Can You Use Badminton Shoes In Other Sports?

When it comes to different sports shoes, there are differences in most of them because the sports have specific requirements that would be essential to be found from the shoes. This is because of injury prevention, performance improvement, and comfort.

In this article, you will whether you can use badminton shoes for other sports, what sports you can use them, how long badminton shoes last, and why you should have a pair.

Before moving on too fast, you need to learn that can you wear badminton shoes for other sports?

Generally, you can use badminton shoes for all sports played inside because the outsole is made for indoor play. Thus, rough outdoor surfaces could seriously damage or even ruin your badminton shoes. However, there are differences between indoor sports as well that may want you to reconsider.

That being said, you need to research the sport you intend to use the badminton shoes for, to see whether you should or not. Now, let’s take a look at why we should have badminton shoes and their features. This drastically helps you to understand how to know the optimal footwear for a sport.

Why Do You Need Badminton Shoes?

In badminton, you need to jump quite a bit and move in all directions at an explosive speed. These perks do require specific benefits on the shoes.

1. Outsole

Badminton shoes often have either gum rubber or rubber soles. The difference between the two is that gum rubber soles are softer and specifically made for wooden and rubber surface badminton courts, where they provide excellent grip and traction.

These outsoles aren’t made for rough outdoor surfaces such as hard tennis courts, bumpy running trails, or asphalt walking. Gum rubber and rubber outsoles on badminton shoes will get ruined if you use them a lot outdoors.

2. Lateral Support

In badminton, the player needs to move quickly to every corner in a matter of seconds, so good ankle support is a necessity. This means that part of the shoe should be hard and solid instead of all cushioning. Especially the quarter of the shoe, which is located in the middle of the heel part, which provides good stability on your leg.

Lateral support might not be suitable for all sports because it adds weight and can scrub your ankles in the wrong way. For example, running doesn’t have much lateral movement, meaning side to side because it’s almost exclusively back to front movement. You wouldn’t need as good lateral support as in badminton shoes for running because it adds more weight, decreases breathability, and can get in the way of forming blisters and chafes.

3. Shock-Absorption

Badminton has a lot of jumps and thuds, which creates a shock force on your feet and knees. This is why good shock absorption in your shoes needs to be in place. Of course, this adds more weight to the shoe, so for sports that value lightweight the most, badminton shoes aren’t the optimal ones.

Learn more: Why Do Your Feet Hurt After Badminton?

4. Comfort

Last but not least, comfort in the form of cushioning on the key areas of the shoe is important. Badminton shoes have extra cushioning on the toes because of sudden movements where your toes are pushed against the front of the shoe. Also, the bottom of your feet is important for extra shock-absorption to prevent acing and blisters.

Are Badminton Shoes Different From Other Sports Shoes?

As you can see, badminton shoes have special features that other sports might not have or need. But how much do they differ from other shoes?

To put it shortly, badminton shoes differ from other sports shoes in terms of weight, support, hardness, cushioning, breathability, and flexibility. How much different, it depends on what sport you are comparing to. For example, badminton shoes compared to outdoor sports shoes can be very different.

As badminton is an indoor sport when you are competing, the shoes are designed for that. There are various other indoor sports that are played on a similar court and conditions, making the features similar to badminton shoes.

However, some sports vary drastically because the features needed for that particular sport are different. So be careful where you are comparing to, and you will find out whether you should use badminton shoes for that sport as well.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes Outside?

In short, badminton shoes will get damaged if you use them outside. This is because the outsoles of a badminton shoe are soft and meant to be worn indoors on a wood or rubber surface. However, rough outdoor surfaces such as asphalt, gravel, or concrete will wear the shoes out extremely fast.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes For Running?

Generally, badminton shoes should not be used for running, especially outdoors. However, you can use them for running if you run on an indoor running track. Keep in mind that running has only back-to-front movement, so lateral support and extra weight in badminton shoes can be a nuisance.

You should also examine the running track on the indoor hall because it can be quite rough material. If that’s the case, you should get a good pair of running shoes instead.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes For Trekking?

You shouldn’t use badminton shoes for trekking because they aren’t built for it, and the shoes will wear out fast, and your feet will quickly start to ace, especially in long treks. However, short one-time trekking won’t harm your shoes because the movement isn’t as hard compared to running.

But still, badminton shoes are meant for indoors, and trekking requires a whole new kind of shoes with different features.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes For Tennis?

Badminton shoes shouldn’t be used for tennis because badminton shoes are softer, whereas tennis shoes are played on hard, clay, and grass courts; thus, they will withstand more wearing. Also, badminton shoes don’t have good lateral support. However, you can use tennis shoes for badminton.

You can use tennis shoes for badminton because the outsole will easily withstand the less harsh surfaces of a badminton court, and the lateral support is more than enough for badminton.

There is much more to know about tennis shoes. If you are interested, I highly recommend that you read my comprehensive tennis shoe guide to determine the best ones for you.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes For Basketball?

Badminton consists of a lot of quick movements and jumping, as do basketball. In addition, basketball is played on a similar court as badminton, which makes badminton shoes compatible with basketball. However, there are differences between the two so if you play basketball regularly, you should get shoes for it.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes For Volleyball?

Badminton and volleyball are quite similar when it comes to the sport itself and the court it is played on. This makes badminton shoes usable for volleyball and vice versa. However, there are specific shoes for both sports for a reason, so if you play volleyball often, you should get volleyball shoes.

Can You Use Badminton Shoes For Gym?

Generally, badminton shoes can be used for the gym. However, if you do heavy powerlifting, such as deadlifting or squats, you want to ensure that the specific badminton shoes have good support and feel when you stand. Imbalance in such situations can be dangerous and decrease your performance.

How Long Do Badminton Shoes Last?

In most cases, badminton shoes last between 6 months to 2 years. How long the shoes last drastically depends on the quality of the shoes, how often you play, whether you play only on a badminton court, your footwork skills, and the court type. Generally, badminton shoes last longer than a year.