Shoe vs tennis

does shoes matter much in tennis, does it make a person little or alot better in tennis?
personally i havent worn any special tennis shoes just to play tennis and notice that my shoe wore down pretty fast
does having the proper shoe save money on the durability? or is it just for better playability?
most likely its not just one of those marketing scams that just label a shoe as tennis shoe or basketball shoe and when playing a sport of that type must by those type of shoe or is it?
help if i am doing anything wrong please answer thankyou:confused: :confused:
 

mucat

Hall of Fame
Get good tennis shoes, your older and future self will thank you later.

Lets just say my current self isn't too happy about my younger self because he wore cheap shoes.
 

WildVolley

Legend
Tennis shoes are not a scam. My experience is that the sole material is far more durable than it was in the past. Of course, how good varies from brand to brand.

However, a more expensive shoe is not necessarily better for you. There are some well constructed, durable, nice shoes that are worthless to me because the lasts don't fit my feet.

If a shoe fits you correctly, it protects your foot, helps you gain traction, and allows you to move quickly. This will allow you to play better. If the shoes you were already wearing did this, the main benefit of a tennis shoe might very well be durability.
 

jonline

Semi-Pro
Tennis shoes are constucted much differently than say running and basketball shoes. Tennis shoes have very durable outsoles (generally), and good stability to allow for direction changes. They're definitely a good investment to make because other kinds of shoes will wear down very quickly and will not give you very good results as compared to a quality pair of tennis-specific shoes. Also, if you ever play at private courts or clubs, many non-tennis shoes leave marks on the court (not allowed), while tennis shoes are non-marking.
 

WildVolley

Legend
Some expensive tennis shoes are not very durable. Nike, for example, is noted for making some light tennis shoes that have a poor reputation for durability. The people that buy them are usually either easy on shoes or they are willing to trade off durability for performance.

The Adidas Barricade series is known for durable shoes that some people find too heavy. Other people like the fit and find they don't notice the extra weight.
 

jonline

Semi-Pro
Some expensive tennis shoes are not very durable. Nike, for example, is noted for making some light tennis shoes that have a poor reputation for durability. The people that buy them are usually either easy on shoes or they are willing to trade off durability for performance.

The Adidas Barricade series is known for durable shoes that some people find too heavy. Other people like the fit and find they don't notice the extra weight.

Remember though, if you are playing a lot, it may be good to invest in a durability guarantee shoe. That way, if you wear them out in six months (that is, wear a hole in them), you get a free pair. Save your receipt!
 

vinnier6

Professional
running shoes are made for running, basketball shoes are made for basketball....tennis shoes are made for tennis...see where i am going with this....
 
yah i go through a pair of running shoe 5month each time so i dunno, and also why cant i use running shoes since i run with them anyway in tennis
 

jonline

Semi-Pro
yah i go through a pair of running shoe 5month each time so i dunno, and also why cant i use running shoes since i run with them anyway in tennis

You can use running shoes for tennis, they're just not the best for tennis. Just like running shoes aren't the best for basketball. Tennis shoes offer support for changing direction quickly, durability, and breathability. Court feel is enhanced when wearing a good pair of tennis shoes. Aside from the markings that many running shoes leave, if you're not playing too often, you probably won't care too much about having the right shoes.

On the other hand, if you're taking five months to wear out running shoes (sounds like you're not playing much), you could probably get ten months out of a decent pair of tennis shoes. Durable tennis shoes have hard rubber outsoles (great for traction and durability), whereas running shoes have soft rubber outsoles (great for, well, running). If you are playing on hard courts, you'll notice these differences are substantial.

