How should the soles of padel shoes be?

The sole of the padel shoes is an essential factor so that you can easily deploy your game. On the market there are currently 3 types of soles in padel shoes, Omni, Clay and Allcourt , we are going to explain the differences and their characteristics .

Types of soles in padel shoes

Without a doubt, it is one of the aspects, along with design and comfort, that you have to pay attention to when choosing this type of men’s padel shoes .

It is not uncommon to see players on the padel courts who use the footwear of other sports, such as running or soccer, which will not allow them to adapt to the conditions of the court and the sets. This inappropriate use of footwear , in addition to worsening your performance, will result in a greater risk of injury .

So, next, we are going to present you the three soles that you can choose in the padel shoes. Each of them will be better for your style of play or where you play your matches. Pay attention to its characteristics and then you can look at how to choose padel shoes .

Padel sole or World Padel Tour sole

It is the new sole that has been developed during 2022 and 2023 for the new padel courts of the World Padel Tour , they are shoes with a herringbone sole with less depth and different patterns , this is due to the fact that these types of courts have hair on the grass longer and has no salt.

They are exceptional on curly grass courts, the advantage they have is that they do not have as much grip as clay soles, so they are very good at preventing injuries.

Each manufacturer has released variations of this specific padel sole , highlighting the Asics brand , which presents a clay drawing with different shapes and a rotation point that divides the sole.

Wilson padel shoes , for their part, incorporate cat soles , which are circumferences that allow movement easily without much grip.

Most manufacturers such as Asics, Bullpadel , Head or Wilson are betting on these types of more innovative soles.

Bullpadel, for example, is a mix between clay and padel, which also presents very good results, being a shoe that could be used for both newer and older surfaces.

Omni sole

The omni sole is characterized by being full of small dots . It has been one of the most popular soles in the world of padel, although in recent times its use is entering a recession.

We recommend its use on tracks where you don’t find too much sand .

As it does not stand out for its grip, it will be liked by players who, due to their experimentation, prefer to slip a little on some sets, since it allows them to get to the ball better.

On the other hand, its durability is less than that of the soles that we will analyze in the next section.

Currently, Babolat shoes with their top of the range are Premura are trying to relaunch it, mixing omni with a small part in clay , as well as having greater durability and, above all, with a lot of flexibility by dividing the sole into several parts, to take into account.

Herringbone sole or clay sole

The clay sole comes from the world of tennis (basically, from clay courts) and is recognizable by the spike-shaped grooves that cross it , which provide greater grip. This hold is especially important on tracks that do not have accumulations of sand.

Our opinion is that the Clay or herringbone sole is the best sole for padel shoes , and the one that is most widespread.

It is especially suitable for beginner players who, not yet having 100% control of certain movements, prioritize safety in their evolutions on the court. Remember, on the other hand, that excessive grip can also increase the risk of joint injuries.

When you are starting to use these shoes or you put them on the slopes with little sand, these dangers increase. The lower relief of the herringbone sole makes it more resistant to abrasions, so its useful life will be longer than that of the omni.

Not surprisingly, it is the preferred one for padel shoes, most of the main brands such as Asics Padel , Bullpadel padel shoes, Kswiss sneakers, Adidas continue to use them and they are recommended for most padel courts.

Allcourt Sole Shoes

As the denomination allcourt sole indicates, it is an ideal sole to play on all types of surfaces . That is why it is also known as a mixed sole , since it combines characteristics of the Omni and Clay.

It draws attention due to its rotation zones and it has an omni part inside and in front, and another spike in the rest of the sole, which will favor the durability of the shoe.

Another version of the mixed sole is a piece of clay sole in the main part and another clay sole in the apollo area with another vertical herringbone pattern, thus gripping less and allowing you to slide better. Wilson is one of the brands that uses this type of sole the most.

In short, the sole of the padel shoes that you choose will be essential for you to be able to develop your movements in a solvent way, so choose the one that will enhance your qualities. Clay sole if you are looking for grip or have an electric game , allcourt if you are looking for an all-terrain shoe or Omni if you are looking for a game near the net to have slides.