Any pickleball court manager will tell you it’s always a better idea to wear your regular shoes to the court and change them there. But why exactly should you keep your pickleball shoes in your pickleball bag until you are at the pickleball court, and what should you wear instead?
Don’t bring your dirt to the pickleball court
The main reason you should not be wearing your pickleball shoes to the pickleball court is because you can be dragging all the things you walk on on the way there, including dirt, rocks, oil, road salt, water, and more.
It will take much more time and energy to keep the court clean, plus it could damage the courts you play on.
Keep your shoes clean
Although it’s appreciated by the court when you don't wear your pickleball shoes on the street, your pickleball shoes will also appreciate not being on the street. If you want to keep your pickleball shoes as clean as possible, for as long as possible, you will not want to wear them outside.
Shoe longevity
If you want your pickleball shoes to last longer, wearing them only for pickleball will help increase their longevity. If you are wearing your pickleball shoes to run errands or in other parts of your life, you will wear them down quickly. Your pickleball shoes should form around your foot for pickleball movements only, and wearing them only for the pickleball court will give them the best chance of giving you a comfortable shoe for every pickleball game.
There are so many pickleball bags out there that will allow you to keep your pickleball shoes safe and clean until you are ready to play.
Foot health
There are many reasons not wearing your pickleball shoes outside the pickleball court is good for your foot health, but perhaps the most important is cleanliness. With all the hard work you do on the pickleball court, sweat and germs are unavoidable. But you do not want to cause all that sweat and then walk around for the rest of the day with your feet in that germy environment.
Here are some tips to keep your pickleball shoes clean. But even if you do nothing to clean your pickleball shoes, letting them air out will help avoid germs.
Foot recovery
Another reason switching out your shoes is good for your foot health is to give your feet a chance to recover. Whether it be a different pair of tennis shoes or a shoe designed specifically for recovery, like a recovery slide shoe, you will want to keep your feet in top shape.
And the most important reason...
Clearly, the most important reason to keep your pickleball shoes in your pickleball bag until you get to the court:
