This article may contain links that help support this website
Updated: 1/27/2026
I am a pickleball shoe fanatic and have acquired around $1000 worth of shoes, so I wanted to share learnings about my experience with you. If helpful, check out the best pickleball shoes for women article if you’re shopping for a lady or yourself.
Now I know it may feel like a small thing, but a pickleball shoe is the second most important accessory to your pickleball paddle. As I have spent countless hours reviewing my ~60 pickleball paddles, I knew that it was time for me to buy and review as many shoes as I could get my hands on.
This quest took me on a wild ride to test shoes such as Babolat Jet Mach 3 (Ben John’s shoes) to K Swiss to Adidas to many more. I also tried using basketball shoes for pickleball, which was surprisingly decent. In addition, top professional pickleball women and mens players wear pickleball shoes from some of the brands below such as Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns.
Let’s start with the best pickleball shoes for men and move downwards. In addition, I plan to constantly update this article when new shoes are released, so keep in touch!
1. The Holbrook By Montis
The Holbrook By Montis is the new best pickleball shoes for men in 2026, and these shoes are ridiculous (in a good way). The shoes have options for both wide and narrow feet, which I appreciate as some brands only focus on narrow feet.
Firstly, here’s the box:
Here’s the first look at the shoes. I chose with the black version, but the white version also looked great.
Here’s a closer up picture of the shoes.
On the first wear, the shoes fit true to size. The shoes were extremely comfortable, and the shoes also felt high quality. Let’s talk about how these shoes played on the court.
Firstly, I wanted to test these shoes in many different conditions, including in the rain, singles and doubles and the shoes really performed well. I didn’t feel that
Secondly, I was able to move so effectively on the court with speed in bursts, but I have been able to stop quickly in singles because of the technology in the bottom of the shoes, made up of high-density outsoles.
Finally, I believe these shoes will be very durable similar to the runner up shoes below, but I will plan to follow-up on this article once I have a lot more sessions.
In terms of cost, the Holbrook pickleball shoes are $119, but you can use the code: bepickleballer and get 15% off for these to reduce the cost to $101.50 before tax.
15% Off Discount Code: BePickleballer
Let’s talk about the runner up best shoes that would take the top spot if they were a bit more price sensitive.
2. Asics Gel Resolution Pickleball Shoes
In this best pickleball shoes reddit post, I found that the top comment asked why the reviewer didn’t review the Asics Gel Resolution pickleball shoes.
As such, I knew I had to try them and see how they ranked.
First, let me say, wow, these shoes are incredible. I didn’t know what I was missing before getting these shoes, but these shoes have the perfect amount of grip and comfort that provides laterally mobility.
In addition, I love that these shoes have a wide version that allows accessibility to more people. In addition. there was no break in period needed, and I had no blisters.
These shoes were very snug, and felt great, and I felt that I had the speed to get around the court in both indoor and outdoor settings. Finally, these shoes should work perfectly for both indoor and outdoor pickleball, singles and doubles.
The price is a bit higher than other shoes on the list, but these are the runner up best in my opinion in 2026 for men.
3. K-Swiss Extreme Pickleball Shoes
The K-Swiss Extreme pickleball shoes really surprised me. I had tried the K-Swiss Express Light pickleball shoes, which are currently in the ninth position on the list. These felt much better.
So, if you don’t want to drop $135–$155 on the Asics Gel Resolutions, the new K-Swiss Pickleball Supreme shoes are a fantastic alternative.
I felt light and quick on the court, and there was zero break-in time. They felt ready to go right out of the box, and the build quality makes me think they’ll hold up well over time.
I would argue that the comfort was 8 out of 10, and there was no break in needed. I will say the Asics Gel Res above hug the feet a bit tighter, but these still hug the feet nicely.
Let’s look at the grip. Personally, I felt that these shoes had excellent traction and side-to-side stability, moving around the court felt effortless.
Check out a picture of the grip.
In terms of durability, I feel that I am too early for a full verdict, but the materials feel premium and sturdy.
If your budget’s closer to $100, these are a great pick. The Asics and Skechers models below are also solid alternatives, but for the price, the K-Swiss hold their own.
4. Nike Zoom Pickleball Shoes
Since I was a little kid, I always loved Nike shoes. It was a luxury for me growing up to own Nike shoes, so I was elated to purchase the Nike Zoom pickleball shoes.
