Most people across the globe play basketball primarily outdoors, but, a lot of those people head out onto the blacktop in their regular hoop shoes and end up tearing them to shreds. There are often big differences between shoes that are well-suited for indoor basketball and a good pair of outdoor basketball shoes.
It’s important to understand how to find shoes meant for outdoor play so you don’t throw away your hard-earned money on shoes that lack durability or don’t have enough cushion to spare your joints from a beating. If you are just looking for the best all-around basketball shoe, you can check out that list as well, and here are our picks of the Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes in Spanish.
Last updated 04.30.2024
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Best Overall
The Way of Wade All City 12 is a superb performance model. The Shooe features full-length BOOM cushioning, great tuff traction that works great indoors and outdoors, and a very secure all-around build. Read more.
Best Budget Outdoor Basketball Shoes
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is the best budget basketball shoe on the market today, a great outdoor option, and one of the best performance basketball shoes out there overall. Read more.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Wide Feet
The Way of Wade 808 3 is a great option for wide-footers, like many Chinese hoop shoes. Read more.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Flat Feet
The ANTA Shock The Game 5.0 is one heck of a shoe for a very good price. The design and overall build of the shoe could have fit the 90’s, but the cushion feels like something that released just a few months ago. Read more.
Most Comfortable Outdoor Basketball Shoes
The Nike KD 16 is a superb performance model. It keeps all the great features of the previous KD signature and also updates a few things. Read more.
Best High Top Outdoor Basketball Shoes
The New Balance Two WXY V4 is more of a mid-tiop to be fair, but it is the best outdoor shoe with the highest cut out there. Read more.
Best Low Top Outdoor Basketball Shoes
The Way of Wade 808 3 is a great low-top basketball shoe that is outdoor-ready. Read the full review.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support
The New Balance Two WXY V4 is a shoe we can easily recommend, and it appears on several of our best basketball shoe lists. We hope people give it a chance. Read more.
Best Traction Budget Basketball Shoes
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is a great outdoor basketball shoe with great traction. Read more.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Jumping
The Way of Wade All City 12 is also a great option for jumping because of the forefoot cushioning and torsional set up. Read more.
Best Budget Outdoor Basketball Shoes
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is the best budget outdoor option and the outdoor hoop shoe that offers more bang for your buck. Read more.
How to Choose an Outdoor Basketball Shoe
Admittedly, there are a lot of things to consider when choosing an outdoor basketball shoe. We have a full article on how to choose the perfect outdoor basketball shoe for you, but here are a few quick tips that will help you quickly distinguish a good outdoor basketball shoe:
- First, let’s talk traction and rubber. Will it grip the surface well? Will it last long enough? Preferably, you want to find a shoe with a tough rubber sole that has its traction pattern recessed into the outsole a bit.
- You also have to think about cushioning. Playing on concrete for hours on end is a lot to handle for your joints. Shoes with more cushioning will be better suited for outdoor hoops.
- You will also want a shoe with durable materials along the upper.
- And, lastly, there’s the price of the shoe. No matter how well-built a shoe is, it will break down quicker when playing outdoors. You probably don’t want to wear (and trash) a $200 pair of shoes outdoors.
Outdoor Basketball vs. Indoor Basketball
The main difference that affects your footwear for indoor basketball and outdoor basketball is the court itself. There are other differences like court size, types of rims, and even rules of the game that can vary greatly, but none of those directly impact your shoes.
Outdoor basketball courts can have very different finishes going from the more abrasive, sandpaper-like courts, to the sleekest, concrete-style ones. This is why the rubber compound of the sole and the traction pattern are so important. The rubber compound needs to bite the court surface while not wearing down too quickly.
Now, the surface texture may vary but all outdoor basketball courts are seriously lacking in terms of impact absorption (unlike indoor courts parquet, or PVC rubber floors). Whether the floors are plastic, concrete, or asphalt you know that it’s going to be less forgiving than an indoor court.
