Tennis Court Shoes vs. Running Shoes – Demystified!
Playing Tennis? Go with the Court Shoe & Drum up the Durability
Running shoes can be comfy and feel like an old pair of slippers but who wants to wear slippers on the tennis court?!
The Asics Gel Series has taken on tennis yet has been built from a runner’s background. Asics makes a very comfortable running shoe complete with mesh on all sides and a cushiony sole. What’s wrong with that? Comfort is important but dropping safety, longevity and money to gain a little extra comfort is a no-brainer-put down that running shoe!
It is important to note that Asics has modified and upgraded the running shoe to one built for tennis. They have chosen to keep the mesh design to allow for ventilation (breathability in the hot summer months) but have built in many necessary systems of durability to make this a true tennis court shoe.
Take a moment to compare the two types of shoes below:
Tennis Court Shoe Running Shoe
| Hard, solid, flat, non-marking sole |
Cushiony/airy, curved, raised, colorful sole |
| Leather, lateral design that doesn’t stretch much, remaining durable in high wear areas |
Typically mesh, central design, built to stretch in all areas for comfort |
| Reinforced toe dragging feature and heel counter |
Lighter weight, thinner toe and little heel support |
You see, running, is a forward motion, and side or lateral reinforcements are not utilized and are therefore unnecessary for design. Tennis, on the other hand, is a sport made up of many forward, backward, lateral & diagonal motions in footwork. Furthermore, tennis places much higher demands not only on the sides of your shoe but on the toe and heel due to numerous stops and starts during each point.
The durability required of a tennis player’s shoe is quite drastic when you really consider how many hard and quick motions you will make. Therefore, the technology required of a tennis player’s shoe must be specific and engineered for tennis performance.
Understanding Your Sole: The diagrams pictured below define the hardcourt tennis shoe.
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More than you ever wanted to know? You’re welcome. Education is a privilege!
Lastly, a tennis court shoe has a non-marking, durable sole. The durability features of a tennis court shoe are clearly presented above. If you have stepped foot on a hard court tennis court, you have observed it is quite unforgiving-there is no cushion-in fact, the hairline cracks on old, unmaintained courts indicate the brittle, dry cement-like quality material the court is made of, which most closely resembles concrete. Because this surface is so rigid, you need a shoe that can stand up to this coarse, harsh playing ground. To achieve this standard, a different and specific material such as a polyurethane MUST be used to provide the player with a shoe that protects the safety only a flat, even, hard sole can provide.
Moreover, with the number of tennis player traffic on any given court, the court itself must be durable. Encountering players of all weights, skills and sizes, the court must also remain intact and clean! This is the final reason a soft and colorfully soled running shoe is not the right choice for hard tennis courts-you will mark it up for others! Do it for the people! Buy hard court tennis shoes for when you’re playing tennis. Any shoe specialist at Game Set Match will help you find the perfect shoe for YOU.
So…now you’re a Sole Survivor! Sole Enlightenment Achieved. You get it.
Get on the Court!
~Game Set Match