Choosing the right pickleball shoes is important to maximize grip and support on the court for less ankle injuries, blisters, and foot aches. The 850 plus picklers we interviewed said it’s Asics who makes the best pickleball shoes based on price, variety, grip, comfort, and style.
In this post, we reveal the top 6 best pickleball shoe brands based on the experience of beginner, intermediate, and advanced pickleball players. If you’re new to pickleball, keep reading to learn about different brands and how you choose the right shoes for you.
Table of Contents
Who Makes The Best Pickleball Shoes: Top 5 Brands
Our community overwhelmingly agreed that Asics make the best pickleball shoes, followed by K-Swiss, Skechers, New Balance, and Adidas. Although Acacia shoes received fewer votes, they received a lot of love from players who will purchase or want to purchase a pair of their pickleball footwear. The five brands our community are least likely to purchase are Puma, Prince, Lotto, On Cloud, and Hoka.
1. Asics – Best Overall Pickleball Shoe Brand
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent support | Fewer options for men |
| Lightweight designs | Not the widest toe boxes |
| Shock absorving foam |
Asics are the unicorns of pickleball shoes, because they cater to every player and price range, and the shoes are comfortable, supportive, and durable. It gives you everything you want in pickleball footwear, and over 24% of our community wears and loves Asics.
A doctor told us that his foot inflamation subsided when he started using the Asics Gel Renma Pickleball Shoes. The good doc explained that the EVA midsole and Gel technology were the defining features that increased the softness of cushioning and shock absorption on every step.
We agree with our community that Asics is tough to beat in the realm of pickleball shoes, but they aren’t perfect. The brand stocks fewer options for men compared to Skechers and the toe boxes of their footwear are better aligned with narrower feet. However, if you appreciate the luxury of exploring a variety of options before deciding, think about Asics.
2. K-Swiss – Best Pickleball Shoes For Ankle Support
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Outstanding support | Premium price tag |
| Wide toe box | |
| Excellent durability |
If it’s support, durability, and a wide toe box you are after, then K Swiss is your pickleball shoe soulmate. The wider front on their footwear coupled with their high arch support make them a dream for plantar fasciitis sufferers. A prime example of K-Swiss plantar support is found in the Express Light pickleball shoes.
Read More: K-Swiss Express Light Womens Pickleball Shoes Review
The support structure of K-Swiss shoes is incomparable largerly to their snug fit on the ankle, reducing injury risk during lateral movements. Court footwear from K-Swiss is also highly breathable and lightweight, which reduces foot fatigue and keeps your skin cool and dry during your match.
There is much to appreciate about K-Swiss pickleball shoes because they are comfy, durable, and provide excellent grip. However, these luxury features are priced at a premium and are best suited to intermediate or advanced pickleball players who can justify spending top dollar on shoes.
3. Skechers – Best Pickleball Shoes For Wide Feet
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Available in wide and extra wide sizes | Fewer options compared to Asics and Skechers |
| Optimized grip | |
| Incredibly comfortable, |
If you’ve got wide feet like me, then you’ll love the fit of Skechers pickleball shoes, especially the Viper Court pickleball shoes. Broad feet slip into Skechers shoes without trouble and they treat your feet to a podiatrist approved shape and a shock absorbing insole, which reduces swelling and bruising on the heel.
Pickleball shoes from Skechers are a pleasure to play in for hours on end thanks to their responsive cushioning. It makes you feel like you are walking on a cloud, despite the hard surface resting under your feet.
What’s not to love about Skechers pickleball kicks, they are comfortable, supportive and most importantly, wide. We also appreciate their superb Goodyear traction and spacious toe box, but they don’t offer the selection of shoes that Asics does.
4. New Balance – Best Durable Pickleball Shoes
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Outstanding durability | They mainly stock dual purpose tennis shoes |
| Excellent traction | Limited selection |
| Breathable |
The constant traction with the court causes pickleball shoes to wear out faster than a pair of sneakers, but New Balance prolongs the inevitable. They are the most durable pickleball shoes because of their robust rubber outsole and reinforced polyurethane, which resists wear and tear.
Comfort is on another level in New Balance shoes owing to its breathable upper design and cushioned foam. The shoes also stabilize and support the feet during lateral movements, lowering the risk of spraining your ankle or losing balance, excuse the pun.
Our team is a fan of New Balance because the shoes last longer than other pickleball footwear. They are also more breathable, stable, and high gripping than most of its peers. However, it is far from a perfect brand, because they have a slim selection of pickleball specific shoes. Instead, they offer the option of tennis shoes that serve your needs on the court.
