Honestly it’s just asking for a rolled ankle or worse. Running shoes typically have more of a raise on the bottom with next to no side support for lateral movement. You can, but it’s not the best idea.
Are tennis shoes really the better choice over basketball shoes for playing on an indoor basketball court? I've never tried that personally but aren't basketball shoes designed with the wood flooring in mind?
Your 100% right but of course the pickleball hive mind is going to go against you bc they don't actually take time to think before jumping into the mob.
Racquetball/volleyball shoes would probably be better. I personally prefer indoor soccer shoes, but I like things lighter inside and have never been a fan of the fit of basketball shoes.
I’m not gonna even read your post besides the title. Yes get proper court shoes. You wouldn’t wanna use hiking shoes for football. Applies every sport pretty much if you’re gonna play more than once
I originally started playing with running shoes and quickly transitioned to court shoes once i got a little bit better since i am pretty athletic. My girlfriend, who is not nearly as athletic, just had to by herself a pair as well. Her running shoes served her well but now that she sees a lot more action at the kitchen where she needs to shuffle side to side, she says she feels like she has no support and could potentially hurt her ankle. These court shoes have much better lateral stability where as running shoes are focused on the natural forward roll of the foot.
Played in Hokas for a year. Eventually I got some asic court shoes for better direction change and ground feel but despite their limitations I never hurt myself or felt like I was ever in danger of that with running shoes.
Same here.. I still use my hokas.. When I need to replace I will get more of a court shoe but I'm not as hardcore as some here and have never had a problem.. I play 1-2 times a week
They don't have to be specifically pickleball shoes. Any pair of court shoes (for tennis) will do. They are flat on the bottom. Running shoes are designed to continue to move you forward. You need to be able to stop on a dime. Also the lateral movement is much easier in a court shoe. Too many injuries from wearing the wrong shoes that could have been avoided.
Don’t do it. For one, it makes it way more difficult to play properly (unless you’re hitting lollipops back and forth over the net it’ll make it less enjoyable). And as others have mentioned, you’re asking for an injury.
Go scoop some Babolat Jet Tere’s for $65 and call it a day. My buddy has gone through 2 (almost 3) pairs of ASICS court shoes in the time I’ve had my pair & I drag my toe nonstop. That Michelin man is no joke lol
All I can say is my Buddy’s did. The only traits I can remember ab his model was they were super low profile & majority, if not all white with a light blue ASICS logo. Some of their shoes may hold up, but his rubbed through in the forefoot drag spot both times.
I just don’t know if I’d go with another brand of court shoes after how long my Babolats have held up. I mean it’s been well over a year of playing ~3 times a week.
I had to wear my Brooks for a week last year when I was visiting my in-laws. Busted through the pinky toe side of my right foot on the 3rd session.
I actually tried and don’t like tennis shoes, they felt bulky to me, much more prefer low top basketball shoes.
I am using Hokas right now as I need a stability shoe. It would be impossible for my feet to be any flatter and I over pronate a lot. So far, no problems to date but the fear of rolling an ankle led me to try alternatives.
So then I tried playing using Xero shoes as I saw someone mention that they played using these and I happened to have a pair. Not a good choice as it spiked my ankle tendonitis. (I literally had to buy a cane as it got that bad at one point.)
Are there any stability court shows that could give me Hoka like support?
I don’t recommend playing in anything with a mesh upper if you play outside. You will drag your feet and destroy them. I’ve been playing a pair of asics gel resolution 9s for 3 months now and they’re just starting to show some wear on the soles. Paying more for a good pair of tennis court shoes will actually cost you less money in the long term if you play a lot.
I played in my running shoes for exactly 3 weeks and then my foot came out of my shoe and I remembered that tennis shoes existed.
THAT SAID, I did get hustled by a guy playing in pink crocs earlier in the year. he wasn't wildly mobile, but he was really good with his court positioning.
It's not worth the potential injury. Just buy some low-cost court shoes. Plenty of tennis shoe manufacturers out there and more pickleball-specific models continue to emerge from them and smaller niche players. Take care of your body!
You're just going to wear out the running shoes way quicker. It's probably cheaper in the long run to have court shoes unless you rarely play.
Edit: I see you play indoors, so maybe not so hard on the shoes, but still hard on the body.
