Which Shoes for Padel Tennis?

Where is the difference between padel shoes and tennis shoes?

Tennis shoes are suitable for playing padel, but they are optimized for tennis-specific movements. Padel shoes, on the other hand, are suitable for padel-specific movements, which are distinctly different from tennis.

In tennis, you frequently make many large lateral movements, whereas in padel, you mostly require few and small lateral steps. In padel, you continuously move forward and backward, take over the net, then get lobbed and need to return to the baseline. Hence, padel shoes are highly slip-resistant and offer great stability for these forward and backward movements.

In tennis, you also often engage in full sprints over several meters, which is extremely rare in padel.

Padel shoes have additional reinforcement in the rear part of the shoe because the heel is subjected to much more strain from jumps and landings compared to tennis.

Tennis Shoes

• Stabilized for lateral movements
• Good for quick and long sprints
• Suitable for sliding

Padel Shoes

• Stabilized for forward and backward movements
• Good for pivoting movements
• Slip-resistant
• Reinforced for jumps and landings
• Lighter and more flexible for individual movements

So, if you want to move optimally and further prevent injuries, you should wear specific padel shoes.

Which Sole for Padel Shoes?

In padel, you constantly change direction, sprint as fast as you can, and need to stop quickly. To achieve this as effectively as possible, you need a sole in your padel shoe that is as slip-resistant as possible. You can achieve maximum grip with the so-called “herringbone pattern”.

This profile zigzags through the sole and provides the best grip on the padel court. Almost every specific padel shoe has such a sole. Also, tennis shoes for clay courts almost always have the herringbone pattern and are therefore well-suited for padel.

On what surface is padel played?

Originally, padel was played on asphalt courts. However, nowadays, high-quality artificial grass courts are almost exclusively built worldwide. Although these are significantly more expensive, they are easier to maintain, provide a better playing experience, and offer significantly more joint protection.

There are two different types of artificial grass on which padel tennis is played.

Fibrillated Artificial Grass

This method uses a type of artificial grass that requires a lot of quartz sand to ensure consistent ball bounce. There is a certain risk of slipping if the sand is not evenly distributed.

Textured Artificial Grass

The premium version of a padel court surface, also used on the World Padel Tour. In this variant, very little quartz sand is required, making this surface very slip-resistant, and it is immediately playable without the need for prolonged sand treatment. Additionally, this surface looks the best due to its very bright and vibrant blue color.

How much do padel shoes cost?

The prices of padel shoes, similar to tennis shoes, naturally vary depending on the brand and model. Top brands often charge around €150 for the latest models. Discontinued models often cost only half as much.