Court shoes are essential to any court sport.
They provide optimal traction, support, and stability that other types of shoes don’t, and that performance is as important in pickleball as it is in tennis, squash, badminton, or padel.
I’m going to list off a number of great options today, but beyond just the shoes on this list, the most important thing is to remember if you are playing a court sport, you must wear a pair of court shoes. It’s not just for performance — it’s also for safety — and we would hate to see anyone have to cut their session or even season short because of an avoidable injury.
Now, because pickleball has grown so quickly, demand for more pickleball-specific court shoes has also gone up. Today, we have dedicated pickleball models from brands like Babolat, New Balance, and Head, but we also see certain models that were once designed for tennis adapting to the needs of pickleballers.
Pickleball is played on a smaller court than tennis, so long lateral movement is less common, and there is a much bigger emphasis on quick, nimble footwork. Because of that, pickleballers tend to prefer lighter shoes, more comfortable shoes, but also shoes that last a long time. It’s quite common to stay on court for hours on end, and games themselves can also last a pretty long time, which is why durability is so important.
Of course, because pickleball movement is less aggressive, the shoes don’t need to be as reinforced as tennis shoes, so brands are given a bit more freedom to find that perfect blend of weight and durability.
Initially, I wanted to highlight the top 5 best pickleball shoes for 2025 to remain consistent with most of our other top 5s, but there are so many good options right now that I had to expand it to a top 6. Let’s get into it!
6. Yonex Sonicage 4
We start off strong with the Yonex Sonicage 4, a shoe that just recently came out and is yet another hit from the Japanese brand. The Sonicage has historically been Yonex’s “takedown” shoe — a little sibling to their flagship Eclipsion, if you will. While its price is certainly lower than the Eclipsion, its performance is so different that it’s really not all that comparable. I look at it more as a shoe that sits alongside the Eclipsion and is actually much more adapted to the needs of pickleballers.
For one, the Sonicage 4 is feather-light, only 315 grams, which is almost 100 grams lighter than the industry average. That low weight is exceptional, giving players an almost barefoot feel on foot, and it makes you feel like you can get to any ball at any time.
It’s also remarkably comfortable. It features a mostly mesh upper with quite a roomy toe box and tall cut in the instep. There are also zero pressure points in the heel, but because the cut back there is quite tall, you still feel very locked in. It also comes in several widths, so if you don’t fit in the already wide upper, you can go for something wider. Of course, because the upper is made from mostly mesh, it’s very breathable as well for those long, hot summer days on court.
There are a couple of reasons the Sonicage doesn’t come in higher than sixth. For one, if you crave that super close-to-the-foot, zip-locked fit, this won’t give you that. To create such a comfortable pair of shoes, they have sacrificed a bit of performance and they’ve also kept the cushioning to a minimum. Those of you who like a lot of ground feel may actually appreciate this, but if you do want a bit more padding, you may want to look at something else.
Yonex Sonicage 4 All-Court
women's
5. New Balance 996 V6
The New Balance 996 V6 is another shoe, like the Sonicage, that is extremely comfortable, and also very personalizable thanks to its variety of width options. The fit is overall a little bit tighter than the Sonicage, but it’s still quite roomy and breaks in exceptionally well thanks to the soft, engineered mesh. While not everyone who comes into the store walks out with a pair of 996s, they pretty much fit everyone who tries them, so that’s testament to how well New Balance has designed the last.
The 996 also has a solid amount of underfoot cushioning — more than the Sonicage — which makes it nice and plush for those long days on court. It is still quite low to the ground, though, which helps to provide a more responsive push-off for when you need to react quickly to a drop, pop-up, or a lob.
This shoe is on the heavier side compared to most of the options on this list. It weighs 400 grams in a size 9.5 US, which puts it closer to shoes in the support and stability category, so that’s a performance characteristic New Balance could look to improve on the 7.
Now, one of the great things with the 996 is that it comes in a pickleball-specific version which has a slightly softer mesh upper with fewer rubber elements. That means it’s going to be even more comfortable at the small expense of durability, so pick between the All-Court version and the Pickleball version accordingly.
4. Nike Vapor Pro 3
Last year, we had the Vapor Pro 2 as joint number one, but after more time spent in the other number one, and with all the other great options we’ve seen come into the store, the Vapor Pro 3 is “relegated” to number four.
That has nothing to do with the quality of this shoe — in fact, it has actually improved compared to the Vapor Pro 2. Nike hasn’t drastically overhauled it, but they did improve the lockdown, which was one area that we didn’t love on the 2. They redesigned the lacing system to grab onto more of the upper so you can cinch down on the laces to get better lockdown. Of course, you don’t have to tie them super tight, but at least now you have the option to, which aggressive movers tend to appreciate.
Otherwise, everything we loved about the 2 is still there: it’s remarkably comfortable with its soft mesh upper, it fits very well, and it has an extremely natural feel on foot. The shoe flexes a bit more cohesively with the movement of your foot than the previous two — you always feel like the Vapor Pro 3 is moving with you, rather than your foot moving around in it.