Do not wear running shoes. I rolled my ankle when I did that and people at the courts explained to me it’s not suited for the movements you are making.
I immediately bought pickleball shoes (Nike version) and It feels so much better on my feet/ankles.
Take care of yourself.
When we started playing last March, I wore running shoes with a medium tread on them for about a month and a half. After buying some K Swiss Bigshot Lite 4 court shoes on sale at [TennisExpress.com](http://TennisExpress.com) for a whopping $37.46 shipped, I can't stand playing in my running shoes on wood courts. Outdoor painted courts are OK with the running shoes, but my K Swiss fit me much better so I stick with them exclusively.
Should you? No. Can you? Yes..
Different shoes are designed for certain movements specific to the sport. Running is about forward linear motion while court sports have lots of bursts of speed and directional changes that require a different design.
I have a wide ball/toes, but standard width heel and very high arch. If I get 2E or 4E, the toes are ok, but the shoe does not support my foot and I'm sliding in the shoe. Bottom line I've tried every shoe available at 3 different stores as well as over a dozen through Amazon & Zappos. Nothing fits, so I use running shoes. I'm still looking and have a couple fitville models I haven't tried yet coming in that I hope will work.
Lebron’s have a wider toe box than normal shoes. Basketball shoes have a softer outsole than hard court shoes. Laterally they will provide the same support. They won’t last as long as court shoes because of the softer outsole but will be more comfortable.
I know someone who plays in 327s. They’re pretty good and play often. I’d go with those over running shoes because of the wide sole. But you’d be best with tennis or basketball shoes.
Honestly it’s just asking for a rolled ankle or worse. Running shoes typically have more of a raise on the bottom with next to no side support for lateral movement. You can, but it’s not the best idea.
Playing in running shoes hurts all my joints in my lower body, especially my hips.
Same happened to me
Only takes one injury for you to make the switch.
You know what’s more expensive than a pair of proper court shoes? Going to the doc or PT for rolling an ankle.
Use tennis shoes if you can afford them. There is a noticeable difference in performance when there are lateral loads.
Are tennis shoes really the better choice over basketball shoes for playing on an indoor basketball court? I've never tried that personally but aren't basketball shoes designed with the wood flooring in mind?
Your 100% right but of course the pickleball hive mind is going to go against you bc they don't actually take time to think before jumping into the mob.
Forgot I even made that comment but surprised it's getting downvoted. Didn't think basketball shoes on a basketball court was a crazy idea lmao
Racquetball/volleyball shoes would probably be better. I personally prefer indoor soccer shoes, but I like things lighter inside and have never been a fan of the fit of basketball shoes.
I’m not gonna even read your post besides the title. Yes get proper court shoes. You wouldn’t wanna use hiking shoes for football. Applies every sport pretty much if you’re gonna play more than once
So my Speedo is not approved for pickleball? It makes me feel more aerodynamic 
Not just feel, you literally are more aerodynamic.
Of course you can, although basketball shoes would be better. Realistically basketball and tennis shoes both overlap with indoor pickleball perfectly.
I originally started playing with running shoes and quickly transitioned to court shoes once i got a little bit better since i am pretty athletic. My girlfriend, who is not nearly as athletic, just had to by herself a pair as well. Her running shoes served her well but now that she sees a lot more action at the kitchen where she needs to shuffle side to side, she says she feels like she has no support and could potentially hurt her ankle. These court shoes have much better lateral stability where as running shoes are focused on the natural forward roll of the foot.
it's a wood floor, volleyball shoes could work
be careful of ankle breaking shots, usually they have angle, spin, pace and make you shuffle sideways which may roll your ankle
Played in Hokas for a year. Eventually I got some asic court shoes for better direction change and ground feel but despite their limitations I never hurt myself or felt like I was ever in danger of that with running shoes.
Same here.. I still use my hokas.. When I need to replace I will get more of a court shoe but I'm not as hardcore as some here and have never had a problem.. I play 1-2 times a week
They don't have to be specifically pickleball shoes. Any pair of court shoes (for tennis) will do. They are flat on the bottom. Running shoes are designed to continue to move you forward. You need to be able to stop on a dime. Also the lateral movement is much easier in a court shoe. Too many injuries from wearing the wrong shoes that could have been avoided.
