First, why purchase a new pair of squash shoes?

Squash shoes make a huge difference on the squash court – they’re arguably the most important piece of kit in your bag. It’s also highly recommended that you replace your squash shoes on a somewhat regular basis to help avoid injury – wearing overly-worn shoes can present a number of serious risks to squash players.

As a rule of thumb, if you’re playing twice a week, you should replace your shoes once every six months – adjusting accordingly if you play more or less frequently. This is also affected by how you move – players who drag their feet or toes, or those who cover more ground in a match are likely to wear through shoes faster.

Pro tip: If you play regularly, rotating between two or three pairs of shoes (i.e wearing a different pair each match), will help you get significantly more life out of your shoes and therefore save money in the long run. Giving shoes the time to fully dry will help to avoid the ‘stink’ that often retires squash shoes to an early grave.

On to the list of the best squash shoes in 2022

Whether you’re looking for a lightweight pair to help you fly around the court, or a more protective, sturdy pair to help stay injury free, there’s a pair of shoes out there for everyone.

We’ve covered everything below, from function to fashion, budget savers to bank-breakers, low-top to high-top and everything in between.

A quick caveat: Most of the shoes featured in this list are shoes we’ve already tested on SquashGearReviews.com, and can therefore advise with confidence that they’ve earned their spot. There’s plenty more shoes out there that are likely fantastic on a squash court – be sure to leave a comment if there’s a pair of shoes you believe deserve a spot.

The best squash shoes in 2022: All round shoes

When considering a new pair of squash shoes, there’s a few key factors to look out for: Weight, underfoot cushioning, ankle/heel protection, grip, stability and durability. The shoes below offer a good balance between all of these attributes, and are therefore an excellent choice for the majority of squash players.

Asics Gel Tactic

Read our full review here

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports | Asics

A complete all-rounder from Asics. The Gel Tactic does just about everything you could ask for from a squash shoe, and is therefore our top recommended shoe for players of all levels. When testing out the previous season’s shoe, we struggled to pick a single fault: 

• They’re made of fairly lightweight materials so feel quick around the court
• They retain a fantastic amount of durability, with the sturdy rubber toe protection holding up to a significant amount of wear and tear
• The shape of the shoe, arching slightly upwards towards the front, helped us to stay on our toes and avoid feeling ‘flat footed’
• The grip pattern underneath the shoe provides a fantastic amount of traction
• The wider base of the shoe, especially around the front-foot, helped to provide excellent levels of stability
• Add to this Asics’ signature Gel sole for underfoot cushioning, and you’ve got what we think is a near perfect all-round squash shoe.

In a few words: Fast, durable, comfortable. Not much more you could ask for.

The previous seasons’ versions of this shoe can be picked up for a very reasonable price, and up until this season were mostly cosmetic upgrades. The current season is the first Gel Tactic to undergo a fairly significant design change – we’re certainly looking forward to testing these shoes out in 2022.

Adidas Crazyflight

Read our full review here

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports | Adidas

Another firm favourite from our testing. These shoes from Adidas are one of the pricier shoes you’ll find, but they feature unique technology that we believe warrants the higher price point.

• The Boost technology in the heel area of the midsole absorbs a great deal of impact, while providing ample rebound energy
• They’re a mid-weight shoe, therefore they’re not the lightest, though far from the heaviest shoe out there
• Durability is good in these shoes, especially with their rubber outsole
• They’re also a great looking pair of shoes, available in a wide number of colour-ways

One negative to these shoes is the design of the grip pattern underneath. The vertical slats running along the main section of the shoe left us liable to the occasional slip when making more exaggerated lunges on court. It only happened a small handful of times throughout three months of testing, though that was enough to knock our confidence. The material around the top of the ankle area is also a little sharp, which can rub on your ankle if you wear low-cut trainer-socks.

Overall though, an incredibly comfortable, supportive shoe with unique technology that sets these apart from the competition. As with most Adidas shoes, make sure to go up half a size to ensure a good fit.

The best squash shoes in 2022: Lightweight shoes

A lightweight pair of shoes can bring plenty of advantages to the squash court. The weight of a pair of shoes is magnified as your legs become progressively more tired throughout a match, therefore a light pair of shoes will help reduce fatigue and keep you on your toes.

The drawbacks of lighter shoes are that durability may be sacrificed, along with stability, cushioning and protection. However, if feeling light around court is high on your priority list, these shoes are all up to the task.

