Badminton vs Table Tennis Shoes: Comparing the Shoes

As a beginner in sports, one is eager to know why you can’t substitute a Badminton shoe for a Table tennis shoe. After all, both sports require a lot of lateral movements, and footwork and are made with an anti-slip rubber outer sole.

But that’s not all, Table tennis as a sport is not played on a wooden court surface as seen in Badminton, but on a cemented or slippery court, so the shoe requires a lot of grips and a different outer sole design.

However, the major difference is that the soles of Badminton shoes are Hexa-shaped with a non-marking surface and feature a honeycomb (radial) pattern, while the Table tennis shoes are marking soles that feature a wide range of patterns such as the zigzag pattern and the pimply pattern.

Badminton vs Table Tennis Shoes

Both of which depend on the type of outdoor surface the game is played on.

This article highlights the differences and similarities between a Badminton shoe and a Table tennis shoe and this will help you decide on which shoes to buy instead as you will get to know why it’s always advisable to wear sports-specific footwear.

Explaining badminton shoes?

Badminton shoes are tight-fitting shoes made to cater to the techniques of the game. The shoes are designed to have a solid quarter that provides the player with an agile footrest, without compromising comfort.

One unique feature about these shoes is that they have a Hexa-gripped sole that allows for seamless bending and turning during the game.

These shoes protect the ankle from frequent injuries as they have great cushioning at the heel and mid-soles which provides the best traction for quick stop-and-go sideways movements.

Pros:

They are comfortable shoes
The Hexa-griped sole features a radial grip pattern which allows for explosive lateral movements
The mid-foot of Badminton serves as an excellent shock-absorber
The upper part of Badminton shoes have pores and are made from high-quality breathable materials that suffice for foot sweats
The shoes fit tightly, hence making footwork a lot easier
Badminton shoes are designed to be light-weighted so as to support quick footwork
It features a thin outer sole made from rubber gum and is a perfect fit for the game
Different brands produce high-quality Badminton shoes hence a lot of credibilities
The shoes ultimately protect the ankle by minimizing sprains and injuries that come from the sharp change of directions during the game
It comes in various sizes

Cons:

The lateral shoe design makes it impossible to be used for other athletic sports
It is expensive to buy a new pair as a beginner in the sport
They do not function well as running shoes
They can’t be used to play outdoor sports as the sole lacks the necessary features for such

Explaining table tennis shoes?

Table tennis shoes are shoes with extra grip because of the slippery surface on which the game is played.

The shoes have to mark soles that improve one’s speed and allow for smooth transition around the court.

Aside from being light-weight, which is actually a necessity, some tennis shoes don’t offer much shock absorption as they have thin soles while others have thick soles.

So, this makes one very susceptible to joint pains, especially if you are an advanced player.

However, part of the soles of the shoes is made with a mesh so that enough ventilation is offered to the feet during the game.

Pros:

The light-weight cushioning allows for easy sideway movements
The no-slip grip design improves stability and performance
The micro-fiber and nylon upper provide the shoe with ventilation
Tennis shoes do fit tightly making sideways, forward and backward movements a lot easier
The shoes are comfortable for the feet as the upper and inner shoes are made with flexible materials
The shoes support the arch of the feet despite having a strong thin soles
Sizes are available for different feet types
High-quality Table tennis shoes are manufactured by trusted brands hence a lot of credibility
The tread of the sole provides incredible grip so that you can move from one end of the table to the other without worrying about slipping or sliding

Cons:

The shoe is not ideal for running
It’s quite pricier
The shoes don’t have thick soles to fully support the arch of the feet
They don’t perform well in indoor sports

What features make Badminton shoes best for Badminton?

Here are the basic features a good pair of Badminton shoes offers you:

Honeycomb (hexa) grip pattern

The best distinction between a Badminton shoe and Tennis is their significantly different grip patterns.

With badminton, you can easily move in all directions, because of the radial grip patterns which offer a strong grip in any direction where friction is applied.

Non-marking sole

All Badminton shoes have a non-marking sole which provides fewer grips on the court as it becomes necessary when you need to increase your speed of movement around the court.

And this prevents damaging or leaving permanent marks on the wooden court surface.

Reasonable ankle support

In badminton, high-top design shoes do restrict footwork and lack the flexibility required for lateral movements. Badminton shoes are made to be a mid-cut which is a quality that protects the ankle bone.

And the shoes have a solid quarter that provides a sturdy footrest during lateral movements and this prevents you from ankle twisting.

What features make Table tennis shoes best for table tennis?

The following features make Table tennis shoes best for the game:

The unique grip pattern

A table tennis shoe has a wide range of grip patterns that are designed according to the court surface.

For example, clay court shoes feature a herringbone tread pattern (a zigzag pattern), this helps to prevent the clay from becoming lodged underneath the sole.

In addition to that, it also permits controlled sliding while maintaining one’s grip as well.

