Best Cheap Pickleball Shoes: 9 Budget Picks Compared

Our verdict

Our Top Picks: Budget Pickleball Shoes

A cheap pickleball shoe still has to be a court shoe: a flat, grippy outsole and an upper that holds your foot during side steps. This guide compares nine court shoes whose makers’ regular prices sit in the lower tier of the court-shoe market, from adidas, K-Swiss, Wilson, ASICS, Babolat and New Balance, with men’s and women’s models. “Budget” here is a tier, not a figure: we sorted by each maker’s own regular price, not by a sale price that changes from week to week.

For every pick we list the court type and outsole as the maker states them, the sizes and widths the maker sells (read on October 24, 2026), and a weight only where a source gives the size it was weighed at. Every pick was new and in stock on Amazon that day, at or below the maker’s regular price, and each review names the exact gender, size and colour we link and who was selling it.

Compare the picks

Compare the 9 budget pickleball shoes

Court type and outsole are as the maker states them, or as a named retailer states them where we could not read the maker. Widths are as the maker names them for the gender we link. Weight is per shoe, for the size and from the source shown; the sources weigh different sizes, so the figures are not a ranking, and “not published” means no maker or retailer page we read gives a weight with its size.

Which budget shoe for which player

• New players who want a shoe made for pickleball: K-Swiss Women’s Court Express Pickleball, which K-Swiss pitches at entry-level and weekend players, or the K-Swiss Men’s Ultrashot Light Pickleball, which K-Swiss calls “a great shoe for the beginning player”.
• Players who also play tennis: adidas Men’s Gamecourt 2, Wilson Men’s Rush Pro Ace, Babolat Women’s SFX Evo All Court, adidas Men’s CourtJam Control 3 and New Balance Women’s FuelCell 796v4 are tennis shoes. Our guide on whether you can wear tennis shoes for pickleball covers the trade-offs, and our tennis and pickleball shoes roundup has more crossover models.
• Indoor players: ASICS Women’s Gel-Renma 2, which ASICS describes as “a good choice for indoor sports players”. Our indoor pickleball shoes guide has more.
• Players who want room in the forefoot: Wilson Men’s Rush Pro Ace, with Wilson’s “wider toe box”, and Babolat Women’s SFX Evo All Court, which Babolat makes in one fit it calls Wide. For more, see our men’s wide pickleball shoes and wide pickleball shoes for women guides.
• Players with narrow feet who like a snug shoe: adidas Men’s CourtJam Control 3; RunRepeat found its fit very tight, while Tennis Warehouse rates it “Generous Medium”.
• Players on outdoor courts: ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 9 Pickleball; Verywell Fit tested the previous version outdoors, and it is also in our outdoor pickleball shoes guide.

Picks: adidas Men’s Gamecourt 2, K-Swiss Women’s Court Express Pickleball, Wilson Men’s Rush Pro Ace, ASICS Women’s Gel-Renma 2, K-Swiss Men’s Ultrashot Light Pickleball, Babolat Women’s SFX Evo All Court, adidas Men’s CourtJam Control 3, New Balance Women’s FuelCell 796v4, ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 9 Pickleball.

What a budget court shoe keeps and gives up

Every shoe here has a court outsole with a tread pattern made for side-to-side movement, which is the part r/Pickleball owners say a running shoe lacks. In a 2026 r/Pickleball thread about budget shoes, one reply put it this way: “Running shoes are definitely not a good option as they do not give you proper support for lateral movements.”

What each shoe gives up varies, and the testers say so. RunRepeat’s lab lists “Very little forefoot cushioning” as a con of the earlier Gamecourt 2.0, “Limited lateral support” for the Ultrashot Light and “Not very durable” for the New Balance 796 v4. K-Swiss is open about where its Court Express sits: its Amazon listing says the shoe is “Designed for the entry level, part-time, weekend player. For frequent players, we recommend the Express Light Pickleball Shoe.” Our best pickleball shoes guide covers models above this tier.

Durability comes up again and again in the threads we read: the 2025 best budget pickleball shoes thread opens with “All my past shoes I get holes at the toe”. Several picks name a toe guard or a hard-wearing compound: adidas’s Adituff toe on the CourtJam Control 3, K-Swiss’s DragGuard rubber on the Ultrashot Light Pickleball and New Balance’s NDurance rubber on the 796v4.

