As an elite volleyball player myself, over the years I’ve gone through far more volleyball shoes than most.
Believe me when I say I know exactly what makes a great volleyball shoe.
As of this point in 2024, there is a huge shortage of men’s volleyball shoes across a number of very popular brands.
The biggest advancements in volleyball sneakers for women, and for volleyball sneakers as a whole, comes with the midsole and the process of making them.
Volleyball shoes nowadays offer more cushioning than ever, and the production process is aimed at sustainability and leaving minimal trace in the environment.
In this article, I’ll run down the best volleyball sneakers for women (in my opinion), and a short guide on how to choose the right shoes!
Best Overall
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Top choice for agility & comfort in women’s volleyball shoes
Inexpensive Shoe
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Top-notch volleyball shoe at a low price, ideal for tight budgets.
Great for Middles and Liberos
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Praised for grip, these shoes are perfect for liberos & middles with their sticky soles.
What’s New in 2024
There haven’t been significant movements in volleyball shoe technology in the past few years, but there’s a growing trend of high top volleyball shoes.
Although you’ll still find low top models, most volleyball shoes nowadays are high top to protect the ankles as best as possible.
Different manufacturers use different types of gels or foams to pad the midsole as much as possible, cushioning the landing and making jumping a whole lot easier.
ASICS, for example, uses Flyte Foam, and an entire line of ASICS shoes is based on that technology.
The biggest advancements in volleyball sneakers technology relate to the production, rather than the design.
Manufacturers nowadays are trying to use as many recycled materials as possible to minimize their impact on the environment without sacrificing the quality of the shoe. Most reputable shoe manufacturers are big on recycling!
This is quite simply the best volleyball shoe we’ve seen hit the market in recent years. They stick to the floor like glue, have a super fluid heel-toe transition, strong support, and excellent shock absorption.
I already spoke about the Sky Elite FlyteFoam shoes in my article about the best ASICS volleyball shoes and I stand by my statement.
I believe they’re firmly on top of the volleyball shoe game, as least so far, and it doesn’t look like any model is going to knock them off their well-deserved throne anytime soon.
At this point in time, these women’s mid volleyball shoes are the best in the world.
The FlyteFoam employs perhaps the best midsole cushioning technology in existence. This adds extra bounce when jumping and incredible impact protection for landing – you won’t feel any pain in your knees or your feet when jumping.
The shoe is a tight fit, but not in an uncomfortable way, keeping your foot locked in and unlikely to twist in a way that could injure you. The shoe is a great fit for wide-footed players as well!
The traction is also incredible, keeping you on the floor like glue, making it ideal for all positions.
I’d especially recommend this shoe to hitters – the midsole is simply so thick, comfortable, and offers so much bounce and cushioning that choosing this shoe is truly a no-brainer!
Ideal For
- All positions. There is not a single position I wouldn’t recommend this shoe for. Hitters will especially enjoy it!
Not Ideal For
- Possibly liberos, but not real. Some liberos like to stay lower to the ground, and this shoe has a thick midsole, so the player is standing pretty high. If you don’t like that feeling, I wouldn’t recommend this shoe.
One of the more lightweight volleyball shoes, the Wave Momentum offers exceptional impact protection, making it one of the most ideal shoes for spikers.
Mizuno Wave Momentum Women’s Volleyball Shoes
Although they can’t knock the FlyteFoams off their throne, Mizuno Wave Momentum shoes are another great option.
The original Wave Momentum is fairly bouncy but has really incredible shock absorption which makes it perfect for any volleyballers doing a ton of jumping.
The Mizuno Wave Momentum 2 is way more bouncy, but with significantly less impact protection, making it more fun to jump in, but less effective at protecting your joints.
I always recommend going for the original Momentums but both shoes are excellent in their own ways.
The shoe is also ultra lightweight and responsive with incredible traction, making it perfect for all positions.
