Equipment

When purchasing youth volleyball shoes as a parent, it is hard to know what to look for and what is good. This becomes increasingly difficult if you are not a volleyball player and you are not familiar with what is important for volleyball players. That is where this information will help you tremendously!

We can show you how these shoes will work for a volleyball player and also their shortcomings (if any). Now, on to the reviews…

Youth Volleyball Shoes

The first pair of shoes that I will review is the Asics Rocket GS.

Many volleyball players love the Asics line of shoes for several reasons. The biggest reason is their patented GEL cushioning system. This system in the shoe actually reduces the impact sustained on the legs while landing from jumping. The major benefits of this system is reduced injury, reduced wear and tear on the legs, and ability to play longer.

One reason that parents love these shoes is that they have a removable liner that can be washed. So, no more stinky shoe syndrome! You can remove the liner, wash it, and use these shoes for a long time.

These shoes are also very durable and will last for quite some time. It is a high-quality shoe that gives you great results in comparison with the cost.

You can get these shoes from Amazon.com here: ASICS JR Rocket GS Volleyball Shoes

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The next pair of youth volleyball shoes I will review will be the Asics Volleycross Shoes.

These shoes are an upgrade from the Rocket GS listed above. The major difference is that there is an enhanced GEL cushioning system that extends into the toe. This reduces impact on take-off and landing. Although there is a greater cost, the shoes have an added level of performance.

These shoes were also designed to be cross training shoes. That means that they are lightweight, and have added padding for support and comfort. The lighter weight will help your player jump higher, and have an increased foot speed. 

It is a great pair of shoes that you cannot go wrong with as these are top of the line shoes.

You can find them here on Amazon.com: ASICS GEL-Volleycross

Sand socks offer a great alternative for your feet when playing beach volleyball. However, do they really offer the protection and comfort you are looking for? That is the point of this review!

When you are playing beach volleyball, it is really easy for your feet to take a beating. When you think about the coarseness of the sand, the constant movement of your feet rubbing on the sand, and the heat of the sand, it can be really rough on your feet. These socks are the perfect solution to making beach volleyball enjoyable for prolonged periods of time.

The socks are made of neoprene fiber to make your feet comfortable in the sand. There is a sole padding on the bottom of the socks to protect the soles of your feet from the sand. 

The protective sole extends to the heel and also to the toe. This extends the protection to the feet, provides traction in the sand, and also makes it so that your toes do not wear through the socks. The prolonged life of the socks make this a great investment.

There is an elastic band at the top of the socks to keep them up and to prevent sand from getting into the inside of the socks.

These Vincere socks are a must have in my opinion if you are playing beach volleyball consistently. They will enable you to spend less time worrying about the condition of your feet and more time enjoying the game on the beach!

You can pick up a pair of these from Amazon.com here: Vincere Sand Socks – Mens and Womens Colors Available

Kaepa volleyball shoes are not as well known as other volleyball shoes that are on the market. So, the real question is how do they compare? What do they have to offer? This review will answer those questions for you!

Kaepa Shoes Review

Kaepa is primarily known for their cheer leading, fitness, and volleyball shoes. With this review, I am going to be covering their volleyball shoes and showing you how they stack up against other brands out there.

The Kaepa Ace volleyball shoes are the most popular version of shoes that they offer. What do they feature?

The first feature to talk about is the Dura-Toe support. This provides protection and padding to the toes preventing injury from dragging the toe or front toe impact. I have stubbed my toe several times playing sports and it took quite some time to recover. Having extra protection in this area of the shoe is important to me.

The shoe also has an anti-microbial Agion lining that prevents bacteria and odor from staying inside the shoe. I have had plenty of athletic shoes that began to stink over time. this is a great feature to reduce the odor that sometimes accompanies volleyball shoes.

There are also supports for ankles and arches to provide stability. In connection with the ankle support, the shoe is also cut low to provide plenty of space for ankle braces if needed. I have to play with ankle braces and so I prefer these low cut shoes that allow room to move when I wear an ankle brace.

What is the shoe’s biggest drawback of the Kaepa volleyball shoes? I would say that it lacks the shock absorption system that you would find in the Asics Gel line of shoes. Although this is a premium feature in that line of shoes (and you pay a high price for it), this is a great alternative if you do not need the impact reduction.

Would Kaepa be considered a line of discount volleyball shoes? I would say no. These are a great pair of shoes and they are priced accordingly. However, it is not at the same price level that you would see with the Asics Gel shoes which are more expensive.