How we drew the budget line and chose these shoes

What each shoe had to show

• A regular price in the lower tier of court shoes. We used the maker’s own regular (list) price, read on the maker’s site or, where the site refused our reader, in the search result for the maker’s page (for the New Balance 796v4, the retailers’ printed suggested retail price). Sale prices did not count, so a shoe that is often discounted but has a higher regular price, such as the K-Swiss Express Light Pickleball, is not here.
• On Amazon, new, in stock, at or below the maker’s regular price. Amazon.com held three of the offers and the K-Swiss storefront two; the other four were held by other sellers, named in their reviews. The seller and the price can change; the live Amazon price is in the table and review boxes.
• A court shoe. Pickleball shoes, or tennis and court shoes their makers sell for all courts or for pickleball; no running shoes.
• Court type and outsole as the maker states them. Where we could not read the maker’s page, the review names the retailer we used instead.
• Sizes and widths as the maker lists them, read on October 24, 2026, and weight only with the size it was measured at and its source. We do not compare the shoes by weight.
• No more than a third from our other shoe roundups. Two picks also appear in other guides on this site, and their reviews say which.

Left out: shoes whose maker’s regular price sits above the lower tier, even when a retailer sells them on sale. The K-Swiss Express Light Pickleball, Wilson Pickle Pro and HEAD Motion Pro Pickleball, all on other under-a-budget lists we read, fall in this group. We also left out the Fila Volley Zone (retailers list a regular price above our tier and we could not find Fila’s US page), the HEAD Sprint Team 4.0 (HEAD’s US store does not list it) and the NikeCourt Lite 4 (out of stock on Amazon in every size we read).

Where the evidence comes from and what r/Pickleball owners say about budget shoes

Where the evidence comes from

Each review has an evidence line. “Same series” means an independent publication tested the model but in a different size, gender, colour or earlier version from the one we link: RunRepeat’s lab tested the CourtJam Control 3, Rush Pro Ace, Ultrashot Light and 796 v4, and Verywell Fit tested the earlier Gel-Dedicate 8 Pickleball. “Retailer review” means a shop that sells the shoe wrote it: Tennis Warehouse’s SFX Evo notes and Pickleball Warehouse’s Court Express notes. “Owner reports” means forum posts, as for the Gamecourt 2 and Gel-Renma.

Where we could not read the maker’s page (adidas, ASICS and New Balance refuse our reader), the regular price comes from the search result for the maker’s page. For the New Balance 796v4 it is the suggested retail price that retailers print (Tennis Warehouse, Dick’s, Midwest Racquet Sports and Pickleball Warehouse), which the New Balance outlet’s tennis page also lists as the price before its reduction; newbalance.com refused our reader and now sells the 796v5. The weight and size details come from named retailers.

What r/Pickleball owners say about budget shoes

Four r/Pickleball threads rank for this search. In the 2025 thread asking for the best budget pickleball shoes, the top reply (21 votes) was “Adidas game court 2 are budget and last a very long time”. In a 2023 thread asking for cheap shoes, the top reply (22 votes) was “whatever tennis shoes are on sale on tennis websites”, and another owner wrote: “I suggest looking for last year’s models or unpopular colors.” Not everyone agrees on saving here: one reply in the 2025 thread reads “IMO. Don’t skimp out on shoes. Budget on paddles sure… but not on the shoes”. These are individual reports, and the reviews below say which shoe each one names.

Detailed Reviews

adidas Men’s Gamecourt 2, Owners’ budget court shoe

adidas sells the Gamecourt 2 as a tennis shoe: its page for this colour (product code KI0781) describes “Regular fit shoes with lace closure for secure comfort on the tennis court” and says “The rubber outsole is designed for different surfaces, providing reliable traction, so you can move confidently on the court.” Tennis Warehouse, a retailer, describes the outsole as “ADIWEAR rubber outsole in a herringbone tread pattern” and lists 12.9 ounces for a men’s 10.5. adidas still sells the older Gamecourt 2.0 under a similar name; the pair we link is the Gamecourt 2 in Cloud White, Core Black and Silver Metallic.

adidas.com refused our reader, so we could not read adidas’s size run. adidas’s own Amazon listing for this colour runs from men’s 4 to 14.5, plus 16, in one regular fit (October 24, 2026). Amazon.com sold the men’s 11.5 we link.

