Table of Content
- Here is our Best table tennis shoes to help you narrowing down your search:
- What to Consider Before Buying Table Tennis Shoes:
- Thin Sole
- You need to choose the Lightweight
- Lateral Support is essential
- Should hold properly
- See for Ventilation
- Comfy and ideal fit
- Cushioning
- Durability
- Other Things to look for while purchasing a perfect pair or Table Tennis shoe
- Shape for your feet matters
- Shoe Width
- Playing Court Type Matter
- Decide on your Playing approach
- Staying In Your Calculated Budget
- Wrapping it up
It’s quite annoying to hear from some naives or newbie’s when asked the importance of footwork in table tennis. As for many people the reply for playing table tennis is “Yes we do play it in office and it’s quite fun, as you don’t have to move it much.” dah!!!!
So, without any doubts it’s perfectly right to say that the foundation of a solid footwork begins with your feet. You don’t want your footwork getting impacted due to a wrong shoe – Right?
Here is our Best table tennis shoes to help you narrowing down your search:
1. Butterfly Lezoline Rifones
Before we individually discuss each product, lets have a look at our comparison table:
Salient Features:
- It comes with STB torsion shield, B Armor support, B-Absorber shock absorbing midsoles and durable Winggrip outer sole
- Material used is Very durable and Anti skid KPU material, synthetic leather and air mesh
- Weight is approximately 274gms per shoe
- Available in three colors Blue, Lime, Magenta
- BUTTERFLY TABLE TENNIS SHOE - Butterfly...
- EXTREME CUSHION - The B-Armor covers the...
- SUPERIOR SUPPORT - Design prevents...
- EXCELLENT GRIP - Contains a wingtip:...
- SHOCK ABSORBENT - Contains a B-Absorber:...
What makes them on the top of the list?
The Butterfly Lezoline Rifones shoe is just the right combination of top notch performance and sport style plaited into just one package.
In fact, they are one of the most expensive table tennis shoes available in the market currently. But the price does the justice with the product quality and the outclass performance that it offers as these shoes are typically built for fulfilling the requirements of professional players
The high quality performance offered by these shoes is carefully inbuilt in the design of the shoes. The front upper layer of the shoe is made up of KPU material which comfortably cushions the foot all through the high impact sideways moves in the game.
The midsole is quite elastic with cushioning, while the gripping outsole offers admirable grip during the game. The exceptional shock absorption sponge is intentionally positioned in the rear and center part of the shoe, thus providing outstanding balance to the feet during quick reflexes in game.
The shoe is just so light weighted though strong enough to avert any shoe bends during those irregular quick foot movements. Their life is approximately up to 1 to 1.5 years with long practicing hours every month (at least for 40 to 50 hours a month)
2. Mizuno Wave Medal 5
- Model Number: 81GA151509
- Gender: Men
- Brand New With Original Box
- Greater cushioning and hold up as compared to Wave drive
- Comfy fit providing good heel, ankle and knee support
- Also Offers outstanding traction
- Only suitable for players with medium to medium-wide fee
Product Specifications:
- These are comparatively Medium in width shoes than other available option in the market
- They offers Wave plate technology which augments mid-foot support,
- Includes SR touch insert particularly for supporting heels and anatomically molded detachable inner soles for utmost ease
- Material used in making these shoes are Abrasion-proof rubber sole, Synthetics/textile top with air mesh and cold padding feature
- Weight: is approximately about 278 gms per shoe
- Available in Blue atoll, White , yellow color
What makes them on the top of the list?
These shoes are customized to match the needs of the players who’re looking for a choice with some added support and cushion. It’s a perfect pick for players who are a bit on the heavier side or those who want maximum comfort in and around the heel/ankle/knee areas.
The shoe is a bit wide around the mouth and is suitable for players with medium to medium-wide feet. In addition, the shoe runs 0.5 to 1 size smaller than your usual shoes. The SR touch insert in the forefoot smooth the progress of faster movement and acceleration while the D-flex grooves offer first-rate traction. Also it comes with the breathable upper Air mesh that aids in keeping the feet cool and dry.