The Pimply grass-court shoes, on the other hand, are exclusively suitable for playing table tennis on grass courts.

And the outer sole features a pimply pattern. Also, the grass is the most slippery court surface for the table tennis game, but with the help of these soles, they provide a lot of grips.

Marking sole

Unlike Badminton shoes, which are non-marking soles, the soles of Table tennis shoes are the marking types because they are not played indoors on a wooden surface.

And their soles sometimes could be either firmer or softer than the soles of a Badminton shoe and this depends on the court surface they’re designed for actually.

So, this feature makes it possible to transition across the court so that you can have a better grip of the ball.

Heavily padded and elevated heel

On average, Table tennis shoes are much heavier than Badminton shoes. This helps to reduce the impact on your joints when you run and land.

However, when playing badminton, you’ll want to feel light on your feet, and heavier shoes like these won’t help you do that.

How are badminton and table tennis shoes similar?

Both shoes have notable differences that make them unique for each game. However, they share some similarities in terms of:

Top-end cushioning
Both shoes feature the use of breathable materials
Both shoes offer versatile design
Both shoes provide good lateral support

Top-end cushioning

So, this feature acts as added protection to the ankle. So, for construction, both shoes offer great support by featuring a gel cushioning system to support the arches.

With these, you can run and jump without worrying about sustaining injuries, especially on your knees.

Both shoes feature the use of breathable materials

Badminton and Table tennis require a lot of effort hence heat and sweat are produced while playing each game.

However, both shoes cater to the rigors of the sports by incorporating the use of breathable materials that stretch which in turn provides enough room in the toe area allowing your feet to breathe.

Both shoes offer versatile design

Most players appreciate an athletic shoe that not only feels comfortable but also offers them that sophisticated look as a professional player. And both shoes are manufactured with an accent of colors to suit the taste of different players.

Both shoes provide good lateral support

The middle sole is flexible and it not only provides good cushioning from heavy impacts but also the grippy outer sole offers you that sturdy foundation you need while switching between lateral moves momentarily.

What are the differences between badminton shoes & futsal shoes?

Here are their notable differences despite their few similarities:

Function

Just like in any other sport, the type of gear and equipment used are significantly different and unique to each game.

As explained above, Badminton shoes are made to provide fewer grips on the court surface that’s why they have deep mid-soles and the outer soles have a radial grip pattern.

This enables one to seamlessly switch between explosive lateral moves and movements in all directions without one being injured at the ankle.

The Table tennis shoes also have a similar pattern. But it is either in a zigzag or pimply-cut pattern.

Both patterns provide a strong grip in any direction where friction is applied and it depends on the surface where the tennis ball is played.

Comfort

Table tennis shoes are, on average, much heavier than badminton shoes because they are heavily padded with an elevated heel.

This is great for the game but so uncomfortable on your feet when playing badminton.

Comfortable badminton shoes will protect your ankle and knees by providing better comfort and a cushion that helps absorb the shock produced by the hard movement.

Fitting

Badminton shoes fit snugly and it offers anti-torque protection so as to facilitate footwork and prevent and improve one’s performance.

Most Table tennis shoes come with an anti-collision toe cap that helps one to perform forefoot landing without compromising comfort as well.

Quality & durability

Shoes for playing Badminton are made from high-quality raw materials so that the shoes can ultimately last long.

And the rubber soles are wear-resistant. While Table tennis features the use of both textile synthetic and leather materials.

The implication of such is that the leather provides comfort and the synthetic ensures durability.

Price

This ultimately depends on the skill level of the players and the brand as well. But a typical Badminton shoe can range from $30 to $250 depending on the features it has but now you might be thinking about which price range is best for you?

This should depend on how far you have gone into the sport as different brands produce Badminton shoes with unique or extra features based on the user or player.

This also applies to Table tennis shoes, if you are a beginner with amateur footwork, you can get a shoe that is not too pricey to play Table tennis. But the price could range from $49 to $120 online.

Conclusion

Different sports require distinct movements, and this is what makes the footwear specific to each sport.

As such, you cannot use Badminton shoes for a Table tennis game as both have quite a number of different features.

And since you only have a pair of feet, taking care of them by wearing sports-specific footwear seems like the best thing to do.

Now, you know which pair to go for as you have been able to see the pros and cons of each pair of shoes. So, if you play Badminton a lot, you really need to invest in durable Badminton shoes as it is specialized for such.

You need a shoe that does not provide much grip to the ground and is lightweight so as to allow for a quick lateral switch and flexible moves which the game demands.

Also, it should have a non-marking sole to avoid destroying the court wooden surface and improve your speed as well.

However, if you are a dual sports lover i.e. you play both Table tennis player and Badminton on several occasions, you know why your Badminton shoes won’t suffice either.

Tennis necessitates a lot of multi-directional running across the court. As a result, the grip of a tennis shoe is engineered to grasp more for that as opposed to a Badminton shoe.

And the sole and heel are padded to protect your arches from potential injuries.

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