I’m one of millions of people who have recently started playing pickleball. It’s the fastest growing sport in America, and for good reason, because it’s fast paced and great for all ages. After playing tennis for 20 years, I’m officially a convert. Now I play pickleball all the time! I had been repurposing my tennis court shoes, but I was very excited to try out the Diadora Trofeo AG 2 Pickleball shoe which is specifically designed for pickleball, to see how they compare!
First impressions:
The Diadora Trofeo looks great right out of the box. I love the bright colors and clean design. The shoe is very light, with lots of breathable mesh. The tread herringbone pattern is similar to my tennis shoes, which provides good traction to make quick movements on the outside tennis/pickleball court surface. But as soon as I tried them on, I realized they run noticeably small. I generally wear anywhere between a US women’s 9 and 10 shoe, so I ordered a 9.5. Diadora’s 9.5 was more than half an inch shorter than the other 9.5 shoes in my house and my toe was jammed all the way to the front. I returned them for a 10.5 which fit well (and are the same size as other 9.5 shoes I own). You’ll probably want to go at least a half size up, or a full size up if you’re between sizes.
After the sizing switcheroo, I was able to take the Trofeo for a spin. I’ve now worn them for about 20 hours of play. Overall, I’m a big fan of the Trofeo and will continue playing with them going forward.
Here are my thoughts:
-There’s a decent amount of cushion in the footbed.
-The toebox is wide, so I don’t jam my toes when I make a quick maneuver.
-I love how breathable they are. Some of the days I’ve played have been in the 90s but the mesh keeps my feet from getting hot.
-They give me great grip on outdoor pickleball courts. I’ve been able to make sudden direction changes without sliding.
-The shoes did rub a little bit on my inner anklebone, but that is to be expected with a new pair of shoes and will likely disappear as I break them in.
The Diadora Trofeo isn’t noticeably different from the basic design of tennis court shoes, but I’m very happy with their performance. I prefer them to some tennis shoes I’ve played in because they are so breathable. They are great for pickleball and would work for tennis too. If you’ve been playing pickleball with regular street shoes, running shoes, or sneakers, the Trofeo would be a major upgrade. I highly recommend these shoes to new pickleball players or tennis converts like me!