Complete Guide for Padel Shoes
Padel should be played in padel shoes, but why? The nature of the game of padel sends you around the court with many directional changes and dynamic movements. Short explosive sprints, changes of direction and jumps are very demanding movements for the body and therefore the best possible equipment is needed to provide support, as well as preventing any injuries.
Durability and grip on the court
Padel is played on mainly two mainly two different types of artificial grass:
1) Artificial grass with sand on top
Some would also call this type of court the "first generation of European padel courts" and is by far the most common surface on courts built before mondo grass was introduced as a playing surface.
2) Mondo grass with sand lying down in the grass mat itself
Since 2018, the Mondo surface has been the preferred surface on the World Padel Tour and has therefore also become the preferred choice for padel halls and facilities built accordingly. As the vast majority of Danish padel facilities were built after 2018, this means that the vast majority of padel courts in Denmark have mondo surfaces.
The movement pattern and the surface together require that the shoes can withstand a lot of wear. Artificial grass will generally have a sandpaper effect, so you can easily wear out an unsuitable pair of shoes in just a few hours - unless they are padel shoes made for it.
Padel shoes are made to withstand the aforementioned wearand tear while providing grip on the court. In the past, the general recommendation was to use tennis shoes with a clay-court sole for pdel, as almost all courts were type 1 with artificial grass on top. Since then, padel brands have developed dedicated padel shoes which are better adapted to the movement pattern of padel.
In addition, the playing surface has moved more towards type 2 mondo grass, which places differents demands on grip on the court. For optimum durability and grip when playing on mondo grass, there has been a move towards an all-court sole, familiar from tennis shoes, or in recently developed mondo soles, which are gaining ground with the padel-specific brands.
Support and shock absorption
The range of padel shoes today consist of both tennis and padel shoes. Shoes developed specificallly for padel are something that has started to emerge in the last 2-3 years, but this does not mean that tennis shoes are not the right shoe for you. In general, it is necessary that your shoe has both support and shock absorption when playing padel.
The general difference between tennis and padel shoes is that the tennis shoe is often a bit stiffer and therefore a bit more stable against twisting, while the padel shoe is often a bit more flexible and therefore better suited for quick changes of direction. When talking about shock absorption in padel shoes, it's often a balancing act between how light a shoe you can get versus how much shock absorption you want. Most shoes that are made specifically for padel, lightness ir prioritized and this often at the expense of a bit of shock absorption.
Conversely, there are also shoes (mostly among tennis models) that are made with a focus an shock absorption. In general, it is very important to choose shoes based on physical conditions and needs when finding the right padel shoe. The consequence of choosing the wrong padel shoe can in the worst case be that you get injured and therefore we recommend that you seek advice if you are in doubt.
Men, women or juniors?
The most important thing when choosing shoes is fit and performance. Most brands offer padel shoes in unisex, women's and junior. The difference is usually just where the size goes from and to, as well as little bit about fit. The women's shoes are usually a bit narrower in fit and we recommennd that as a general rule you choose the shoe that fits best, which means that some ladies, for example, choose a unisex model if they have a wide foot.
Price range and level
When choosing shoes for padel, it's important to consider how ambitious you want to get into the sport. Generally speaking, price and quality go hand in hand, which means you can't expect to get the best features and good durability regardless of the price. If you're a beginner or slightly experienced and don't expect to play more than 1-2 times a week, you can easily get by with a pair of shoes in the 599 799 price range. Are you more ambitious and expect to play 2 times a week or more? Then you may need to spend 899kr and upwards to find the desired features and durability.
Design
The least important for the shoe itself, but perhaps the most important for you? As serious advisors of padel shoes, we must appeal that your shoe for padel is chosen for primarily playing characteristics and secondarily design. In Padellife, however, we always strive to have shoes in the range for every taste.
Summary
It's important to choose a padel shoe that suits your needs and desires. First of all, it's worth considering what type of surface you play on most? maybe you play so much that it makes sense to have a shoe for both artificial grass with sand on top and mondo grass. Likewise, support and shock absorption are important - here you should choose what compliments you and your needs. Fit is crucial to comfort, so it's important you find the shoe fits well. Finally, it's important to think about how good a shoe you need - price and quality go hand in hand. Discover our selection of padel shoes here.
How do I prevent my padel shoes from smelling?
Let your padel shoes dry completely after use so that you don't play in wet shoes. Playing padel in wet shoes can shorten the lifespan of the shoes and they are more prone to odor due to bacteria. If you want to prevent odors in your padel shoes, we recommend SmellWell's inserts.
Recommendations
Babolat Jet Premura 2 Padel Shoes
For the fast and agile player, we recommend the Babolat Jet Premura 2, a dedicated padel shoe with a specially designed sole developed for mondo grass. the shoe has Kevlar reinforcement around the toe, making it extra strong and very lightweight. In addition, the shoe comes with a characteristics flexible forefoot, which benefits you on comfort and in direction changes.
Nox, in collaboration with its high-profile sponsor player Agustin Tapia, has developed the AT10 Luxury padel shoe, which is available in a luxury version and a regular version. The difference between the two is that the luxury version comes with the sock system around the ankle, while the regular model comes with the standard plough. The shoe comes with a quite all-round sole, which is suitable for both mondo grass and regular artificial grass with sand on top. In addition, the shoe has good shock absorption and good stability.
Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 5 (AC)
If you are looking for good stability, shock absorption and good grip on the court, then the Mizuno Wave Exceed Tour 5 (AC) is definitely for you. The shoe is made for both tennis and padel and has a coarse all-court sole that provides sublime grip on the court. The shoe is therefore optimal for use on mondo courts, but also works well on artificial grass courts with sand on top.
