We have experience with several of the top pickleball shoes on the market and wanted to share our experience so you can make an informed decision.
We took measurements such as mass, toebox width, and overall length to provide some objective data. You’ll also find costs at time of purchase and current costs in the charts below.
We also informed our decision based on extensive experience with each shoe. Between Jett and I we own, 5 pairs of Adidas Barricades, 3 Babolat Propulse Fury 3, 2 Babolat SFX, amoung others. So if your looking for pickleball shoes for a big and tall guy with slightly wide feet, or an up and coming junior, you’ll find the perfect shoe for you in our testing.
How responsive is the shoe on the court? Can you cut hard laterally with little movement of your foot inside? How secure is the lacing system? Do the soles offer good traction?
This one is pretty subjective, but we try our best to buy shoes we think look cool and have color schemes that are easy to compliment.
Here we take into account the price of the shoe, the quality, and durability. Sole warranty is a subset of Value that plays a role in our rating. How durable are the shoes. Are the shoes easy to clean or do they get dirty very quickly?
You want the shoe to fit your foot well and provide sufficient cushioning. Manufacturers make trade offs between comfort and performance, but at the high end, some shoes do both well.
I moved from the Adidas Barricade (2024) model to the Asics Gel Revolution 9e due to ongoing heel pain. I felt the Barricades were a little firm.
These shoes are extremely comfortable yet perform very well. These are my daily pickleball shoes.
| Looks | ★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★ |
| Comfort | ★★★★★ |
Both of us have had a pair of the Babolat SFX shoes. These are a comfortable shoe that are very breathable for warm conditions.
The best way to describe them is comfortable. They’re pretty light on the foot, and require no break-in. The soles don’t last as long as the more expensive shoes, but these are great for casual players that want a great shoe.
| Looks | ★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★★ |
| Comfort | ★★★★ |
This shoe is amazing in the way it fits your foot. The lacing system doesn’t require “heel lock” configuration to feel snug on your foot.
They look amazing and are available in various colors.
If you need performance at all costs, this is the shoe for you.
| Looks | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★★★ |
| Value | ★★ |
| Comfort | ★★★ |
The most important measurement after your shoe size is your width.
The lengths are pretty standardized, but we see wild variations in width. If the toe-box is too small, your foot will get pinched and be uncomfortable. Too-wide and your foot slides around resulting in loss of responsiveness and potentailly blisters.
*Based on our experience of browsing multiple sites listing toebox width and trying out numerous brands and models.
Find your favorite pair of comfortable but snug sneakers. Pop out the insole and measure the width in millimeters at the widest part towards your toes. Next, take that number and find your size on the following chart. Line up your width in mm with the size and you’ll know what kind of shoe your need to look for.
So for me, I’m a size 13, and my comfort width is 100-103 mm. This lines up with the red line on the chart, a generous medium.
Suppose you’re a size 10, and your comfort width is 91 mm, you’d be near the yellow line, so you want to find shoes that are medium width.
If you’re a size 12 and your comfort width is 93, you’d want to find shoes listed as narrow.
If you need a truly wide shoe, we’d recommend looking into K-Swiss, New Balance, or Sketchers. None of the shoes we tested are true Wide sizes. Even the Asics Gel Revolution 9 Wide 2E are very similar to medium width shoes from Adidas and Babolat.
The cushioning of the Asics is amazing. It’s not so squishy as to feel sloppy and my heel and back feel much better after switching to this shoe.
The lacing system is not quite as advanced compared to the Barricade line, but if you use “heel-lock” lacing, they fit perfect. I did have to order longer laces as the stock ones made it very difficult to tie in a heel-lock configuration.
The shoes look cool in white with blue and orange accents, but that was the only colorway I could find for this model. I wish they had a version in red or black so it would match other outfits I own.
These shoes are at the high end of the spectrum and I paid $149 for my pair. I couldn’t find a comparable model in a prior year.
I purchased these shoes through Tennis Point and they come with a 6 month sole warranty from the distributor, not the manufacturer.
Honestly these shoes are built to last, I can’t see myself degrading the soles to the point of a warranty claim.
As mentioned, these shoes have the perfect amount of cushioning for my feet. The lacing system is good and the outer material seems to be quite durable. These shoes aren’t as breathable as some of the mesh shoes, but so far I haven’t had an issue even in temp 100+ in Arizona.
These shoes are listed as a 2E Wide shoe. My foot is typically a “generous medium” and I wear Adidas in standard width with no problem. If you’re searching for a true wide shoe, I’d suggest checking out K-Swiss or New Balance.
| Looks | ★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★ |
| Comfort | ★★★★★ |
If you have joint issues or are heavier, these shoes offer superior cushioning while maintaining great peformance. They are a little heavy, but also very well built, which is reflected in the price.
We have 3 Adidas Barricades in our testings. Two pairs are the ones from 2022 with white with black and orange. The other pair is the Blue and white 2023 model that released at the US Open last year. Jett also has a new pair of Barricade 13s but these were unavailable for testing at time of writing (he’s on a trip!)
