Pickleball Shoes

Pickleball shoes are like a box of chocolates… “you never know what you are going to get.”

The best pickleball shoes are the ones that provide comfort and durability with minimal rubbing.

If you find that you are developing blisters or callouses then you might be in the wrong pair of shoes (see also ‘Best Men’s Pickleball Shoes‘).

In this articles I will discuss different types of pickleball shoes and how some players like me might prefer a lightweight minimalist shoe, where as players like my wife prefer a most supportive, rigid shoe.

I won’t say she is wrong… but 😜.

Movement on the pickleball court requires short quick bursts of speed, lateral cutting agilities, and quick stops.

A shoe that is too wide or too loose may result in an unstable connection between your foot and the court surface.

Here are 5 tips for picking the best pickleball shoes in 2022.

Tip #1 – Pick a shoe that is wide enough for your foot but not too wide.

These ASICS Men’s Gel-RENMA Pickleball Shoes have been great. I purchased a pair of these for my son’s indoor volleyball season then when he outgrew them I adopted them for running pickleball footwork drills and practicing on the court.

Tip #2 – Pick a shoe that has the right grip for your playing surface.

We usually think of playing pickleball on an outdoor court, but some people may be playing indoors. 

For those that do play outdoors, there are different outdoor conditions. Some parts of the country experience a lot of rain and may have wet courts where as more dry, airid parts of the country will have hot court surfaces.

Every athletic shoe will have optimal performance standards on different surfaces so consider the playing surface when buying your next pair of pickleball shoes.

* Photo from Pickleball Forum Facebook Group

Tip #3 – Find a shoe that is priced right for your budget.

These shoes are lower cost and easier for some players to replace. Check the current pricing on Amazon but these shoes were under $50 when I last checked. 

I would rather a player buy cheaper shoes that are replaced two or three times a year than a $250 pair of shoes that are worn for 5 years.

Tip #4 – When you find the right fit, stock up!

Occasionally you will hit the jackpot and find the perfect shoe. Since lightening doesn’t often strike twice, you might want to stock pile your perfect shoe and buy two or three pairs.

I have been known to clear the shelf for all size 9.5 men’s shoe of a certain model.

Skechers Go Train Arch Fit Viper Court – Pickleball Black/Gold 9 D

* This is a handy review of the Skechers Go Train Arch Fit Viper Court – Pickleball Shoe

Tip #5 – Let your old shoes choose your new shoes.

Look at the photo below. This photo comes from the Pickleball Forum Facebook group. You can see the wear patterns on the two different shoes.

There isn’t much information to glean without knowing anything about the pickleball player who wore these shoes, but it is reasonable to assume the person who wore the white shoe spent more time in a forefoot position, whereas the blue shoe owner spent a bit more time on the heels and lateral edge of the shoe.

Pickleball Shoe Accessories

(Moisture Wicking Socks)

My favorite socks for playing pickleball in hot and humid weather are these Dickies Men’s Dri-tech Moisture Control Crew Socks Multipack, Black (6 Pairs), Shoe Size: 6-12.

I actually wear these for work as well.

Take a look at what I found in the Pickleball Forum Facebook Community on the topic of Pickleball Shoes