But, it all comes down to what matters to you. If you like the idea of having shoes that are designed for the sport that you're playing, as well as all of the benefits that come with that, you'll be happier with a pair of tennis shoes. Good luck.
 

mucat

Hall of Fame
yah i go through a pair of running shoe 5month each time so i dunno, and also why cant i use running shoes since i run with them anyway in tennis

Tennis has lots of side to side movement, while running you just run forward. Also, like I said before, you might not notice damage done to your knees and feet because of improper shoes while you are young now, but once you got older, they will show up. Especially most of us play on hardcourts.
 

lidation

Rookie
Tennis has lots of side to side movement, while running you just run forward. Also, like I said before, you might not notice damage done to your knees and feet because of improper shoes while you are young now, but once you got older, they will show up. Especially most of us play on hardcourts.

lol. I don't see how a good pair of running shoes will damage your knees and feet. Cushion-wise, running shoes are way better than tennis shoes; Lateral-motion-control-wise, running shoes are inferior than tennis shoes -- but this will only soften your sudden changing of direction and will actually protects your knees and feet. It will hurt your game though.

I don't use running shoes because it's too expensive to do so. A pair of running shoes (I use NB 901) will probably wear out the outsoles in 2 months of tennis playing. But a pair of tennis shoes will probably last a year for me. So the financial benefits > all.
 

vinnier6

Professional
running shoes + tennis = sprained ankle....at best

the problem with running shoes on a tennis court is the tread blocks vrs a tennis shoe with flat sole with very little tread...its kind of like using rain tires on a dry race track...if your not going to wear tennis shoes to play tennis then your next best bet would be to wear basketball shoes....the biggest problem with basketball shoes is they are way to heavy....
 

ChocolatePie

Semi-Pro
Yeah don't use running shoes on the courts...not a good idea. If you just look at a good pair of running and tennis shoes you can already see the big difference. Have you ever ran without wearing proper running shoes? Yeah, it hurts your legs and knees after a few miles, not a good idea. The same will eventually happen with tennis too if you don't get the right shoes.
 

theace21

Hall of Fame
Get good tennis shoes, your older and future self will thank you later.

Lets just say my current self isn't too happy about my younger self because he wore cheap shoes.

I agree, either I didn't know better, was to cheap, but I can feel it in my joints everyday. My kids always have good shoes! Makes a huge difference later in life...
 

TheRed

Hall of Fame
lol. I don't see how a good pair of running shoes will damage your knees and feet. Cushion-wise, running shoes are way better than tennis shoes; Lateral-motion-control-wise, running shoes are inferior than tennis shoes -- but this will only soften your sudden changing of direction and will actually protects your knees and feet. It will hurt your game though.

I don't use running shoes because it's too expensive to do so. A pair of running shoes (I use NB 901) will probably wear out the outsoles in 2 months of tennis playing. But a pair of tennis shoes will probably last a year for me. So the financial benefits > all.

um, no running shoes will not be better for knees and feet. yes, cushioning might be better but the lack of lateral support will have your ankles hating you. the rake (sp?) on running shoes are also not great for the knees or back by putting extra pressure on those areas.
 
running shoes are the most lightweight shoes out there. If you prefer speed , lightness and more stamina , I suggest them , really. I have a pair of cross-trainers (mid-weight) and my legs get sore very easily whereas in my Adidas runners , I was able to reach the ball faster without wasting much stamina , though I risk stabilitry and cushioning , it's perfectly fine by me.
 

AceofBase

Rookie
I agree with blitzmage, cause all running shoe are maded for its lightweight for faster movement but will lack the stability of a tennis shoe, but as to cushion i think you should get about the same as a tennis shoe, cause when running your feet feel comfy but your leg get worn out fast cause your working your leg not your feet.
 

Tennis_Monk

Hall of Fame
I play with cross trainers and in my opinion i dont see much difference between them and tennis shoe.

Here are the tennis shoes i used . Diadora speed zone Ax, Babolat Team All court,Nike Air zoom, Lotto ATP raptor, Reebok Pump.

The only reason why i use Tennis shoes are for their Looks. Cross trainers are cheaper, offer more or less same durability and are more widely available (so that you can pick them cheap on sale). The cross trainers i picked up are cheap around 40$ . The above shoes i used are around 90$. Go figure!
 
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