so... the other day I was at sportschek looking to buy a decent pair of shoes for badminton. recently i've had problems with yonex shoes, i think because my foot is width; that is why after awhile of playing i start getting toe cramps. I had enough of it and that's why I went shopping. originally i was looking for court shoes but they don't fit well. until I found these http://www.nbnorthshore.com/new-balance-MR805BG/ I believe they are running shoes actually, and surprising they are very light, there's lots of grip on the bottom and at the side and they adjust to my foot size. I want to know your input on these shoes, are they missing any critical badminton shoe features? and should i be advised to continue to wear them or not. Also... i noticed most or if not all court shoes have that orange gum grip on the sole, what is so special about this orange grip?
btw, I have tried them yesterday and today when playing badminton. They are very comfortable, i feel like i'm flying and... i feel that i can jump better with these. actually the other reason why i had to change shoes because for some reason i have a history or rolling my ankle two-three times a year. hmmm... would it be my shoe's fault or my footwork?
My friend has that pair of shoes and he seems to have no problems playing in them. However, I'm going to assume that these running shoes don't have the ankle support like other shoes dedicated to badminton...if you have a history of rolling your ankle then I don't think these would be too ideal for you. Just my 2cents. GL with shoe finding!
Part of the ankle rolling problem is a combination of ankle strength and foot support. A weak ankle is easily remedied with either an ankle support of shoes with superior ankle support. Running shoes usually provide little to no ankle support, and also are not built for lateral movement, therefore any lateral movement will speed up the decay of the shoe. Looking at the shoe, the lateral movement support and ability to stop laterally will depend on how you power and stop your lateral movement. Do you power through and stop on the inside of your foot, or the outside? If its the outside you use, these seem like a no go. But if you use the inside, these seem reasonable enough. But in the end, it really comes down to 1. Are you comfortable playing in them for 2-3 hours? Are they stable enough? 2. Can you afford them?
I'm fine playing with them, they are very comfortable and it doesn't feel like it weighing me down when I am jumping or going for a lunge. How the concern still remains for my ankle, so it looks like I should be wearing an ankle support from now on eh? I don't see how the structure of this shoe is different with Yonex, it's got the same shape and curves. But it's reassuring to know that this shoe is good enough for badminton.
Ankle supports are always a good idea. The more supports you can wear without slowing you down, the better. The added stability will help prevent injury, and also lessen the severity of any actual injuries that might occur. Thankfully I have strong ankles, so I do not have to wear ankle supports, because I simply cannot play well while wearing them. I have, however, started to wear patella braces and they have made my playing experience (and post playing experience) much less painful.
so ankle rolling is not contributed to bad footwork? but more like the weakness of the ankle? and not much a shoe problem
Sorry I forgot about bad footwork. But to some degree, it's a combination of all three. Weak ankles, no shoe support, and bad footwork can result in dozens of rolled, twisted, and sprained ankles. The shoe can help, but I believe it's not as huge as good footwork, and a naturally strong ankle or a good ankle brace.
I think ankle rolling is more likely contributed to shoes, ankle support and the strength of ankle. also my unanswered question: regarding the grips on the shoes, what's the difference between the orange gum grip that most court shoes have vs the grip on those shoes i bought
Hm, are the shoes non-marking or not? I hate it when people leave ugly black marks on special courts.
it's running shoes... so update: shoes are very comfortable and very good for the courts however... i rolled my ankle again. it might have been my footwork and my aggressiveness. sigh... i think i have weak ankles... sigh
