Indoor Shoes

Volleyball shoes are fine, but many basketball shoes will work just as well for volleyball since they typically try to balance:

  • Court feel

  • Impact protection

  • Lateral stability

Favorite Shoes (Personal Take)

Performance (typically lightweight with a mix of bounciness options)

Typically the highest performance shoes that have a mix of impact protection and responsivity.

  • Nike Jordan 34~36

  • Nike Melo M11~M13 (less nice heel cushioning but super lightweight), as well as M8 and M9 (a bit more heel cushioning instead)

  • Nike KD 12~15 (only have 12 and 14 right now, but likely similar performances across the board. 13 is just too ugly to buy)

Impact Protection (when playing lots of days and performance isn't as critical)

Most of these will have noticeable lag when setting or playing defense. Many will also feel more "cushy and cloudy" than "bouncy". Great for "recovery day" or "low intensity day" like open gyms that are less competitive, before or after leg day, etc.

  • Adidas T Mac Millennium line, D Rose 5~8, Crazylight Boost for excellent Boost implementations for impact protection

  • Nike Lebron 18 (17 and 19 are OK too)

  • Nike BB NXT

Bouncy (typically good on impact protection and with approaches, but some lag on first step due to cushioning)

These shoes can be fun since with a full approach, you feel very bouncy and feel like you can jump higher. However, there is often some lag when setting or playing defense. Some models (especially Lebron 15 and 16) can also be very heavy.

  • Nike Hyperflight Max (others in line are good, but Max is crazy good and has good lateral stability)

  • Nike Lebron 10, 11, 15, and 16. The 11 has an especially noticeable lag.

  • Nike GT Jump (decent.... probably needs even more break-in)

Others Worth Checking Out on Review Videos

  • Nike PG 4 and 5 for Air strobel cushioning

  • Nike PG 6 has been extremely highly rated for React cushioning implementation

  • Nike Zoom Freak line

  • Nike Kyrie models with forefoot Zoom

  • Nike Kobe 8~11, AD NXT, AD NXT 360, and AD NXT 360FF (these will either be used or $1000+)

  • Adidas Harden, Dame, DON, D Rose (1~4 and 9+) - lots of hits and misses supposedly due to new iterations sometimes being completely different.

  • KT Anta - pricey and may not be available in your foot size. However, some models get rave reviews.

  • Way of Wade - pricey and may not be available in your foot size. However, some models get rave reviews.

  • UA Curry and FloTro Line - lots of hits and misses supposedly due to new iterations sometimes being completely different.

Volleyball Shoe Brands

  • Mizuno: Primary technology is the "Wave Plate" which is a plastic plate meant for stability and energy dissipation. Higher end foams are: MIZUNO ENERZY, U4ic/U4icX, and AP+.

    • Wave Lightning - has traditionally been super light weight, but a bit narrow with sub-par impact protection. Great for setters, liberos, and "in very good shape younger" hitters.

    • Wave Momentum - replaced the older Wave Tornado line and tends to be more wide-foot friendly with better cushioning.

    • Mizuno Japan has way more options, including higher-quality insoles than those that typically come with any shoe. E.g. these came with the older Wave Tornado models, and these are their high end insoles.

  • Asics: Primary technology is "Gel" for energy dissipation. To address energy return / performance, they have started using FlyteFoam in their higher end volleyball shoes. They tend to be wide-foot friendly and almost all lines have good impact protection.

    • Netburner, Blast, and Sky Elite - the higher end ones, all currently using FlyteFoam (FF in their name)

    • Upcourt, Rocket, and Tactic - all use Gel. These are by no means bad shoes, especially for impact protection. They just might "slightly" make you slower or jump less high due to energy dissipation.

  • Nike:

    • Usually limited offerings, and often only as "women's shoes", and has now started to just list some random basketball shoes when you search for volleyball. Typically, Nike has some of the shoes with the best traction (note that they also have some infamously bad ones like the Lebron 19 regulars in terms of traction). The older men's volleyball shoes tended to be mods of existing basketball shoes (slightly stiffer Kobe's, etc.) so they likely realized that it's not worth the effort...

