I've been playing casually for many years using feiyue wushu shoes however now wanting to take my game a little more seriously find they suffer a bit from lateral stability (foot can slip on the insole when rapidly changing direction due to the upper being cloth and not securing the foot properly) as well as not being officially allowed. Otherwise they are great - mobility has never been a problem, neither has cushioning. I cannot wear any shoe that has a heel higher than the ball of the foot for any purpose - casual, work or otherwise, because it negatively affects my balance/stability and posture, which in turn negatively affects my ability to move in the correct way rooting in the feet and executing techniques efficiently. So I'm really struggling trying to find a badminton shoe that has a flat insole (I don't mind minor arch support if it is unavoidable, only zero heel to toe differential), especially given it isn't straightforward to find a retail store where you can go and try on many - unless anyone knows a good place in London. I can accept a ~1mm rise at the heel if unavoidable. Does anyone have any recommendations of any shoes that match this criteria?
You can try directsports or central sports. Your shoes are like 70's or 80's Asics shoes, the original TVR. Similar designs by Nike, Puma, World Cup, Mizuno, etc. Used by many athletes in many indoor disciplines for over 10 years. Maybe, try a Squash brand (Hi-Tec?) They tend to be flatter, but sometimes heavier and less flexible. It's not going to be easy to find a suitable replacement and similarly, I have arch pains if they are too high from years of using those original indoor shoes.
Thanks, yeah I'll widen my search to include other multi discipline indoor shoes. I was reading this thread and am looking at li ning shoes - particularly given those Metal X shoes are on a clearance sale in the UK at the moment. Is it in general that li ning shoes are flatter than yonex or other brands, or does it just happen to be this shoe?
Hi there, I've used the metal X shoes. The sole is quite flat on them, no large dips. I too prefer this style of shoe. I tend to find that most of this structure comes from the insole. Li Ning shoes use thick but uniform foam insoles. I now use Li Ning hero shoes, having worn and battered my metal X. Be aware that Li Ning shoes have a wider fit than most yonex shoes. The insoles also tend to be thicker.
Thanks Charlie, how do you find the Hero shoes compare to the Metal X? Are there any significant improvements? Are there any other Li Ning shoes you've looked at before buying the Hero shoes? They seem to make so many different models and their naming scheme is difficult to follow which is confusing. My feet are kind of medium size in all dimensions so I think fit shouldn't be a problem.
The metal X are very light, very comfortable shoes. They do however, begin to deform and lose structural integrity. Over time they can provide less support to the rest of your foot. The hero shoes inside aren't much different. To be clear, I'm using the hero 1 model, 2014 edition. They are much stiffer outside, and provide enormous amounts of support to the whole foot and ankle. They're also quite heavy though. They are however, the comfiest boots I have worn. And boots is the appropriate word here.
Thanks, that shape looks comfortable enough. I might just go for the metal x for now given they are not too expensive and more easily available.
