PADEL · GEAR GUIDE
Best Padel Shoes in Australia 2026: What We Learned After Brisbane’s Stores Let Us Down
Yesterday we drove to the DFO near the airport, then Nike, Adidas, ASICS and New Balance outlet stores, then finally Rebel Sport — looking for one thing: padel shoes for my wife. Six stores. Zero padel shoes. She walked out with netball shoes instead, frustrated, because at least those fit and she needed something for the weekend.
If you’re reading this because you just had the same afternoon, here’s what we found out afterwards — including two padel-specific shoes we actually confirmed you can buy online right now, and one that looks available but isn’t really.
Quick Answer
Mainstream Australian retailers — DFO, Nike, Adidas, ASICS, New Balance, Rebel — don’t stock padel-specific shoes yet. Amazon Australia does, but selection is thin: the ASICS Gel-Dedicate 8 Padel Trainers ($113.62) are genuinely in stock with fast delivery. The Wilson Hurakn 2.0 Padel Sneakers ($159.95) are listed but currently dispatch in 6–7 months — skip it for now.
Why We Couldn’t Find Padel Shoes in Brisbane
It’s not that we went to the wrong stores. Padel courts across Australia are up more than 50% in the past 12 months — there are now 154 courts across 33 clubs nationally, and over 90,000 Australians have tried the sport. But Brisbane, despite being the country’s fastest-growing major city and a 2032 Olympic host, has just one padel club. Retail simply hasn’t caught up to demand yet — especially in Queensland.
Worth knowing: even on Amazon Australia, padel-specific shoes are thin on the ground — we found exactly two worth recommending, against hundreds of tennis shoe listings. And one of those two has a 6–7 month dispatch time, which tells you how new this category still is here.
Padel Shoes, Tennis Shoes, Netball Shoes: What’s Actually Different
Padel shoes use a herringbone sole pattern designed for the sideways slide-and-plant movement padel demands, plus reinforced lateral support because your ankle is constantly loading side to side, not forward. Netball shoes are built for a different pattern entirely — stop, jump, land — with less emphasis on that sideways slide.
That doesn’t mean netball shoes are dangerous. It means they weren’t designed for this. If you’re playing padel casually once a week, it’s a reasonable stopgap. If you’re playing regularly, the ankle-support mismatch is worth taking seriously.
What We Ended Up Doing
My wife wore the netball shoes for one social session, and honestly, they were fine for that. Since finishing this guide we’ve ordered the ASICS pair — in stock, arriving this week. Patrick (13) is still borrowing his tennis shoes for padel for now — there’s no true junior padel shoe on the market yet, which is its own gap worth knowing about if you’re buying for a kid.
Padel Shoes You Can Actually Buy Right Now
RECOMMENDED
ASICS Gel-Dedicate 8 Padel
ASICS · Padel-specific
In stock, ships this week. The realistic pick if you need shoes now, not in six months.
⚠️ Honest note: listing notes UK imports may differ slightly from local stock — check the size chart before ordering.
Amazon affiliate link
WATCH FOR RESTOCK
Wilson Hurakn 2.0 Padel
Wilson · Padel-specific
A genuinely good padel shoe on paper — but check the dispatch time before you click buy.
⚠️ Honest note: currently listed as dispatching in 6–7 months. Worth watching for restock, not worth ordering today.
Amazon affiliate link
| Shoe | Brand | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gel-Dedicate 8 Padel | ASICS | $130.00 approx. | In stock |
| Hurakn 2.0 Padel | Wilson | $160.00 approx. | 6–7 month dispatch |
Key Takeaways
- Padel is booming nationally but Brisbane retail hasn’t caught up — you won’t find padel shoes at DFO, Nike, Adidas, ASICS, New Balance or Rebel in-store yet.
- Even online, real padel-specific shoes are rare in Australia — we verified two on Amazon AU, and only one actually ships this week.
- Padel shoes use a herringbone sole and extra lateral support — built for sideways sliding, not forward running.
- Netball shoes are a reasonable one-off stopgap, not a long-term substitute.
- There’s no true junior padel shoe on the market yet — a well-fitted tennis shoe is the honest workaround for kids.
- Check dispatch times before you buy — a listing being “available” doesn’t mean it’ll arrive this month.
FAQ
Can I wear netball shoes for padel?
For an occasional social game, yes. Netball shoes aren’t built for padel’s sideways sliding movement, so if you’re playing more than once a week, a padel-specific shoe is worth it for ankle support alone.
Why don’t Australian sports stores stock padel shoes yet?
Padel courts have grown over 50% in the past year nationally, but retail buying cycles lag behind fast-growing niche sports — especially in cities like Brisbane with only one club so far.
What’s the actual difference between padel and tennis shoes?
Padel shoes have a deeper herringbone sole for grip on artificial turf and stronger lateral ankle support for padel’s shorter, sharper sideways movements.
Where can I buy padel shoes online in Australia?
Amazon Australia has the ASICS Gel-Dedicate 8 Padel Trainers in stock now. The Wilson Hurakn 2.0 is listed but currently has a long dispatch delay — worth checking back on.
Are there padel shoes made for juniors?
Not yet, from any major brand we checked. A properly fitted tennis shoe is the honest workaround until that changes.
Save Yourself the Six-Store Trip
The ASICS pair is in stock now — updated as availability changes.