For people whose heels are wearing out faster than the rest of the shoe, I also had this problem, along with recurring blisters on my own heel. Buying a set of gel heel pads to put in the shoe solved it, lifts your foot heel up a centimetre.

I swap the pads every time I buy a new shoe (so they're economical); they wear slower than she shoe does and the bits that go now are the seams and sides where the toe joins the foot, due to dragging the side when lunging and lateral movement splitting top from sole. Now have some Sorborthane full length sport insoles that do the same (can't remember the brand and it doesn't say on them, sorry!) 

(Using prince NFS II's at the mo, purely cos they were cheap and shoes only last me 6-8 months. Think they were going out of stock when i bought them, so I'll have to get the newere version now to check that out. )

Try the heel pads people, the extra cushioning is a blessing! :)

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 For people whose heels are wearing out faster than the rest of the shoe, I also had this problem, along with recurring blisters on my own heel. Buying a set of gel heel pads to put in the shoe solved it, lifts your foot heel up a centimetre.

I swap the pads every time I buy a new shoe (so they're economical); they wear slower than she shoe does and the bits that go now are the seams and sides where the toe joins the foot, due to dragging the side when lunging and lateral movement splitting top from sole. Now have some Sorborthane full length sport insoles that do the same (can't remember the brand and it doesn't say on them, sorry!) 

(Using prince NFS II's at the mo, purely cos they were cheap and shoes only last me 6-8 months. Think they were going out of stock when i bought them, so I'll have to get the newere version now to check that out. )

Try the heel pads people, the extra cushioning is a blessing! :)

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I've also been trying to get some new shoes recently. Problem is that there are very few decent sports shops out there anymore where you can actually go and try 4/5 different pairs. I was using Adidas Stabil and while they are really supportive and durable they are too rigid and clunky. On court I don't feel ight on my feet. I was looking for a really light weight shoe. Out of interest I have recorded the weights of some of the shoes I have found which might be a decent reference in the future.

Adidas Court Stabil (Size 10) LEFT Shoe (Used) - 366 grams

ASICS Gel Progressive (Size 9.5 / 44.5) LEFT Shoe (New) - 401 grams

Mizuno Wave Twister 2 (Info taken from Website) - 265 grams - but what size did they weigh ?

Mizuno Wave Bolt (Info taken from Website) 310 grams - but what size did they weigh ?

If anyone fancies adding to this list (I have always weighed the left shoe and size 44.5 UK 9.5 or 10). I'd be really interested to get the weight of the HiTec Squash Classic and the Prince Renegade.

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Dpiedra, great that the Asics are working for you, alas I don't think they survive my style of play. I'm very impressed that you play that often even after all the surgeries - I certainly hope I can do the same in the years to come (perhaps avoiding the surgeries all together!). 

Interesting your perspective on Adidas - I was looking at getting a pair, but I couldn't find any anywhere. Literally looked at all the uk internet sites, and all the popular sizes (I'm a 9) were sold out. I wondered if they'd stopped making them, or had encountered supply problems. Sounds like I may have dodged a bullet! 

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I've been through adidas shoes in years past (Stabil 2, 6, and 7) and they did an admirable job for a person such as I - flatfooted and large (6'-4" and 230 lbs). I've had 6 knee surgeries over 30 years (I'm 47) and I keep playing 3-4 times per week. The key as you said is changing shoes regulalrly although I think everyone wears out shoes differently and you do need to pay attention to how they are wearing. I see guys using shoes for 2-3 years ... the shoe no longer has any lateral support or cushioning  [everyone forgets about cushioning], so I'm not sure how they get by. I can't do that, and won't use a pair longer than 9-12 months.

Adidas shoes have gone to the crapper ... they are horrible and I have officially left them behind ... perhaps squash is not a priority for them. I have been using Asics Blast 3 ... I know you don't like them, but I have never had problem with them and I thyink they are the best shoe ever ... then again, everyone wears out shoes differently.

