White is all time favorite color for shoes, whether casual or sports. It is the prime color observed in shoe stores and has a wide range of designs and styles available. In volleyball, teams often choose white shoes as they look stylish with every uniform color. Since shoes designed for specific sports are different, there are a lot of things to consider before buying them. Volleyball is an intense sport that requires the players to make quick moves around the court, jump to hit the ball and perform defense moves. All these require shoes with good grip, traction, and a comfortable feel.
With the rise in the popularity of volleyball, the demand for volleyball shoes is also increasing. Though every person may not understand the importance of sport-specific shoes, playing who have devoted years to this game understand the need for shoes that suit their needs. Things like arch support, weight, and ankle support are essential that support the player’s movement and prevent discomfort. Whether you are new to volleyball shoe selection or have a good experience, this guide will discuss all the things to consider when selecting white volleyball shoes.
Be confident about the color
White has been a popular shoe color, and it seems it will always be. The chic and bright appearance makes it fashionable with everything and for every occasion. When it comes to volleyball shoes, white gives a realistic look that grabs attention and boosts the confidence of the wearer. One of the reasons that white shoes are still popular is that they are timeless. Their clean appearance makes them stand out with similar or contrasting color outfits; thus, no one can ever go wrong with white shoes. As volleyball regulations allow players to have different color shoes, it will always be a great idea to stand out from the team members and perform with complete confidence.
What makes good volleyball shoes
Getting volleyball shoes is not just about outshining with good color. The shoe must be suitable to support the specific needs of the players and perform its functions. The right shoe does not only support the feet but the joints as well and prevents injuries. Though they may not eliminate the force experienced by the body through the feet, shoes with the right cushioning will reduce the impact and delay it, allowing the body the required time to stay in motion. Apart from this, some of the features of volleyball shoes that make them unique and essential are discussed below.
Thicker midsoles and cushioning
Volleyball is a game that involves a lot of jumping on the hardwood court. Be it spiking the ball or jumping in an attempt to block it, the impact of landing on the floor affects the feet and joints of the leg to a great extent. The shoes for this sport thus be suitable to support high jumps and protect from impact at the same time. Hence, volleyball shoes are made of thick midsoles to provide better cushioning and thus reduce the impact. It can have a gel cushioning system or wave technology to absorb the shock on landing.
Cushioning is the preference of most players on the court, considering the movements. It is directly related to the thickness of the midsole, as more thickness provides better cushioning. It might be helpful, but it is not the primary concern of every player based on their position. If the position demands a player to be more in touch with the ground, he should prefer shoes with less height, such as for libero members.
Weight of shoes
The nature of this game requires the players to have lightweight outfits, and the same applies to shoes. Volleyball shoes with more weight will hamper the movement and jumps of the player, which would be a disadvantageous situation. Thus the right pair of shoes must be lightweight to facilitate free movement around the court.
Traction
The traction of the shoes is associated with the outsoles. Thus, to prevent tripping on the hard surface of the court and facilitate quick movements, volleyball shoes must have a good grip on the floor. For this purpose, most shoe soles are made using rubber or synthetic rubber to provide abrasion resistance. Another thing that affects traction is the tread pattern on the outsoles. The pattern affects the gripping of the shoe on different surfaces and should be considered while keeping in mind the court surface and elements like dust etc.
Stability
This factor is concerned with protecting the ankle from sprains and injuries. As the side-by-side movements in the court are quick, it does not allow the player to focus on the position of his feet to prevent injuries. Shoes are there to perform this role. A good volleyball shoe must provide stability around the ankle. Based on support provided to the ankle, the shoe style can be categorized into three types low-top, mid-top, and high-top. Among these, the high-top provides the most stability but may hinder movements. Thus, the choice depends on the player’s needs and his position on the court.
Breathability
Breathability is associated with the material used in the upper portion of the shoe. As the players stay active throughout the game to score points, getting their feet wet with sweat is inevitable. To prevent the discomfort from too much sweat and heat trapped inside the shoes, the upper material used in volleyball shoes mainly consists of mesh fabric and vents that allow airflow and keeps feet dry and cool.