These are great shoes, and would be my go-to shoe for tournament play. They are ultra responsive. The lacing system is hands down the best of the bunch. While there is no option for a heel-lock setup, these don’t need it. The tongue litterally hugs down onto your foot. This is much improved from the previous model.
The soles are slightly firm, so for day to day rec play, I prefer more cushioning. But when every ounce of performance matters, these are my go to shoe.
I love the look of these shoes. They come in so many color options, you can find a pair to match your tastes. The lacing system is novel, and some people are put off by that, but once you try them on and lace them up, you’ll be a believer!
These shoes hold up quite well. I still have both pairs in good condition. Jett has only blown through one of his three pairs and that pair had 100s of hours of drilling, private instruction, tournament and rec play on them. While these don’t come with a warranty, I’ve never had an issue wear wise. I would expect them to last up to a year of normal play.
If you like a white shoe the old model holds its color very well. Just wipe it down and they look new.
If budget is an issue, you can still get the outgoing model at a significant discount. Just keep an eye on promo codes, sales, and Ebay.
None of our shoes came with a sole warranty, as we got them either direct from Adidas, Amazon, or Ebay. If you buy through a major distributor like Tennis Point, Tennis Warehouse, or Pickleball Central, you can get the same 6 month warranty you’ll see on other shoes. Even Jett couldn’t wear through any of his pairs before the warranty expired, so you should be good for a year at least!
The new model Barricade has a more breathable upper that doesn’t require any break-in. You can play with these shoe comfortably right out of the box.
The other issue Adidas fixed was the tongue pinching up at the front of the toebox, as well as the rough texture on the tongue where it contacts the top of the foot.
As we mentioned, the lacing system is where this shoe stands out. It’s hard to explain, but it feels like the shoe is an extension of your foot, like they’re designed for each other.
Our only gripe is that the soles are slightly firm, but there’s a trade off between comfort and performance, and in this case, Adidas chose performance. If you’re a heavier player, or have joint/back issues, you can make these work with custom insoles.
If you want top tier performance with the best lacing system, try the Adidas Barricade. While the newest model year goes for a price premium, we’ve found older models on Ebay and Amazon for steep discounts.
We’ve both gone through a few pairs of Babolat tennis shoes. The Propulse Fury 3 is a tank of a shoe.
I tried really hard to get a good fit with these shoes, but the lacing system isn’t as good as the Barricades’. Jett loves them though. He could play in flip flops for that matter.
I need a little more support and feedback.
These shoes are gorgeous. I called them the Bentley of tennis shoes when received my first pair. The color and styling is just so clean.
I only bought the one pair for me, but Jett is on his second pair and wears them all the time, even in tournaments.
These shoes are expensive, but built to last. Featuring a Michelin outsole you feel confident that you’ll have good traction for a long time. The upper is synthetic with extra material on common wear spots.
Just know that the white shoes will eventually get dirty even if you stain proof them. The Grey/Aero model will stay looking new longer.
These shoes came with a 6 month sole warranty from Tennis Express. You would have to put a lot of hard hours on these shoes to take advantage of that warranty. If I had to put one shoe up for longest lasting sole, this would probably be it.
Jett and I have differing opinions on this shoe. He loves it. I tired hard to love it but I couldn’t get the lacing system to work. I like a snug fit and the Adidas and Asic shoes just fit my foot better. Jett ties his shoes probably once a week and then just slips his on, so maybe that’s part of the appeal? Overall they’re pretty comfy, with medium cushioning, but not a comfy as the SFX3 or Asics.
| Looks | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★ |
| Value | ★★★ |
| Comfort | ★★★★ |
If you don’t mind not being able to snug your laces down tight, these shoes are absolutely gorgeous. The White and Estate blue model gets dirty easily and doesn’t clean well. The Grey/Aero model just aren’t as attractive.
These are great shoes, but the fit is a little less responsive than the Barricade or Asic shoes. The lacing system is great but the upper doesn’t have the same rigidity of performance oriented shoes. If you are a recreational player, these shoes are perfect, especially on hot days.
The SFX is a good looking shoe as well, though not as premium as the Propulse. Babolat offers good colorways. I would recommend the black and poppy red, as the blue and white shoes get dirty easy and do not clean up very well.
For under a hundred bucks this shoe is a deal. You get the Babolat quality coupled with a Michelin sole. Really hard to beat this shoe on value.
These shoes also feature Michelin soles witha 6 month warranty, but they seem to wear a little faster.
The Babolat SFX shoes are much more comfortable than the Propulse Fury 3 model. The upper is very breathable and makes for a great hot weather shoe. Since the upper is a light mesh, no break-in period is required.
I feel like these have a little more cushioning than the Propulse Fury 3, and slightly less than the Asics Gel Revolution 9 shoes. They make for a great comfort shoe and for rec play.
I don’t feel like they are made to stand up to rigorous tournament play, but are great for casual players.