First things first, I loved how Nike created a shoe specifically for pickleball. Some brands make shoes that are court shoes or tennis shoes doubled over as pickleball shoes, but these are specifically pickleball shoes.
Check out the design below, but you may be wondering why these shoes rank #5 on the list.
While the shoes are impressive looking, I didn’t love the immediate feel when putting on these shoes. Firstly, I am an 11.5 size, but the shoes have so much cushion that the shoes felt quite small.
Initially, I wished that I would have purchased a size 12, but thankfully after playing with the shoes this week, I feel that 11.5 is an okay size.
The shoes were comfortable, didn’t provide blisters, and provided decent speed and grip on the court. The challenge was the price compared to the above options. Please read my Nike pickleball shoes review for more information on these shoes.
At over $100, I did not feel that the shoes provided the same value as the other shoes above. Thankfully, you may be able to find these Nike Zoom pickleball shoes discounted, so considering checking the price below for the latest Amazon price.
The next pair of shoes are incredible, and were a surprise to me.
5. Sketcher Pickleball Shoes
The Sketcher Viper pickleball shoes were the last pair of shoes I bought, and I honestly did not think that any pickleball shoes could compete with Asics pickleball shoes.
I was wrong.
I purchased the Skechers Men’s Viper Court Smash Pickleball sneaker, and the shoes are fantastic. Here’s my entire review covering just how well I played with these shoes.
Firstly, the shoes are very comfortable. When I first put the shoes on, I thought that the shoes felt slightly baggy, but when I tightened the shoes, I realized it was just how the shoes came out of the box.
On the court, the Sketcher pickleball shoes provided amazing grip while not restricting my speed. I play singles pickleball, so I need shoes that allow lateral movements.
These Sketcher shoes provided that and more. In addition, I did not get any blisters in the first time playing with the shoes.
Who will win the tie for the best pickleball shoes for men? I would argue that the shoes that will be the most durable, so stay tuned.
In terms of price, I put these Sketchers shoes second in position for this article as the shoes are slightly more expensive than the Asics Gel-Renma, but you may want to check prices for both.
6. Asics Gel-Renma Pickleball Shoes
It’s funny to me that Asics gel-renma pickleball shoes are one of the best pickleball shoes for men, but once you get a pair, you will soon find out why. Personally, I went with the Asics Gel-Renma, and I liked these shoes so much that I wrote an entire review just about these shoes.
Here’s a shortened summary.
Firstly, the comfort factor is a 10 out of 10. The shoes felt great the first time I wore them, and I got no blisters without breaking them in.
Secondly, I found some of my shoes have too much grip, reducing your speed to the kitchen or around the court. The Asics pickleball shoes have the perfect grip to not inhibit your speed. In addition, the shoe’s lightweight also equips you to run quickly.
Thirdly, I have loved the durability of these shoes and can see myself getting another 6 months with constant place.
Fourthly, these shoes fit can fit perfectly in all of the best pickleball bags with a shoe compartment.
Finally, and potentially most importantly, I love the cost. I have pickleball shoes around the $200 mark, and do not come close to the playability of these shoes that cost a fraction of the price.
I got mine under $90, but the price changes often, so if you’re interested, check them out on Amazon.
Let’s cover the runner up shoes that do not disappoint.
7. Babolat Jet Mach 3 Pickleball Shoes
The Babolat Jet Mach 3 pickleball shoes got one of the highest number of votes on the “best pickleball shoes” pickleball subreddit.
So, I was excited to have my Babolat pickleball shoes compete against my Asics shoes. Firstly, I really liked the weight and feel of these shoes. Immediately, when I slipped into the shoes, I knew I was in for a treat.
I wrote an entire Babolat pickleball shoes review, but here’s a summary. The shoes were comfortable, and I was excited with the Michelin level grade grip that the shoes boast. I loved that the shoes were only 13.0 ounces, making these some of the lightest shoes I own.
On the court, I felt the grip immediately as I was able to make lateral movements and move up to the kitchen line. That said, I believe the one slight downside was that I felt that I moved slower to the line, potentially because of the grip.
Finally, the Babolat pickleball shoes are generally priced around $100, so the shoes may be slightly higher priced than the Asics pickleball shoes.
8. Fila Pickleball Shoes
I have not own a pair of FILA shoes since my childhood, so I was elated to put the Fila pickleball shoes, specifically Fila Men’s Volley Zone Sneaker.
