How long should pickleball shoes last?

If you are a runner, you know your shoes’ lifecycle depends on miles. The general consensus is that running shoes should be replaced every 200-500 miles. But what about pickleball shoes? If you are playing pickleball on a regular basis, how long should your pickleball shoes last and when is it time to replace your shoes?

How long should your pickleball shoes last before you have to replace them?

Pickleball website The Dink asked K-Swiss, who makes a popular brand of pickleball shoe, how long your pickleball shoe should last. The answer has to do with how often you play:

- If you play 1x a week: Your pickleball shoes should last around 1 year.

- If you play 2x a week: Your pickleball shoes should last around 4-6 months.

- If you play 3-5x a week: Your pickleball shoes should last around 2-3 months.

Playing with wet shoes will cause your pickleball shoes to break down more quickly, so you might consider buying two pairs to alternate, especially if you play a lot.

What causes pickleball shoes to wear down?

There are a number of reasons your pickleball shoes will wear down, including:

- How you move.

- How much you play, including:

-- How many times per week.

-- How many hours per session.

- Whether you play indoors or outdoors.

- Do you drag your feet or lift them up when you move?

- The weight of your shoe.

- How competitive the level of play is.

When should you replace your pickleball shoes?

You will probably notice the toe box area will wear down first. A good way to know when you should replace your pickleball shoes is when you see any part of the sole is smooth, with no more tread. If your shoe has an outsole with a different color than the midsole, the moment you can see the midsole showing through is another good indication it’s time to replace your pickleball shoe.

There are a few more signs that you should replace your pickleball shoes:

- Holes are appearing in any area of the shoe.

- The wear on the bottom of the shoe is wearing thin.

- You notice your muscles and joints have new aches and pains.

-- This can include your ankles, back, and knees.