Abrasive courts will chew through your shoe’s outsole and upper and these harder surfaces don’t absorb any of the impacts when you jump, change directions, or start sprinting. Your ankles and knees end up absorbing the majority of those impacts. That’s why cushioning is an important feature to take into consideration when choosing a good outdoor basketball shoe.
There’s no question that it’s hard to find a shoe that checks all the boxes. Because of this, and because we end up testing hundreds of basketball shoes every year, we at WearTesters have compiled a list that highlights the best outdoor basketball shoes you can buy today.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Best Overall
Serious Player Only Game 1
The Game 1 is another solid hoop shoe from Serious Player Only and it does exactly what the brand wanted it to do: be more versatile than the Player 1. The Player 1 and the Player 1 Plus are great guard-orientated basketball shoes. The Game 1 on the other hand is a basketball shoe that more playing styles and body types will enjoy on court. The more robust support features, the added cushioning, and the updated fit and lacing system make the Game 1 a shoe more types of players will enjoy. On top of that, they are less expensive than the Player 1 and can be equipped with any of the drop-in midsoles SPO has to offer. Read full review. Price: $138
New Balance Fresh Foam BB V2
The New Balance Fresh Foam BB V2 just might be New Balance’s best basketball shoe to date. With this shoe, you’re getting elite traction that can handle outdoor play with ease, a thick plush cushioning system (that’s also ideal for outdoors), excellent materials and build, and this is completely subjective, one of the best-looking hoop shoes of the year. Read the full review.
Serious Player Only Player 1 Plus
The Player 1 was already a great hoop shoe and the Player 1 Plus takes things to another level. Everything has been refined and improved slightly in this version of the shoe: more versatile traction, better materials, better fit, … it’s just a better performance basketball shoe. The biggest drawback of the Player 1 Plus is the price. $180 is, admittedly, steep. But you are getting a ton of bang for your buck and excellent traction both indoors and outdoors. Read full review. Price: $180
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 was a big surprise. Easily the best budget model on the market today. The shoe’s support is also a stand-out feature with two outriggers that make sure your foot is secure during play. The cushion setup and the shoe’s traction are the shoe’s best features. They are incredibly soft and comfortable and have a very durable rubber outsole with an aggressive herringbone traction pattern. There’s really no other shoe under $100 that performs this well, both indoors and outdoors. Read the full review. Price: $90
Nike KD Trey 5 X
The Nike KD Trey 5 X is Kevin Durant’s latest budget signature model that takes cues from his flagship, in this case the Nike KD 14. The biggest and most welcome surprise is the cushion. The foam midsole is React, and a rectangular forefoot Zoom Air unit is in the forefoot, similar to the Nike Kyrie Low 5. It provides impact protection without making you sink into the midsole, thus making it a viable outdoor option. Read the full review. Price: $100
Nike LeBron Witness 7
The Nike LeBron Witness 7 packs a ton of cushioning for just $115 which is one of the main things we look for in a good outdoor basketball shoe. On top of that you get an aggressive and durable outsole. A good outdoor option. Read the full review. Price: $115
New Balance TWO WXY V3
The New Balance TWO WXY V3 is an upgrade from the last version and is even better than their flagship model for the Klaw. The traction is fantastic, and the cushion which is provided by FuelCell and Abzorb DRS works well for most positions. The FitWeave upper is comfortable and moves well with your feet. A very solid outdoor offering from New Balance. Read the full review.
