If you are looking to understand the factors to consider and the thought process behind buying tennis shoes you have come to the right place. In the article below we have an exhaustive guide on how to buy tennis shoes and the factors that need to be looked at before taking that call.
Whether you are new to tennis or are already a veteran of the sport, it is important to wear the right pair of shoes every time you step on the court.
Contrary to what it may seem, you will find different types of tennis shoes for different plays and surfaces.
Not having the right combination on your feet may result in severe injuries and may very well hinder your form and ability to play the sport. With that in mind, we have compiled this quick, handy guide on how to buy tennis shoes.
Know Your Foot Type
Before we dive into the specifics of which tennis shoes you should buy, it is important to know your foot type.
Based on this knowledge, you would be able to better deduce which tennis shoes are better suited to your feet. Some players may benefit from extra cushioning and support within the shoe while others will prefer tennis shoes that are much more sturdy, durable, and offer lateral support. Ultimately, it all comes down to the footwork.
If you don’t follow this practice, you stand the risk of physical injuries.
Truth to be told, you may have seen your foot type but in all likelihood, you may not have been able to fully understand what it means. Don’t worry, we are here to address it.
[the_ad id=”68301″]
Let’s do a quick exercise!
Wet your foot and step on to a flat surface where you can see your footprints. Observe the area between the ball and the heel of the foot.
A large gap between the ball and the heel indicates you have supinated feet (or high arch) while some gap indicates pronated feet (normal arch). If there is no gap present at all, that is, the entire footprint is present, then it implies flat feet.
To simplify things further, pronated feet are more focussed on the inside of the shoes while supinated feet are more about the outside.
So what does it all mean? Let’s take a look.
Pronated/Normal Foot
This is among the most common foot types. People with pronated feet will incur a lot of wear and tear on the inside area of the shoes since they are putting more pressure there. The foot lands on the outer side of the heel and rolls inward to support body weight and absorb shock.
For the same reason, this is also the foot type most associated with injuries. Hence, extra precaution is needed while buying shoes.
The tennis shoes for pronated feet must have ample cushioning and extra support inside for optimal shock absorption. Just think about it – if more part of your feet is making contact with the surface, then it is only natural to protect them with a good, well-cushioned sole that also allows for seamless lateral movement.
The normal arch tennis shoes must provide a stabilizing effect to support and evenly distribute the body weight.
Supinated/High Arch
If pronated is ‘inwards,’ then supinated is ‘outwards.’ People with supinated feet will attract wear and tear around the heel, toes and outside of the shoes.
In this case, the foot lands on the outer side of the heel but at an increased angle with the ground. Hence, the weight and shock are distributed through the lower leg rather than the foot itself.
The tennis shoes for supinated feet must be flexible and have a durable sole to withstand repeated contact with the ground. For efficient shock absorption, cushioning is also needed on the outside and in the heel of the shoe to counteract the outward roll/ankle twists.
Flat Feet
Flat feet, also referred to as overpronation, is among the rarest of foot types. If you fall into this category, you do not really have to worry about what type of shoe to wear. You can just about wear any shoe as long as it feels comfortable to you.
All right, now that you are aware of the different foot types, let us take a look at other criteria to consider when you are buying tennis shoes.
[the_ad id=”68302″]
Level of Experience – Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
The next question you may want to ask yourself is how serious you are about the sport.
If you are playing regularly just as a hobby, then you may fall under the intermediate category. Consequently, you may want to go for tennis shoes that offer the right degree of support to your style of play, without burning a hole in your pocket.
Conversely, if you are new to the game and are still testing the waters, go with shoes best suited for beginners in tennis. This does not necessarily warrant a lot of research – just go to the shop or go online, find the right pair of tennis shoes for your feet, and voila!
If you are an expert player of tennis who is competing on professional tours and circuits, then you may be better off investing in shoes that are best suited to you. This is something that you will be able to figure out only after spending a great deal of time on the court and identifying what works the best for your feet.
In this scenario, we would also recommend reaching out to the other pros and coaches on the tour who can better assist you with this. After all, if you are that serious about pursuing the game, it is only fair that you give your feet the right tools they need to perform.
Also Read:
Style of Play
As you may know, each tennis player is likely to have his/her own style of play. Some players are more about the baseline, that is, they prefer hitting the long shots and move along the backline of the court.
Then, you have the more aggressive serve and volley players who prefer approaching the net more often than not.
Each of these two styles will warrant their own tennis shoes:
Baseline Play
If you are a baseline player, then you will need shoes that facilitate and support lateral movement. You will be moving from side-to-side most of the time. Therefore, it is only fair that your shoes support that type of action. We are talking about extra sole and cushioning to prevent ankle rollover and injuries.
Serve and Volley
If you are a fan of approaching the net multiple times during the match, then you will need shoes that have reinforced toecaps. This will give extra protection to the front part of your feet, allowing you to move back and fro seamlessly.
Another thing to remember here is this style of play is more testing and demanding on the toe and sole of the shoes. Hence, make sure that your tennis shoes have a durable, strong sole for improved durability.
Do note that tennis shoes suited for this style of play may be far more heavier than their other counterparts.
[the_ad id=”68302″]
Type of Court
The last question that you need to ask yourself is what type of tennis surface do you prefer. Clay, Grass, and Hard/Concrete have their own set of tennis shoes.
Hard/Concrete Courts
Hard courts are notoriously known for wearing out tennis shoes faster than any other surface. The surface is also particularly demanding for the players and their feet. Therefore, you need shoes which are durable and can efficiently absorp the shock from the ground.
Continued play on hard/concrete surfaces will wear the treads of your soles owing to repeated contact with the harsh surface. This makes you more prone to slipping. Furthermore, not having a good insole and cushioning may increase your chances of incurring an injury.
Hence, to counter the frequent wear and tear, the key requirements of hard court tennis shoes are:
- Durability
- Ample cushioning
- Shock absorption
- Excellent traction
- Tough outsole
Grass Courts
The grass surface is much more forgiving than the hard courts. It is easy on your feet but at the same time, they do need a good grip and traction. Grass courts are slippery by their very nature. Hence, it is important to have shoes that have a good grip to avoid slipping or falling down.
You can compromise here for durability since your shoes are not going to wear out at a fast pace on grass. That said, you will need to consider a few things like:
- Flatter outsole, to avoid damaging the court
- Flexibility, to allow for free-flowing movement
Also Read:
Clay Courts
Clay courts are the slowest among the lot and as a result, players prefer the baseline play rather than serve and volley approach. Hence, lateral stability and easy movement is the ask here. Moreover, you will also be sliding much more on clay than any other surface. As a result, durability and grip also come into picture here.
With that, you also have to consider the fact that you are playing on a dusty surface and your shoes can track the dirt and clay. Therefore, your clay court tennis shoes must have:
- Excellent grip to avoid slippage
- Outsole designed to release the clay from its groove
- High durability on the sides
- A tight upper to give you full control on the court
[the_ad id=”68302″]
Parting Thoughts
As you can see, buying a pair of tennis shoes is not a daunting task at all. As long as you know your foot type and style of play, you should not have any difficulties in picking the shoes that suit you.
Remember to research thoroughly and if at all, test out the shoes before purchasing them. Clay, grass, or hard – not having the right set for either of the three surfaces can make things problematic for you as a player.