What should I look for when buying padel shoes for kids?
When buying padel shoes for kids, three things matter most: enough room in the forefoot for growth, noticeable cushioning to protect the joints, and a breathable material that provides lateral stability during fast changes of direction. Since children's feet grow quickly and react more sensitively to impact than adults' feet do, it's worth taking a closer look when buying than you might for your own shoes.
The key criteria at a glance:
- Fit over buying ahead for growth: the shoe should sit firmly without pinching – a little room in the forefoot makes sense, but a shoe bought too big to “grow into” increases the risk of injury and worsens stability.
- Cushioning for joints and growth plates: children are still growing, so the midsole needs sufficient cushioning to absorb impact during sprints and jumps.
- Lateral stability, not a running shoe: padel involves many abrupt changes of direction. Regular sports shoes or running shoes are built for forward motion and offer too little lateral support.
- Breathable, flexible upper: mesh panels keep the foot from overheating even during longer training sessions.
- Factor in playing frequency: a child who plays several times a week benefits from more cushioning and more robust materials than one who plays only occasionally for fun.
Do I need to distinguish between surfaces the way I would with tennis shoes?
Unlike tennis shoes, where clay, hard-court and all-court soles are clearly separated, padel is played almost exclusively on one type of court: artificial turf with sand infill. A surface-specific choice like the one you'd make for tennis is therefore usually not necessary for kids' padel shoes – one model is enough for almost any padel court.
Boys', girls' or unisex?
There's barely any functional difference between boys' and girls' padel shoes for kids – most models are designed as “kids'” or unisex shoes and differ mainly in colour and design, not in fit or technology. A unisex model can therefore be used by either gender without any concern.
How long do kids' padel shoes last?
How long a padel shoe fits depends less on the material than on growth: school-age children typically need a new shoe size every 4–6 months, and it can happen even faster with younger children or growth spurts. Regularly checking the size is therefore worth more than trying to squeeze extra life out of a single pair.
Popular padel shoes for kids in the Tennis-Point range
- ASICS Gel-Dedicate 8 Padel GS – proven GEL cushioning technology, also available as an all-court variant
- adidas Crazyquick padel shoe for kids – lightweight model focused on fast changes of direction
- Wilson Kaos padel shoe for kids – entry-level model with great value for money
- Joma Master 1000 JR padel shoe for kids – robust construction for regular training
Your benefits when you buy at Tennis-Point
Find the right size for your child's next growth spurt with ease – and enjoy these benefits at Tennis-Point:
- 30-day return policy – try them on at your leisure and only keep what fits
- Delivery to a Tennis-Point store for collection, where local availability allows
Can my child also use padel shoes for playing tennis?
In principle this is possible, as both shoe types are built for lateral stability – but for regular tennis training, a tennis shoe specifically developed for it, with a matching outsole for the surface, is recommended.
Is a regular sports shoe enough to get started?
A regular sports shoe might be fine for a single trial session, but for regular play it lacks the lateral stability padel requires, which increases the risk of injury.
What do I do if my child's foot size falls exactly between two shoe sizes?
In this case, it's usually best to go with the larger of the two sizes, combined with thicker socks or an insole to adjust the fit.
Are there differences between indoor and outdoor use?
Since most padel courts have the same artificial turf and sand surface anyway, most kids' padel shoes can easily be used both indoors and outdoors.