Do I really need an insole upgrade if my shoes are new?

If you are under 40, have a neutral arch, and no foot pain, you can probably skip it for the first 80 hours of court time on a new shoe. Beyond that, every demographic benefits. Players over 50, players with flat feet or high arches, players with knee/hip/back pain after sessions, and anyone with plantar fasciitis history all see meaningful improvement from a $40-60 athletic insole even on new shoes.

Are pickleball-specific insoles different from running insoles?

Mostly no. The same arch support, heel cup, and structural-shell qualities that help in running help in pickleball. The pickleball-specific tweak: a thinner forefoot is preferred so the shoe stays low-profile on cuts and pivots. Currex's CleatPro and the 3/4-length versions of most major brands fit this profile.

Should I pull the stock insole out completely and replace, or layer?

Pull it out and replace. Layering adds total volume, which makes the shoe fit too tight in the toe box and changes the heel-to-toe drop. Most modern court shoes have a removable insole specifically so you can swap it.

What if my insole is more expensive than my shoes?

That is fine. The insole is the more frequent-replacement item; the shoe outsole lasts longer than most insoles. Spending $50 on the insole and $80 on the shoe is a more sensible split than $130 on the shoe and stock insole, for most rec players.

Can insoles cause new foot or knee pain?

Yes, especially when over-correcting. If you start with a high-arch insole and have flat feet, the insole forces your foot into a position it does not normally hold and can produce new soreness. Match the arch height to your actual arch (the wet-foot test). If pain develops in the first week, switch to a lower arch height or a different brand.

Gear

Pickleball insoles: the cheapest performance upgrade most rec players skip

By My Pickleball Connect Team · 5 min read · Last reviewed 2026-05-04

The cheapest meaningful upgrade in pickleball gear is not a paddle, a paddle bag, or even shoes. It is the $40 to $60 set of athletic insoles you put inside the shoes you already own.

Most rec players never make this swap. The shoes ship with stock insoles, the stock insoles compress and lose support within 50 to 100 hours of court time, and the shoes feel "broken in" when really they have just stopped supporting your feet. Below are the cases where this matters most, what to look for in a replacement insole, and three picks worth knowing about.

Why stock insoles are usually a problem

Three reasons:

Mass-market shoes ship with mass-market insoles. The economics of selling a $120 shoe at scale mean the manufacturer commodifies the insole. A flat or near-flat foam insert with minimal arch support fits the most feet for the lowest cost. It is not a designed-for-you product.
Stock insoles compress fast. EVA foam and polyurethane stock insoles flatten with use, especially under the heel and the ball of the foot. By the time a court shoe has 80-100 hours on it, the insole is a different shape than when it was new. The shoe feels tired but most players blame the shoe itself.
The pickleball motion is hard on feet. Hard lateral cuts, pivots, and quick stops. The arch and the heel bear the load. Shoes designed for tennis or general athletic use have outsoles tuned for those motions, but the insole is rarely tuned for any of them. A pickleball-specific insole or a strong arch-support athletic insole is a bridge.

Who benefits most from an insole upgrade

Players over 50

The connective tissue in feet stiffens with age. Stock insoles compound the problem; supportive insoles compensate for it. The single most-reported "this changed my pickleball" gear purchase from over-50 players is an insole, not a paddle.

Players with flat feet or high arches

Both extremes need extra support that stock insoles do not provide. Flat feet collapse inward; high arches do not load evenly. An arch-supporting insole that matches your foot shape stops both.

Players with knee, hip, or low-back pain after sessions

The kinetic chain runs from foot to knee to hip to back. Foot mechanics that are off propagate up. Insoles cannot fix structural issues, but they can stop a pronation pattern that is loading the knee on every cut. If the post-session ache is in the knees or hips, a foot-mechanics intervention is a cheap experiment.

Players with plantar fasciitis or heel pain

Heel cups and arch support reduce the morning-pain pattern that plantar fasciitis produces. An insole alone is not the full treatment (eccentric calf-strengthening protocol matters more), but it is the single hardware change that helps.

What to look for

The right insole for pickleball has four properties:

Arch support that matches your arch. Three categories: low, medium, high. If you do not know yours, the wet-foot test (wet your foot, step on a paper bag, look at the print) is the simplest test. Most insole brands sell three versions; pick the one that matches.
A heel cup deep enough to cradle the heel. A flat insole under the heel is not doing the job. The heel cup stabilizes the rear foot on hard cuts.
A reasonably stiff arch shell. A floppy insole compresses and reverts to flat the moment you put weight on it. The arch needs structural support, not just foam.
A forefoot platform that is not too thick. Court shoes have low forefoot drops on purpose (so you can feel the floor and respond on cuts). An insole that adds half an inch under the forefoot defeats this. A thin forefoot is a pickleball-specific requirement.

