Are Basketball Shoes Good For Handball? (Ultimate Guide)
Are Basketball Shoes Good For Handball? Handball is a less popular game than badminton, basketball, volleyball, and tennis. All these court games have a wide range of sports gear. Hence, You get plenty of options to choose the best for yourself.
Unfortunately, you have only a few options available in handball. You want aesthetic and performance shoes but can’t find one. That’s when you think that basketball shoes are suitable for handball. But,
- Do basketball shoes an excellent performers as handball shoes?
- When you make high dunks and hard landings, will they give you enough cushioning to support the foot muscles?
- Is it supportive of protecting the ankles when push force on the ankles on side-to-side movements?
- Are basketball shoes durable to bear the pressure you exert on the material while running, jumping, and falling on the hardwood court?
Keep reading this article till the end because you will have all the answers and recommendations about the best alternative shoes you can wear on a handball game.
Check Out : Can Basketball Shoes Be Used For Badminton?
Are Basketball Shoes Good For Handball?
Yes, Handball players can wear basketball shoes for handball. Both games have striking similarities in the playoff styles. Such as, while you throw the handball to the net, the player has to make high jumps to dodge the opponent player and successfully make a goal. Crossing the handball between players on both ends of the court, players make similar lateral movements as in basketball games.
Hence, basketball shoes are good alternatives. Adidas and Muzino have their shoe line for special handball shoes. But if you are looking for a basketball shoe as a handball shoe, just be careful while choosing one by looking at the outsole.
The thin and flat outsole would be perfectly fine for the handball court because that would not leave any marks and destroy the court surface.
Secondly, you should select a lightweight shoe for handball. So never ever go for heavier Li-ning or LeBron basketball shoes.
See Can You Use Basketball Shoes For Hockey?
Supportive Features In Basketball Shoes For Handball
Basketball shoes are nearly perfect for handball on so many levels. Here are some great features that you can find in basketball shoes while wearing them as basketball shoes.
Excellent Traction Of Basketball Shoes
Basketball shoes have very grippy outsoles that protect you from slipping and falling when you play handball.
Just make sure you are playing on a cleaner handball court because dust on the outsole will reduce its grip on the floor. And you may get an injury by slipping on the court.
Tremendous Torsional Support
Basketball shoes have a carbon fiber shank plate or a plastic plate in the midsole. Its length is a variable that serves two purposes.
One it protects the feet from bending too much to prevent injury. It makes its base a little stiffer to prevent bending.
Secondly, the shank plate acts as a base to store the potential energy when the player exerts pressure before jumping into the handball game. The shank plate being a stiffer base, will add a few inches to the jump height.
Bouncy Cushion
Basketball shoes have excellent cushion and comfort levels. Step-in comfort is better than any other court shoes, such as tennis or badminton shoes.
Moreover, the balanced cushioning in most shoes makes them best for jumping and dunks in handball. So that feature alone makes them perfect for handball.
Breathable and Supportive Material
Basketball shoes have very nice and supportive upper. That gives a comfortable feel, and it’s lightweight and breathable.
Therefore, in a game like a handball which needs a lot of agility and footwork, the lightweight and breathable material will maintain stamina and won’t let you feel fatigued in a long summer day game.
Top-Tier Ankle Support
Basketball shoes have excellent ankle protection features. Many high-top shoes also have inner sock liners, which give the ankles a tight, snug feel. That keeps the heels locked down in place and decreases the risk for you to get injured.
Moreover, the stiff ankle area prevents the ankles and Achilles muscles from bending and pulling in any direction. Thus reducing the chance of injury.
Pros of Wearing Basketball Shoes In Handball
- Basketball shoes are very supportive for flat feet, and ankles.
- You will get top-tier traction in basketball shoes
- These are super comfortable
- Excellent lateral containment
- These are very aesthetic shoes
- They will provide an excellent fit
Cons Of Wearing Basketball Shoes In Handball
- Basketball shoes are not lightweight; generally, the ideal shoe weight should be around 10 ounces in a handball game. It’s harder to find lightweight basketball shoes.
- The outsole of the basketball shoes should not have prominent nubs to leave a mark on the handball court. You can test the outsole by a DIY method yourself.
- Basketball shoes are too expensive. If you want to get a decent basketball shoe pair, then it would cost you around 150 dollars and above.
DIY Test To Find Out Non-Marking Outsole
Take a piece of white paper and put it on a flat surface. Now rub the outsole of the shoe on it without tearing the page. If it leaves a scuff mark on the paper, then it’s not a non-marking shoe.
Best Alternative Handball Shoes
Now you must be wondering why it’s a long and hectic process to find out whether a shoe is lightweight. Is its outsole non-marking? Don’t worry, I have done the difficult part for you.
These are 4 shoes that you can wear as your handball shoes on the handball court.
- The one that would top my list is Adidas Dame 8. TThese are non-marking and lightweight shoes. But its midsole is super supportive of high jumps with the full-length Bounce cushion. The same cushioning technology is being applied to their Handball shoes.
- Under Armour Curry 9 is a good choice for the low-to-the-ground setup and a suitable outsole for a handball court. The Flow foam technology comprising one piece of the outsole and midsole makes it a nimble, supportive, and grippy shoe.
- Puma Court Rider Chaos is a lightweight basketball shoe containing a Profoam midsole along with full-length EVA. the outsole is grippy and nonmarking for handball court.
- Jordan One Take 4 is another great option for handball falling in the Takedown models line from Jordan, which are way too expensive than their main shoe line, like Air Jordan 36.
Conclusion
I always advise a coach that wears appropriate shoes made for that sport because it makes a huge difference.
But handball is a game where its movements and footwork are very similar to basketball. That’s why it’s okay to wear them as an alternative shoe at the beginner level.