These are a very affordable shoe for the quality. As a result, the Babolot SFX won our Best Value Performer Award!
| Looks | ★★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★★ |
| Comfort | ★★★★ |
If you’re a casual rec player, or just want a pair of comfortable shoes for training days, this shoe is perfect. While it won’t last as long as the more expensive options, it’s just very comfortable all around and looks pretty good.
While this shoe is well constructed, it just didn’t fit my foot right. The toebox width was perfect, but the height of the toebox was too high. This left a lot of slop in the shoe.
I’m sure these shoes are decent if you can get them to fit your foot. The sole looks hardy and the upper construction looks like it will last.
Due to the slop in the toe box, I simply couldn’t get these to fit my foot. They might work if you’re playing in very cold conditions with heavy socks on, but as I live in Arizona, this is not a likely scenario.
The shoe itself looks cool, but the only colorway for the “Tyler” Signature shoe is orange. Really bright orange. They call a lot of attention to you. Much of it condescending “OMG! Your shoes are so… ORANGE!” This interaction gets old after awhile. This colorway is really hard if you like your outfits to match. Unless you have a lot of Hazard Orange in your wardrobe.
These shoes are very expensive for the quality. I’d only recommend if you have experience with their shoes. Also Tyler Loong is no longer with Acacia, so these shoes will probably be discontinued.
These shoes do not come with a sole warranty from Acacia. They are also not listed as warranty approved on TennisExpress.com or TennisPoint.com. They do have a 30 day return policy on Acacia’s website, but the shoes have to be unused. You can basically try them on, but you can’t play in them.
The sole feels pretty firm in these shoes and the upper is not very forgiving. The tongue is annoying as well, as it pinches up towards the front of the foot.
Overall this shoe just felt like it was a good first try, but not the quality of the major brands like Adidas, Asics, and Babolat. Acacia has updated the ProShot line since these were released, so hopefully they fixed the issues with this model.
| Looks | ★★★ |
| Performance | ★★★ |
| Value | ★★★ |
| Comfort | ★★ |
These shoes are close to being good, but feel like a good first attempt. Just not up to the quality standards of Asics, Adidas, or Babolat yet.
We looked up our orders to find the cost at the time of purchase including shipping if applicable. We also tried to find current deals on each shoe because usually once they’re released you can get a good deal after a few months.
We simply measured each shoe using a scale that is accurate to 1 gram. Chart shows the average mass of the pair of shoes.
We can see that the Asics are significantly heavier than the other shoes in the lineup. The other notable stat (not graphed) was in every case the right shoe weighed less than the left shoe. This is because we are both right handed and drag our right foot when we hit forehands. This leads to more wear on the inside of the right shoe near the big toe.
Also the size 8s show a big discrepancy in mass, but that is because the Red and Blue pair are worn down to the point there are holes in the soles. The Grey/Aero pair are basically new with very little wear on them.
For width, we used our digital calipers to take a reading at the widest point of the toebox on both the insole (inserts) and the outsole (pictured below).
Both of us have slightly wide feet, so we look for those labeled “generous medium” or “slightly wide.”
For length we used a yard stick accurate to an eighth of an inch. The length measurements aren’t really interesting as both right and left shoes were near identical for every pair. And all sizes were within an 1/8th of an inch of each other.
This one is pretty simple. We placed a bottle cap on top of the scale so the ball wouldn’t roll around. We then zeroed the scale and took the measurement in grams.
We used our digital calipers to get a reading on the widest part of the shoe’s toebox. We used millimeters (mm) because most of the sites listing toebox width are in mm.
There’s a lot of problems with toe-box width measurements. As we can see from identical shoes of different sizes, it varies greatly based on what size of shoe you buy.
If I measure my feet with a digital caliper, they are around 110mm. But shoes that fit me are listed as 102mm toebox. This matches up to the width of the insole (100 – 103mm).
Looking at our measurements, the shoes that fit me the best have a toebox with over 115mm. This makes sense as this allows a few mm on each side for the upper material and sole overhang.
To measure length we simply placed them on our metal yard stick and measured heel to toe down to the 1/8 of an inch. This measurement didn’t provide much insight as all the shoes were nearly identical across the pair and the entire set of shoes.
We would love to cut the shoes in half to get accurate measurements on the sole thickness. It would also be cool to look at the shoe construction. Maybe next year!
We’d love to test more brands and sizes, but for now we can only afford to test shoes that fit us and our playstyle.
We’d love to come up with a standardized test to approcimate sole durability. This would require a repeatable test that exposes each shoe to the exact same regimen. At this time, we don’t have the resources to incorporate such a methodology.
Measurement | Product | Image |
Mass | ||
Diameter | Jivarry model Kachi*steel452 Precise Digital Caliper Specifications Measuring range: 0-150 mm / 0-6 in Resolution: 0.01 mm/0.0005” Accuracy: ±0.02 mm/0.001” | |
Yardstick | Ace Hardware Steel Yardstick | Looks like a big ruler made of steel! |