Netball Shoes

With over one million players in Australia, you need every edge you can to get over the competition, and it all starts by having the best Netball shoes possible. But what exactly makes these shoes different from any other shoe? Like many specialist pieces of equipment, it’s all in the build. If you use standard running shoes for Netball, you’re at risk of having an injury and being sidelined for a few weeks. Correctly-fitted and purpose-built Netball shoes are designed to support you throughout the three-sixty degrees of movement that a Netball player needs.

When playing Netball, you use a range of motions including short bursts of speed, with plenty of turning and stopping, so quality netball shoes need to be adaptable to these conditions. You’ll commonly find the grip on a Netball shoe is designed to wear evenly as they are pivoted. When selecting your shoes consider the court you’ll be playing on, if there is a chance it could be wet you may want to choose a shoe with more grip than you would for an indoor court.

At Sportitude we know that shoe performance, fit, and comfort are important to Netball players. We stock a range of shoes that will enhance your skills on the court. The best shoes for Netball are made by Asics and Mizuno, these brands have shoes available to suit the weekend player and those in elite competition. From kids to adult sizes, you have a selection of colour and styles. You can order Netball shoes online through our website and we’ll ship them to your door. You can connect with us if you need any help in choosing the correct fit and style, or any assistance with your order.

If you play Netball and go running to keep fit between games, you can find women's running shoes and men's running shoes in our online store. We also stock a variety of sports clothing, and with our offer for free delivery on orders over $100, it can be a great time to get those few extra items.

How to choose Netball shoes?

There are specific Netball shoes available and these are made by Asics and Mizuno. However, if you need a shoe that is more of an all-rounder, choosing the best shoe can become a little more difficult. With the requirements of Netball, you should try to avoid regular running or trail running shoes, while they may seem like a good idea, as there is a lot of running while you play, often their grip is too strong, and you do not get suitable support while pivoting and turning.

If you’re not able to get specifically made shoes for Netball, or perhaps the styles are not to your taste, look into tennis shoes. Tennis players use the same range of motion that a Netball player does, with fast starts and stops, and pivoting. A shoe designed for tennis is very similar to what you’d get from a Netball shoe, and you have a much larger range to choose from.

If you have no other options available, you can choose a cross-trainer. But be aware that these do not always offer the same level of support, so be careful.

What are the benefits of Netball shoes?

The main qualities of a Netball shoe that sets it apart from other shoes are:

1. Traction - a well-designed shoe for Netball will usually have a herringbone pattern as this will wear evenly during pivoting. If a shoe becomes too worn on the sole it can lead to slipping, especially in outdoor and wet areas. Many modern Netball shoes have a specifically designed pivot point in the sole.
2. Stability - with fast movement in many directions shoes for Netball need round sole edges. This provides the player with added protection as the shoe will roll slightly and is less likely to cause issues with your ankles.
3. Upper integrity - Netball is a fast-moving sport and the shoes used need to have strength in the upper. A weak upper, like found in most running shoes will not last anywhere near as long.

When playing Netball, you want a shoe that not only supports you but is comfortable to wear and will work with you. Being adaptable to other sports is excellent and these shoes can be used in other indoor court sports, such as volleyball and squash.

What are the best Netball shoes to buy?

Finding the best shoe to buy is always going to be difficult. Usually, the correct answer is the shoe that fits in with your budget. Often the more expensive the shoe, the more research has gone into the design, and the materials will cost more, and the shoe overall will last longer. If you’re looking to get more than a season or two out of your shoes going for a higher price might be the answer.

Asics and Mizuno have put in the time and development to make a range of Netball shoes that are purpose-built for the job. They are the best shoes for playing Netball as they offer the correct amount of protection and will last longer than other shoes that may not have been targeted as specifically for use while playing Netball.

The Asics and Mizuno shoes are moderately priced and should fit any player's budget. At Sportitude we have the largest selection of Netball shoes in Australia. With an array of support levels to choose from you can find a pair that suits your level of play, and a colour that fits in with your style.

Can you wear Netball shoes for running?

The short answer is you can, but you probably shouldn't. The difference in the design of these two shoes means that if you were to use a Netball shoe when you’re running it may do more damage than good. Essentially a running shoe is for running, and a Netball shoe is, well, for Netball. However, it can be used for other sports where you are doing similar movements and playing on the same sort of surface. A few that come to mind are indoor tennis, squash and volleyball.

Running shoes (e.g. Brooks shoes) have been designed for impact and going in a straight line. The soles on running shoes provide support for the unilateral movement, or one leg at a time while moving in a straight line. Netball shoes are designed primarily for bilateral movement, where both legs are moving the body, which is what you get during pivots and turns. They are two different movements and the shoes offer different levels of support based on those movements.

Are volleyball and Netball shoes the same?

Netball and volleyball shoes are similar, but they’re not the same. Consider the movements both players will make. In volleyball the focus is more on stomping and jumping, the movements a player will make are usually quick with a high response rate. In Netball you do similar movements, but the difference is that you need to run, sprint, and stop quickly, and there is very little jumping involved.

While you can wear volleyball shoes for Netball, and vice versa if you can find a specifically designed shoe for the sport you play. Then that is the shoe you should wear. The brands that make specific shoes for certain sports have often put a lot of time into developing different technology to make the shoes better when played for that certain sport. It’s in their best interest to keep you healthy, safe, and playing longer. If you play both, you can use the same sports shoes but you should choose the one that is suitable for the sport you play the most.