Shoes with fantastic cushioning?

[TripleB]

What shoes have you tried that are nicely cushioned throughout the whole foot, with at least decent durability?

3.5 weeks ago I received a hyaluronic acid injection in my right knee for no cartilage, arthritis, and meniscus torn in two places. The shot was no help at all for the first two weeks, then had one day with no pain, then three days with pain again, and then pain free for the last 6 days.

Decided to try playing again, laced up my KSwiss Bigshot Light 3 shoes, headed to the courts, and my knee started hurting before I ever set foot on the courts. What gives? The only change was wearing those shoes.

So I switched over to the only other shoes I had for pickleball...some old KSwiss, black with orange/pink accents, and a "sock" inside that cradles the foot. Have no clue the model (but remember I stopped wearing them because they wore out so quickly) but no pain at all when I was playing.

I know the shoes won't fix my problems or get rid of the pain, but I think extra cushioning will make it a little easier on my knees until I have to eventually have the knee replaced.

Thanks for any recommendations!

TripleB

 

[RACQUETMD]

Sorely miss the Nike zoom zeros

 

[dkmura]

For cushioning, I've always liked the Asics Gel Res line. Unfortunately, the GR8 doesn't fit me and I've had to rely on my past inventory of GR7s to keep me going.

 

[innoVAShaun]

Diadora Speed Blushield Torneo

 

[Rosstour]

GP Turbo. No more lower body pain, ever. And I had a lot.

 

[SCTW]

Nike GP Turbos. Being discontinued unfortunately.

 

[Rosstour]

Nike GP Turbos. Being discontinued unfortunately.

Yep. I stocked up, got 4 pairs. Should last me a while.

I put a little slash mark on the box every time I play a match. My winter pair (purple/green) have 19 matches on them (so around 38 hours) and they still feel great.

 

[gino]

KSwiss brutal when it comes to cushioning, IMO...

I'd go retro nike, nothing comes to mind with current offerings:

GP turbo (as others have stated - I have 5 pairs)
Lunar ballistec (own four pairs)
Air Max Cage (own five pairs)

That's my short list

 

[gino]

What shoes have you tried that are nicely cushioned throughout the whole foot, with at least decent durability?

3.5 weeks ago I received a hyaluronic acid injection in my right knee for no cartilage, arthritis, and meniscus torn in two places. The shot was no help at all for the first two weeks, then had one day with no pain, then three days with pain again, and then pain free for the last 6 days.

Decided to try playing again, laced up my KSwiss Bigshot Light 3 shoes, headed to the courts, and my knee started hurting before I ever set foot on the courts. What gives? The only change was wearing those shoes.

So I switched over to the only other shoes I had for pickleball...some old KSwiss, black with orange/pink accents, and a "sock" inside that cradles the foot. Have no clue the model (but remember I stopped wearing them because they wore out so quickly) but no pain at all when I was playing.

I know the shoes won't fix my problems or get rid of the pain, but I think extra cushioning will make it a little easier on my knees until I have to eventually have the knee replaced.

Thanks for any recommendations!

TripleB

Also tagged you in a mega thread I made on cushioning years ago... should be a good resource to scan through

 

[gino]

Yep. I stocked up, got 4 pairs. Should last me a while.

I put a little slash mark on the box every time I play a match. My winter pair (purple/green) have 19 matches on them (so around 38 hours) and they still feel great.

good to hear about them aging well. I dont play tournaments anymore but im hoping with my 5 pairs they can last a while.

Trend depth is good and seems like durable rubber... my only concern in the full length zoom bottoming out at some point

 

[TripleB]

Nike GP Turbos. Being discontinued unfortunately.

Why discontinued? Not sell well?

I've boycotted Nike every since they stopped making my favorite McEnroe shoe back in the early 90s. I guess saving my knee is worth ending the boycott

Did they ever make a 12.5? Maybe it's because they're being discontinued, but I find may 12s and 13s but no 12.5. I've read you should up a half size with these and I normally wear a 12.0.

Thanks for the help!

TripleB

 

[gino]

Why discontinued? Not sell well?

I've boycotted Nike every since they stopped making my favorite McEnroe shoe back in the early 90s. I guess saving my knee is worth ending the boycott

Did they ever make a 12.5? Maybe it's because they're being discontinued, but I find may 12s and 13s but no 12.5. I've read you should up a half size with these and I normally wear a 12.0.

Thanks for the help!

TripleB

sold great, good colorways gone instantly..

they made half sizes so just keep searching... sorry to hear about your knee... if give the lunar ballistec a try if you can find them

nike is into constant evolution which doesnt nest at all with tennis player's desire for consistency... we are creatures of habit, sadly they won't alter their approach for a niche market (brutal)

 

[d-quik]

Did they ever make a 12.5?

They did. I ordered in both 12 and 12.5 at the same time.

The GP Turbo hoarding is real though. Hilarious to see. Tennis prosport has them.

 

[d-quik]

Why discontinued? Not sell well?