Why it is here: it is the shoe r/Pickleball owners name in the budget threads we read. In the 2025 best budget pickleball shoes thread, the top reply reads “Adidas game court 2 are budget and last a very long time”, and a reply under it adds: “I came just to say this. They’ve already lasted way longer than other expensive shoes I’ve owned”. The owners do not say which version they wore. Not every source praises the cushioning: RunRepeat’s lab review of the earlier Gamecourt 2.0 lists “Very little forefoot cushioning” as a con.

Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/Pickleball: Gamecourt 2, version, size and colour not stated.

Specs (men’s 11.5, White/Core Black/Silver Metallic)

• Court: tennis court; outsole “designed for different surfaces” (adidas); “any court surface” (Tennis Warehouse)
• Outsole: rubber (adidas); Adiwear rubber, herringbone tread (Tennis Warehouse)
• Widths: regular fit (adidas)
• Sizes: men’s 4 to 14.5 and 16 in this colour (adidas’s Amazon listing, October 24, 2026; adidas.com could not be read)
• Weight: 12.9 oz, men’s 10.5 (Tennis Warehouse)

K-Swiss Women’s Court Express Pickleball, Entry-level pickleball

K-Swiss’s Court Express Pickleball page says: “The Court Express Pickleball is perfect for developing players after comfort and support. Its EVA midsole cushions and returns energy, while the leather upper adds stability. A textile lining and Ortholite sock liner boost breathability, and the rubber outsole provides flexible traction on any court.” The K-Swiss storefront’s Amazon listing is direct about who it is for: “Designed for the entry level, part-time, weekend player. For frequent players, we recommend the Express Light Pickleball Shoe.” It names the outsole compound as “AOSTA II RUBBER COMPOUND: High-density non-marking outsole”.

Sizes on kswiss.com (October 24, 2026): women’s 5 to 10 in half sizes, and 11, in the Ice/White/Honeydew we link, in K-Swiss’s M width. The K-Swiss storefront sold the women’s 8.5 M on Amazon.

Why it is here: it is a pickleball-specific shoe from a court-shoe maker, and its maker places it in the entry tier of its own range. Pickleball Warehouse, a retailer that sells it, writes in its product description: “Whether you are an entry-level player looking to develop your game, or just seeking a comfortable, supportive shoe on a budget, the KSwiss Court Express will have you covered!” It rates the court type “Hard (All Court)” and lists 10.1 ounces for a women’s 8.5 (its page is for the White/Blue colour). Pickleball Warehouse calls the outsole Aosta 7.0 where K-Swiss’s listing says Aosta II; we give K-Swiss’s name. We found no independent test.

Evidence: Retailer review (sells it), not independent. Pickleball Warehouse: women’s Court Express Pickleball, White/Blue.

Specs (women’s 8.5 M, Ice/White/Honeydew)

• Court: “any court” (K-Swiss); Hard (All Court) (Pickleball Warehouse)
• Outsole: Aosta II rubber compound, non-marking (K-Swiss’s Amazon listing)
• Widths: M (K-Swiss)
• Sizes: women’s 5 to 10 in half sizes, and 11 (K-Swiss, October 24, 2026)
• Weight: 10.1 oz, women’s 8.5 (Pickleball Warehouse)

Wilson Men’s Rush Pro Ace, Generous fit, all court

Wilson’s Rush Pro Ace page says: “Highlighted by its wider toe box to accommodate wider feet, the Rush Pro Ace melds breathable mesh and cushioned heel-toe drop for ultimate comfort and support on the tennis court.” Wilson calls it “The most generous fit in the popular Rush Pro line”, lists a “4D Support Chassis: Provides superior stability to help control pivot movements” and gives its “Ideal Playing Surface: All Court Surfaces”. Wilson does not name the outsole compound or publish a weight on the pages we read.

Sizes on wilson.com (October 24, 2026): men’s 7 to 12.5 in half sizes, then 13 and 14, in one width. Our Black/Ombre Blue/White was sold out on Wilson’s own store that day; Athlete’s Picks, an Amazon seller shipping from Amazon, sold the men’s 11.5 we link.

Why it is here: it is a full-featured tennis shoe whose maker’s regular price is in the lower tier, with room in the forefoot. RunRepeat’s lab review, size and colour not stated, says: “Even though it’s a more affordable option from Wilson, we found that the Rush Pro Ace brings a whole lot of value for money!” Its pros include “Accommodating toebox” and “Very durable rubber for the price”; its cons are “Not so breathable” and “Frail upper materials and laces”.