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Interesting to find this post. I've just been looking into new shoes, and have gone with Yonex badminton shoes on a fellow court-mate's suggestion. I'm slightly flat footed, and the strength of my game is movement, flexibility and speed. I go through shoes like a rocket. I can tell when a pair need replacing, because I start to get knee ache (particlarly in the right knee). It's interesting that people praise shoes on their longevity of assembly, I find the first thing to go in a shoe is the support in the heels, almost before they have any wear and tear on the tops. It's said that you should replace running shoes, another sport that can kill your joints, after 400 miles. In my experience this is way before the shoe looks worn out. As soon as you see lines appearing in the spongey support under the heal, they're on their way out, and they don't absorb shocks as well anymore. I believe the same probably applies in squash - a pair of shoes is worn out as soon as this material takes a bit of a beating and sends shocks up your legs. Hence, I change shoes every 4 months or so (and play for about an hour a day, 5 or 6 days a week). 

I've decided to leave the Asics gel blast 3s behind. I've had about 5 or 6 pairs of these over the years, and they all fail in exactly the same way. The cushioning under the right heal goes to pieces. I can poke it with a finger and its just air. I've cut a few of them open to see what happened, and the sponge just disintegrates, its like dust, ripped to shreds. The left shoe is normally ok, and the rest of the shoe is still in one piece. This last pair lasted 3 months and I've had enough, especially of the knee ache that ensues. Hence, I'm giving Yonex a try.

In the past I've played with Prince MV4s. Bl**dy awful. No cushioning at all, hard as nails, and I found it took a long time before they started to grip the court properly. For my first week's games with them I was sliding all over. 

So my question to the rest of you - what's the best cushioning shoe available? I dont care about looks, weight, or price. Grip is important, but above all else, I don't want ot have to stop playing by 35 because my knees have had it! 

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I love Prince. My latest one is the Prince Men's NFS V Indoor Squash Shoe

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I'm using Adidas stabil 5 for the past 4 years (average games twice a week).

The shoe is unbreakable, only after 4 years the sole starting wearing out a bit.

However, I'm thinking of buying something new with extra cushioning as my left knee sometimes hurts after I play.

I'm thinking to buy the "Wilson Zone DST02 Mid", it looks cool and the sole looks thicker.

Anyone ever used it?

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I used the adidas stabil 7 for about 18 months ... I finally had to retire them as they were getting too wide and the toe line sticj-hing came undone. I recently (april) switched to the adidas adicore ... great feel, but unfortunately the toe design is not the greatest ... top of toe is made up of a netting type upper ... unfortunately it rips as you drag your feet. I'll likely wear them for another few months (into Sept or so) and then go back to a Stabil 2 or 7.

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I have a pair of Adidas stabil 3. It took me a couple of games to break them in but I like them. Best shoes I have ever played in. I know there are other versions of the Stabil shoe around but I'm not paying more than forty sheets for it. I'll wait until they want to punt them cheaper and then I'll get a new pair. I wanted Asics ones but they were out of stock at the time. The stabil is a good court shoe though.

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Excellent and informative

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I'm still going strong with my 4:SYS, although the shoe seems to have loosend up quite a bit now, where I have to basically tie the shoelaces as tight as they'll go. I'm thinking I should've got a half size smaller when I bought them now even though they were a bit tight at the time.

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Well if memory serves I think mine are size 10.5. Although they might be 10's, I'd need to check.

They are indeed currently gathering dust, and you've got my email address so get in touch that way and we can sort something from there.

At the moment the Prince MV4s I'm using are absolutely awesome.

Adz

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Hey Adz, what size are your 4:SYS's?  If they are gathering dust in a cupboard and are my size, I may take them off your hands!  I love those shoes but my free pair are starting to show signs of wear.

Cheers

Jimbob

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Adidas Stabil 6 for me.

Highly durable with lots of cushioning and sole made to last.

Have been using them for more than a year and only now the sole has started to worn out on the edges (2-3 times/week play) and I slide my foots a lot. A bit heavy though for me as I wear size US 12.

Has anyone here have used Wilson EM6. How are they like with durability as compared to Stabil 6 or 7.

cheers,

Yaeh

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Well an update on my situation.......