3. Butterfly Lezoline Groovy
- Designed for the intense footwork of top...
- Provides excellent grip and stabilizing...
- Lightweight with excellent cushioning...
- Traditional mesh toe has been removed...
- Thin midsole for extra comfort
- It is one of the lightest shoes available in the market for table tennis
- Its thin midsole provides a very natural and comfortable barefoot feeling
- It has an outstanding fuller grip that hold backs the sideways vibrations
- It is Very long-lasting
- Sometimes it can irritate and become tight to wear for a long duration due to the missing air mesh
Specification:
- Material used is EVA inner sole which is anti slip KPU material
- Weight is approximately up to 265 gm per shoe
- Available in different colors combinations such as Black and Gold, Blue, Navy Pink and Pink, White
These fine-looking looking shoes are designed carefully to grip intense footwork and to offer added support and stability. Its outsole is medium-thick that offers exceptional control for quick sideways movements, and the thin midsoles give you a good feeling of the ground.
The non-marking soft sole provides some extra balance to the arc and the back foot. Even as it may weigh less than other shoes in the sector but the toughness and design of the shoe is top-class.
4. LI-NING Whirlwind Tennis Shoes
- UPPER MATERIAL: Synthetic leather with...
- EVA/RUBBER OUTSOLE: Non-marking gum...
- ANTI-COLLISION TOE CAP: Reduce the toes...
- UFF TIP: An extra layer of reinforcement...
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: Brand New...
- UPPER MATERIAL: Synthetic leather with...
- EVA/RUBBER OUTSOLE: Non-marking gum...
- ANTI-COLLISION TOE CAP: Reduce the toes...
- UFF TIP: An extra layer of...
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: Brand New...
- Very strong design and with added gripping feature
- It includes very Breathable air mesh
- Comes with an Anti-collision toe cap
- Available in separate colors for male and female
- It is quite heavier option than other table tennis shoes available
- It offers very less cushioning
Specifications:
- Material used in the shoes is Synthetic leather top, non-marking gum rubber sole, and breathable air mesh
- Its Weight is approximately 324 Gms per shoe
- Availability in three colors; Color: Red, Green
4. Butterfly 8001 Classic Table Tennis Shoes
- Soft Canvas Upper
- High Friction rubber sole
- white with green Butterfly logo
- Cushioned for comfort
- Great Traction
- It is Very cost effective
- Comes with Flat soles that allows free lateral movement
- it is perfect to play a faster table tennis game.
- It features High friction rubber sole that enable enhanced gripping.
- The soft canvas upper enables to clean the shoe easily
- Appropriate for the everyday workout.
- Size availability is small
These shoes are for improved movement and better gripping options the design of the shoes is made up of strong fabric known as canvas that makes them more shock resilient, and high friction rubber sole offers more traction.
This flat shoe is lightweight allowing it more flexibility thus ensuring an ideal steadiness to the players feet during the game.
Specification:
- These shoes are constructed particularly with Soft Canvas for resisting shocks and vibrations.
- The pair of shoes includes High Friction Rubber Sole for good balance and footwork without losing your balance during the play
- Provides high-quality cushioning to feel more relaxed
- Comes in an Appealing design with stylish embedded Butterfly logo.
5. K-Swiss Men’s Hypercourt Express Tennis Shoes
- Comes with non slipping heel lining with long lasting durability
- Stylist and fit for fast aggressive table tennis players
- Its grip is just ideal for both indoor and outdoor table tennis courts
- It is much Wider than the normal shoe size
- Especially designed for men only
K-Swiss Men’s Hypercourt Express shoes are the new version of the K-Swiss shoe offering with exceptional midfoot hold up. in addition, it gives balanced movements during intense games.
This shoe is made more efficient with rubber outsole for utmost durability. This good looking shoe is very easy to wear and lightweight and also offers good traction.