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. RunRepeat: Rush Pro Ace lab pair, size and colour not stated.

Specs (men’s 11.5, Black/Ombre Blue/White)

• Court: All Court Surfaces (Wilson)
• Outsole: compound not named by Wilson
• Widths: one width, which Wilson calls a “Generous Fit”
• Sizes: men’s 7 to 12.5 in half sizes, 13, 14 (Wilson, October 24, 2026)
• Weight: not published by Wilson

ASICS Women’s Gel-Renma 2, Indoor pickleball

ASICS files the Gel-Renma 2 under its pickleball shoes, and the search result for its Morganite/White page describes it as “a good choice for indoor sports players”. ASICS’s Amazon listing names “Synthetic leather overlays: Positioned on the midfoot to help increase stability during lateral movements”, “TRUSSTIC technology: Designed to help increase stability by reducing twisting of the shoe during movement” and a “Wrap-up outsole and wider gauge: Designed to help increase stability”, with “Grooves in the outsole” for flexibility. Pickleball Galaxy, a retailer, lists its court type as “Indoor/Outdoor”, so ASICS’s indoor wording and the retailer’s label differ.

asics.com refused our reader. ASICS’s Amazon listing offers women’s 5 to 12 in half sizes in this colour, standard width (October 24, 2026). Midwest Racquet Sports, a retailer, lists 10.8 ounces for a women’s 8.5 in Morganite/White. The buy box rotated between two sellers shipping from Amazon, MyVolleyballGear and RacquetGalaxy, for the women’s 7.5 we link.

Why it is here: the Gel-Renma is one of the shoes r/Pickleball owners name in the 2026 budget shoes thread. One owner, replying to a recommendation of the “ASICS Gel Renma”, wrote: “Second this. Decent performance and durability. Stock insoles are reasonably good, but recommend trying other ones until you find best for you”. The owner does not say whether they wore the Renma or the Renma 2, or which size. We found no independent test of the Gel-Renma 2.

Evidence: No independent test; owner reports. r/Pickleball: Gel-Renma, version, gender and size not stated.

Specs (women’s 7.5, Morganite/White)

• Court: indoor sports (ASICS); indoor/outdoor (Pickleball Galaxy)
• Outsole: wrap-up outsole with a wider gauge and flex grooves (ASICS)
• Widths: standard (ASICS’s Amazon listing)
• Sizes: women’s 5 to 12 in half sizes (ASICS’s Amazon listing, October 24, 2026; asics.com could not be read)
• Weight: 10.8 oz, women’s 8.5 (Midwest Racquet Sports)

K-Swiss Men’s Ultrashot Light Pickleball, Lightweight, hard court

K-Swiss’s Ultrashot Light page says: “Equipped with 180 P.S.C. in the midsole for enhanced stability on court, the Ultrashot Light has a breathable lightweight upper for a comfortable feel on court. With surgelite midsole for great cushion on court, this model is a great shoe for the beginning player.” The K-Swiss storefront’s Amazon listing calls it “Lightweight without sacrificing the stability needed for tennis and pickleball” and says its “DragGuard rubber outsole provides reliable grip and long-lasting durability for repeated toe drags, quick stops and everyday hard court play.” K-Swiss gives a weight on that listing without a size, so we do not print it.

Sizes on kswiss.com (October 24, 2026): men’s 6.5 to 12 in half sizes, then 13 and 14, M width, in the White/Blue/Multi we link; 6.5 to 8 were sold out there that day. K-Swiss’s listing suggests “If you prefer extra toe room or have wider feet, consider ordering half a size up for the best fit.” The K-Swiss storefront sold the men’s 8.5 M on Amazon.

This exact men’s 8.5 M is also a pick in our pickleball shoes, men’s pickleball shoes and tennis and pickleball shoes guides; it is here because K-Swiss’s regular price puts it in the budget tier.

Why it is here: RunRepeat’s lab review, size and colour not stated, says of the herringbone outsole: “It makes the shoe versatile enough for both tennis and pickleball games on various court types.” Its cons are “Borderline narrow toebox” and “Limited lateral support”.

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. RunRepeat: Ultrashot Light lab pair, size and colour not stated.