Now again, this is a slightly heavier shoe than the others on this list. It weighs around the same 400 grams as the 996, although because it has a more responsive and cohesive fit, it does feel a little bit lighter.
My favourite feature of this shoe has to be the outsole and the midsole. It’s low to the ground while still having nice, plush cushioning. Nike has always struck a good balance of court feel and comfort with their Vapor model.
Nike Vapor Pro 3 All-Court
women's
3. Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6
Next up we have the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 6. If you’re looking for the ultimate shoe for speed, nimbleness, and explosiveness, this is the one for you. While not quite as light as the Sonicage (343 grams), it actually feels a little bit lighter, and that’s because of how well this shoe fits and how perfectly it flexes with your foot’s natural movement.
The upper is glued to your foot here — Mizuno have developed a mesh and rubber material that is comfortable, flexible, and super snug, so while you feel no pressure whatsoever, it also reacts lightning quick to your movement. The outsole is also flexible but very snappy, which adds some zing to your step when exploding to get a ball. Everything about this shoe screams responsiveness, and there’s a reason some of the best pros on tour use it — it’s an industry-leading speed shoe and will continue to dominate this category until Mizuno replaces it with the 7.
That Exceed’s speed is the primary reason this shoe is so high up on this list because, when it comes to its other performance characteristics, it does fall a bit short. It’s so soft and flexible that it doesn’t really provide a ton of support and stability. Now, saying that, it’s still a court shoe so it’s adequate, just quite a bit less than average.
It’s also not the most durable shoe on this list either. While it does have that blended mesh and rubber upper, the rubber itself is much softer than it is on something like the Asics Gel-Resolution, so you will burn through it fairly quickly if you are hard on your shoes.
Still, its performance in terms of speed and comfort is so high that it’s one of the best shoes in its category and an easy choice to wrap up the podium for this top 6.
2. Babolat Jet Mach Pickleball
Babolat proudly boasts that their Jet Mach Pickleball shoe has won over 100 gold medals on the pro tour, and it has, with good reason. This is a phenomenal lightweight shoe that only weighs 335 grams in a size 9.5 US, but provides more support and stability than the Exceed Tour, which is why I have it coming in a little higher.
That extra support comes from the more robust upper material. This Matryx Evo weave is flexible and breathable for comfort, but when you push it laterally, it remains very structured and sturdy. You also sit quite deep in the shoe — especially in the heel, which comes up pretty high for great ankle hold. It also has quite a narrow cut, which may be a problem for those of you with very wide feet, but that means there is no dead space for your foot to roll over.
This is one of the most responsive court shoes I’ve ever put on my foot. Like with the Exceed Tour, its low weight and cohesive flex create a nearly barefoot sensation that makes you feel like you’re flying around the court. But because the upper is slightly more rigid than the Exceed, it’s even more responsive and it holds that shape for a longer period of time.
It also has a big rubber element on the medial part of the toe box, which is important for durability if you slide on the court. Sliding is more common in singles than it is in doubles, and, of course, please only slide if you have the proper technique as it puts you at risk of injury.
We do wish the Jet Mach Pickleball came in more width options because it’s built on quite a narrow last, and giving us wider versions would open up this shoe’s great performance for more players.
1. Asics Solution Speed FF3
For the second year running, the Solution Speed 3 takes top spot as the best shoe for pickleball. It’s quite simple with this shoe: it provides by far the best blend of a lightweight, nimble, and responsive feel, with the smallest sacrifice in support and stability.
Support and stability have always been at the core of any good Asics shoe, and for its first couple of generations, they hadn’t figured out how to also make it light. They significantly lowered the weight on the 3 to 329 grams in a size 9.5 US, which makes it the second lightest shoe on this list. At first, when I saw that and when I saw how different this shoe looked compared to the 2, I was very worried about how that would affect its support and stability, but the effect was negligible.
This is by far the most supportive shoe on this list — it still has all of that Asics DNA where you feel like you’re wrapped in this rock-solid cocoon and can push it as hard as anything else out there. It’s really quite impressive that they managed to do that, so hats off to you, Asics.
Another great feature of the Solution Speed is its rockered outsole. Rocker makes the running motion feel a bit more natural because it complements your gait cycle. There’s also a decent amount of underfoot cushioning, which is less common on these lightweight court shoes — I’ve called a lot of other shoes on this list “raw,” which I wouldn’t say about the Solution Speed. That makes it very comfortable for longer games and full-day sessions, but the cushioning doesn’t take away from the shoe’s responsiveness.
Durability is also great, albeit not as good as on other Asics shoes. Like the Mach Pickleball, there is rubber in all the right places, so you won’t be tearing through them any time soon.
We are here to help!
We hope this list helps narrow down the possibilities, but the best shoe for you is the one that feels good and fits well. Come to the store, and one of our footwear specialists will be happy to assist you. Or you can check them out online.
