TOP CROQUET SHOE 2024
Puma RS-X: Ultimate Croquet Shoe 2022
Considering that a croquet player can get anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 steps per day during a croquet tournament, croquet shoe selection has to factor both comfort and durability. However, don’t forget to add in the style factor as you’ll want a shoe that shows off your love for the game. With that in mind, the PUMA RS-X is our ultimate Croquet Shoe for 2023 as it has both comfort and style as it is one of the few brands to sport the full U,R,K,Y croquet color scheme.
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CROQUET SHOES: MORE OPTIONS
Maybe you’re not into the multi-colored RS-X. That’s okay, here’s my overall guide to croquet shoe selection after many, many years on the court. Througout my career, I’ve worn court-style shoes (mainly K-Swiss), a pair of track-style shoes from Steve Madden and more recently running-style shoes from Saucony and Under Armour.
The court-style shoes offer a nice flat feeling that really helps you feel nice and stable on the court. That’s a key advantage in my opinion because as we all know croquet is pretty unforgiving, so having a solid base helps quite a bit with confidence. The downside of the court-style shoe was simply that they don’t offer as much cushion and over several days, you can start to feel that effect.
I really enjoyed the track-style shoe that I wore several years ago. There was hardly any cushion, so you really felt connected to the turf. Additionally, the shoes offered such a small footprint it felt like an advantage in certain hampered scenarios or when you were stepping between a bunch of balls to set up your shot. The downside was again a total lack of cushion.
The running shoe or cross-trainer addresses the comfort issue and they can be relatively sleek these days. And if they are good enough for top players like Reg Bamford, then they are certainly good enough for me.
POPULAR FOR WOMEN: ADIDAS SWIFT
Recently, I’ve been seeing the Adidas Swift on courts across the U.S. It’s another running shoe and offers a pure white version that is pure croquet. Adidas says, “Slip your feet easily in and out of Swift Run and Swift Run X shoes with a convenient open tongue design. Skate through your day on a buttery-soft EVA midsole designed to make every step lighter. A flexible knit upper hugs your feet with a sock-like fit, giving you more freedom without losing any stability. OrthoLite® sockliners keep air moving between your toes so that the temperature inside your shoe never gets out of control, even on those warm, sunny days.”
At a lower price, the FeetHit Woman’s shoe also seems to be showing up on croquet courts across the world. There is an all-white option for traditionalists. Available on Amazon.
IS WHITE MY ONLY OPTION?
The short answer is no. I’ve never actually seen the documentation on the rules of wearing white, but it comes down to predominantly wearing white. So, if you’ve got on white trousers and a white shirt, the shoes are pretty much wide open. And hats as well … so go crazy on that. It always helps when someone is trying to find you from three courts away.