available in three neutral color selections.

5

Shoes for Pickleball

This New Balance model has also proven to be a superb choice in Pickleball shoes.
  • The upper consists of durable and lightweight leather and synthetic materials.
  • There is a comfortable and cushioned removable insole and an EVA cushioned midsole for shock absorbency.
  • The thick and durable rubber outsole offers excellent traction and high abrasion resistance.
  • Some color selections are available to choose from.

6

Shoes for Pickleball

The BigShot Light 3 from K-Swiss is another top brand with its latest Pickleball shoes.
  • Synthetic leather and textile upper that is breathable, lightweight, and durable.
  • There is a CMEVA lightweight cushioned insole and midsole for shock absorbency and comfort.
  • The collar is lined with textile material and offers a secure fit.
  • A durable and non-marking rubber outsole ensures good abrasion resistance and traction.
  • Many color options are available to choose from.

7

Shoes for Pickleball

The K-Swiss Express light Pickleball shoes are very lightweight and comfortable.
  • The K-EVA EVA midsole provides durable cushioning.
  • Inside is an Ortholite sockliner for moisture management and cushioning,
  • The Heel grip lining prevents heel slippage.
  • There is a 180 PSC Plantar support chassis for mid-foot stability.

8

Pickleball Shoe

The Adidas Grand Court range comes in many fashionable colors and a design perfect for pickleball.
  • They are synthetic shoes available in many more colors.
  • The design is more grounded with a low profile and lug rubber outsole.
  • The uppers are leather with a regular fit design.
  • Inside is a padded insole.

9

Shoe for Pickleball

The Wilson Rush Pro 2.5 is designed specifically for Pickleball.
  • They have a high grip and durable rubber outsole.
  • The sensifeel features are minimally layered for comfort in the uppers.
  • They have a shallow heel-to-toe drop for better ground feel.
  • The Endofit design is more secure and comfortable.
  • There is a red or blue color available.

10

Shoe for Pickleball

The Asics Gel Rocket 10 shoe is designed for volleyball but works well for pickleball.
  • They are available in more colors and size options.
  • The shoe is a volleyball design also ideal for pickleball.
  • They have a breathable mesh lining and an EVA midsole.
  • There is a Trusstic system for support and a durable gum rubber outsole.
  • The tongue and collar are foam-padded for comfort.

Index Table: Top Rated Shoes for Pickleball

No.ShoeMen ♂Women ♀FeaturesBrandScore
1Adidas® - Shoes for Pickleball Barricade Barricade
  • Adiwear Outsole
  • Abrasion-Resistant
  • Breathable
Adidas98.4
2Asics® - Pickleball Shoes Gel-Resolution 8 Gel-Resolution 8
  • SpEVA Midsole
  • Trusstic System
  • PGuard Toe Protector
Asics98
3Prince® - Shoes for Pickleball T22 T22
  • 4Foot Wrap
  • Wishbone Shank
Prince97
4Adidas® - Shoes for Pickleball Gamecourt Gamecourt
  • Breathable
  • Lightweight
  • Adiwear Outsole
Adidas97
5New Balance® - Shoes for Pickleball 696V3 696V3
  • breathable
  • Rubber Sole
  • Durable
New Balance95
6K-Swiss® - Shoes for Pickleball BigShot Light 3 BigShot Light 3
  • CMEVA Midsole and Sockliner
  • Textile Lining
  • Non-Marking Rubber Sole
K-Swiss96
7K-Swiss® - Shoes for Pickleball Express Light Express Light
  • EVA Cushioning
  • Heel Grip Lining
  • Ortholite Sockliner
K-Swiss97.2
8Adidas® - Pickleball Shoe Grand Court Grand Court
  • Regular Fit
  • Padded Insole
  • Leather
  • Rubber Sole
Adidas97
9Wilson® - Shoe for Pickleball Rush pro 2.5 Rush Pro 2.5
  • Sensifeel Layers
  • Low Ground Feel
  • Breathable
Wilson97.4
10Asics® - Shoe for Pickleball Gel Rocket 10 Gel Rocket 10
  • Breathable
  • Foam padded Collar and Tongue
  • EVA Midsole
  • Gel Cushioning
Asics97.3


About the Author

David Alegeta

David is a long-distance hiker, a writer and an editor whose favorite topics include backpacking and trail running. He is an adventure athlete who covered over 20,000 miles. He frequently speaks to groups about the benefits of proper footwear and has written numerous articles on this subject. He lives in Dallas, Texas with his family.