Was using Hi-Tec Switchbackz, wore the soles flat. Bought some Asics Senseis but the soles got ripped off whilst turning. Moved onto a pair of Hi-Tec Regulators but found them to be a bit clumpy. In the mean time Asics replaced the broken shoes for me and I also got a free pair of Hi-Tec 4:Sys shoes.

Was wearing the Sensei's when I tore the ligament in my ankle and didn't trust the 4:Sys shoes enough so I bought a pair of Prince MV4s.

After breaking them in for a few hours on court they feel fantastic and the grip on them is the best I've ever had on ANY squash shoes.

They're a bit narrow, which doesn't makes them comfy at first, but once they bed in and mould to your feet they feel fantastic.

Cheers

Adz

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Time to update my input ...

Stabil 2 - Bought it in May 2007 ... wore it through to July 2008 (they finally ripped where the upper meets with the sould (outside front) on left foot. Other than that they were great ... can't complain ... I averaged 6 games per week over that 14 month period. I bought an extra pair at the time.

Stabil 7 - Just picked up a pair after contemplating the Mizuno Blocker Wave 4 ... any thoughts on the Adidas Stabil 7?

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Have tried Prince NSFII ... blew them out (outside the baby toe) after less than 6 months.

Also tried a pair of Head Lites shoes (similar to the NSF II) but better with good grip and support. For the past 2 years I have gone with either the Adidas Big Roar or the adidas Stabil 2. I am getting great grip and laterla support.

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Youy can't go far wrong with the Adidas Stabil 5 in my opinion. They always make a great shoes, old classics like the Vendetta, Tarantula and Equipment light were all great.

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Sleave,

I can completely believe you about the soles, because the same thing is happening to my Hi-Tec Switchbackz. But I guess I'd rather the soles wear flat than the seams split like on some other shoes I've had in the past.

Darren,

The Blades look like lovely shoes, and I've been thinking of getting the Asics Sensei model myself. Everyone I've met who has a pair say that they're very comfortable and very supportive.

Adz

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So, I bought some Asics Gel Blade -

http://www.stringersports.com.au/www/268/1001127/displayproduct/1005019_1001528_.html

they have lasted me about 6 months, but now they feel a bit 'thin' not enough shock absorption anymore.

These shoes were ok, they were confortable in the way that you didnt notice them much. They are light, low to the ground but I feel that ultimately, they are lacking in cushioning/shock absorption. People seemed to like the way they looked.

Not bad overall, but I'm looking for something with more comfort, as in cushioning for my next pair.

Any suggestions for extreme comfort? I'm thinking about trying a pair of Adidas Stabils. 

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Thanks Slavic,

I think squash market in N. America is lil slower than Europe or Austrailia. Stabil 6 is not considered as an old model here and I haven't seen the new adidas ones you mentioned. EM6 is labelled "new wilson" shoes for that matter. I've checked the price at squashgear.com and EM6 is $10US more than torque low.  Being a poor grad student, I'm gonna go with torque low :) I'll let you guys know once I get to try them on.

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I do have to admit that the Stabil 5s were probably the best shoe I've ever played in for comfort, stability and durability.

But I will add that my current Hi-Tec Switchbackz are coming in at a close second. The blisters are still appearing on long court sessions (3hrs ), but no where near as bad as they were. Given that I've no probably spent over 50 hours with them on court (god that's more than some people spend in 6 months at my club!), they still only have a small amount of wear on the top of the left shoe and the inside edges of both shoes. Pretty impressive for durability as I've had other shoes literally in pieces by this amount of time!

If anyone wants some from the UK, sheck out sportsdiscount.com where they have the white James Wilstrop pair down to an amazingly low £25! Ouch! (well at least mine only cost £28!)

I guess thaty's the benefit of buying older models, you can pick them up at less than half the price!

Adz

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I bought Stabil 6 last week and decided to return it. First of all, the seller told me that I should buy 1/2 inch bigger because of the narrow fit. So I went ahead with his advice and when I opened up the box, the shoes looked HUGE. I don't think it's the extra 1/2 inch but the shoe itself looked about at least 1 inch bigger than the real size. The fit was actually good but it felts so clumsy. I donno if it's the weight of the shoe or the extra padding around the ankle but I felt like I was wearing a ski boot. Anyways, I'm returning the shoe and going to buy either Wilson Torque Low or Stabil 5 (the right size this time because as far as I know the old model is not known for having a narrow fit). I'd be happy to hear more about Wilson model or Stabil 5. After reading BZC's post, I'm hoping Stabil 5 will live upto my expectation.