Specs (men’s 8.5 M, White/Blue/Multi)

• Court: hard court (K-Swiss’s Amazon listing)
• Outsole: DragGuard rubber (K-Swiss)
• Widths: M (K-Swiss)
• Sizes: men’s 6.5 to 12 in half sizes, 13, 14 (K-Swiss, October 24, 2026)
• Weight: not published with a size

Babolat Women’s SFX Evo All Court, Wide fit, all court

Babolat’s SFX Evo All Court Women page calls it “the ideal tennis shoe for amateur to advanced players looking for comfort on all surfaces.” Babolat lists its fit as Wide: “The SFX size is designed for wider feet and has a generous amount of room in the forefoot. It is also ideal for players with standard foot widths who want a more comfortable shoe. (For standard feet, we recommend choosing a half size or even a full size smaller than your usual size.)” It adds “Two lateral straps under the upper, combined with an external reinforcement, provide reliable stability during dynamic court movements” and a Michelin outsole: “The Michelin Original rubber composition has proven its worth over the past 20 years and beyond, It offers a great combination of traction and durability to meet the extreme demands of tennis footwork.” Surface type: All Court.

Sizes on babolat.com (October 24, 2026): women’s 5.5 to 11 in half sizes, in one fit Babolat calls Wide. RacquetGalaxy, an Amazon seller shipping from Amazon, sold the women’s 9 in Xenon Blue/White we link.

Why it is here: it is a wide-fit tennis shoe whose maker’s regular price is in the lower tier. Tennis Warehouse, a retailer that sells it, writes: “The Babolat SFX EVO will be a solid option for all level players with wider feet.” It rates the length “Slightly Long” and the width “Wide”, and lists 11.3 ounces for a women’s 8.5 in this colour. We found no independent test.

Evidence: Retailer review (sells it), not independent. Tennis Warehouse: women’s SFX Evo All Court, Xenon Blue/White.

Specs (women’s 9, Xenon Blue/White)

• Court: All Court (Babolat)
• Outsole: Michelin Original rubber (Babolat)
• Widths: one fit, which Babolat calls Wide
• Sizes: women’s 5.5 to 11 in half sizes (Babolat, October 24, 2026)
• Weight: 11.3 oz, women’s 8.5 (Tennis Warehouse)

adidas Men’s CourtJam Control 3, Snug tennis and pickleball

adidas says its “CourtJam shoes are built specifically for tennis and pickleball”, according to the search result for its CourtJam page; adidas.com refused our reader. The search result for this colour (product code KI3614) lists an “Adituff toe and Adiwear outsole”, and adidas’s Amazon listing names a “TORSION SYSTEM: Support between the heel and forefoot for a stable ride” and “ADIWEAR OUTSOLE: Adiwear outsole offers the ultimate in high-wear durability”. Tennis Warehouse, a retailer, says the Adiwear outsole’s “modified herringbone tread pattern provides traction and durability on a variety of court surfaces.”

adidas’s Amazon listing offers men’s 6.5 to 14.5, plus 16, in this colour, in one width (October 24, 2026). Amazon.com sold the men’s 10 in Dark Blue/White/Dark Blue we link.

Why it is here, and where sources differ: RunRepeat’s lab review, on a men’s US size 9 pair, opens with both sides: “Although we wouldn’t call the adidas CourtJam Control 3 a bad tennis shoe per se, its minimal cushioning and tight fit significantly limit its target audience! But if that’s not a deal-breaker for you, our lab tests confirmed that this adidas shoe’s overall stability and durability make it feel like a low-end Barricade on the court.” RunRepeat lists “Extremely narrow fit” as a con and notes that the shoe “is not available in wide-width options”. Tennis Warehouse rates the same model’s width “Generous Medium”. RunRepeat weighed 13.2 ounces in a men’s 9; Tennis Warehouse lists 15.1 ounces for a men’s 10.5.

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. RunRepeat: CourtJam Control 3 lab pair, men’s US size 9; colour not stated.