I've boycotted Nike every since they stopped making my favorite McEnroe shoe back in the early 90s. I guess saving my knee is worth ending the boycott

Did they ever make a 12.5? Maybe it's because they're being discontinued, but I find may 12s and 13s but no 12.5. I've read you should up a half size with these and I normally wear a 12.0.

Thanks for the help!

TripleB

Just a heads up but IDK if 12.5 is your normal size or whatever but these shoes run narrow and short. The toebox also lacks in height along with length and width so it is very cramped.

 

[Fintft]

Did you also replace the stock insole?
And play on clay.

 

[Injured Again]

@TripleB I think you're going to be much better off getting a thicker, more cushioned insole than trying to get a more cushioned shoe. In my experience, insoles make way more difference than the difference between shoes.

 

[ryohazuki222]

Court zoom nxt with a good insole.

forefoot is really comfy in that shoe and insole creates some heel softness. Probably the most comfortable shoe I’ve tried on.

that said… haven’t played in it yet. Just finally need to replace my vaporx

 

[Yamin]

Yeah GP turbo. First shoe I bought backups for

 

[ArliHawk]

Court zoom nxt with a good insole.

forefoot is really comfy in that shoe and insole creates some heel softness. Probably the most comfortable shoe I’ve tried on.

that said… haven’t played in it yet. Just finally need to replace my vaporx

Agree with this. Throw a move game day pro into either the zoom nxt or Diadora b icon and you have a well cushioned, good performance shoe.

 

[ArliHawk]

What shoes have you tried that are nicely cushioned throughout the whole foot, with at least decent durability?

3.5 weeks ago I received a hyaluronic acid injection in my right knee for no cartilage, arthritis, and meniscus torn in two places. The shot was no help at all for the first two weeks, then had one day with no pain, then three days with pain again, and then pain free for the last 6 days.

Decided to try playing again, laced up my KSwiss Bigshot Light 3 shoes, headed to the courts, and my knee started hurting before I ever set foot on the courts. What gives? The only change was wearing those shoes.

So I switched over to the only other shoes I had for pickleball...some old KSwiss, black with orange/pink accents, and a "sock" inside that cradles the foot. Have no clue the model (but remember I stopped wearing them because they wore out so quickly) but no pain at all when I was playing.

I know the shoes won't fix my problems or get rid of the pain, but I think extra cushioning will make it a little easier on my knees until I have to eventually have the knee replaced.

Thanks for any recommendations!

TripleB

I was dealing with some planter fasciitis and some issue in my right knee. Appears to be over pronating. Got some good insoles and has resolved those issue.

 

[McGradey]

Agree with this. Throw a move game day pro into either the zoom nxt or Diadora b icon and you have a well cushioned, good performance shoe.

Co-sign. I don’t use an insole but the Zoom NXT’s comfort is superb.

 

[ACEECA2020]

They did. I ordered in both 12 and 12.5 at the same time.

The GP Turbo hoarding is real though. Hilarious to see. Tennis prosport has them.

Thank you, just ordered another pair of size 12.5 from Tennis prosport. No luck finding them in any US stores...

 

[Uncoil]

New Balance Lav and 996

 

[d-quik]

Thank you, just ordered another pair of size 12.5 from Tennis prosport. No luck finding them in any US stores...

Please let me know if you had to pay import charges (duties)

 

[ewiewp]

I currently wear asics sky elite ff.
They are volleyball shoes but have more cushion than any tennis shoes.
They come in low or mid cut.

 

[ACEECA2020]

Please let me know if you had to pay import charges (duties)

I do not see any import charges or tax. My total was $113.08, plus free shipping to the US...

 

[d-quik]

I do not see any import charges or tax. My total was $113.08, plus free shipping to the US...

I think if there was, it would be collected from you by the courier upon delivery, not by the retailer upon purchase. Curious if it goes through duty-free.

 

[movdqa]

Supercushioned shoes are a thing with runners and 2022 models look fantastic. Here's one I have my eye on. It has a 47 mm stack height (1.75 inches).

I'm also looking at this, which is due late 2022 and this has a stack height of 29 mm.

The tennis world may go in this direction in the future but the running world is enjoying a lot of these kinds of shoes from just about every shoe company. My current rotation has the NB 1080V10 and NB More V2, with stack heights of 30 and 34 mm respectively. I also have a pair of NB 1080V12 with stack height of 37 mm.

I don't really know if tennis is ready for these shoes as I think that the pros use really low-to-the-ground tennis shoes.

 

[MZ9526]

The 1st generation of the adidas Courtjam Bounce (2019) is the best cushioned tennis shoe I've ever had. I bought another colorway last year and the cushioning felt different, not bad but much firmer and definitely not as comfortable as the 1st gen.


For running, I just bought the Saucony Triumph 19, a very good max-cushion shoe. Definitely recommend this shoe for long distance training. The cushioning is much more responsive than adidas boost and lasts longer. I ran almost 200 miles in the Triumph 17 and the cushioning is still good compared to my adidas Solar Boost, which seemed to mush out after 100 miles.

