The 13 Best Pickleball Shoes in 2023, Tested by Gear Editors

The Rush Pro Ace Pickleball is designed for court surfaces (indoor and outdoor) and has a 4D Support Chassis for controlled pivot movements and stability. I've worn this shoe playing for about six months now, logging matches that last up to two hours of consistent back and forth; through it all the Pickler has held tough.

The rubber drag pad has helped protect from holes toe dragging can cause, and the cushioned midsole has kept my high arches comfortable enough to the point I don't have to ever think about how my feet are doing (which is common when I test a shoe that doesn't have good arch support). I noticed the Pickler even has a rebound-like effect when making fast-twitch movements, which makes sense because of how close in construction the shoe is to Pro Ace Tennis Shoe—Wilson's top-selling model for tennis. Now, the rebound of the shoe alone isn't going to make you a better player, but I do believe it helped keep me on my toes more, especially when I would get in a fire-fight against another team.

The performance on this shoe is superb, and the style promises a clean look that's definitely suitable for wearing in country club environments. The comfort of the shoe—namely the supportive arch and cushioned padding around the tongue and ankle—became the final selling point for me to deem these the best pickleball shoes players can buy right now.

The Ace Pickler is a well-balanced, do-it-all shoe you can play in until the cows come home. For just under $100, this is a solid deal for what you're getting.

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Skechers pickleball shoes are highly underrated for how well they look and feel on the court. At the top of their lineup is the Viper Court, a performance pickleball shoe trusted by professional pickleball players like Catherine Parenteau and Tyson McGuffin. I love how sharp the Viper Court looks in all black, and how the silhouette veers from the common thought of pickleball shoes to be chunky and cushioned to the gills.

I'll say the Viper Court is not quite as comfortable as the Ace Pickler, as the Viper Court lacks some of the added paddings in the ankles and tongue that I loved on the Ace Pickler; but if I were playing competitively in leagues and tournaments I'd trade this comfort for two key features the Viper Court does really well. The first feature is strong traction. I could feel the Goodyear tread helping me turn and pivot much better than the other shoes I tested. The second feature is better arch support, what Skechers calls "Arch Fit", which gave me the ability to play for long periods of time without getting any foot pain from my feet that tend to sometimes pronate.

You can consider the Wilson Ace Pro Pickler for most levels of play, but if you're focusing on playing competitively then the Viper Court is going to give you better performance in the heat of the moment. The best part is the Viper Court is just under $100 too, so perhaps it's possible you double up and get a pair of Wilson and Skechers for all the pickleball matches you're going to be playing in 2023.

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The most underrated pickleball shoe on this list, the GameCourt 2 is ultra-lightweight and breathable, making them perfect for summer play. I love the array of colors the GameCourt 2 is available in too, and I especially enjoyed the on-feet look of this red and white color.

There aren't a ton of bells and whistles on this shoe, but it has just enough to make it a great pick in my book. We're talking airy mesh to keep your feet cool, a cushioned EVA foam midsole, and an Adiwear outsole with treaded grip so you can pivot and make quick moves. Another feature about the shoe I liked is the upper material is made with 50% recycled content, so there's an eco-friendly component to this shoe as well.

The qualms about this shoe are that it's not the strongest or most supportive shoe on this list. Instead, the GameCourt 2 is balanced, with priorities of being lofty and breathable. The price point is friendly though, so the shoe starts wearing down faster than expected you can always buy another fresh pair.

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The Gel-Game 9 Pickleball is Asic's latest and greatest dedicated pickleball shoe release, and after I tested it I found it combined much of what I loved about prior Asics models with some additional durability and support. The shoe has a mesh design and is layered with a tough synthetic overlay and polyurethane film The PU film covers the whole front of the foot, and I found the material to be much more abrasion-resistant than I would've thought. What's surprising is the film keeps the shoe lightweight, so there's an interesting balance of weight and durability that I believed to perform well on the hard pickleball courts I played on.

Another special feature of this shoe that caters to pickleball players is the TRUSSTIC technology in the midsole. Asics maintains this tech helps improve stability, which makes sense to me because I found this shoe to be one of the best performers when it came to making fast lateral movements while playing.

It's worth noting the Gel-Remna model that I tested in the past had this TRUSSTIC midsole, and so a lot of the Gel-Game 9 reminds me of that personal favorite shoe. Overall, I see the Gel-Game 9 as a much more supportive and tougher Gel-Remna, so if you liked that model (or any other Asics models) then you're going to like upgrading to the true pickleball shoe model.

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You might be surprised to find K-Swiss at the top of the pickleball shoe market, but the brand has quietly been creating trusted game-ready models for all types of price points. I've come to find the Express Light as one of the top supportive and strong pickleball shoes money can buy.

Two main features of this shoe stood out to me when testing: the 180-degree Plantar Support Chassis and the DURAWRAP cover to help combat toe dragging. The support chassis worked great at keeping my feet secure while playing, giving me ample support in my high arches and also preventing my feet from twisting and rolling over inside the shoe—even when they go really hot and sweaty. The DURAWRAP cover is the outsole material used to combat abrasion and toe-dragging. The cover is definitely hard alright, and so it's nice to know you have this strong outer shell over the cushioned mesh that feels oh-so-good on the feet.

