Why specialist padel shoes are essential for every player

If you’ve recently started playing padel, you’ve probably already invested in a racket... but have you thought as hard about what’s on your feet? Choosing the right footwear is just as important. After your racket, your padel shoes are the single most important piece of kit to get right.

At pdhports.com, we’re not just retailers, we’re padel players, coaches and lifelong racket‑sport enthusiasts. We know from experience that the right footwear can transform how you move, feel, and play on court.

We see it all the time: players turn up to the padel club in their favourite running shoes or general trainers, thinking they’ll do the job for a few weeks or months. But there's a problem. Those general-purpose or running shoes are built for forward motion, not the rapid side‑to‑side, stop‑start movement that defines padel.

When you wear the wrong shoes, you’re not just missing out on performance. You’re putting yourself at risk of slipping, twisting an ankle, or subjecting your joints to unnecessary pressure. The unique combination of lateral movement, quick changes of direction and frequent pivots in padel means you need specialist footwear that can keep up with every move.

Most modern padel courts use a synthetic, sand‑dressed turf surface, both indoors and outdoors, and that’s what specialist padel shoes are designed for. The sole typically uses a herringbone‑style tread that provides just the right level of traction - enough grip to push off powerfully, but enough give to let you slide safely into shots.

That grip pattern is refined for agility. You can move quicker, stop faster and recover better after every rally. It really does make a big difference: once you try it you’ll never go back to standard trainers again.

Good padel shoes don’t just focus on grip. They’re built to stabilise your foot, cushion your landings, and give you confidence when moving laterally. The structure of the shoe supports your ankles and arches, reducing the strain caused by constant side steps and lunges.

All the specialist padel shoes from the trusted brands we sell provide support, traction, grip and stability. But there's a reason why there are so many choices. Different models of padel shoe are tailored to the needs of different players. 

Some give extra support, others are designed to be very lightweight, for speed, and others are built with a focus on injury prevention or on keeping the feet cool and dry. The right padel shoe for you will depend on your priorities. 

If you're new to padel, we advise you to begin with a good value all-rounder padel shoe for men or for women that will keep you safe and supported on court as you learn and develop. 

Every one of our brilliant padel shoe brands has a versatile, well-priced model that's perfect for casual players and beginners. If you're drawn to well-known and trusted racket sports brands, take a look at our padel shoe ranges from adidas, Babolat, ASICS or Wilson - there's bags of 

Here in the pdhports.com team, we’ve been helping racket sport players find their perfect gear for over 20 years. We’re a family‑run, expert‑led business with strong relationships with the world’s best brands, from big brand names to niche padel specialists.

You’ll find shoes at every price point, including top options under £100, all selected by our passionate team to give you maximum performance and value. Not sure about fit or sizing? No problem: you can easily exchange or return your order, or even visit our Derby showroom to try before you buy. 

You can also ask us for advice on our socials or by email: one of our padel playing staff members will be very happy to help you narrow down your choices from our big range.

Whether you’re playing twice a month or every day, investing in proper padel shoes is one of the smartest moves you can make. The right pair helps you move better, play safer and enjoy every moment on court.

So next time you’re tempted to wear your old running trainers, think again - your feet (and your game) deserve better.

Explore our full range of padel shoes and find your perfect match today, or follow the links in the paragraphs above for more targeted recommendations to suit your needs.

Why not take inspiration from our customers' favourites? These four best-selling padel shoes from leading brands represent a range of styles and colours, from vivid brights to cool white. Which one would be your top choice?