Price: $120 $83
adidas Dame Certified
The adidas Dame Certified is Damian Lillard’s budget model for the year, a very solid performance basketball shoe. The shoe features full-length Bounce cushioning which is on the reactive side, great durable traction, and a highly functional upper built with nice cheap layered materials. That durable outsole and the well-built upper make this shoe a good outdoor option. The one drawback for outdoor play is the cushioning which is good but reactive. read the full review. Price: $95
adidas Dame 8
The adidas Dame 8 is the latest in the signature line of the brand and it packs a punch, albeit a balanced one. You definitely won’t feel like you’re jumping out of the gym with the Bounce Pro setup but you won’t feel like you’re walking on bricks either. It’s just right. The traction is also durable enough, especially the solid rubber sections. The materials are durable where they need to be and breathable where they need to be. Some may look at it and say that it looks basic, but we think it’s one of the best out there. Plus, the price isn’t out of reach. See the full review. Price: $120
adidas DON Issue 4
The adidas DON Issue 4 is a good shoe for those who love stability. The cushion is definitely more reactive than plush, making it stable; a substantial shank plate and a broad base contribute to its overall feel. The traction performed well on outdoor settings despite it being mostly translucent rubber. The upper is Jacquard, that’s both light and durable. Going true to size is recommended. See the full review. Price: $120
Best Budget Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Check out our full overall best budget shoes list here.
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is one of the cheapest Nike basketball shoes out there, but don’t be fooled by the price. The Nike Air Max Impact 4 boats have excellent cushioning, traction, and fit. Materials are on the cheap side, but they are functional, breathable, and lightweight, and they help maintain the shoe inexpensive. These are the best budget basketball shoe out there, a great overall basketball shoe, and one of the best outdoor options you can pick up. See the full review. Price: $90
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Wide Feet 2024
Check out our full list of the best basketball shoes for wide footers overall here.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Flat Feet 2024
Check out our full list of the best basketball shoes for flat feet overall here.
Anta Shock the Game 5.0
The Anta Shock the Game 5.0 looks to be a mix of the old and the new. Which is great because older sneakers tend to be more durable. The old part comes with all the overlays and even a vent on the upper. The newness comes from the cushion, which is the brand’s very bouncy and plush A-Flash Edge foam. They added a stabilizer so you don’t roll your ankle and get injured. Even with all the thick overlays, the main build is still textile mesh which means it will be comfortable and flexible. See the full review. Price: $100
Most Comfortable Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Check out our full list of the most comfortable basketball shoes overall here.
Nike KD 16
The Nike KD 16 is another great hoop shoe in Kevin Durant’s signature line. The Nike KD 16 is very different from the Nike KD 15 (which was also an amazing hoop shoe) but there really haven’t been any downgrades. We have a new gear-shaped traction pattern etched into a translucent or solid rubber sole depending on the colorway (we suggest going with solid rubber for outdoors), an excellent cushioning system that combines a cushlon midsole a large zoom unit in the forefoot, and an Air Stroble that covers the midfoot and heel. Materials are nothing to write home about but the mix of textiles and synthetic leather works well on court, as do all the support features in the shoe. Read the full review. Price: $160
Best High Top Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Check out our full list of the best high-top basketball shoes overall here.
Best Low Top Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Check out our full list of the best low-top basketball shoes overall here.
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Ankle Support 2024
Check out our full list of the best basketball shoes for ankle support overall here.
Best Traction Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Check out our full list of the best basketball shoes in terms of traction overall here.
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is not only the best budget model on the market today it offer great traction outdoors (and indoors for that matter. The very durable rubber outsole is equipped with an aggressive herringbone traction pattern. There’s really no other shoe under $100 that performs this well, both indoors and outdoors. Read the full review. Price: $90
Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes for Jumping 2024
Check out our full list of the best shoes for jumping overall here.
Best Value Outdoor Basketball Shoes 2024
Check out our full list of the best value basketball shoes overall here.
Nike Air Max Impact 4
The Nike Air Max Impact 4 is the definition of a great bang for you buck basketball shoe. After the successful stint of its previous iteration, the Air Max Impact 4 gives us a worthy successor. You get a great cushioning set-up with from the combination of the Phylon midsole and heel Air Max unit and durable and grippy traction from the outsole. The support features are likewise robust for a shoe at this price. See the full review. Price: $90