Last Updated on July 3, 2024
Movement in table tennis is as important, and maybe even more important than the equipment you are playing with. It’s something that will determine how well are you at table tennis. Most people forget about the importance of having the best table tennis shoes. Everyone was a beginner in table tennis at one point, and do you remember what’s the first thing you’ve been taught? Most likely, it’ll be holding your racket and movement.
If you don’t place your body well and aren’t doing the necessary movement, you won’t be prepared for the next move.
And we all know that table tennis can become extremely fast at some point, so movement and positioning are very crucial.
But let me ask you a question. In which shoes are you playing table tennis?
There are shoes which are specially made for table tennis players, to fit them perfectly, go well with the surface, and provide the best comfort and maneuverability.
Here, you will find the best table tennis shoes, and if you play at higher levels, it can be extremely important to get a pair of good shoes.
Best Table Tennis Shoes – Reviews & Buying guide
- Butterfly 8001 Classic Table Tennis Shoes
- ASICS Mens Gel-Rocket 8 Shoes
- Butterfly Groovy Table Tennis Shoes
- Joola Court
- LI-NING Whirlwind Men Table Tennis Shoes
- Butterfly Table Tennis Lezoline Shoes
- Butterfly Table Tennis Lezoline TB Shoes
- Mizuno Wave Drive A7 Table Tennis Shoes
- Butterfly Lezoline Table Tennis Zero Shoes
- Kelme Star 360 Michelin Leather Mesh Shoes
Butterfly 8001 Classic Table Tennis Shoes
Just like the way Butterfly crafts and produces table tennis rackets and other equipment, they understand the importance of the shoes you are playing in.
That’s why Butterfly 8001 classic table tennis shoes have been made, and they’re here to provide you the best comfort during the play.
They have very soft canvas, high friction rubber sole, cushion for comfort, and great traction which is really important for small, yet precision movements.
They might look like simple shoes, however, once you try them out and play a match or two in them, you will never want to go back to your old shoes.
Butterfly made them precisely to meet the needs of the table tennis players.
ASICS Mens Gel-Rocket 8 Shoes
ASICS produce one of the greatest shoes that are specifically made for indoor sports, and just like the Gel-Rocket 7, the upgraded and improved version Gel-Rocket 8 is also suitable for table tennis.
If you’ve used the previous version and are looking for a replacement, this version is the best one to go for. However, it’s also a great version for the first shoes too.
Gel-Rocket 8 shoes have a great size fit and sole grip which allows you to stay in control during the game. However, they have a flat arch which might not be suitable for all players – and it’s something you should look out for.
Also, they’re not really made for people with wide feet. Other than that, Gel-Rocket shoes are great hard shoes that are comfortable to wear and are specifically made to improve your indoor movement and game.
The grip and quality of the Gel-Rocket 8 shoes are definitely worth the price.
Butterfly Groovy Table Tennis Shoes
If you are looking for something different than simple plain classic table tennis shoes, Butterfly Groovy might be a perfect choice.
They’re designed to do the same thing Butterfly 8001 classic is made to do, yet are a little bit fancier.
They have been optimized for the intense footwork of table tennis players, which can be really fast if you have ever watched professional table tennis players.
The very thin midsole is made to offer a sense of being barefoot when wearing Butterfly Groovy table tennis shoes. They feel light and will make your fast footwork faster and easier.
Optimised for the best fit and comfort, because that is something that every table tennis needs. Precision plays a huge role in such sport, and Butterfly Groovy will really know how to improve your precision.
They’re available in 5 different colors that will match everyone’s style, and in my opinion, are way better looking than classic table tennis shoes.
Joola Court
Joola Court table tennis shoes are among the top-selling table tennis products. These shoes have been made using the latest shoe technology, so hence meet all the standards of the modern table tennis shoes.
The Joola Court table tennis shoes are available in multiple foot sizes as well as offers great benefits to the players.
These shoes are extremely lightweight, to offer greater support and comfort to the players.
The inner sole of the shoe ensures high-level comfort as well as provides an optimal cushion to protect player’s feet from any trauma.
In addition to the inner sole, the rest of the show design is such that it provides a great deal of flexibility to the players. With Joola Court shoes, the player can easily achieve fast, better and more sports-oriented movements throughout the game.
The use of high-quality material to manufacture this table tennis shoe makes it perfect for both indoor and outdoor sports. Though the shoes provide perfect support, grip, and support to the feet, make sure to order one size bigger for you.
The design and color of the shoes are also remarkable and looks quite cool. With so many features, Joola Court table tennis shoes are an extremely affordable and cost-effective product.