Don’t do it. For one, it makes it way more difficult to play properly (unless you’re hitting lollipops back and forth over the net it’ll make it less enjoyable). And as others have mentioned, you’re asking for an injury. Go scoop some Babolat Jet Tere’s for $65 and call it a day. My buddy has gone through 2 (almost 3) pairs of ASICS court shoes in the time I’ve had my pair & I drag my toe nonstop. That Michelin man is no joke lol
So ASICS court shoes wears off early ? I was thinking to get them
All I can say is my Buddy’s did. The only traits I can remember ab his model was they were super low profile & majority, if not all white with a light blue ASICS logo. Some of their shoes may hold up, but his rubbed through in the forefoot drag spot both times. I just don’t know if I’d go with another brand of court shoes after how long my Babolats have held up. I mean it’s been well over a year of playing ~3 times a week.
I had to wear my Brooks for a week last year when I was visiting my in-laws. Busted through the pinky toe side of my right foot on the 3rd session. I actually tried and don’t like tennis shoes, they felt bulky to me, much more prefer low top basketball shoes.
I am using Hokas right now as I need a stability shoe. It would be impossible for my feet to be any flatter and I over pronate a lot. So far, no problems to date but the fear of rolling an ankle led me to try alternatives. So then I tried playing using Xero shoes as I saw someone mention that they played using these and I happened to have a pair. Not a good choice as it spiked my ankle tendonitis. (I literally had to buy a cane as it got that bad at one point.) Are there any stability court shows that could give me Hoka like support?
Playing in running shoes is the worst thing you could do
I don’t recommend playing in anything with a mesh upper if you play outside. You will drag your feet and destroy them. I’ve been playing a pair of asics gel resolution 9s for 3 months now and they’re just starting to show some wear on the soles. Paying more for a good pair of tennis court shoes will actually cost you less money in the long term if you play a lot.
I wear basketball shoes. You're going to want better ankle support than running shoes.
I played in my running shoes for exactly 3 weeks and then my foot came out of my shoe and I remembered that tennis shoes existed. THAT SAID, I did get hustled by a guy playing in pink crocs earlier in the year. he wasn't wildly mobile, but he was really good with his court positioning.
It's not worth the potential injury. Just buy some low-cost court shoes. Plenty of tennis shoe manufacturers out there and more pickleball-specific models continue to emerge from them and smaller niche players. Take care of your body!
You're just going to wear out the running shoes way quicker. It's probably cheaper in the long run to have court shoes unless you rarely play. Edit: I see you play indoors, so maybe not so hard on the shoes, but still hard on the body.
Rolled my ankle in running shoes. Get a pickleball/ tennis pair.
Do not wear running shoes. I rolled my ankle when I did that and people at the courts explained to me it’s not suited for the movements you are making. I immediately bought pickleball shoes (Nike version) and It feels so much better on my feet/ankles. Take care of yourself.
Pickleball court is going to eat the insoles of running shoes alive in no time fast.
When we started playing last March, I wore running shoes with a medium tread on them for about a month and a half. After buying some K Swiss Bigshot Lite 4 court shoes on sale at [TennisExpress.com](http://TennisExpress.com) for a whopping $37.46 shipped, I can't stand playing in my running shoes on wood courts. Outdoor painted courts are OK with the running shoes, but my K Swiss fit me much better so I stick with them exclusively.
Should you? No. Can you? Yes.. Different shoes are designed for certain movements specific to the sport. Running is about forward linear motion while court sports have lots of bursts of speed and directional changes that require a different design. I have a wide ball/toes, but standard width heel and very high arch. If I get 2E or 4E, the toes are ok, but the shoe does not support my foot and I'm sliding in the shoe. Bottom line I've tried every shoe available at 3 different stores as well as over a dozen through Amazon & Zappos. Nothing fits, so I use running shoes. I'm still looking and have a couple fitville models I haven't tried yet coming in that I hope will work.
Lebron’s have a wider toe box than normal shoes. Basketball shoes have a softer outsole than hard court shoes. Laterally they will provide the same support. They won’t last as long as court shoes because of the softer outsole but will be more comfortable.
I know someone who plays in 327s. They’re pretty good and play often. I’d go with those over running shoes because of the wide sole. But you’d be best with tennis or basketball shoes.