Specs (men’s 10, Dark Blue/White/Dark Blue)

• Court: tennis and pickleball (adidas); “a variety of court surfaces” (Tennis Warehouse)
• Outsole: Adiwear, with an Adituff toe (adidas)
• Widths: one width (RunRepeat: no wide option)
• Sizes: men’s 6.5 to 14.5 and 16 in this colour (adidas’s Amazon listing, October 24, 2026; adidas.com could not be read)
• Weight: 15.1 oz, men’s 10.5 (Tennis Warehouse); 13.2 oz, men’s 9 (RunRepeat)

New Balance Women’s FuelCell 796v4, Hard court, two widths

New Balance sells the 796v4 on Amazon as a “Hard Court Tennis Shoe”. Its listing names “NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes”, a “Flexible, non-marking outsole”, “NDure upper technology designed for superior durability” and “FuelCell foam delivers a propulsive feel to help drive you forward”. Tennis Warehouse, a retailer, describes a REVlite midsole instead, so the two sources name the midsole foam differently. Tennis Warehouse rates the court type “Hard (All Court)”, the length “Slightly Short” and lists 10.6 ounces for a women’s 8.5.

newbalance.com refused our reader. Tennis Warehouse sells the women’s 796v4 in B (standard) and D (wide) widths, and New Balance’s Amazon listing offers this colour in standard and Wide sizes, with different sizes in each (October 24, 2026). Amazon.com sold the women’s 9.5 in standard width we link.

Why it is here: RunRepeat’s lab review of the men’s 796 v4 says: “We found that it ticks all the right boxes to make a racquet sports session enjoyable for most beginner and recreational players.” Its cons are “Not breathable at all” and “Not very durable”, and on RunRepeat’s page 46 reader votes say it fits a half size small. RunRepeat tested the men’s version; we link the women’s.

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. RunRepeat: men’s 796 v4 lab pair, men’s US size 9; colour not stated.

Specs (women’s 9.5 standard width, White/Bleached Lime Glo/Brighton Grey)

• Court: hard court (New Balance); Hard (All Court) (Tennis Warehouse)
• Outsole: NDurance rubber, non-marking (New Balance)
• Widths: B (standard) and D (wide) (Tennis Warehouse); standard and Wide on New Balance’s Amazon listing
• Sizes: vary by width on New Balance’s Amazon listing (October 24, 2026; newbalance.com could not be read)
• Weight: 10.6 oz, women’s 8.5 (Tennis Warehouse)

ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 9 Pickleball, Pickleball, full outsole

ASICS files the Gel-Dedicate 9 Pickleball under its men’s pickleball shoes, and the search result for its page reads: “A versatile design for enhanced comfort on the court. Introducing the GEL-DEDICATE® 9 PICKLEBALL shoe that features a streamlined design for modern versatility.” ASICS’s Amazon listing names “Durable synthetic leather overlays.”, “TPU TRUSSTIC technology: This support unit helps to increase stability.” and a “Full-length outsole: Larger contact area to help provide better stability and traction on the court.” ASICS does not name a court surface on the pages we could read.

asics.com refused our reader. Fromuth Tennis, a retailer, lists men’s sizes “6-13, 14”, and ASICS’s Amazon listing offers men’s 6 to 13 in half sizes and 14 in Concrete/Mako Blue; Pickleball Galaxy, a retailer, sells a separate Wide (EE) version. The two retailers disagree on weight for the same size: Midwest Racquet Sports lists 11.9 ounces and Fromuth Tennis 12.5 ounces, both for a men’s 10.5. RacquetGalaxy, an Amazon seller shipping from Amazon, sold the men’s 10.5 in Concrete/Mako Blue we link.

This model is also a pick in our outdoor pickleball shoes guide, which links it in White/Gunmetal; it is here because ASICS’s regular price puts it in the budget tier.

Why it is here: Verywell Fit tested the previous Gel-Dedicate 8 Pickleball with a tester who plays “three to four times a week outdoors in Florida”, and reports: “During six weeks of testing, our tester didn’t notice any signs of wear and tear, a testament to their excellent quality.” It adds that “many wearers report that they’re too narrow, particularly in the toe box.” That test covers the previous version, not the 9 we link.

Evidence: Independently reviewed, previous generation. Verywell Fit (Gel-Dedicate 8): Gel-Dedicate 8 Pickleball, size and colour not stated.

