The USA Pickleball Association governs all the rules surrounding pickleball equipment and maintains lists of approved paddles and balls. They do not have any such lists for footwear, however, some individual places, particularly indoor clubs require footwear to have soles that are non-marking.

Shoe Weight

Broadly speaking, footwear for tennis falls into two categories: heavy and light. Outdoor court shoes, in particular are likely to be in the heavy category as they need to be able to handle the abrasive surfaces often found there.

Indoor court shoes tend to have lighter shoe weight as they are ideal for surfaces that are less abrasive. If you are going to use a tennis court shoe for pickleball, you will probably want a lighter model to enhance footwork in the short bursts needed for pickleball. In general, however, footwear for tennis will be heavier.

Good Shoes for Toes

The other major difference is in the toe. For tennis, you will often see a built-up rubber sole to protect toes that often dragged during a tennis serve. This is not needed for a pickleball shoe.

Best Outdoor Pickleball Shoes

If you will play the majority of your pickleball outside, you should focus on getting a shoe designed to deal with those surfaces. A pickleball court outside needs to be able to withstand the elements and as a result they are often durable but abrasive asphalt or concrete.

Outsoles

Outdoor pickleball shoes have aggressive tread patterns and often utilize synthetic materials for the outsole in order to achieve superior traction. Hard court surfaces can be used for both indoor and outdoor pickleball courts so finding the right combination of a lighter shoe weight with a strong upper to provide lateral stability is a winning combination for outdoor pickleball shoes.

Indoor Pickleball Shoes

Pickleball players who prefer to play indoors really should focus on finding footwear with great stability. Indoor pickleball shoes for women and men can be really light as the court itself is likely to provide much of the grip.

Breathable Uppers

Indoor shoes often utilize breathable mesh to reduce weight. Mesh can also be used for outdoor footwear to keep feet as cool as possible. High quality brands will make sure mesh is durable and provides the crucial lateral support so important to pickleball players.

Best Pickleball Shoes for Women

Of course, the shoe size is just the beginning of picking the best pickleball shoes. Women's pickleball shoes should fit firmly without pinching at the heel or toe.

Ideal Shoe for Men

Again, getting the shoe size right is important, but men who carry a bit more weight need great support for both indoor use and outdoor play. Men who play other sports will sometimes need extra arch support or extra room for arch supporting inserts. Some need mens wide pickleball shoes to make their feet happy.

What are the Best Brands in a Pickleball Shoe?

While there are many excellent brands for pickleball, Asics, Head and Wilson are among the leaders in this rapidly expanding category.

Shop for the Best

Pickleball-paddles.com is proud to carry the best pickleball paddles for every player from beginner to expert. There are choices with graphite or fiberglass composite and even carbon fiber.

If you need balls or a portable net, we have what you need. Accessories like hats are in great supply.

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