  • Adidas:

    • Usually limited offerings, and now only as "women's shoes." The older Crazyflights tended to have good cushioning, but were weak with traction.

  • Under Armour:

    • Only as "women's shoes", usually very limited offerings and often not available. Almost as if they are just made purely for sponsored schools at this point.

Basketball Shoes

Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour offer a lot of these that can be used for volleyball. Tennis shoes can also sometimes be used, but they often have stiffer outsoles that are meant for outdoor courts and have less impact protection. Will list only the new models. Older models for Nike that are not listed (Nike CP3, Nike Melo, Nike Kobe, Nike Superfly), Adidas (Crazylight, D Rose, T Mac), and Under Armour (Spawn / Anatomix) lines should be considered too if used shoes are acceptable.

Higher End Nike Lines

Tend to be great performers, at least in certain aspects. You'd hope so at $150+, often even higher.

  • Nike Jordans - The 34 brought in a new era for bounciness, support, and low weight. 35 and 36 are great performers. The new 37 is having some mixed reviews....

  • Nike KD - since the KD 12s, have had full-length Zoom strobels that feel great.

  • Nike Lebron (high and lows) - traditionally have been the beefiest shoes around, but the Lebron 20 changes to a low cut, lightweight style that supposedly is more similar to the Kobes.

  • Nike Zoom Freak - Giannis's highest end model, with some variability in features. Primary mainstay has been Zoom in the forefoot.

  • Nike Cosmic Unity - recycled materials with full-length Zoom strobels.

  • Nike GT Cut - Zoom strobel with React drop-in.

  • Nike GT Run - forefoot Zoom strobel with mostly React cushioning. Mediocre reviews online for some reason.

  • Nike GT Jump - Zoom strobel with extra heel zoom and Pebax jump frame. Supposed to have great cushioning, but maybe needs lots of break-in.

  • Nike Kyrie Infinity

Mid Tier Nike Shoes

These can be very variable in implementation.

  • Nike PG - 4 and 5 had Air strobels with great cushioning supposedly; 6 shifted to full React and is one of the best rated shoes in this price range.

  • Nike Jordan Why Not

  • Nike Jordan Zion

  • Nike Jordan Luka

  • Nike Kyrie Low

"Budget" Nike Shoes

Hit or miss depending on specific model. Some are hidden gems in terms of traction and such (some of the Renew Elevate and KD Trey 5 models)

  • Nike Lebron Soldier (no longer really made), Witness (unclear if will be continued), and Ambassador (only overseas market)

  • Nike KD Trey 5 line

  • Nike Giannis Immortality

  • Nike Kyrie Flytrap

  • Nike Precision

  • Nike Air Max Impact

  • Nike Renew Elevate

  • Nike Fly.By

"Older" Shoes

  • Adidas Crazylight Boost, Adidas D Rose (around 5~8 that had Boost), T Mac - these have some of the best cushioning out there. Can be a bit heavy, but excellent for sore knees.

  • Nike BB NXT - excellent cushioning with lots of React.

  • Nike Lebron X (super bouncy full-length Zoom), Lebron 11 (super bouncy full-length Zoom drop-in midsole), Lebron 15 and 16 (segmented Zoom), Lebron 17 (full length Air for impact protection), 18 and 19 (mixed Zoom and Air, 18 feels better)

  • Nike Hyperflight (the Max edition is like the Lebron X; the other editions are also quite bouncy)

  • Nike Posite (some lines have lots of Air) and other similar lines with lots of Nike Air have good impact protection.

  • Nike Melo M8 (lots of Air) and M9 (big heel Zoom units), Melo M11 (super lightweight with flight plates and some Zoom)

  • Nike Superfly (lightweight, flight plate, some Zoom)


Shoe Reviews