Three insoles worth knowing

Not all of these are pickleball-specific; the constraints above (low-volume forefoot, structural arch) are the filter.

Currex RunPro and CleatPro

Currex is the brand pickleball coaches and pros mention most often when asked about insoles. The RunPro line targets running but has been adopted in court sports because the arch support and heel cup design fit pickleball needs. The CleatPro is shorter (3/4 length) for athletes who want minimal forefoot bulk. Three arch heights (Low, Medium, High); pick by the wet-foot test. Around $50.

Superfeet Green

The classic structural-shell insole. High-volume arch support, deep heel cup, durable polypropylene shell that does not compress. The forefoot is thin enough for most court shoes. The trade-off: the high arch height is aggressive; if you are flat-footed, this insole can feel forced. Around $55.

Spenco Polysorb Cross Trainer

The budget pick. Lower arch height, more cushion, less structural shell. Good for players who feel beat up after sessions and want shock absorption rather than aggressive correction. Not the right pick for plantar fasciitis or pronation issues. Around $25.

What does NOT work

Generic store-brand insoles. CVS / Walgreens "Dr. Scholl's" mass-market insoles are mostly cushion with no structural shell. They feel good for the first hour and compress out by hour 20.
Custom orthotics from a non-sports-trained provider. Custom orthotics from a generalist podiatrist can be over-corrective and uncomfortable in pickleball-specific use. If you go custom, find a sports-medicine podiatrist who has worked with court-sport athletes.
Gel-only insoles. Gel cushions wear flat fast and provide no structural support. They market themselves on cushioning, which is the least-important property for pickleball.

How often to replace

Athletic insoles do compress, just slower than stock. A reasonable replacement schedule:

Twice-a-week rec player: 12-18 months.
Four-times-a-week rec player: 6-12 months.
Tournament player: 6 months, with a backup pair rotated in for tournaments.

The signal: if your post-session ache returns even though the shoe still has plenty of outsole left, the insole has compressed. Pop it out, look at it on a flat surface; if the arch is no longer arched and the heel cup is no longer cupped, replace.

The honest summary

For most rec players, the gear-improvement order is: shoes that fit, then insoles, then paddle. The paddle gets the marketing attention; the insole solves more pain. $40 to $60 every year buys a meaningful comfort improvement plus reduced injury risk. There is no flashier upgrade in pickleball with a better return.

Where this fits

For the broader shoe-buying decision, see our best pickleball shoes 2026 guide. For the over-50 frame on injury and joint care, see pickleball for seniors. For specific injuries (plantar fasciitis, calf, Achilles), see pickleball injuries prevention and calf and Achilles injury. For tournament-day prep, see tournament packing list (which includes a backup pair recommendation).

References

Currex · Manufacturer site for the RunPro and CleatPro insoles referenced; spec details and arch-height fitting guidance
Superfeet · Manufacturer site for the structural-shell insole line referenced; durability and heel-cup specs
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Plantar Fasciitis · AAOS patient-facing guide; the source for the insole-as-supportive-treatment framing

Frequently asked

Do I really need an insole upgrade if my shoes are new?: If you are under 40, have a neutral arch, and no foot pain, you can probably skip it for the first 80 hours of court time on a new shoe. Beyond that, every demographic benefits. Players over 50, players with flat feet or high arches, players with knee/hip/back pain after sessions, and anyone with plantar fasciitis history all see meaningful improvement from a $40-60 athletic insole even on new shoes.
Are pickleball-specific insoles different from running insoles?: Mostly no. The same arch support, heel cup, and structural-shell qualities that help in running help in pickleball. The pickleball-specific tweak: a thinner forefoot is preferred so the shoe stays low-profile on cuts and pivots. Currex's CleatPro and the 3/4-length versions of most major brands fit this profile.
Should I pull the stock insole out completely and replace, or layer?: Pull it out and replace. Layering adds total volume, which makes the shoe fit too tight in the toe box and changes the heel-to-toe drop. Most modern court shoes have a removable insole specifically so you can swap it.
What if my insole is more expensive than my shoes?: That is fine. The insole is the more frequent-replacement item; the shoe outsole lasts longer than most insoles. Spending $50 on the insole and $80 on the shoe is a more sensible split than $130 on the shoe and stock insole, for most rec players.
Can insoles cause new foot or knee pain?: Yes, especially when over-correcting. If you start with a high-arch insole and have flat feet, the insole forces your foot into a position it does not normally hold and can produce new soreness. Match the arch height to your actual arch (the wet-foot test). If pain develops in the first week, switch to a lower arch height or a different brand.

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