Asics Gel Fastball

Read our full review here

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports

A shoe made popular on the squash court by the ElShorbagy brothers, now worn by hordes of professional and amateur players around the world. The Gel Fastball is regarded by many as one of the best squash shoes on the market – especially when considering the pace of the modern game:

• An extra wide outsole under the front-foot section of the shoe results in excellent stability when moving around the court
• The Gel cushioning within the midsole of the shoe reduces the impact of harsh landings
• However, they’re still a fairly ‘flat’ pair of shoes, and lack some of the more generous cushioning found in other Asics shoes
• The upshot of this is you feel very ‘connected’ to the squash court, becoming much more aware of the impact of your movement
• We were also thoroughly impressed by the durability of these shoes, especially considering their lightweight materials. 

Salming Hawk 2

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports

The Salming Hawk 2s are very similar in construction to the Asics Gel Fastball above. Produced by Swedish brand Salming, they promise lightweight performance, excellent stability and great levels of grip.

• Like the Fastballs, these shoes have a low profile design, bringing you closer to the court
• Their new all-white colour-way looks really clean – a big thumbs up for this design choice
• The Hexagrip pattern underneath promises to provide ample grip when moving around court
• Anecdotal feedback suggests the grip pattern on these shoes isn’t particularly deep however, so may wear away faster than other shoes
• The ‘EXoSkeleton’ inner cage connects to the lacing system, offering excellent support and helping the shoe keep its shape

The best squash shoes in 2022: Protective squash shoes

A protective pair of shoes can help players avoid injuries while on court. These shoes often feature ‘high top’ designs that protect not just your feet, but your upper ankle area too. Think of these as a kind of hybrid between basketball and squash shoes – offering the ankle protection of basketball shoes in a form that meets the demands of the squash court.

The downside to these shoes is they’ll weigh considerably more than other shoes found throughout this list. However, for many players the extra weight is a worthwhile sacrifice to help avoid injury.

Adidas Crazyflight High Top

Read our full review (low top) here

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports | Adidas

The eagle eyed may spot similarities between this shoe and the previously popular [Adidas Stabil X] shoes. This shoe is the true spiritual successor to the Stabil X shoes, as opposed to their newer namesake, the Stabil Next Gen. 

• Sturdy materials surrounding the shoe provide excellent protection
• Adidas’s incredible Boost technology provides excellent impact absorption and rebound energy
• Their high top design provides additional upper ankle support

In a nutshell, these shoes offer all the benefits of the Crazyflight shoes found at the top of this list, with even more protection for your upper ankles.

Asics Sky Elite FF

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports | Asics

One glance at the Sky Elite FF and you can see the amount of thought that’s gone into designing a highly protective squash shoe:

• Underfoot flytefoam cushioning helps absorb impact upon landing
• sturdy upper materials and generous padding keep your feet feeling safe
• High top design protects upper ankles

We’re currently testing out the low-top version of these shoes. So far, so good. The shoes feel ultra supportive, with the well padded upper materials and comfortable underfoot cushioning working in tandem, they’re one of the most supportive shoes we’ve tested – the high-top version will no doubt only improve upon this.

The best looking squash shoes in 2022

Eye Rackets S-Line 2.0

Read our full review here

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports

These shoes are one of the most popular shoes on the PSA World Tour. Endorsed by players including Paul Coll, Miguel Rodriguez and Mostafa Asal, they’re a tremendously popular pair of shoes across the globe.

• Lovely looking shoes – probably the only ones in this list you’d wear outside a squash court
• Wide range of colours available, from more conservative black, white or grey models, all the way to neon pink, peach and turquoise
• Extra style points for mixing different colours, check out Miguel Rodriguez and Mostafa Asal for some inspiration

On court, this can be a fairly polarising shoe. Some players swear by them, whereas other players don’t get along with them. It’s highly recommended you go up a shoe size as they’re very, very snug. Players that like these shoes often compliment their lightweight materials, cushioning and grip.

Adidas Stabil Next Gen

Read our full review here

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports | Adidas

Yes, I know this a controversial entry for ‘best looking squash shoe’ – this is one I’m willing to take some stick for. Photos do these shoes no justice – like many, when I first saw images of them I thought Adidas had pushed the boat out too far. However, I think in person they look great. I was fortunate to test out an all white pair of these shoes, and loved the way they looked on court.

Make sure to check out our video review of the Stabil Next Gen shoes. On reflection, that beard probably wasn’t my best look.