 

[movdqa]

For running, I just bought the Saucony Triumph 19, a very good max-cushion shoe. Definitely recommend this shoe for long distance training. The cushioning is much more responsive than adidas boost and lasts longer. I ran almost 200 miles in the Triumph 17 and the cushioning is still good compared to my adidas Solar Boost, which seemed to mush out after 100 miles.

The variety of max cushioning shoes is fairly amazing as you have a sliding scale from energy return to mush.

I only run in New Balance as they offer 4E shoes in all of their models and even 6E shoes for some. I use 6E New Balance tennis shoes and they are barely wide enough.

 

[MZ9526]

The variety of max cushioning shoes is fairly amazing as you have a sliding scale from energy return to mush.

I only run in New Balance as they offer 4E shoes in all of their models and even 6E shoes for some. I use 6E New Balance tennis shoes and they are barely wide enough.

Which New Balance models do you run in?

I was very close to getting the 1080 v11

 

[d-quik]

they offer 4E shoes in all of their models

Can you tell me where LAV 4E is sold?

 

[movdqa]

Can you tell me where LAV 4E is sold?

I just lookat the NB website and it looks like they don't have any 4E models in stock.

 

[d-quik]

I just lookat the NB website and it looks like they don't have any 4E models in stock.

They Never offered it on their website dude

 

[movdqa]

Which New Balance models do you run in?

I was very close to getting the 1080 v11

My daily trainer is the 1080v10 and my recovery is the More V2. I have a 1080v12 but I haven't run in it yet.

I've heard a fair number of complaints on the v11 which the v12 fixes.

One problem right now is that shoes are still hard to get for popular sizes and I've heard this in tennis but I see it with running too.

 

[movdqa]

They Never offered it on their website dude

Okay. I generally buy running shoes and they offer 4E for their running shoes and 6E for some running shoes. I've never bought their tennis shoes though.

I buy their cross-trainers for tennis as they come in 6E.

 

[d-quik]

Okay. I generally buy running shoes and they offer 4E for their running shoes and 6E for some running shoes. I've never bought their tennis shoes though.

I buy their cross-trainers for tennis as they come in 6E.

"Generally buy" not the same as "offer 4E on all their models" dude

It is misinformation and will get people excited for no reason

 

[movdqa]

"Generally buy" not the same as "offer 4E on all their models" dude

It is misinformation and will get people excited for no reason

On their running shoes.

I haven't bought their tennis shoes.

 

[d-quik]

On their running shoes.

I haven't bought their tennis shoes.

Again "all their models" not the same as "on their running shoes" only

Someone more naive/gullible will waste hours trying to hunt down something that doesn't exist due to your use of ambiguous language but yes, please continue trying to explain yourself out of this.

 

[movdqa]

Again "all their models" not the same as "on their running shoes" only

Someone more naive/gullible will waste hours trying to hunt down something that doesn't exist due to your use of ambiguous language but yes, please continue trying to explain yourself out of this.

Sorry for the error.

I do look for shoes on boards and, if I can't find them, then I can't find them.

I don't get why someone would get so upset over it though.

 

[d-quik]

don't get why someone would get so upset

Spending time looking for something that is sold out = understandable

Spending time looking for something which doesn't exists = not understandable

 

[movdqa]

Spending time looking for something that is sold out = understandable

Spending time looking for something which doesn't exists = not understandable

But why are you so angry?

If it's not there, you just look for something else?

I just looked around and it looks like the original LAV was available in X-Wide in Mens, or 4E. A bit strange that they dropped it for the V2.

 

[TripleB]

Figured out the old shoes I threw on were KSwiss Hyper Court Supreme. Wore them in a tournament for six hours of playing yesterday and knee feels "tight" but the pain isn't there...which is unbelievable!

Since the Nikes everyone is recommending are so impossible to find, I think I'm either going to order the new Hyper Court Supreme or try out a Babolat shoe.

Anyone have great cushioning from any of the Babolat shoes?

Appreciate everyone taking the time to respond!

TripleB

 

[gold325]

Look into diabetic insoles - are orthotics designed with plastazote foam... unbelievably comfortable.

Great example is Propet Contour Pro (are sold only in 3 pack and are amazing if you can find them in this current scenario at their inflated $80/3 pr price, used to be less than $50 last year)

 

[d-quik]

I think if there was, it would be collected from you by the courier upon delivery, not by the retailer upon purchase. Curious if it goes through duty-free.

Not sure how big you are on hoarding but racquet guys also has them in a variety of colors in 12.5 as well. Hope you lIke Canada a bit more after this HAHA

 

[LeastExhaustingPlayer]

GP Turbo for the win.
I've tried Asics GR8, KSwiss Hypercourt Express2 among others but they are not even close to GP in terms of cushioning.
I've ordered both Black and White versions. Will stock up more when my wife is in a good mood.

 

[XFactorer]

Yeah GP turbo. First shoe I bought backups for

Same! I have 3 back ups.

 

[mad dog1]

GP Turbos. I have 8 pairs left.

 

[RACQUETMD]

Fresh foam Lav 2!

 

[netlets]

Diadora Speed Blushield Torneo

I second these - knee pain went away once I went to Diadora Blushield Torneo’s from Vapor Cages.