I did find the shoes to fit quite snugly, so I'd potentially recommend going up a half size on this shoe. The design is unique, and I came to really enjoy the all-grey color of the shoe. It's not the fastest shoe, but it provides great durability and support. This is a well-balanced model you can play outside in for long periods of time. I'm looking forward to seeing how future K-Swiss pickleball shoes develop.

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The Upcourt 5 is the latest iteration of the top-selling indoor trainer from Asics. Not only is this shoe loved by indoor volleyball players, but I believe it's also a must-have for indoor pickleball players. The shoe is super lightweight, sturdy, and optimized to have some of the strongest traction in the game. You won't be slipping and sliding on a gym floor in these sneakers.

To be completely honest, I definitely enjoyed playing pickleball matches on outdoor courts with these shoes on, and you can definitely wear them for both indoor and outdoor use if you want. But the downside to playing with these shoes outdoors is they are prone to wearing and tearing faster. The reasoning is although the mesh is cool and breathable, there isn't much protection from abrasion on the court and from water.

What I love the most about the Upcourt 5 is the friendly price point for the value you get, so it's totally possible you wear these for all types of pickleball play and then just re-up on a pair when you need them. It's not a terrible idea, but for me, I do view these as performing the best indoors.

Strong Michelin outsoles, Ortholite molded insoles, and an attached power belt for lateral support are a few of the key reasons why I found the Fury 3 to be a powerful pickleball shoe worthy of competitive play. I was also impressed with how breathable the upper was on this shoe considering how much padding and protection is built-up on it. The stack of the shoe adds some luxe cushioning that other pickleball shoes on this list do not have, and I definitely enjoyed the foam heel when it came to keeping my foot secure and comfortable.

One downside I found when testing the Fury 3 is the shoe is more generous to narrow feet, so those with wider feet will want to make accommodations and probably go up half a size. The shoe is also heavy like a traditional tennis shoe, so if you aren't used to the weight it might throw you off. That's not to say the weight is a bad thing though, because the shoe is tough enough to handle high stakes of play.

I believe the Fury 3 is suitable for competitive league play or tournaments. If you're looking for something more leisurely and comfort-driven, you have better options elsewhere on this list.

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Another volleyball shoe that's easily transferrable to pickleball, the Wave Momentum is made to prioritize traction and support. What's great about this pair is they come in a stylish mid-top silhouette, which is perfect for those looking for additional ankle support.

Like most mid-top trainer shoe models, the Momentum 2 does trap more heat than a low-top shoe. So if you want to prioritize breathability you might want to look elsewhere. Really the play with this model is ankle support, and anyone who's ever had ankle problems (some of us editors included) knows the added support can help stabilize the ankle when making fast movements. There might be more pickleball-specific shoes that release in the near future with mid-top and high-top designs, but for now, the Momentum 2 is the best overall option we found for those who like this specific style of shoe.

This FitVille model provides excellent support and offers generous room for those with wide feet. It performs so well that players with plantar fasciitis have found it a good shoe to turn to, as they believe it's helped them with relief while also providing performance on the court.

Players with wide feet like how the insoles and EVA midsole help provide arch support and prevent overpronation. The shoe is also easy to insert one's own custom insoles, which is huge for those who always have trouble finding a way for their insoles to transfer over. The only downside to this shoe is the actual outsole itself wears down pretty fast, especially if you're playing frequently outside in the summer. The good news is though the shoe is on sale often, so if you do find yourself with worn-down soles you can easily re-up and get a new pair shipped to you fast.

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The 696 V4 has slowly grown into a player favorite in the game thanks to a breathable mesh upper and a cushioned REVlite midsole. The sneaker also has a durable, herringbone-patterned outsole designed for hard-court play.

When in hand, we couldn't deny the shoe had a timeless look to it. We saw the shoe instantly adding style points to whatever outfit we chose to wear on the court. For those of us who have wider feet, this shoe gave proper support and comfort where needed most. The only downside we'd highlight is the shoe is prone to more tearing than usual due to the mesh upper.

It's true this pair of UA trainers were made for cross-training first but we, as well as others in the pickleball community, have found the tread on these have exceptional traction. The full rubber tread has specially placed flex grooves that move in all types of directions for enhanced traction and flexibility on all types of surfaces. They wear great on indoor courts and perform even better on an outdoor court surface.

Combine the fact this shoe weighs under 11 ounces and contains just the right amount of UA's comfortable and responsive Charged cushioning, and you have a pickleball shoe you can keep going back to the well each time whenever you need to replenish.

While Nike doesn't have a dedicated pickleball shoe yet, a lot of their tennis-only shoe models are solid choices for play. The Zoom Pro is made to be breathable and highly cushioned and comes in a wide array of cool colors. And considering it's only $100, this is a shoe made with premium materials that won't break the bank.

We are still unaware if Nike has any plans to roll out its own pickleball shoe models. For now, you can't go wrong with most of their tennis shoe options, as those are made with reasonable price points and come with trusted durability.

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