It can be a bit difficult to see the difference between a tennis shoe and a pickleball shoe, after all much of the movement between the sports are similar, so ASICS describe the GEL-GAME™ FF PICKLEBALL shoe as an all-court shoe, but clearly, they have pickleballers in mind.
Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way first.
The main “technologies” built into this shoe include.
Mesh design – ASICS have focused on breathability with a flexible mesh that combines comfort without compromising durability and helps to keep your feet cool whilst playing.
FLYTEFOAM™ – This is ASICS trademarked cushioning technology. Originally designed to give very lightweight but effective cushioning for distance runners, they have incorporated the technology into this shoe, giving good cushioning that helps with comfort and injury prevention, yet remains lightweight to avoid compromising court speed.
TRUSSTIC® technology – Another trademarked technology that ASICS developed to improve stability. This technology aims to allow the shoe to flex safely under normal circumstances but it becomes rigid if the arch of the foot rolls too much, something that can happen frequently with the lateral movement and direction changes as you move around a pickleball court.
OK, so that the technology, now onto the important thing, how do they feel when you wear them and play in them.
When putting them on I immediately felt like the arch was a little more prominent than tennis shoes I have used from ASICS and other vendors. I was concerned this would become uncomfortable when I played, but that concern turned out to be unwarranted, My foot adapted and I ended up feeling that the level of support was enhanced rather than impacted.
After playing a few sessions, I found the show to be very comfortable. It seems to be slightly softer than pure play tennis shoes, and as a result during the game they feel comfortable and I definitely got less post-game “foot fatigue” than when playing with regular tennis shoes.
However, this “softness” and comfort do not seem to come at the expense of stability. The shoe feels very stable and firm especially around the ankle, giving me confidence that I don’t have to worry that I am at higher risk of an ankle turn if I misstep or change direction suddenly.
The shoe is very light, so jumping and movement feels good, never feeling that the show is dragging down. Likewise, the cushioning is good, landing from high jumps feels nicely protected again giving me confidence that it will help avoid impact injuries.
Overall – this is a good shoe and a safe choice for anyone looking for a good shoe for pickleball play.
I guess the true test is how it stacks to my current collection. When I line up my current tennis shoes alongside the GEL-GAME™ FF PICKLEBALL and decide which pair to wear for the next session, so far the Gel-Game keep ending up in my kit bag,
