Before we dive into the details of what makes the perfect pickleball shoe, I’m thrilled to share that Glamour recently featured me in their article on the Best Pickleball Shoes for Women! It’s an honor to be recognized alongside other top coaches and athletes. You can check out the full article and see why I recommend the Tyrol Drive V as the Best Pickleball Shoe for Women here.
In a recent video, we addressed a question that Tony and I get asked all the time: “What is the right shoe for pickleball?” When it comes to our games, we both wear shoes designed specifically for pickleball.You might logically ask, “What makes a shoe specific to pickleball?” Allow me to explain the difference between a court shoe you might use for pickleball and a true pickleball shoe.
A Court Shoe for Pickleball vs. a Pickleball Shoe
Let’s look at the similarities and differences between two high-quality shoes.
The first is an ASICS shoe designed for tennis. It’s an excellent court shoe and is well-designed for tennis.
The second is a Tyrol pickleball shoe that has been designed specifically for our sport.
Let’s start with the similarities.
Both of these shoes feature high-quality construction. The upper, tongue, lacing, and other components are top-notch in both the ASICS tennis shoe and the Tyrol pickleball shoe.
The soles are also well-made, providing solid stability for lateral movements—crucial in any court sport.
What’s different about the Tyrol Pickleball Shoes?
Kevin and the team at Tyrol Pickleball designed the pickleball shoe around the movement we experience when we play pickleball.
A tennis court is much larger than a pickleball court and players cover longer distances with bigger steps.
Because the pickleball court is smaller, the movements are shorter and quicker. This difference in kinetic energy is what Tyrol has focused on in their design.
One specific difference is in the heel design.
If you put your finger in the heel of the ASICS shoe and pull it back (like I do in the video), it feels pretty flat, and then it curves up at the back where you have the end of the heel.
On the Tyrol pickleball shoe, when you pull your finger across it like I do in the video, you actually find a little bit of depression in the back. You can then feel a more pronounced heel movement up, a rise in the back where it goes
down, and then up again.
This part of the shoe is designed to cradle your heel. Your heel sits farther back and farther down in this shoe than it does in a shoe designed for tennis. That piece pulls your heel back and down and provides additional protection for all the tendons and structures around the heel. That design is specific to the Tyrol pickleball shoe and is not included in the ASICS tennis shoe.
Ok, But Can I Play Pickleball in a Court or Tennis Shoe?
Now, that’s not to say you cannot play pickleball in a tennis shoe. You can; there’s nothing technically wrong with that. However, understand that these shoes were not specifically designed for the movement that happens on a pickleball court; they were designed for tennis movement.
One last piece of advice, be on the lookout for “pickleball” shoes offered by tennis shoe companies. Many of these are tennis shoes re-labeled for and marketed to pickleball players. They are not shoes specifically designed for pickleball. That’s not to say they’re all like that. My expectation is that tennis shoe companies will adapt and they’ll start designing the right shoes for pickleball.
Today, the only shoe designed specifically for pickleball by a company that exclusively makes pickleball shoes is the Tyrol pickleball shoe. Tony and I have decided to wear a shoe specifically designed for the sport we’re playing, so we don’t have to wonder whether the shoes we’re wearing are right for the sport.
Save 10% on the Right Shoe for Pickleball!
Just like I did in the last video, I’m going to put a code below. If you’re interested in checking out Tyrol shoes, use this link and code. It gives you a discount and also helps support this channel, our podcast, and all our other efforts to help grow and strengthen pickleball.
USE THIS LINK AND THE CODE BP10 TO SAVE 10% ON TYROL PICKLEBALL SHOES!
If you’re happy with your tennis shoes, don’t stress about it. But if you’re looking for the best shoes specifically for pickleball, we recommend Tyrol for both men and women.
CJ Johnson
Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)