For liberos and setters I’d recommend going for the Momentum 2s and for outsides, opposites, and middles, I’d stick with the original Momentums.
Ideal For
- Athletes who prefer lightweight shoes. I believe this is the lightest volleyball shoe on the market!
If you’re looking for a great pair of all-around good shoes that are on the cheaper side, look no further than Adidas Novaflight.
Their midsole is designed for jumping, which is why they might be a better fit for hitters than everyone else, but if you’re playing at a lower level and you don’t need professional shoes, I’d wholeheartedly recommend them for any position.
These shoes are also very light with a lightweight, breathable upper mesh, enforced with supportive panels that keep you locked in. The rounded outsole edges support natural movement.
The only potentially negative thing I can say about these inexpensive volleyball shoes is that they’re low cut, so there’s not much ankle protection.
Ideal For
- Any position at a lower level. If you’re playing at a lower level, this shoe is truly a great fit for any position.
- Anyone on a budget. These cheap shoes will serve you for a long time, and you won’t have to break the bank for it.
Not Ideal For
- Players with weak ankles. These shoes offer minimal ankle support, and I wouldn’t recommend them to players prone to twisting their ankles.
When it comes to Adidas women’s volleyball shoes that deliver on all parts of the court, look no further than CrazyFlight.
You could also say that they’re a good budget option – although they’re usually not considered cheap women’s volleyball shoes, I can’t say that they’re expensive.
With CrazyFlight, you get to choose between low and mid top volleyball shoes that have no obvious flaws. What they maybe don’t excel at, though, is securing the ankle, as many users have reported.
Volleyball shoes for women middle hitters
byu/swimswamswum89 involleyball
Although they’re not as lightweight as other shoes on this list, they don’t feel heavy.
I wouldn’t recommend them to hitters, though. It’s not exactly bad at jumping, but there are certainly shoes that do it better.
Ideal For
- Almost all positions. The CrazyFlights are great all-rounders that I’d recommend to anyone, especially at a lower level.
Not Ideal For
- Hitters. With their weight and lack of ankle protection, they’re not the best choice for hitters.
The Netburner Ballistic FF MT3 are nominally men’s shoes, but I don’t see a reason why they couldn’t be worn by a woman.
They employ the FlyteFoam propelling and cushioning technology that we’ve already seen in many ASICS models, so you can expect the same level of bounciness from these shoes as with the Sky Elites.
This, however, may not even be the best feature of these volleyball sneakers. I’d argue that their traction deserves that title, and that’s thanks to ASICS’s X Guidance outsole pattern.
Don’t get me wrong – all volleyball shoes have sticky soles and generally have better traction than other shoes. They are, after all, court shoes for volleyball and they need to keep your foot locked in.
These shoes specifically have an X-shaped pattern on the soles which, according to testing, handles dusty and clean wooden and plastic courts better than shoes with no sole pattern.
The shoes also provide quite a tight fit, ensuring that your foot is locked into place when you suddenly stop moving.
Taking all of this into account, I’d recommend these ASICS shoes to liberos more than any other position, while middles will also get a good run out of them.
Ideal For
- Liberos and middles. Thanks to its supreme traction capabilities, this shoe is ideal for players who make a lot of quick, lateral movements.
Not Ideal For
- Hitters. Although I wouldn’t call it a bad fit for hitters, there are definitely better options out there.
If you have weak ankles and you’re worried about stability, look no further. The Blast FF3s employ new technology, designed specifically to prevent sprains and uncomfortable twisting of the ankles!
While they’re definitely not the only volleyball shoes built for stability, ASICS’s Blast FF3s are some of the most stable women’s volleyball shoes on the market right now.
These colorful women’s volleyball shoes are designed for both offensive and defensive players, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who has issues with stability, regardless of the position.
They employ something called a MONO-SOCK, which we don’t see with other ASICS models. This is a tight, sock-like construction within the shoe that holds your ankle tight, lowering the chances of twisting and spraining your ankle, which is possibly the most common injury in volleyball.