Product Specification:
- The upper is made from synthetic leather
- Incorporates Plush tongue and ankle collar for more comfort
- Available in multiple colors and models
- Midfoot support provides aids in added stability in player’s movements
- EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) midsole provides shock absorption, and EVA insole gives underfoot cushioning
- Rubber outsole offers the highest durability
- Excellent grip keeps the shoe stable and helps the shoe to long last
6. ASICS Men’s Gel-Solution Speed 3 Clay
- AHAR: Acronym for ASICS High Abrasion...
- PGuard Toe Protector
- Rear foot and Forefoot GEL Cushioning...
- Flexion Fit: Proprietary upper which...
- Truss tic System: Reduces the weight of...
- It is extremely frivolous and steady table tennis shoe
- It is perfect for clay surface outdoors as well as a hard court indoor tennis and table tennis
- It is Re-designed with the latest technology for extreme comfort and great cushion
- The size of the shoe is narrow as compared to other brands
Asics gel solution speed 3 Clay Tennis Shoe is another quality performance tennis shoes. This lightweight shoe with great cushioning mechanism ideally fit and offers good hold up for players side movement.
The Gel-Solution Speed 3 Clay is manufactured with the latest technology for enhanced breathability and toe resilience. Players going to play on clay or a grass court need shoes with good traction, and the shoe would be a supreme match for those fast players.
Product Specification:
- Re-designed upper for great hold up and quick game
- Featuring Gel-solution to secure feet on shock
- Have Low profile sole
- Solyte midsole makes the shoe very lightweight and offers a quick reaction on the court
- Offers Flexion FitBump for improved breathability
- Comes with unique Toe protector and detachable foam insole
7. Adidas Men’s Approach
- Adizero Approach
- Rubber outsole for excellent grip
- It offers Synthetic upper for foot ventilation and strong support
- The Durable ADIWEAR outsole gives high wearing endurance in aggressive games
- It is treated as an all court outsole
- Very easy to fit
- Affordable price
- Comes with feature of detachable insole
- The front part of the Adidas shoe is a bit large compared to others
- Ankle area is not comfortable for all
- Designed Only for men
Adidas Men’s Approach features breathable synthetic mesh and rubber sole for extreme hold on indoor game courts. It is elegant and high quality product that offers comfort and foot balance, at a very reasonable price.
The sole could also be for the players if they are looking for exceptional cushioning with ability of feet to breathe. The upper part of the Adidas Men’s Approach Shoe has artificial fiber which aids players to stay at ease during the game by improving ventilation and prevent the foot from overheating. Rubber sole offers balanced gripping on a court.
Also, detachable insole gives additional handiness to the players to change insole by their personal choice and further the low-top shaft from arch provides just the right fitting to the player’s foot.
8. NIKE Men’s Court Lite
- Combination of upper materials for...
- Mesh tongue enhances breathability
- GDR outsole provides durable traction
- Full-length Phylon midsole provides...
- Added layer of material on the toe area...
- Incorporation of upper materials offers extra durability and comfort for the players
- Mesh tongue for good airflow
- Comes with convenient lightweight cushioning
- An additional layer of material on the toe area aids in superior scrape resistance
- Smaller in size
- Only designed for men
It is Comfortable shoes provide you let you perform better on a long-term game. The shoes have been made of synthetic materials for offering controlled stability and comfort. This NIKE Men’s Tennis Shoe is a great brand in the market that features admirable quality for the price.
What to Consider Before Buying Table Tennis Shoes:
This is the part where that makes me wonder do they actually play table tennis or just hit the ping pong ball and so for that reason I have to provide them with visual examples, that table tennis requires immense athleticism, right kind of footwork and essentially right kind of equipment such as perfect grip paddles, tables, ball and most particularly comfortable table tennis shoes.
Therefore, if you’ve been playing real table tennis for a while either as a recreational activity in the office or with friends or you are playing as a professional, you would’ve possibly understood by now that one of the most critical aspects of this kind of sport is the precise and energetic footwork.
As a matter of fact, no matter how good athlete you are and how great awesome your workouts and upper-body techniques are, but without the right footwork, you cannot pull off the strokes in table tennis to the best of your sporty potential.