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Oh, and seeing which forum this is posted in:

The Hi-Tec Switchbackz have finally broke in enough so that they don't rub or blister my toes. They feel very comfortable and quite stable to play in. I'll check back in every now and then with details on their durability (at the moment I have a small rub mark appeared on the top of the left shoes, but nothing too serious).

Brand: Hi-Tec

Model: Switchbackz (orange/black)

Est Time on court: 15 hours

Result: Fully broken-in and flexing nicely. Slightly smelly at this point , but nice to play in.

Damage?: Small amounts of wear showing on top of left shoe and on inside edge of right shoe.

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Didn't need to play the training session with someone below my standard! All I needed was a really tight game with someone who I have a good competition with. Done that, and FINALLY broke my losing streak!

Had a little backpain in the 2nd, but I played through it. Back to the chiropractor for me next week I think! But at least I'm going back as a happier man!

Adz

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Ha! Yeah new shoes, new grip, just gone 25 and haven't won a match in 3 weeks! Nevermind! The new season starts in 2 weeks so I'll be a bit more on my game (I hope!).

ADZ

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ya gotta love a bargain

Adz - new shoes, dry grip, its all comin together like a plan for ya

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Has to be said, the Hi-Tec Switchbackz are looking pretty good at the moment. Not sure how long they're going to last though. But even if I get 3 months out of them, at £30 I think I got a bargain!

I tend to change my shoes every season (I really do put them through their paces at close on 16stone and playing for over 7 hours on average every week!). That's if they last for a season! Otherwise it's two pairs a year! Advice for anyone starting out in the squash world:

NEVER SACRIFICE QUALITY FOR VALUE WITH ANY OF YOUR KIT!

Value is good, but make sure that it does the job you need it to and does it well! You don't see professionals playing with a cheapy pair of shoes or a crappy racket. Yeah they might be sponsored, but you can guarantee that what they're using won't leave you with a repetative strain injury or a broken ankle from poor sole stability!

ADZ

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heh, how about Nicol's comment when Palmer had 2 different shoes on - "Lee Beachill does the too, but for a different reason... Pure vanity "

kuh-lassic   

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Ah ha!

Time to join the debate! I changed my shoes about 2 weeks ago, and here's how I went about deciding:

• Started with Addidas Stabil 5's.

These have a very (excuse the pun) stabil base and are a solid shoe if your likely to turn your ankle. The widest part of the shoe (through the ball of your foot), is wide enough to provide excellant balance. And the sole of the shoe has relevent mouldings to act where your foot would naturally be pivoting (ball of foot and heel). Durability wasn't too bad and the weight was about right for me (although these weren't the lightest shoes I've had, they certainly weren't the heaviest!). When the first pair wore through I bought a second pair. These wore through as well (I tend to drag my left foot when going for a lunging movement). Now the problem came of finding a replacement.

• Adidas Stabil 6

After getting on so well with the 5's I'd expect the 6's to be fantastic. Sadly nothing could be further from the truth. I hated them. I found the support in the ankles to be far less and the sole of the shoe just "felt" wrong to me. I've heard a lot of good things about these shoes from a lot of players and as Rita said, each to their own. I won't criticise these shoes as I know that they have great pedegree and excellant built quality, but they just weren't for me.

• Asics Rocket

OK, so I didn't get to play with these on a court, but moving into lunges and ghosting in the middle of a sport shop certainly gets you noticed. I even advised two other customers on the shoes that they were buying. I should have been on commission! Anyhow, by moving around as I would on court (and wearing the right type of socks), I found that these shoes really suited me and I really liked them. Usually one brand has similar feeling shoes of a similar age, and given that the Asics Blast (Phantom?) were in stock online at clearance prices and in my size (which I now knew - BRANDS VARY SIZES ALWAYS TRY THEM ON FIRST!), I was going to go for the Blasts. As a brief guide (of what I remember), the Rockets were lighter than my Stabil 5's, with good ankle support and excellant forefoot and arch support. Asics have a great reputation for running shoes, and they clearly have brought a lot of their learning across to their squash shoes with great success.