My review on these shoes would be that if you are not jumping a lot and need the impact reduction (libero or defensive specialist), you would really like these shoes.

You can pick them up from here on Amazon.com: Kaepa Ace Women’s Volleyball Shoes

The review for Asics Gel volleyball shoes will cover how well this shoe performs on the court. I was in fact very impressed with this shoe. The Asics volleyball shoe for men and women are both very good quality shoes.

The main feature of the Asics Gel shoe is the gel technology that is used. The gel system consists of a gel cushioning system that is in the shoe. This cushioning system reduces impact shock on the foot during landing impact, and also on take-off. 

This is key for me as a volleyball player. I play middle blocker and I am frequently jumping to hit and to block. Anything that I can use to reduce the wear and tear on my feet is a good thing. These shoes will produce a noticeable difference during a long match.

The shoes are also made from lightweight fabric. I have played with other volleyball shoes that I liked, but the longer the match went on, the more it felt like I was trying to jump with bricks attached to my feet. These shoes feel like running shoes and are very light.

The mesh fabric also allows for the foot to breathe and your feet will not get as hot with these shoes.

With the type of rubber sole of the shoe, traction on the court was very easy. You will not find it hard to move around.

My feedback on the Asics Gel volleyball shoe is that it is lightweight, traction is great, and it reduces the impact on the foot. For me, that is everything that I look for in a shoe.

If you want to pick up these shoes, you can get them from Amazon.com here:

ASICS Women’s GEL Volleyball Shoes

ASICS Men’s GEL Volleyball Shoes

Adidas volleyball shoes are another good option when it comes to selecting the right volleyball equipment for your needs. Adidas is known to make quality shoes. Take a look at this shoe review to see if it is the right match for your needs.

Although Adidas is well-known in the soccer shoe industry, their volleyball shoes are well put together and boast some quality technology that you should be aware of.

Pros

• The adiPRENE + in the forefoot maximizes propulsion. Wait and see how this shoe affects your foot while jumping.
• There is also adiPRENE in the heel that absorbs shock and cushions the foot.
• The mesh upper section allows maximum breathability. Your will not stay as hot in these shoes.
• The lightweight design (total weight 3 pounds) will allow you to feel like you can move freely.
• AdiTUFF in the toe area offers abrasion resistance.

Cons

• Because of the added technology and the quality of the name brand, these shoes are slightly higher priced.
• There really aren’t many cons as this is a quality choice of shoe.

I have had shoes that where my toes took a lot of impact as well as the heel. In fact, I have bruised my heel in some volleyball shoes that I have used. These Adidas volleyball shoes are a great option that will prevent these types of foot injuries.

I came across reviews of other players that use these shoes that talked about how comfortable they were and did not get blisters with them even on the first use out of the box. I highly recommend these shoes.

Here are the links to order these Adidas shoes volleyball from Amazon.com:

Adidas Women’s Stabil S Volleyball Shoes

Adidas Men’s Stabil S Volleyball Shoes

Nike volleyball shoes are another quality option when it comes to selecting the right volleyball shoe. Take a look at this volleyball shoes review for Nike shoes.

Nike is my favorite sports brand name. In fact, about half of my wardrobe has the Nike Swoosh on it. I have always enjoyed their brand and the quality that I get from their products. Take a look to see how their volleyball shoes stack up:

Pros

• Upper layer of breathable, ballistic mesh to keep your foot cool.
• Durable 180 degree toe drag resistance for maximum toe comfort.
• Nike Zoom midsole and low-profile Phylon in the forefoot for responsive cushioning, and cutting.
• One of the most lightweight shoes at only two pounds.
• Anatomically placed flex grooves and pivot points for explosive moves and traction.
• High quality shoes one would expect from a leader in the industry.
• It may not matter to you, but another pro is that you get the swoosh. (If you are the same as me, it matters!)

Cons

• One of the downsides I have had with Nike shoes is that they tend to be narrowly cut and some of their shoes are very limited in a wide size. If you have a wide foot, then make sure you get their wide size. If the wide size is not available, then this will not be the right choice for you.
• Nike offers limited choices in the volleyball industry as this is not one of their main sports that they focus on.

All in all, Nike volleyball shoes can be a very good choice if you have narrow feet. Otherwise, you will need the wide size like I do. Because I have wide feet, I need to have that size and Nike has limited choices when it comes to volleyball shoes. Even though I own several pairs of Nike shoes, I have to go with a different choice of shoes for volleyball.

If you would like to pick up a pair of these shoes, you can find them from my friends at Amazon. com here: NIKE Air Zoom Feather IC Volleyball Shoes