As you all know that table tennis is one of its kind sports which really needs some fast-paced all-around player moves. A classic match usually involves quick side movements, a quick change in foot direction, and a little bit of jumping (if you’re smashing a lob) and more.
In short, a combination of extensive footwork. Even sometimes its seven-seat matches can turn longer than the expected time gave which can ultimately lead to quite a stress on your feet work for shoes.
Most of the available standard athletic shoes cannot just keep up with this speed and response needed and it may just cost you that match. So, why not try some best fit table tennis shoes for giving your performance and table tennis skills a boost up.
As I have already talked about the fact that table tennis principally involves lateral movements so we cannot recommend just any type of running shoes which are only designed for running straight, not the crossways. As a result, they don’t offer the adequate cushioning features on the side.
Also If you end up playing some games which require fast movements with a usual running shoe, there are some great chances of ending up with a foot injury, and I’m sure you don’t want to be in that painful scenario.
So here is a list of some suggestions to guide you on a range of sports shoes and their appropriateness for table tennis:
| Shoes Type | Suitability For Table Tennis |
|---|---|
| Running Shoe | Put them away from them when playing as they do not provide ample lateral support and are also very heavy. Therefore Chances of injury are quite high. |
| Badminton shoe | They are a bit heavy but they certainly have some decent grip. Hence they Can be used till intermediary level. |
| Volleyball shoes | A big no as they are very heavy, so AVOID them for using in table tennis |
| Squash shoe | They somewhat offer Low support and cushioning and also Can be used till intermediate level only |
| Tennis shoe | Typical tennis shoes are a bit heavy (especially outdoor tennis ones are made for clay surfaces) however you can use them on beginners level in outdoor table tennis activities only |
Thin Sole
As you can see from the above feasibility chart for other types of running shoes should which can be be used while others need to be strictly avoided.
However, the cost difference between other athletic shoes and a table tennis shoe is not a huge one. So buying a good tennis shoe can really help you to become a professional.
The following next section will finally provide you with buying guide for the shopping features with respect to an ideal table tennis shoes as per your needs.
Shoes for table tennis must have a thin sole as per the two very basic reasons
- For fast-paced lateral movements
- In order to create added power.
For fast-paced lateral movements– As Table tennis involves a lot of sideways movements, and the players are first and foremost on their feet relative to their heels.
Since, with thinner soles, the center of gravity of the whole body remains quite low, and the players can make lateral moves much without being unbalanced. Also, this kind of thin soles smooth the progress of quick movement with no requirement from you to lift your feet too much above the ground during the game.
For creating additional power– players can usually hit more powerful strokes with thinner soles.
Let explain this phenomenon in an easy way. In a table tennis game, players can put more power in their strokes either by using quicker upper body movement or by pressing the feet against the ground to produce a good forward movement. With thin soles, it turns out to be an easy and quick task to press against the ground.
You need to choose the Lightweight
Preferably, every sports shoe should not weigh over 300 Gms. Since anything over this would slow down the player’s movements. As the nature of Table tennis is a fast sport and therefore the last thing you want is a heavy shoe pair that can slow down your footwork resulting decrease in performance.
Lateral Support is essential
As we all know, table tennis is a flat sport as it chiefly involves quick lateral movements. Whereas running, badminton, lawn tennis engages the player in a bit of both horizontal and forward movements.
So, table tennis shoes should be intended to offer high-quality lateral support to grip the feet steadily on the place during the dynamic foot movements.
Should hold properly
The sole is normally made up of rubber or one of its fine derivatives with nonstaining grooves for traction. The outer sole should offer the adequate quantity of traction on the chosen floor type of court, however, it should not be terribly sticky as it would hold back quick foot movement thus making it annoying for the player from time to time.
See for Ventilation
Because of the quick and fast foot movements, a good quantity of heat and moisture gets accumulated inside the shoes. Therefore always look for the table tennis shoes with good breathable upper mesh stuff for ventilation and proper air circulation. This feature can be looked at when buying other kinds of sports shoes.
