When should you discard tennis shoes?

[sportsfan1]

How do you decide when you can no longer wear a pair of tennis shoes for playing - is it when (sections of) the outsole wear out? When your toe starts showing through? Something in between or other? Need some objective criteria.

 

[bigdaddyps]

How do you decide when you can no longer wear a pair of tennis shoes for playing - is it when (sections of) the outsole wear out? When your toe starts showing through? Something in between or other? Need some objective criteria.

When there is little to no tread. Period. Providing the actual shoe top is intact of course.

 

[slice bh compliment]

When your toe pokes through...funny.
I think when the tread is worn down to half a mm, the cushioning and support have been compromised enough to not compete on hard courts. My friend (elite coach) says by the time the outsole is bare, the insides of the shoe are weak. I now believe this.

I use two pairs of good, new shoes for actual tennis. I relegate two pairs of worn ones to yard work or just walking/cycling around the neighborhood.

 

[WildVolley]

In my case, it is almost always an issue of wearing the shoe through to the midsole. This tends to cause too little traction for my liking, so I'll toss the shoe.

I haven't had an issue with having to toss a shoe due to loss of cushion or getting a hole in the upper.

 

[cknobman]

When the end of your toes get blisters from direct contact with the pavement

 

[gino]

How do you decide when you can no longer wear a pair of tennis shoes for playing - is it when (sections of) the outsole wear out? When your toe starts showing through? Something in between or other? Need some objective criteria.

There is no formula for this. If you have any tearing in the upper, chasis, or outsole of your shoes.... It's time to move on.

Try rotating 2-3 pairs, they will last exponentially longer

 

[Roland G]

When the soles have worn down or the uppers are torn?