Let me tell you. These shoes did not disappoint. Here’s my comprehensive review.
Firstly, I loved that these shoes are specifically branded for pickleball shoes. Too often shoes are “court” shoes or “tennis” shoes where it feels that the brands just add pickleball to get more sales.
Firstly, I played both doubles and singles with these shoes. The shoes have amazing grip, and they are also quite comfortable similar to the Asics pickleball shoes.
In my last singles match with these shoes, I was moving on the court so much and these shoes handled it so well.
The reason these shoes are ranked #4 is that I felt that the shoes felt slightly baggy, but for the price, I find these shoes absolutely worth it.
How much are these shoes? These shoes can be under $50, which I find as a huge value, but you may want to check the updated price below.
The next best pickleball shoes for men combine value, design and playability.
9. Reebok Pickleball Shoes
I was pleasantly surprised by the Reebok men’s pickleball shoes. Their affordable price on Amazon caught my attention, and I was impressed by their sleek design, opting for the plain white with colored lettering. As such, I wrote an entire article about my experience.
These shoes stood out not only for their comfort but also their versatility, suitable for both work dinners and pickleball games. On a recent work trip, I actually wore these to dinner than played pickleball with these shoes shortly afterwards.
Performance-wise, the shoes offered decent grip, which allowed smooth lateral movements but fell short of the exceptional traction provided by brands like K-Swiss.
Speed was another area of compromise; the shoes’ 15.5-ounce weight felt heavier than others I’ve used, impacting quick bursts of motion. However, their durability shone, as they held up well through frequent play and casual wear without signs of wear and tear.
Comfort was a standout feature, thanks to Reebok’s memory tech foam. Despite the weight, the shoes remained blister-free, which is always a plus.
Let’s check out the price though as you may be able to get these shoes under $50.
Let’s talk about the K Swiss pickleball shoes next.
10. K-Swiss Express Light Pickleball Shoes
After a disappointing run with Adidas pickleball shoes, I decided to try the K-Swiss Express Light 3 Padel pickleball shoes.
Here’s my K Swiss pickleball shoes review, but let me provide a summary. My first impression is that I loved the design and color, which matched my blog’s theme.
However, the snug fit had me second-guessing my size choice, perhaps I needed a 12 instead of 11.5. Comfort-wise, the shoes were moderate, though I experienced some ankle discomfort during play. On the bright side, the weight of 13.6 ounces felt just right, lighter than many other shoes I’ve tried.
I evaluated the shoes for grip, speed, and durability. The grip was excellent. These shoes handled outdoor cement courts with ease, making lateral movements smooth and stable. Great for singles play.
Despite their ideal weight, I felt slower compared to my Asics shoes. The grippy sole might be contributing to slower quick bursts. These shoes feel built to last. After several 1-2 hour sessions, there were no signs of wear, and the materials seemed high-quality. Longer sessions might push them harder, though.
Priced at around $100, these shoes are mid-range shoes. They feature a lightweight build, durable DuraWrap Flex support, a padded collar for stability, and a herringbone outsole for excellent traction indoors and outdoors.
Check the most up to date pricing to see if you can snag a pair for under $100.
Shoes I Would Not Purchase Again
There’s really only one pair of pickleball shoes I wouldn’t purchase again, and they hurt when I ran and were very expensive.
Adidas Barricade Pickleball Shoes
My first pair of pickleball shoes (and my most expensive) were the Adidas Barricade pickleball shoes. I started by using old Step Curry basketball shoes to play pickleball, so I had high expectations for the Adidas Barricade pickleball shoes.
Unfortunately, the shoes did not meet my expectations as I stated in my extensive review of the shoes.
Firstly, I got massive blisters on both feet multiple times playing with these shoes. In addition, while these shoes provided ample grip, I could not get the same speed with these Adidas pickleball shoes as I received from my basketball shoes.
As such, I would put these Adidas pickleball shoes in the 8th position, but it would hard for me to even call these shoes the best given my experience.
Conclusion
Pickleball shoes can be expensive, but not all of the best pickleball shoes are.
You are looking for the best pickleball shoes that can provide essential attributes such as grip, comfort, durability, and speed.
Hopefully one of these pickleball shoes for men will work for you and take your pickleball game to the next level.
Leave a Reply