When I was training full time as a volleyballer, my number one obsession was increasing my vertical jump.
If you’re anything like me, you want every spike approach and every block jump to get you as high above the net as humanly possible.
There’s a ridiculously large range of volleyball shoes on the market right now, and every single brand claims theirs is the bounciest…
Super-soft foams, carbon plates, “trusses” that promise to turn your approach into extra height. It’s a lot to sort through.
So, can a shoe actually add inches to your vertical? If I’m being completely honest, no shoe does that on its own.
But the right pair stops you leaking power when you take off, and it protects your knees and ankles every time you land. I’ll show you what the research really says a little further down.
To find the best volleyball shoes for jumping in 2026, we went through the shoes players actually recommend, checked every brand’s foam and plate technology, and read what owners say about fit and grip.
Below are the 7 that made the cut, judged on the four things that matter most when you jump: bounce, impact protection, lockdown and traction.
Let’s begin!
7 Best Volleyball Shoes For Jumping At A Glance
Best Overall
.
ASICS Sky Elite FF MT 3
FF BLAST PLUS ECO foam for bounce, RISETRUSS for lift and a mid-top collar that keeps you locked in from takeoff to landing.
Best For Max Vertical
.
ASICS Metarise 2
A carbon fiber plate and RISETRUSS help turn your approach into height, making it the pick for outside hitters who want every bit of vertical.
Bounciest
.
Mizuno Neo Jump
Mizuno’s only BOUNCE-line shoe, with ENERZY XP foam in both the midsole and insole for a soft, springy ride built purely for jumping.
Best Landing Protection
.
Mizuno Wave Momentum 3
ENERZY cushioning and a Wave plate in the heel help soak up hard landings. It’s ideal for middles who jump all match long.
Best Bounce + Stability
.
Mizuno Wave Momentum Elite
A forefoot ENERZY CORE adds pop off the floor, while the Wave plate keeps you steady when you come back down.
Best Basketball Shoe
.
Li-Ning Wade 808 5 Ultra V2
A carbon fiber plate and a drop-in SUPER BOOM midsole give it the pop and grip volleyball players rate highly.
Best For Setters
.
adidas Crazyflight 7
Full-length Lightstrike Pro foam and a 3-in-1 torsion system for jump propulsion and quick moves in every direction.
Not sure which one fits your game? Each shoe gets its full breakdown below, including who it suits and who should skip it.
How We Picked These Jump Shoes
We picked these shoes based on what actually happens when you jump: how much energy return the foam gives you, how much impact protection you get on the landing, how securely the shoe holds your foot and how well it grips the court.
Here’s how the research worked:
- We started with the shoes players recommend for jumping in volleyball forums and this year’s video roundups.
- We checked each brand’s own spec sheet for the foam, the plate or truss, the cut and the weight.
- We read what owners say about fit, grip and durability, which is where sizing quirks and dusty-court problems show up.
- We dropped anything discontinued, and anything without a solid track record from real owners.
I played volleyball for 15 years, including at international level, so I know what a shoe has to survive over a long day of jumping and landing. That experience shaped what we looked for.
This is a research-based list, and our product review policy explains exactly how we review gear.
If you’d rather see the best all-round shoes than jump-focused ones, our guide to the best volleyball shoes covers every position.
ASICS Sky Elite FF MT 3: Best Overall
ASICS Sky Elite FF MT 3 | Cushioning | FF BLAST PLUS ECO |
| Plate or truss | RISETRUSS |
| Cut | Mid-top (low-top Sky Elite FF 3 also available) |
| Fit note | Many owners go up half a size |
| Best for | Outside hitters, opposites and middles |
For most players, the ASICS Sky Elite FF MT 3 is the best volleyball shoe for jumping, because it pairs real bounce with the lockdown you need to land safely.
Historically speaking, volleyball shoes haven’t had a crazy amount of bounce in them. They usually feel fairly neutral to jump in…
The Sky Elite line is a big part of why that’s changed.
The midsole uses FF BLAST PLUS ECO, made with at least 20% bio-based material. ASICS says it delivers a more energized bounce, and owners keep coming back to how supportive and comfortable it feels.
Built into the midsole is RISETRUSS, a reinforced structure designed to turn the horizontal speed of your approach into vertical lift. That’s exactly the job you want done on a spike approach.
The upper matters just as much. ASICS’s Energy Lock System keeps your foot locked in from takeoff to landing, and the mid-top collar adds ankle support for those moments you come down on someone’s foot at the net.
Prefer a low-top? The Sky Elite FF 3 uses the same foam, the same RISETRUSS and the same Energy Lock upper.
One thing to know before you buy: many owners say it runs small, and going up half a size is the most common fix. A few also find the upper tight across the top of the foot at first.
It’s also the top pick in our women’s volleyball shoe guide, and you’ll find it near the top of our best ASICS volleyball shoes as well.
Recommended Use
I’d recommend the ASICS Sky Elite FF MT 3 for outside hitters, opposites and middles who want plenty of bounce without giving up stability when they land.
The Good
FF BLAST PLUS ECO foam gives an energized, springy push-off.
RISETRUSS helps turn your approach speed into vertical lift.
The Energy Lock upper and mid-top collar keep your foot locked in.
Comes in men’s and women’s versions, plus a low-top FF 3 with the same setup underfoot.