LI-NING Whirlwind Men Table Tennis Shoes
Needing a perfect pair of shoes for your table tennis adventure will make you look for the shoes everywhere, however, if you’re looking for an inexpensive yet quality pair of table tennis shoes – look no further than LI-NING Whirlwind men shoes.
They’re made in a combination of various materials, featuring synthetic leather, textile material, and rubber out sole. These shoes provide great breathability and will keep your feet cool and dry during the play.
What we liked, even more, is the anti-collision toe cap that reduces toe collision, no matter if you’re walking, running, playing table tennis or even playing any other sport.
These shoes offer a very good level of grip but also control and stability so you can expect a very well balanced play for table tennis. And you’ll definitely never feel your legs just slipping and sliding out during the most important matches.
Butterfly Table Tennis Lezoline Shoes
You might see a lot of Butterfly table tennis shoes in here, and that’s mostly because they take the footwear for table tennis seriously, and they’ve gone far to design and craft the best footwear for table tennis.
I am also personally a big fan of Butterfly, and their dedication to match the player’s needs and improve the game is absolutely amazing.
If you don’t like both 8001 classic shoes and Groovy shoes, I am sure that you will love Lezoline shoes.
They’re very lightweight and are flexible, giving you enough room during the play, yet provide a great traction and comfort.
High edges that Butterfly Lezoline shoes provide give you the ability to easily roll over your feet no matter the surface, which results in faster footwork movement without any risk of falling.
The materials used are very quality, and the complete build of the shoes is top notch.
Butterfly Table Tennis Lezoline TB Shoes
If you haven’t found the perfect table tennis shoes for yourself, Butterfly Lezoline TB shoes might be something you’ve been looking for a long time.
Butterfly Lezoline TB shoes provide a nice fit and even table tennis players with wide feet will feel comfortable in them. They offer flexible soles for the best movement results, and your feet will always be cool no matter how intense match you are playing.
Lezoline TB shoes have been inspired by one of the best table tennis players in the world Timo Boll, which was specially designed and crafted by Butterfly in partnership with Timo Boll.
TB in the name of Lezoline shoes stands for Timo Boll if you haven’t known.
Superb playability is just one benefit along the comfort and quality of Butterfly Lezoline TB Shoes.
Mizuno Wave Drive A7 Table Tennis Shoes
If you aren’t a big fan of Butterfly shoes, there is always another solution. Mizuno Wave Drive A7 table tennis shoes have been very popular among the professional table tennis players, and there’s a reason for it.
Mizuno table tennis shoes will provide you the best performance for the price they cost, and they’re definitely worth it.
They offer athletic sole that is made to provide more stability and better traction for table tennis players.
Ventilation of the Mizuno Wave Drive A7 table tennis shoes is amazing, and they will make sure that your feet never get sweaty ever again.
The best thing about Mizuno table tennis shoes is that they’re unisex, and they come in larger sizes which will benefit both genders at the same time.
The design is also beautiful, and the comfort of the play they provide can’t be replaced by any other shoes in that price range.
Butterfly Lezoline Table Tennis Zero Shoes
Going with one of the best brands in the world of table tennis doesn’t mean you should spend a lot of money. Better yet, if you’re looking for table tennis shoes – there are no more valuable shoes than Butterfly Lezoline Zero shoes.
Even though they look very simple on the outside, they’re really comfortable on the inside, and the amount of control and stability they offer throughout the game is definitely worth the price.
Nonmarking sole really makes these shoes perfect for any type of table tennis arena and surface, and with such snug yet comfortable fit they offer – you’ll never find yourself worrying about the footwear to use for your sports.
In fact, you might want to take these shoes out of the table tennis arena and try them out in other sports – because they’re so good.
Kelme Star 360 Michelin Leather Mesh Shoes
Kelme isn’t very well known shoes among table tennis players, but they’re one of the top brands in the world of futsal players.
And if these shoes are proven to be very good for futsal players, why won’t they be good for table tennis players as well, right? Since both sports are played on similar surfaces (if not the same), they offer the same results.
With the leather upper side of the shoes and combination of Michelin rubber, these shoes offer a pretty great combination that will be your go-to choice if you’re playing on a very slick surface.
However, one thing we have noticed is that you should definitely size down half a size since they’re a bit larger. Once you get this right, these shoes will provide a great fit that you won’t even feel them on your feet during the intense matches.
Why Use Table Tennis Shoes and Is It Worth Buying One?
Table tennis players are often happy to pay hundreds of dollars on the greatest and latest table tennis racket, but they are using running shoes while playing and unaware of the shoes’ impact on their game.