This doesn’t take anything away from the shoe’s flexibility, while the sole itself uses the well-known FlyteFoam technology providing great bounce.
On top of all that, I really meant what I said when I called them colorful women’s volleyball shoes. There are plenty of color patterns to choose from, so you can let your creativity loose on the court!
Ideal For
- Anyone worried about stability. The Blast FF 3s are the most stable shoes on the market, and I’d recommend them to anyone worried about their ankles.
How to Choose the Right Volleyball Shoes
I want you to keep these things in mind when buying your volleyball shoes: the level you’re playing at, the position you’re playing, and the type of fit you want.
The level you’re playing at is arguably the most important thing to keep in mind because if you’re playing the game at a low level, there’s no need to invest in professional volleyball shoes. It certainly won’t hurt, but there are cheaper options that will work just fine if you’re only wearing them once or twice a week.
If you’re playing at a higher level, though, budget volleyball shoes for women simply won’t do – you’re going to need good shoes appropriate for your position.
This is where the second part of the choosing process starts – determining shoe type based on your position. Liberos, for example, don’t do as much jumping as hitters, which is why their shoes need less cushioning. Before anyone gets offended – I’m not saying liberos don’t jump at all, but the chances of twisting your ankle or simply landing awkwardly and hurting your foot are significantly higher if you’re a hitter.
Because of this, liberos and setters don’t need the same level of cushioning in their shoes.
Remember this when choosing your shoes; hitters need more ankle protection and cushioning than liberos and middles, while liberos and middles need more traction than hitters. Setters need a good combination of all three things.
When it comes to the type of fit you want, remember that some shoes are a better fit for narrow-footed people, while other shoes cater to wide-footed players. I’ll mention this specifically for each model when I start listing them down, as it’s one of the most common problems with finding the proper fit.
Some volleyball shoe manufacturers have sizing guidelines on their respective websites, so you can check them out as they tell you exactly how to measure your foot to make sure you choose the right size!
The Difference Between Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Shoes
The most obvious differences, that hardly need mentioning, are size and color. Men’s shoes come in larger sizes because men have larger feet on average, while men’s shoes also rarely come in pink and other colors stereotypically considered feminine (which I find needlessly limiting).
The differences in shape, however, are noticeable.
Women’s shoes are usually more narrow at the heel because of the natural differences between men’s and women’s feet, with women usually having more narrow feet.
The front part of the shoe, known as the ball of the foot, is proportionally wider than the back part of the shoe, just like with men’s shoes, but it offers more free room to women than to men because women have naturally narrower feet. As a woman, you’re less likely to come across the wide-foot problem.
Then, there’s the durability debate. Some athletes believe men’s shoes are more durable because they’re built for durability. On one hand, men are heavier, men’s shoes need to carry more weight and take more punches (not in the literal sense of the word), so they’re built to be more durable and last longer.
On the other hand, women are almost always lighter than men, and they apply less force to their shoes, so the shoes have less resistance and they’re less likely to succumb to wear and tear.I’m a believer in the second theory – top rated women’s volleyball shoes will outlast top rated men’s volleyball shoes simply because women don’t apply as much force to them. Cheap women’s volleyball shoes won’t outlast anything.
Frequently Answer Question
What are court shoes for volleyball?
Volleyball court shoes are different from shoes for other sports. They’re built for jumping and safe landing, while the glue on the soles provides plenty of traction for the player.
What are the best volleyball shoes for women?
ASICS’s Sky Elite FlyteFoam are, right now, the best volleyball shoes for women. They’re the pinnacle of volleyball shoe design with their supreme bounce, cushioning, traction and foot security.
How do I measure my foot for volleyball shoes?
Most volleyball shoe manufacturers have a sizing guide on their official websites. Different manufacturers measure their sizes differently!
