If you play a lot of outdoor basketball you are probably familiar with this problem: Most basketball shoes are designed for indoor use and won't last very long on rugged outdoor courts.
So, unless you want to buy a new pair every month, it is important to find shoes that can take the beating of playing on blacktop.
How do you recognize good outdoor basketball shoes?
- The outsole is made from hard and durable rubber
- The traction grooves are wide and deep
- They shouldn't cost a fortune because they won't last forever
- The upper material needs to be tough and resilient
Unfortunately, big basketball shoe brands release very few (or none) dedicated outdoor basketball shoes these days. So if you can't afford to customize your favorite Nike ID sneaker with a durable XDR outdoor rubber sole, you need to find regular basketball shoes that also work well outdoors
In reality, this means you need to watch dozens of shoe reviews and hope that the reviewer mentions if this particular shoe works outdoors. Check any Youtube video about a basketball shoe and there is a good chance that someone asked this question in the comments!
To help you avoid wasting so much time watching sneaker videos I have checked out 1766 reviews of 337 of the most popular basketball shoes and recorded the opinion of the reviewers about traction, cushion, material, support, fit and also outdoor usage.
Users of thehoopsgeek.com can also leave their own outdoor rating for their shoes. You can check out the complete list of shoes here.
Below you can find a list of affordable basketball ranked by combined user and expert outdoor ratings (minimum 5 ratings):
- 50% Outdoor Rating based on 3 reviews
- The Adidas Dame Certified 3 provides decent cushioning and support for a low cost.
- This shoe is a good low-budget shoe for stability.
- 21% Outdoor Rating based on 7 reviews
- The Nike Ja 2 makes minor changes but delivers a similar experience to its predecessor.
- The Ja 2 is best for players who enjoy light, speedy shoes with a bit of pop.
- 33% Outdoor Rating based on 3 reviews
- The New Balance Hesi Low V2 is a definite improvement compared to the V1 because of the traction and cushioning.
- This shoe is best for lighter, nimbler players.
- 7% Outdoor Rating based on 7 reviews
- The Adidas Dame 9 is an excellent performance shoe. It features impressive traction and support.
- The Dame 9 is best for players looking for soft cushioning and containment.
- 69% Outdoor Rating based on 8 reviews
- The Immortality 4 is a solid performer that provides improved support at a manageable price.
- The Nike Giannis Immortality 4 is best for players looking for a budget shoe with a durable outsole and supportive upper.
- 67% Outdoor Rating based on 3 reviews
- The New Balance TWO WXY V5 does everything well.
- The shoe plays well for all positions. It does it all.
- 64% Outdoor Rating based on 7 reviews
- The Jordan Luka 3 is a bulky-looking shoe that plays more balanced than it looks thanks to its tacky traction.
- The Luka 3 is best for shifty, balanced players who mainly play on clean courts.
- 25% Outdoor Rating based on 6 reviews
- The Adidas AE 1 Low is a mixed bag with decent performance but the fit may bother some.
- The shoe is best for shifty players who like to feel low to the ground.
- 38% Outdoor Rating based on 8 reviews
- The Nike Zoom Freak 6 is another decent performer with reliable traction performance.
- The shoe's responsiveness and light weight are better suited for lighter guards.
- 100% Outdoor Rating based on 2 reviews
- The Wade Ice Blood 2 offers a lightweight, low-profile setup with springy cushioning.
- The shoe is best for guards who play low to the ground.
The Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes
1. Adidas Dame Certified 3
The Adidas Dame Certified 3 provides decent cushioning and support for a low cost.Overall rating based on 4 reviews
2. Nike Ja 2
The Nike Ja 2 makes minor changes but delivers a similar experience to its predecessor.Overall rating based on 9 reviews
3. New Balance Hesi Low V2
The New Balance Hesi Low V2 is a definite improvement compared to the V1 because of the traction and cushioning.Overall rating based on 4 reviews
4. Adidas Dame 9
The Adidas Dame 9 is an excellent performance shoe. It features impressive traction and support.Overall rating based on 8 reviews
5. Nike Giannis Immortality 4
The Immortality 4 is a solid performer that provides improved support at a manageable price.Overall rating based on 6 reviews
6. New Balance TWO WXY V5
The New Balance TWO WXY V5 does everything well.Overall rating based on 4 reviews
7. Jordan Luka 3
The Jordan Luka 3 is a bulky-looking shoe that plays more balanced than it looks thanks to its tacky traction.Overall rating based on 7 reviews
8. Adidas A.E. 1 Low
The Adidas AE 1 Low is a mixed bag with decent performance but the fit may bother some.Overall rating based on 6 reviews
9. Nike Zoom Freak 6
The Nike Zoom Freak 6 is another decent performer with reliable traction performance.Overall rating based on 6 reviews
10. Li-Ning Wade Ice Blood 2
The Wade Ice Blood 2 offers a lightweight, low-profile setup with springy cushioning.Overall rating based on 5 reviews
How do you find good outdoor shoes?
Before you start to search for your next pair of outdoor basketball shoes, you should be clear about what you are actually looking for. What differentiates a great outdoor sneaker from a regular indoor performer? Let's find out!
Durability of the rubber
The rubber of the outsole suffers the most from playing on rougher outdoor courts. If your shoes feature a soft rubber compound you will probably end up with a completely slick outsole, or even worse, holes in your shoes, pretty fast! Overall, there are two things you want to look for when it comes to outsoles:
Solid and dense rubber:
You can either go with regular shoe models that come with a firmer rubber compound out of the box like the Adidas D Rose or the Nike Lebron Soldier line. Or you look for shoes that are specifically made for outdoor use. Especially Chinese brands produce a lot of outdoor models like the Anta KT Outdoor Low as indoor courts are much harder to find there compared to the US.
If you can afford to spend a little more on your outdoor shoes, you can also customize your favorite Nike Sneaker with an XDR (extra durable rubber) outsole using NikeID.
Wide traction pattern:
A very narrow traction pattern will attract a lot of dirt and rubble and lose grip quickly. Make sure to get a traction pattern with wide and deep grooves that will last a lot longer on dirty blacktop.
Durability of the upper material
The upper material usually suffers less from outdoor play as it shouldn't be in contact with the surface of the court all that often. But if you tend to toe-drag a lot, or if other players are stepping on your feet all the time you might want to look into more durable upper materials like fuse or mesh.
Cushion
Indoor courts are much easier on the joints than less-forgiving outdoor courts. Especially, if you have recurring knee problems, you shoud look for shoes with more comfortable cushioning that reduce the stress you put on your joints. If you are a younger and lighter player, additional cushioning is probably not as important, but firm shoes can still lead to sore legs after a day of playing outdoors.
Price
Inevitably, shoes that you use outdoors will have a shorter lifespan than shoes that are only used on pristine hardwood courts. Therefore, it might make sense to look for cheaper shoes that you can replace more often. Playing in $200 Air Jordan outdoors could become expensive really quickly!
Founder of thehoopsgeek.com. A passionate basketball enthusiast and coding geek, Andy combines a love for sports with technology.
Gr8 advice
Don’t forget honorable mentions like. The Kobe protro’s , Q4 sports enforcer
& Jordan jump man quick 23 (quick 6).
I really got to say, I’m impressed by your blog. Keep up the good work!
Wait I thought the Curry 2 Low FloTro was made out of the easily-worn-out foam Flow sole! Wouldn’t that be terrible for outside play? It wouldn’t last a week 😂