Specs (men’s 10.5, Concrete/Mako Blue)

• Court: pickleball (ASICS); no surface named on the pages we could read
• Outsole: full-length outsole (ASICS)
• Widths: standard; separate Wide (EE) version (Pickleball Galaxy)
• Sizes: men’s 6 to 13 in half sizes, 14 (ASICS’s Amazon listing, October 24, 2026; asics.com could not be read)
• Weight: 11.9 oz, men’s 10.5 (Midwest Racquet Sports); 12.5 oz, men’s 10.5 (Fromuth Tennis)

Checks before you buy a budget pickleball shoe

• Look at the regular price, not the sale tag. Several shoes on other budget lists are higher-tier shoes on sale. A sale can end; the maker’s regular price tells you which tier a shoe sits in.
• Try last season’s colour. One r/Pickleball owner’s advice was “I suggest looking for last year’s models or unpopular colors.”; the same model often sells in several colours with different stock.
• Match the outsole to your court. ASICS aims the Gel-Renma 2 at indoor sports, New Balance and K-Swiss name hard courts for the 796v4 and Ultrashot Light Pickleball, and Wilson, Babolat and K-Swiss’s Court Express are rated for all courts by their makers.
• Read the sizing notes. Babolat suggests sizing down in the SFX Evo for standard feet, RunRepeat’s reader votes say the 796 v4 runs a half size small, and K-Swiss suggests a half size up in the Ultrashot Light for wider feet.
• Watch the toe. Owners in the 2025 budget thread report holes at the toe from dragging a foot; look for a named toe guard or hard-wearing compound in the review.
• Check the seller. Four of the nine offers we found were held by third-party sellers, named in each review; Amazon’s buy box can change.

For the rest of your kit, see what to wear for pickleball, and if you are also shopping for a paddle, our budget pickleball paddles guide applies the same relative-tier approach. For a step-by-step way to choose a first pair, see our beginner’s guide to choosing pickleball shoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Its maker’s regular price, not a sale price. We picked shoes whose makers list them in the lower tier of court shoes, then checked that Amazon’s offer was at or below that regular price. We do not print figures because Amazon’s live price, shown in the table and each review box, changes; the finder’s $ to $$$ tiers rank the nine shoes here only against each other.

r/Pickleball owners in the threads we read say a court shoe is worth it over a running shoe; one wrote: “Running shoes are definitely not a good option as they do not give you proper support for lateral movements.” Opinions differ on how much to spend: the top reply in one budget thread recommends the adidas Gamecourt 2 as “budget” and long-lasting (the owners name no version), while another reply says “Budget on paddles sure… but not on the shoes”.

Both are court shoes built for side-to-side movement; pickleball shoes are labelled for the sport by their makers. Five picks here are tennis shoes (the adidas Gamecourt 2 and CourtJam Control 3, Wilson Rush Pro Ace, Babolat SFX Evo and New Balance 796v4), and adidas says its CourtJam line is “built specifically for tennis and pickleball”. Our guide on whether you can wear tennis shoes for pickleball covers the differences.

Court shoes: tennis, pickleball or other indoor-court shoes with a flat, grippy outsole, rather than running shoes. Match the outsole to your court, since makers rate some shoes for indoor sports and others for hard or all courts. Our best pickleball shoes guide compares models across every tier.

The Babolat SFX Evo comes in one fit that Babolat calls Wide, the Wilson Rush Pro Ace has what Wilson calls a “Generous Fit” with a wider toe box, the New Balance 796v4 is sold in a wide (D) width, and ASICS makes a separate Wide (EE) Gel-Dedicate 9 Pickleball. See our men’s wide pickleball shoes and wide pickleball shoes for women guides for more. For shoes whose makers describe a roomy toe box in a usual width, see our comparison of wide toe box pickleball shoes.

Buy the one that fits your foot; size runs differ. We link five men’s and four women’s models here, and several of these makers also sell the other version. For more choice by gender, see our men’s pickleball shoes and women’s pickleball shoes guides.

The bottom line

Final Verdict

For a budget court shoe that r/Pickleball owners vouch for (the owners name no version of the Gamecourt 2), start with the adidas Men’s Gamecourt 2 (check price). For a women’s shoe made for pickleball and aimed at newer players, take the K-Swiss Women’s Court Express Pickleball (check price), and for men the K-Swiss Men’s Ultrashot Light Pickleball (check price). If you need room in the forefoot, the Wilson Men’s Rush Pro Ace (check price) and Babolat Women’s SFX Evo All Court (check price) are the two picks whose makers describe a wider fit. Indoor players should look at the ASICS Women’s Gel-Renma 2 (check price), hard-court players at the New Balance Women’s FuelCell 796v4 (check price), players who like a snug fit at the adidas Men’s CourtJam Control 3 (check price), and pickleball players who want ASICS at the ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 9 Pickleball (check price).

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