5. Adidas – Best Outdoor Pickleball Shoes
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent grip for outdoor courts | Not many pickleball specific shoes |
| Superb ankle support | |
| Cushioned midsole |
Adidas are master shoe manufacturers, delivering comfortable, durable, and high gripping footwear for outdoor courts. An austere German design promotes exceptional breathability on the court, ideal for outdoor picklers from warmer states like Florida or Arizona.
The traction and support of Adidas shoes stood out as their core features. The rubber outsoles enhanced grip, while the arch and heel design contained my feet on lateral movements, offering exceptional all round support on harder outdoor surfaces.
While we praise the support, durability, and comfort of Adidas shoes, there are few pure pickleball options available. Like New Balance, they stock more tennis kicks which double as pickleball shoes. However, they stock a healthy selection of outdoor court shoes at competitive prices compared to other pickleball shoe brands.
Buying Guide: Pickleball Shoes
Playing Style: If you prefer playing from the baseline, you need sturdy shoes with optimized traction and support on rapid lunges. Think Asics or K-Swiss. However, volleyers are better suited to lightweight, agile shoes, like Babolat or Yonex, compatible with lateral movements.
Court Surface: Outdoor courts demand robust traction and a shock absorbing midsole like Adidas pickleball shoes. On the other hand, indoor picklers require light, flexible pickleball footwear, like K-Swiss.
Traction: Be sure to wear shoes with heaps of traction to keep you upright on lateral movements and lunges. Steer clear of smooth soles and instead, spend your hard-earned dollars on shoes with herringbone or multi-directional tread patterns.
Support: We recommend reducing the risk of ankle and knee injuries by using pickleball shoes with wider bases and reinforced midsoles. These features stabilize your heel and ankles during lateral movements, and they feature in most court or pickleball footwear.
Cushioning: You will likely spend 1 to 2 hours at a time playing pickleball, and desperately need soft, absorbing foam. The cushioning absorbs shocks and vibrations on impact, lowering the risk of heel and sole inflamation. It is tough to compete with Asics and K-Swiss for comfort on the pickleball court.
Breathability: If you spend hours on the pickleball court, your feet are bound to sweat and create discomfort. That is why you want breathable pickleball shoes with perforated uppers to encourage consistent airflow into the shoes to keep your feet cool, dry, and comfortable.
Durability: The quick turns and lunges in pickleball puts enormous stress onto high impact areas of the shoes. Although your shoes will eventually wear away, you can prolong the inevitable by looking for a reinforced toe box, heel, and outsole. In our experience, New Balance provides the most durable pickleball shoes.
How Do You Know Your Pickleball Shoe Size
- Sit Down To measure
- Place Foot On A Piece Of Paper
- Measure Length with a tape measure
- Measure Width with a measuring tape
- Measure Foot Girth with a measuring tape
- Check your measurements on the table below.
Verdict On Who Makes The Best Pickleball Shoes
The feedback from our community varied on the matter, but in the end, they decided its Asics who makes the best pickleball shoes. They are unmatched in their selection and the shoes soften each step with their cloud like shock absorbing foam. Asics manages to enhance support for lateral movements without reducing comfort.
If you like quality and a reasonable price, have a look at what Asics has to offer.
FAQ
1. What Shoes Are Best For Pickleball
There’s no “one size fits all” answer. It depends on your playing style, court type, and personal preferences, but one constant is high-traction herringbone or multi-directional tread. Consider stable, durable shoes for baseline play, and flexible, agile footwear for volleying and traction for specific courts.
2. Which Pickleball Shoes Last The Longest
Durability depends on factors like how often you play, court type, and your playing style. More wear leads to faster tread wear and potential upper tears. Durable shoes often have reinforced high-contact areas like the sole and toe box. Based on the subjective feedback from our 1000+ member community, brands like New Balance, ASICS, K-Swiss, and others offer durable options with reinforced areas.
3. Are Hoka Bondi 8 Good For Pickleball
No, Hoka Bondi 8 are a poor choice for pickleball due to their design for road running. Their outsoles wear away quickly due to the demands of pickleball, including quick changes in direction and side-to-side shuffling. While they offer some support, it’s not the type needed for pickleball’s specific movements.
READ MORE REVIEWS: An Honest Review Of The Best Court Pickleball Shoes: 2024 Edition
