Other than your paddle one of the most important, and overlooked, pieces of equipment for pickleball are shoes. Some would even argue that it is more important than even the best paddle! However, with so many options available in the market, it can be challenging to choose the right pair of shoes that meet your needs. In this article, we will explore the essential attributes that make a great pickleball shoe.

Pink Tyrol shoe — Women’s Tyrol Pink Shoes

What Are the Attributes That Make a Great Pickleball Shoe?

To sum it up there are three key elements that make a court shoe worth considering; Comfort, Stability, Durability, Good Traction, and Lightweight/Flexible. Let’s take a closer look at each one of these:

Comfort

Pickleball involves a lot of sudden stops, starts, and lateral movements, which can put a strain on your feet, ankles, and knees. How the fit and feel of a shoe is singularly important in that it provides the maximum balance of performance that allows you hours of play without discomfort.

Stability

Having a good base or foundation of a shoe provides a solid platform of support from the toe, to mid-foot, to the heel, that keeps you playing by reducing fatigue and stress on the foot.

Durability

With anything we use repeatedly having the confidence that it performs consistently is key and the construction of this shoe can take the demands of the typical pickleball court with its abrasive surface and varying temperature like a champ.

Lightweight and Flexible

Pickleball requires a lot of movement, and heavy shoes can slow you down and hinder your agility. A great pickleball shoe should be lightweight and flexible, allowing you to move quickly and smoothly on the court. Look for shoes that are made of lightweight materials, such as mesh or synthetic fabrics, and have a flexible sole that can bend and twist as you move.

Good Traction

Another crucial attribute of a great pickleball shoe is good traction. The court surface can be slippery, and you need shoes that provide a firm grip to prevent slipping and sliding. Look for shoes with a rubber sole that offers excellent traction on both indoor and outdoor courts. A herringbone or hexagonal pattern on the sole can also provide better traction and grip.

Herringbone Pattern example on the Head Revolt Pro 4.0, Men's Tennis Shoes

Discovering Tyrol Pickleball

While at one of the Pro Tournament stops, we were introduced to Tyrol Pickleball as one of the vendors attending the event. They took the time to describe an interesting story of how their shoes were built and developed. The story was so captivating that we wanted to share what we learned with all of you.

Women's Pink Tyrol Pickleball Shoe — Tyrol Pickleball Shoe

Tyrol Pickleball Shoes, Designed to meet the Needs of Pickleball Player

Tyrol Pickleball is more than just a shoe company, it’s a company with a deep and rich history in the shoe industry. Their shoe design pays attention to the kinetic movement of the game which has more start and stop movement than even tennis. The quick movement at the kitchen line made the design of the shoe require greater height & width in the toe box to minimize toe injury. And that’s just the beginning. For more information click here to learn more https://tyrolpickleball.com/pages/faqs .

Meet Kevin Huckle, the Mind Behind the Best Shoe in Pickleball

Meet Kevin Huckle, CEO of Tyrol Pickleball. Kevin is a veteran of 40-plus years in the footwear industry so needless to say he knows a lot about building a solid shoe. Kevin’s wife got into this crazy game of pickleball and remarked to him that she was unable to find durable and comfortable footwear for the sport. From there he jumped into designing a court shoe equal to all the demands that players need in order to have the right stability, comfort, and performance, from this essential piece of equipment. He even contacted a colleague who’s a VP with the company Vibram to build the outsole with a unique herringbone design that provides great traction and grip on the unforgiving surfaces of pickleball courts. There’s quite a bit of science that went into the design of these shoes that singles them out from other footwear on the market. All this thanks to Kevin’s tenure in the industry and now the pickleball community gets the best shoe for the best sport!

Here’s a recent interview with Kevin on Pickleball BUZZ

One Totally Unique Feature You Can’t Miss

Many talk about what makes their product unique when it’s actually nearly the same as any other product out there. Such is NOT the case of Tyrol Pickleball and their pickleball shoe. It has a design feature that can only be described as “flow-thru ventilation”. They design a type of “screen door” in the midsole that allows for ventilation of the shoe which keeps the foot cool and mitigates moisture. Like many of the shoes we buy, we’re always looking for an insert to keep our feet cool and comfortable. Well, the guys at Tyrol have figured that out with a built-in flow-thru design that keeps you cool no matter the temperature, or score, during a game.