Comfy and ideal fit
Another important feature to look in the table tennis shoe purchase is the comfort and perfect size fitting for the foot size.
The insole must firmly and appropriately hold the ankle and feet in a right posture during the footwork. Because anything too tight or loose may result in a foot injury. As an ideal shoe fitting offers enough support to the important areas of the foot, averts the chances of getting hard foot blisters and joint pain.
Cushioning
Table tennis shoes are designed to handle the quick stops and starts. The thin sole offers quite strength and force for the footwork, but at the same time, it can also be very hard on your knees and ankles.
Therefore, a must Cushion in heels and forefoot area successfully decreases the chances of joints and foot stress.
That being said, specialized shoes have some degree of cushioning, because adding more cushioning will definitely result in thicker soles which would have an opposite of the desired effect. Therefore, the cushioning is limited to just the midsole area, which can take up a good quantity of shock easily
Durability
Table tennis requires a good amount of practice, therefore these shoes often experience an elevated degree of stress than most of the straight running shoes. So it’s best to expend an extra amount of money and get yourself a first-rated durable pair of shoes. Always look for shoes built with KPU or a breathable synthetic leather top with a durable gum rubber outsole.
Other Things to look for while purchasing a perfect pair or Table Tennis shoe
Choosing an ideal table tennis shoe needs you to take into consideration a couple of points like your foot type, size, and the court type where you plan to play on and sometimes perhaps the aesthetic characteristics of the shoe.
Let’s discuss each of these aspects precisely:
Shape for your feet matters
Although, this aspect is not really discussed much the shape of the feet is one of the most critical factors to look at while choosing a shoe. Your foot construction decides how you walk, run, or stand, and ultimately affects how the shoe fits, feels, your posture and performance in any indoor or outdoor game.
Mostly there are three types of feet:
- Supination or high arch – best option for buying is Cushioning shoes
- Neutral or normal arch – best suited for shoes offering high balance and Stability shoes ( this fits most of the shoes)
- Pronation or Flat foot – best match for Motion control shows only the best way to confirm your feet type is by doing a wet feet test.
You need to Simply law down an A4 sheet on the ground, seep your feet in the water and stand over the plain sheet. Now you can analyze the water impression to find out your perfect feet type.
Shoe Width
Another primary feature mentioned in most of the sport shoe brands is its shoe width. Table tennis Shoes mainly come in two shapes–
- Narrow-mouth shoe
- Wide-mouth Shoe
So if your feet are narrow to medium wide, then go for normal-mouth shoes otherwise go for wide-mouth feet if your feet size is relatively wider
Playing Court Type Matter
The best thing about Table tennis game is that it can be played on more or less any surface from open-air grass to solid clay and other professional floorings.
However, unfortunately, you can’t just use the same shoes across different floor surfaces because of their nature and materials.
Therefore, for playing table tennis on courts with concrete and hardwood flooring, it’s best to go for high cushioning shoes with hard outsole.
This feature will precisely limit the stress on the joints while the hard outsole prevents the shoe from wearing and tearing out sooner due to the friction generated because of the fast lateral movements.
Decide on your Playing approach
You need to be very clear on this one referring to which type of player are you? For example, if you’re an offensive player or developing an offensive practice, always select and purchase a shoe with a fine level of cushioning. However, For choppers and defensive players, it’s best to go for lightweight shoes with relatively thinner shoe soles
Staying In Your Calculated Budget
You should know where your financial standing when purchasing table tennis shoes is. A professional shoe usually costs around $100 to $150 whereas an intermediate-level shoe can cost you approximately between $50 to $100. Check for prices on Amazon
Wrapping it up
So, Guys, I hope you like and found this article useful enough for buying a perfect pair of table tennis shoes. I would highly suggest to everyone who takes table tennis very seriously and wants to excel up to the professional level do buy specially designed table tennis shoes as they play a great role in improving your foot comfort, overall performance, and body movements.