At a glance:

• We were impressed (again) by the use of Adidas’s Boost material in the heel of the shoe
• The wide base of the shoe gives a stable platform when moving around the court
• The excellent grip pattern underneath and around the edge of the outsole helps avoid slips
• Inner cage helps reinforce the shoes. This is both necessary and welcome, given their relatively thin fabric upper.

The best budget squash shoes in 2022

Given the extreme price squeeze we’re all no doubt feeling, a lower price pair of squash shoes will no doubt come in handy. Low price doesn’t necessarily mean worse quality though. The shoes we’ve picked offer tremendous value for money, with very few sacrifices made to offer a well rounded squash shoe.

Asics Gel Rocket 10

Purchase: Amazon | PDH Sports | Asics

No squash shoe article is complete without a mention of the Asics Gel Rockets. Even though these are a budget shoe, you’ll still see them on the feet of of the world’s best players.

While we haven’t tested these shoes (yet!), we can tell you a few key features of the latest iteration of the Gel Rockets.

• They feature a flexible upper construction to help you move freely.
• Designed with a TRUSSTIC™ application in the midsole, this improves stability during quick transitions. 
• Their wrap-up outsole offers functional supports for lateral movements

They can be found in a range of colours, with previous season’s shoes often sold for bargain prices.

Karakal KF Pro Xtreme

Purchase: PDH Sports

Probably not the prettiest shoe on the market, but arguably one of the best value for money shoes out there. This is one of the rare shoes designed specifically with squash in mind.

Again, one we’re yet to test, however their key features are mostly related to the stability and grip they provide:

• The extra tacky Gum Rubber compound used in the outsole helps avoid slips when moving around  the court
• Deep grooves across the forefoot allow the toes to bend naturally
• The TPU Anti–reverse bend insert provides stability and has the potential to reduce foot and lower limb injuries.
• These shoes also feature a microfibre toe cap to prevent wear
• Finally, they come with two sets of laces – one black, one yellow. A nice touch from Karakal.

Something a little different – the smaller brands

We want to shed some light on the smaller brands out there. While the likes of Asics and Adidas tend to dominate the squash market, it’s a welcome change to recognise some of the lesser known brands on the squash court. A couple of these are still ‘big’ brands in their own right, though this is often for sports such as badminton or tennis. If you’re looking for something a little different that few other squash players are wearing, these could be just what you’re after.

Babolat Shadow Spirit

Purchase: PDH Sports | Amazon

Babolat are a major brand in tennis and badminton, yet are often overlooked when it comes to squash.

This pair from Babolat have a few great features that make them a great contender for the squash court:

• A Michelin rubber sole with three-dimensional grip promises to provide great agility on court
• Their breathable upper should help keep your feet cool
• Substantial cushioning under the heel helps soften landings
• They’re also great value, currently selling for just over £50
• The Babolat range then goes up in price, with more expensive shoes offering better quality and improved technology

Prince NFS II

Purchase: PDH Sports | Amazon

Okay, calling Prince a smaller brand feels a little strange, given their heritage in the squash world. However, they now occupy a much smaller share of the market than they once did, with no pro-player endorsements and very few amateurs using their equipment.

However, their headline shoe, the NFS II shouldn’t be overlooked.

• If you’re looking for a comfortable squash shoe, look no further. These are incredibly padded and cushioned, offering maximum comfort on court
• They’re also one of the wider-fitting squash shoes out there
• These shoes feature Prince’s NFS ‘Natural Foot Technology’ innovation, following the natural shape of the players foot

Victor SH-A922

Purchase: PDH Sports

Like Babolat, Victor’s primary market is badminton. However, with some fairly high profile endorsements from German #1 Raphael Kanrda, as well as up-and-coming British talent Jasmine Hutton, it’s not uncommon to see their products in squash player’s bags.

The SH-A922 (not the catchiest name we’ll admit) is one of Victor’s headline shoes – here’s what they offer:

• The SH A922 combines Energymax 3.0 and Light Resilient EVA to provide exceptionally comfortable and resistant cushioning
• The shoes promise excellent stability with their anti-torsion system (Carbon Power), accentuated by Digitknit technology
• In addition, the outsole features strong Anti-Slip Rubber to keep you planted when moving
• Finally, they feature ‘V-tough‘ material around the toes, which is marketed as being stronger than traditional PU materials

What’s your favourite squash shoe?

That’s it for our list of the best squash shoes in 2022. We’re sure there’ll be plenty of fantastic shoes we’ve not included, so be sure to leave a comment below if you feel another shoe deserves a spot on the list.

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