Best cheap volleyball shoes
Let’s cover the best cheap volleyball shoes. I have made a careful selection that should have a fitting shoe for every volleyball player looking for a budget-friendly shoe.
| Shoe | Comfort | Support | Grip | Weight | Durability | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASICS Upcourt | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | $$$ |
| ASICS Gel-Rocket | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | $$$$ |
| Mizuno Wave Supersonic 2 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | $$$$ |
| Reebok Energen Plus | 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | $$ |
| Vooncosir Athletic shoe | 4/5 | 2.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | $ |
ASICS Upcourt
The ASICS upcourt are formidable shoes when it comes to value for money. They are currently my number one overall recommendation if you are looking for an affordable volleyball shoe.
It’s a non marking court shoe. It’s a solid option for most court sports.
The first hours of wearing them might not be very comfortable, the shoe does need some breaking in. So, the initial expression might be worse than you will have with more expensive shoes.
The grip is good, perfect for playing volleyball matches.
In terms of durability, they are also pretty solid. You can expect some minor signs of wear and tear after a couple of months. However, this can even happen with expensive shoes, so overall they score really well.
The finishing touch of the shoe isn’t great. However, this doesn’t impact the performance of the shoe at all. For example, if you take a closer look at the edges of the shoe lip, you will see some minor imperfections. This shouldn’t be a big deal when shopping for a budget shoe.
The good
- Great value for money
- Great all round volleyball shoe
The bad
- Doesn’t excel at anything
- Mediocre finish
These shoes are available on amazon for both men and women:
ASICS Gel-Rocket
The ASICS Gel-Rockets have been very popular for the simple reason that it’s a good shoe for a good price. They are a bit more expensive than some other options on the list, but these are really good overall volleyball shoes.
Note that the Gel-rocket doesn’t have a removable sole, which is somewhat atypical for ASICS.
The shoe is slightly less stable than you might expect, which can be a drawback in sports like squash, where a lot of shorts sprinting is involved. However, for volleyball, this usually isn’t really an issue. Having some extra padding might actually make jumping better and more pleasant.
These shoes have everything you would want for a solid volleyball shoe. The grip is solid, they are not too heavy, pretty durable and really comfortable.
It’s a non marking court shoe. It’s a solid option for most court sports.
The good
- Really comfortable
- Great overall
The bad
- No removable insole
- Not extremely cheap
These shoes are available on amazon for both men and women:
Mizuno Wave Supersonic 2 (women)
Mizuno is a very popular volleyball brand and they couldn’t be left out of the list.
The supersonic 2 shoes actually come in at a very reasonable price, making this a great value shoe. That said, it’s still not extremely cheap. However, for a high quality shoe, you can’t expect a dirt cheap price.
The shoe is especially comfortable and lightweight, on top of that they don’t look too bad either.
The main problem with this shoe is sizing. Many people have complained that finding the right size was a real struggle. The shoe usually runs too small, so make sure to do your research on that and order a higher size than what you usually get.
Also, this shoe runs pretty wide. Meaning it’s very nice for people with wider feet. However, this does not mean that it’s a mismatch if you don’t have wide feet.
The good
- Good for wide feet
- Very comfortable
- Lightweight
The bad
- Not true to size (too small)
- Not extremely cheap
These shoes are available on amazon, but only for women:
Reebok Energen Plus
If you haven’t found the right cheap volleyball shoe at this point, we might take a different approach. This shoe is cheaper than the previous options. However, it’s not really a volleyball shoe. It’s a running shoe that happens to be pretty good for volleyball.
They run pretty light and has a good grip. It’s also remarkably comfortable, especially considering the price. However, even though the cushioning make it a very comfy shoe, the shoe does feel a bit restrictive in terms of toe movement.
As it is not specifically made for volleyball, this could also be your running shoe or you could use it for some other sports as well.
For advanced volleyball players who play competitive, I would recommend to stick with one of the previous options. However, if you want something more versatile and cheaper, the Reebok Energen Plus does make a great alternative.
The good
- Very cheap
- Can be used for running and other sports
The bad
- Not a real volleyball shoe
- Restrictive in terms of movement
These shoes are available on amazon for both men and women:
Vooncosir Athletic shoe
The main reason why these shoes made the list of best budget volleyball shoes is that they are really cheap.
They are not designed to play volleyball with and I’m not extremely keen to recommend them. However, I do understand that everybody has their situation and budget.
The first time you put these shoes on, they feel pretty comfortable. However, the sole is a bit too stiff, making them not as comfortable to wear for longer durations. That said, overall people agree that the cushioning and the padding make this shoe very comfortable for daily use and walking.
When it comes to running and or sports like volleyball, it’s definitely not meant for playing matches. If you take volleyball seriously, these are not the ones to get. However, if you just want to use them for short non-serious plays, they will do all right.
The good
- Dirt cheap
The bad
- Not suitable for serious volleyball games
- Stiff sole
These shoes are available on amazon for both men and women:
What is important in a volleyball shoe
I always like to be fully transparent in terms of how I decide which shoes make the list. There are a couple of factors that I take into account.
Price – Obviously, if you are looking for the best cheap volleyball shoes, price is an important factor. I do consider all options on the list budget-friendly, but there is still a pretty big difference between the most expensive and the cheapest option on this list.
Comfort – Nothing is as bad as being uncomfortable in your feet when working out or playing a game.
Support – When playing volleyball, your body requires your feet to be in a stable position and provide support to your ankles, legs and knees.
Grip – Usually, a dedicated sport shoe has a good amount of grip. However, it’s still an important factor to compare.
Weight – There are many reasons why you don’t want your shoes to be too heavy. The lighter, the better, as long as we don’t have to make any compromises, of course.
Conclusion
When it comes to finding the best cheap volleyball shoes, I keep comfort support, grip, weight and price into account.
I also try to find an option for every type of volleyball player.
However, If you are not helped with this blog post, make sure to leave a comment. I’m always trying to improve my posts, so feedback does help with that.
If you are looking for cheap volleyball gear, you might also be interested in my post about the best cheap volleyballs.
