Before you buy new court shoes, look at what’s under your foot
Most players replace a $150 shoe to fix a problem a $48 insole was built for. Here is how to tell which one you need.
You know the moment. It is game three, the score is tight, and a dink lands a foot wider than you expected. In game one you would have stepped to it. Now you reach. The ball pops up, and you lose a point you would have won an hour ago.
Most of us blame our legs, our age or our shoes. Shoes are usually where the money goes next: a new pair, $120 to $180, and three weeks later the same tired feeling by the end of the session.
Here is what most players never check. The shoe was never the part touching your foot. Pull the insole out of almost any court shoe and you will find a thin, flat sheet of foam. The brand spent its budget on the outsole and the upper. What sits under your arch was an afterthought.
What our reviewer found
Drew McCartt, one of Pickleball Union’s gear reviewers, put the CURREX PICKLEBALLPRO in his court shoes in January 2025. He scored it 4.75 out of 5 after his first long session. That part is common; plenty of gear tests well on day one.
The part that got our attention came later. Eighteen months on, the insoles are in three pairs of his court shoes. He moves them every time he buys a new pair. The shoes changed. The insole stayed.
“They felt natural and comfortable.”
Drew McCartt, after nearly two hours on court in his first sessionHe is honest about the rest, too: they felt snug for the first 30 minutes before they settled, and at $59.95 they cost more than anything at the drugstore.
He isn’t alone. One verified buyer on currex.com, who plays five to six days a week on concrete, put it this way: “Good durability… I’m on my second pair.” That is the same pattern we saw: once players find the fit, they replace the insole, not the idea.
Four ways players try to fix tired feet
Each one changes something different. Here is what you actually get for the money.
$120–180typical court shoe
Buy new shoes
A fresh outsole and upper, which matters if yours are worn out. But the new pair most likely ships with the same thin insole as the old one.
Under $30typical drugstore insole
Grab a gel insole
Softer underfoot. Usually one shape for every arch, and built for standing and walking, not split steps and lateral stops.
$200+often, plus appointments
Get custom orthotics
The right call for a diagnosed foot problem, prescribed by a podiatrist. More than most players need for fit and comfort.
$47.96with code PBUNION20
Upgrade the insole you already have
CURREX PICKLEBALLPRO: low, medium or high arch, a grip top layer so your foot stays put on cuts, cushioning under heel and forefoot. Trim to fit the shoes you own.
Price ranges are typical, not quotes.
What it can do, and what it can’t
We will be straight here, because most insole marketing isn’t.
It can
- Replace the thin factory insole
- Match your arch
- Add cushioning for long sessions
- Keep your foot from sliding on cuts
It can’t
- Prevent injuries. No insole has shown that for pickleball
- Fix pain you already have. See a professional
- Replace a warm-up or a rest day
- Rescue a worn-out shoe
A 2026 study of 383 tournament players found each extra hour of play per week raised injury odds about 6%. The hours are the risk. A good insole is about how the shoe feels through those hours, not a shield against them.
Here’s exactly what to do next
Check your arch. Wet your foot and step on a paper bag. Most of the midfoot showing is low, about half is medium, a thin strip is high.
Pick your arch and size, then paste the code at checkout for 20% off.
Trim to match your old insole and give them 30 minutes on court to settle.
P.S. If your shoes are worn through, replace them. Then move a better insole into the new pair, the way Drew does.
P.P.S. CURREX rates the PICKLEBALLPRO for about 12 months or 500 miles. If you play four days a week, plan on a fresh pair each season.
Sources: Lee KJ et al., Prevalence and associated factors of pickleball-related injuries among Korean recreational players, Frontiers in Public Health, 2026 (383 players; odds ratio 1.06 per weekly hour of play). Bonanno DR et al., Effectiveness of foot orthoses and shock-absorbing insoles for the prevention of injury, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017. Pickleball Union review of the CURREX PICKLEBALLPRO, January 2025.