Regardless of your experience as a table tennis player, you have to know what shoes you should use for the reason that the right table tennis shoes can help you perform at your best and avoid possible injuries.
For instance, running shoes are for toe-to-toe movement.
On the other hand, table tennis shoes are multi-directional movement, particular lateral movement, so the table tennis shoe’s sole is more flexible, enabling you to do a range of movements
.So, what makes the right table tennis shoes so special?
Well, proper table tennis shoes can offer the benefits below:
Stability
It’s almost as crucial as traction. The right table tennis shoes would help you feel your feet on the ground while providing you lots of stability for your high intensity moves.
Stability is important in playing table tennis and not all kinds of shoes can provide you this.
Traction
An important table tennis shoes requirement is good traction between the floor and your shoes.
Traction means high grip on your floor, which reduces the amount of uncontrolled movements or sliding.
Table tennis is a high-speed sport in which you have to make contact with the ball that comes in high speed.
Not only has the ball moved very fast, your racket swings at high speed as well. With the right table tennis shoes, you will have the traction, flexibility, and grip.
Prevention Of Injuries
The wrong kind of shoes may cause discomfort when playing table tennis.
You might experience pains, aches, soreness, and blisters. It might also be the reason your shoes do not feel quite right.
The best table tennis shoes do not get in your way and allows you to perform table tennis well.
For instance, if you are using a pair of running shoes for a lateral movement, a high heel drops can result to ankle sprains in this movement.
Using table tennis shoes can let you do quick lateral movement and stability on the ground that reduced the risk of possible injuries.
Longevity
Shoes made for particular kind of movements like the ones for table tennis are equipped with inbuilt strength for such movements, so they must last longer once used for table tennis.
Breathability
The material’s ability to allow moisture vapor transmitted through the kind of material is called breathability.
The fast and repetitive steps in table tennis means that your feet would get hot quickly and frequently sweat a lot.
The right table tennis shoes are made to enable good airflow out and in of the shoes by means of holes and meshes within the material, enabling sweat to evaporate and cooling feet in the process.
It does not only keep one’s feet comfortable, but also minimizes the chance of skin problems like blisters.
How to choose best table tennis shoes
Footwork is really important in tennis and table tennis, and so is the footwear.
Having the correct type of shoes for table tennis can improve the way you move, offer more reliability, and even more support in certain areas.
Therefore, in this post, you will find out how to find and choose table tennis shoes that are going to make you feel a lot better and even more confident behind the table.
In theory, you can play table tennis with any type of shoes that offer a flat bottom.
On the other hand, there are plenty of features that might improve comfort and your footwork in table tennis.
Therefore, paying attention to these factors or even purchasing table tennis shoes from some of the well-known brands is the correct way to choose table tennis shoes.
Now, let’s get to the factors that will help you find your best shoes.
BOTTOM
As you probably know, the bottom is supposed to be flat to match the surface the best.
However, what you might not know is that it shouldn’t be all flat, yet it should be ergonomically designed in the shape of your foot.
Also, the material used to make the bottom of the shoes is really important since it will be the main factor in providing the right amount of grip you require throughout the game.
PADDING
Even though table tennis shoes might look just like any other shoes, they actually have paddings located at the toe cap or at the back.
Since table tennis players are doing a lot of front and back moves with their legs, their feet move inside the shoes.
These paddings provide comfort, grip, and control so you can have the reliability throughout the game.
Padding is the number one reason why table tennis player don’t get blisters on their feet while using the correct shoes.
SIZE
Size is obviously important and is probably the number one thing people think of when purchasing any type of shoes.
However, when it comes down to table tennis shoes – in some cases, you will be required to go for half a number lower instead of your regular size.
Even though table tennis shoes might look similar to any other shoes, they are made specifically to be used for playing.
Therefore, you will have the necessary grip and reliability throughout your games.
ANKLE SUPPORT
Most table tennis shoes come with increased ankle support which is ideal for most players.
The sprained ankle is very common among table tennis players because of the short but extensive moves made with legs during the game.
Therefore, ankle support will make sure you don’t injure yourself at any cost.
Conclusion
There are many different choices of shoes to play table tennis in, and if you aren’t taking table tennis seriously, you might haven’t considered getting the best shoes for table tennis.
I would highly recommend to everyone who is serious about table tennis to get professional table tennis shoes because they can improve your comfort, play-ability, and movement.
These are the best table tennis shoes we have found, simply because they’re so simple, yet so effective. They’ve been designed and crafted with players in mind, and that’s something that is all about.
You can’t miss by going for any of these table tennis shoes, so what are you waiting for?