Lockdown
It is the least discussed factor, yet highly crucial. As the name suggests, this term is related to locking the feet inside shoes. The perfect shoe provides breathable space but does not allow the feet to keep moving up or slipping. Good lockdown keeps feet planted to the insole. It can be achieved in various ways, including laces, velcro straps, pulling on tabs, and lateral hold of the shoe.
Understanding the construction
Every part of the volleyball shoe is designed considering the needs of the sport and performs different functions in a certain way. It is thus essential to gather knowledge about the shoe’s components and learn what kind of variations in a specific part will serve the player’s needs. Here are the main elements that affect the shoe performance.
Upper
The entire portion of the shoe resting above the sole is termed the upper. For volleyball shoes, this part is made of mesh or has vents to allow a greater flow of air and maintain the temperature inside the shoe. With the advancement in technology, this shoe portion is now primarily prepared using 3D printing technologies to create a one-piece design, unlike its traditional counterpart with sewn fabrics.
Ankle collar
It is the shoe opening that wraps around the ankle of the wearer and holds the feet down. Some shoes have a thick padded ankle collar, while some have a fabric that easily twists with ankle movement. For volleyball needs, a shoe with a thick collar will be suitable as it provides better ankle support and keeps it in place to prevent twisting. The feel of the ankle collar must be considered before buying to ensure that it does not cause any kind of discomfort.
Saddle
It is the area of the shoe that surrounds the instep (part of the foot between the ball and ankle). It keeps the foot in place while providing a comfortable feel around the arch during movements. A proper shoe must fit comfortably in this portion, and different styles, including laces and overlays, etc., can ensure it.
Toebox
Toebox is the portion that surrounds the toes between the eyelets and the end of the shoe. It must have enough space to allow movement of fingers and should be capped with a toe bumper to protect the skin from rubbing against the fabric. The toebox for volleyball shoes must allow some free space between the toe and end of the shoe to prevent constant rubbing when the player keeps moving.
Height of cut
It refers to the cut height at the top of the shoe, i.e., the area that supports the ankle. This height can be high-cut, mid-cut, or low-cut to facilitate the different needs of players. Among these style options, the low-cut style is the least used in volleyball as the top of the shoe lies below the anklebone providing most minor support during movements.
On the other hand, the high-cut style may provide the highest support, but it hinders movement by resting over the anklebone and thus is not very used in volleyball. Thus, the ideal cut style for volleyball shoes is mid-cut, as it provides the necessary support and does not restrict free movement around the court, making it the popular style among players.
Position in the court matters
Players with different positions on the volleyball court have different shoe needs that a single style and structure can not meet. As the setters, hitters, and liberos have different tasks to perform in the team, their shoes must also be different. For instance, libero players need good control on the court surface, which can be achieved only when their shoes have less cushioning, and there is less distance between the feet and the floor. Mentioned below are some tips to consider based on different positions.
For setters
The setters of the team have the most responsibility on their shoulders. They are expected to be good overall in all the skills required in the game, making their position difficult. They should be good at both blocking and serving, and thus their shoes must be able to support them in different techniques performed. Their shoes must have a lot of traction, good responsiveness, and provide lateral support and protection with less weight.
For hitters
Hitters in the volleyball team perform more high jumps than in any other sport. The impact of these jumps can even affect their ankle and knee joints leading to severe injuries. Thus for this position, the shoes must have good ankle support and cushioning to be able to help in jumping high while protecting from impacts. The lockdown of these shoes must also be good to prevent the foot from moving within the shoe.
For liberos
Libero players are responsible for passing the ball and positioned at the court’s back. Their position requires them to stay low to the ground and be agile. Thus their shoes are designed with less ankle support and cushioning with lightweight and excellent forefoot flex to fulfill their requirement. The shoes must have excellent traction and responsiveness to allow quick movements.
Final thoughts
Before starting with shortlisting options, getting enough knowledge will help you make a good purchase. As discussed above, there is nothing like a perfect shoe for every volleyball player. Something that suits one person can be the worst experience for others. So, the only good volleyball shoe that exists is the one that suits you and facilitates your performance while protecting your feet, ankle, and knee joints. In this guide, we tried to cover the points to consider on a general level. Still, if the player has an ankle or knee injury, consider using shoe supports such as heel cups and metatarsal pads to relieve pain after consulting with a specialist.