tabletennisJunkie.com - table tennis and ping pong forum for equipment junkies!

[729 fx]

For me, the most important question you should ask is whether you really need a new pair of table tennis shoes. The main consideration is whether your current shoes are hampering your table tennis play, like slipping and sliding around the court, your feet ached after a day's play, then you should upgrade to a specialised table tennis shoe. If you are perfectly happy with your current shoes, then you need not buy a specially designed shoe for table tennis (unless you an equipment junkie and you want to )

Another common question that was asked is whether shoes designed for other sports, for example badminton, squash, tennis, basketball etc - are OK to be used for table tennis. In my opionion as long as the shoe meets your requirements, then it really doesn't matter whether it is a table tennis shoe or not. From my experience, many of the badminton and squash shoes are fine for table tennis. Tennis and basketball shoes tend to be a little heavier and but if you ake OK with them then there is no issue.

Consideration In Choosing A Table Tennis Shoes :
1) Comfort - Despite all of a shoe's other good qualities, if they aren't comfortable to play in, then they are not the right shoe for you. You hope to play many games in them, so make sure that your feet feel great in your new shoes. You may wear special gel insoles for comfort

2) Breathability of the material used - For example, full leather shoes and some of the heavier fabrics can slowly make your toes getting warmer and warmer unless they have adequate ventilation holes, while most lighter mesh fabrics give plenty of ventilation to let the heat out.

3) Width size - some shoes are wider than others. Do not assume that because a shoe is your normal shoe size, it will fit well. Some manufacturers produced wide (or skinny) shoes, and sometimes the Asian sizing doesn't quite match up to the European or American sizes as they have a wider and bigger foot.

4) Support - different players require different amounts of support from their shoes. For me, I prefer a shoe that is cut low around the ankle, but I am fairly indifferent about whether the shoe is made of firm or soft material. Make sure you get a shoe that matches your requirements for support - you'll feel the difference by the end of a long day on the court.

5) Shock Absorption - as most table tennis shoes are designed to be as light as possible, the amount of shock absorbing material sometimes get sacrificed to lighten the load. If you never play for very long, or play on a nice wooden sprung floor, it makes no difference but if you are playing for long times on concrete or a hardwood floor, your joints will pay the price for skimping on the shock absorbing stuff.

6) Weight - extra weight in the shoe is something that will slow you down and tire you out over the course of a long day. Lighter is better - but keep in mind that making a shoe light usually involves some sort of compromise in other areas due to the reduced material, so those ultralight shoes you buy may not be very good at giving support or providing shock absorption.

7) Durability - get the shoe with the soles that are stitched to the uppers as these will generally last longer than soles that are glued to the uppers, especially if you drag your toes from time to time. Soft inner soles will probably wear out faster than harder insoles, but these days new insoles can be purchased to replace it. Leather will be more durable than most fabrics, although most shoes should wear out their shock absorption ability long before tearing the fabric of the shoes becomes a problem. Similarly, rubber soles will not last as long as the plastic varieties, but this is not really a factor since in most cases the shock absorbing qualities will have deteriorated long before the sole is worn out.

8) Grip - for me, get a shoe with a good grip. Some players may want lesser grip in order to slide especially a dusty and dirty wooden floor can be slippery. If you prefer a lot of grip, then go for a flexible rubber sole with a ribbed/patterned surface.

9) Stiffness/Torsion - table tennis shoes will vary in the amount of bend they possess between heel and toe, and from side to side. Some players prefer less stiffness, and others prefer more. Too much bend and you will receive less support from the shoe, and too little and your foot will be constricted when you move around the court.

10) Looks - last but not least, while not affecting the your game directly, playing while wearing a stylish shoes feels good and can give you a mental boost. At least if you lose, you looked the best!

(Note : Compiled from abouttabletennis article on "What To Look For In A Table Tennis Shoe")

[ejunkie]

If you are like me who wears out my tt shoes very fast, the realistic considerations are simple
1. price
2. (light) weight
3. traction
In the end it's always the Chinese made shoes win.

[729 fx]

Yes, for me it is the comfort + price. That is why I settled for a badminton shoe which is flexible , cheap and comfortable.

[ejunkie]

I used to not have to worry so much when Butterfly sells those cheap white canvas tt shoes for cheap.

[729 fx]

There is only a handful left on the canvas shoe which cost < USD10.00 here in my country. Most of the new generation tt players will look for more fashionable and trendy design.

[ejunkie]

Some of the third world countries still sells tt shoes from China cheap. Some of the players I know get their gear from Vietnam for $6/pair.