The Bad
Runs small for many owners, so going up half a size is often needed.
The upper can feel tight across the top of the foot at first.
It’s no longer the newest Sky Elite, so colorway choice may thin out over time.
What About The New ASICS Sky Elite FF 4?
ASICS released the Sky Elite FF 4 on June 1, 2026, in low-top and mid-top (FF MT 4) versions.
It moves to FF BLAST MAX foam, keeps RISETRUSS and adds DYNALACING, which wraps the forefoot for a more adaptive fit.
Early owners say it feels lighter, the cushioning is a step up from the FF 3 and the traction is good. Some went down half a size, which is the opposite of the MT 3, and a few say it picks up dust quickly.
So why isn’t it our top pick? Owner feedback is still thin, and we’d rather back a shoe with a longer track record. If you like having the newest tech and don’t mind being an early adopter, the FF 4 is well worth a look. We’ll revisit it as more players report back.
ASICS Metarise 2: Best For Maximum Vertical
ASICS Metarise 2 | Cushioning | FF BLAST PLUS |
| Plate or truss | Carbon fiber reinforced plate + RISETRUSS |
| Cut | Sock-style collar (MONO-SOCK Fit System) |
| Fit note | Men’s sizing; women order 1.5 sizes down |
| Best for | Outside hitters and middles chasing max vertical |
The ASICS Metarise 2 is the shoe to pick if your number one goal is getting as high as possible on your approach jump.
ASICS calls it its top pick for outside hitters and middles, and it tops several of the 2026 shoe rankings players share online.
The big difference is underfoot. Alongside RISETRUSS and FF BLAST PLUS foam, the Metarise 2 adds a carbon fiber reinforced plate.
ASICS says the plate spreads pressure evenly to support stronger jumps, and pairs it with a high-curve toe for extra power as you push off the floor.
Plates are the one shoe feature with a little lab evidence behind them, which I’ll get into further down. Just don’t expect miracles…
Up top, ASICS’s MONO-SOCK Fit System works with the same Energy Lock mesh as the Sky Elite, so your foot stays put through the plant and the takeoff.
Owners who have made the switch call it a great shoe for pin hitters and a real change from the Sky Elite FF MT 3. Players also say it takes a little while to get used to, and that it’s a shoe you tend to either love or hate.
It comes in men’s sizing only, so women should order 1.5 sizes down from their usual women’s size.
Still deciding? Our guide to volleyball shoes for hitters compares more options for every attacking position.
Recommended Use
I’d recommend the ASICS Metarise 2 for outside hitters and middles who want maximum vertical and don’t mind a short adjustment period while they get used to the plate.
The Good
A carbon fiber reinforced plate and RISETRUSS work together to support a powerful takeoff.
The high-curve toe adds push-off power on the last step of your approach.
FF BLAST PLUS foam gives energized cushioning for both takeoff and landing.
The MONO-SOCK fit and Energy Lock mesh hold your foot in place through the plant.
The Bad
The plate takes some getting used to, and some players never take to it.
Sold in men’s sizing only, so women need to convert.
A stiff, plated forefoot gives you less court feel, so it isn’t ideal for defenders and liberos who spend most of their time low to the floor.
Mizuno Neo Jump: The Bounciest Volleyball Shoe
Mizuno Neo Jump | Cushioning | MIZUNO ENERZY XP (midsole and insole) |
| Plate or truss | None listed by Mizuno |
| Cut | Half-bootie upper |
| Fit note | Unisex sizing; women order 1.5 sizes down; lace the heel tight |
| Best for | Outside hitters and opposites who want the softest ride |
If bounce is all you care about, the Mizuno Neo Jump is the shoe to get. It’s the only volleyball shoe Mizuno sorts into its BOUNCE line.
Mizuno’s own tagline sums it up: “Feel the bounce. Own the air.”
The key is MIZUNO ENERZY XP, Mizuno’s top-class foam, used in both the midsole and the insole. Mizuno says the pairing gives you softness and energy return in one package.
One early reviewer called it the softest Mizuno volleyball shoe they’ve worn, with a lively push-off and landings that still felt comfortable after a heavy session of jumping.
A player who compared it with the ASICS Metarise 2 rated the energy return highly for constant jumping, though they felt the Metarise absorbed hard landings better.
That softness comes with a trade-off, though…
The thick cushioning makes the Neo Jump less stable on hard lateral cuts than the Wave Momentum models, and the heel needs the laces pulled tight to lock in, which can put pressure across the top of your foot.
The XG Rubber outsole grips well on a clean court, but some owners report it losing bite faster than other shoes on dusty floors. Keep a damp towel handy.
It’s also heavier than both Wave Momentum models: 13.22 oz in a men’s 9, against about 12.3 oz.
Sizing is unisex, so women should order 1.5 sizes down. For the rest of the range, see our guide to the best Mizuno volleyball shoes.
Recommended Use
I’d recommend the Mizuno Neo Jump for outside hitters and opposites whose game revolves around jumping, and who care more about bounce than lateral stability.
The Good
MIZUNO ENERZY XP in both the midsole and the insole gives a soft, springy ride.
It’s the only volleyball shoe in Mizuno’s BOUNCE line.
Landings stay comfortable, even after a long session of jumping.
The XG Rubber outsole grips well on clean courts.
The Bad
Less stable on hard lateral cuts than the Wave Momentum models.