When it comes to sports and fitness, the right footwear can make all the difference in performance, comfort, and injury prevention. From wooden indoor sports courts to hard outdoor concrete, each surface requires specific traits from your shoes.
In this article we'll narrow down the various surfaces used in sports and fitness with some top shoe recommendations plus a few tips on nailing the perfect pair.
Table of Contents
What Footwear is Best for My Sport?
1. Wood Flooring: Indoor Sports Courts
2. Vinyl Flooring: Multi-Purpose Indoor Spaces
3. Rubber Flooring: Durable Gym and Playground Surfaces
4. Synthetic Turf: Artificial Grass Tracks
5. Hard Outdoor Surfaces: Concrete and Asphalt
What Footwear is Best for My Sport?
Let’s take a look at the best footwear for various sports surfaces and activities:
1. Wood Flooring: Indoor Sports Courts
Activities: Basketball, Netball, Badminton, Volleyball, Squash.
Wood gym floors are found in indoor sports halls, community centres and schools. These surfaces are smooth and slightly springy, perfect for high intensity sports that require quick directional changes. These surfaces usually feature a sprung undercarriage system for sports which allows for enhanced shock absorption and energy return when playing high intensity sports such as Basketball and indoor Football.
Best Footwear:
- Court shoes: Designed for indoor sports and basketball court flooring, these shoes provide great grip without marking the floor. They provide a good balance of cushioning and traction needed for high energy sports.
- Features to look for: Non-marking soles, lateral support for quick movements and cushioning for shock absorption.
Examples
- Nike Kyrie Infinity: Top choice for Basketball, these have great traction and lateral support for hardwood courts.
- Asics Gel-Rocket 10: Perfect for Badminton and Volleyball with non-marking soles and cushioned comfort.
- Adidas Court Stabil X: Ideal for Squash players with excellent stability and grip on smooth wood floors.
2. Vinyl Flooring: Multi-Purpose Indoor Spaces
Activities: Netball, Football, Hockey, Fitness
Vinyl flooring is a common sports flooring choice in school gym halls, community sports centres and some fitness facilities. It’s slightly softer than wood but resilient and stable for a variety of sports and multipurpose activities. Vinyl sports flooring, like wood surfaces typically has a supportive sprung floor sublayer system to enhance gameplay and protect users from injury.
Best Footwear:
- Training shoes: These shoes are versatile and provide grip for activities like aerobics or circuit training.
- Barefoot Trainers: Choose grippy, non-slip Barre socks or barefoot trainers for better floor contact and balance.
- Features to look for: Lightweight construction, good arch support and cushioning.
Examples
- Nike Metcon 8: Versatile training shoe for fitness activities such as aerobics, HIIT workouts and moderate weightlifting
- Reebok Nano X3: Stable and grippy, great for multi-directional movement.
- Vibram FiveFingers V-Train: Ideal for yoga, pilates or barefoot-style workouts that need flexibility and balance.
3. Rubber Flooring: Durable Gym and Playground Surfaces
Activities: Weightlifting, CrossFit, high-impact gym activities and outdoor kid's play
Rubber gym floor tiles are highly shock absorbent, perfect for activities that involve jumping or dropping weights. They absorb impact and provide a non slip surface for a variety of fitness workouts. Safety playground tiles are also made from rubber to protect children from falls and provide a cushioned surface for active play.
Best Footwear:
- Weightlifting shoes: Flat, firm soles for stability during lifts.
- Cross trainers: For a mix of cardio and strength training.
- Features to look for: Durable outsoles, lateral support and reinforced midsoles for heavy loads.
Examples
- Adidas Powerlift 5: Go-to for weightlifting which requires a flat stable sole for better lifting performance.
- NOBULL Trainers: Durable and versatile, perfect for CrossFit and other gym workouts on rubber flooring.
- Under Armour Tribase Reign 5: Flexibility and stability for cardio and strength training.
4. Synthetic Turf: Artificial Grass Tracks
Activities: Football, Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, Sled Pulling, Sprinting, CrossFit
Artificial grass tracks and synthetic pitches provide a consistent playing surface with some cushioning for outdoor sports pitches as well as indoor functional training. The turf is designed to offer grip and foot control during high impact movements.
Best Footwear:
- Football boots with artificial grass studs (AG cleats): Optimal grip and reduced stud pressure on 3G artificial pitches
- Tennis shoes for turf courts: Designed for lateral movement with great grip.
- Cross Trainers: For training on gym turf tracks for traction and speed.
- Features to look for: Rubber or plastic studs for traction with breathable uppers to keep feet cool in specific sports or cross training shoes for indoor fitness turf.
Examples
- Nike Phantom GT2 Academy AG: For football on artificial grass, great traction and ball control.
- Adidas Predator Edge.3 AG: Another football boot with great grip and comfort for long matches on synthetic turf.
- ASICS Gel-Challenger 13: For tennis on synthetic grass courts, durable soles for lateral movement.
- Nike Invisible 3: Cross training shoe with superior grip and lightweight design
5. Hard Outdoor Surfaces: Concrete and Asphalt
Activities: Running, Basketball, Skateboarding, casual outdoor sports.
Concrete and asphalt are tough on joints and shoe soles, so proper cushioning and durability are key. Some traditional Basketball courts are made from concrete as are some Tennis courts. Likewise, running outdoors is typically done on concrete paths and tracks which can be unforgiving without the right footwear.
Best Footwear:
- Running shoes: Thick midsoles for impact absorption.
- Basketball trainers: Outdoor court shoe versions with extra-durable outsoles to handle abrasive surfaces.
- Skate shoes: Reinforced toe caps and grip-heavy soles for better control.
- Features to look for: Shock-absorbing soles, durable materials and arch support.
Examples
- Nike Pegasus 40: Thick cushioning for running on concrete and asphalt.
- New Balance Fresh Foam Hierro v7: Excellent for long runs on rough outdoor surfaces.
- Adidas Harden Stepback 3: Outdoor basketball trainer with durable outsoles.
- Vans Old Skool Pro: Skateboarding with reinforced soles and grip.
Top Footwear Tips
In a Nutshell
Wherever your fitness takes you – an indoor court or outdoor surface – your shoes are your most important tool. Get the right footwear and you’ll perform better and protect your feet and joints for the long haul.
Looking for high-performance surfaces for fitness or sport? Explore our Bestselling gym flooring or check out sports flooring for top products.