• Hi-Tec Switchbackz (In bright Orange!!)

Just as I was putting the Asics Rockets back on the shelf, I spotted a bright orange pair of shoes which I wonder how I ever missed. They were in the clearance section and there were two pairs left - a UK5 and a UK10 - I normally wear a UK10.5 (which vaires a bit by brand from a 9.5 to an 11). Could it be that this was fate? It certainly was! The Switchbackz had great heel support laterally, but vertically they "squeak" upon high impact. This worried me for a second, but wasn't having a physical impact on the support, so I let that one drop. The sole has been moulded with gouges missing across the front of the toes (which allows the toes section to flex easier than most shoes). This gouge adds rigidity across the shoe whilst providing flex from front to back. Very useful for someone like myslef who tends to move from a low stance. The shoes were a touch heavier than the Stabil 5's, but provided good support all round. And for a price that was over 25% below ANY internet retailer that I've found so far, I just couldn't turn them down. I've been using them for the past two weeks with the only niggle being a blister I picked up on my little toe during my first full training session with them.

ADZ

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yes, our feet are all different. i went in to Athlete's Foot(?) last week and get my feet tested(?) you know with the pressure pad thing that you walk across which relays the info to a computer screen (its free). It tells you whether your feet have a tendency to roll in(need good arch support) or roll out. Then you can get the correct shoe for you.(You can also tell just by looking at your feet and shoes whether you roll in or out)

So anyway apparently I have 50/50 balnce on each foot and just a slight roll in ( so I need even shoes or ones with good arch support.

I tried on a few different shoes at a tourny on the weekend and the Addidas Stabil (even though the ones I tried were too big) have VERY GOOD arch supprot (for anyone that rolls in on their feet) I havent heard many say they DONT like the Stabils yet. also tried Grays, felt pretty good and good value. Hi-tec switchback (the new red ones)= too bright(for me) and didnt feel that comfy to me.

The search continues - Just sussing out prices for Asics Tactic(or maybe Phantom(aka construct)) and size  for Addidas Stabil 6 - its down to these 2(or 3) at the moment.

thanks for reading.

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ah, the 'ole Dunlop Volleys, eh. That brings back memories  Did you know they are now making a comeback as a retro fashion item, they even make em in black now. Check it out

http://www.target.com.au/html/shoes/volley.htm

I tried a pair on a while ago as I remembered them from when I was a junior and I thought they might be a secret weapon for me But , alas, they are logs to wear, no support whatsoever, lol. But, damn, that grip  nothing grips like a volley. 

Im sorry to hear about the neuroma ( and also your opponents not hitting the ball back to you. The bastards! ! ) My mum had heel spurs that put an end to her squash career and she loved the game too. Sux. But hey, nothing wrong with table tennis - great game. Sounds like you had a good run anyway

Point taken about the tennis shoes. I agree totally about being careful with shoes that are too 'high' like runners or tennis shoes, as once you slightly roll over on an ankle in them, theres no coming back. I think you got it right with - Light, flexible, no high edges to roll over on the ankle, good grip on the sole. I'm currently checking out the Asics Tactic, might be the go.

http://www.sportsgearonline.com.au/249/features.html

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ah, ok, cool. I wont worry about the Blast then. Might stick to the Challengers as I know I can try them here.

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I'm currently using some cheap nike ones.But looking into some Asics for my next pair as I had a pair before and they are very good.

 The only thing is, here in Australia they don't seem to have the Asics Blast(Tierry Lincou)- they look pretty good. We do have the Asics Gel Challenger V here though, which is actually a tennis shoe. I think I'll be getting a pair of those.

Of all the squash shoes I've tried so far, I think Asics we're the best and also the Prince NFS II (black ones) we're very good too.

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cool. But you still didnt answer my questions now did ya ?  

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