10 Best Outdoor Basketball Shoes, 30+ Shoes Tested in 2022

Basketball is largely an indoor sport. Officially, it is played on well-maintained hardwood courts. Because of this, brands like Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas often produce basketball shoes that are designed for indoor action.

With that, we consider it already a huge plus when we find out that a shoe is actually good for outdoor use. This only means that the manufacturer went out of their way to add more durability to the shoe.

In this article, we present the shoes that are most suitable for the harsher conditions of the outdoors. We are able to pick them up after testing a little more than 400 basketball shoes from various brands and signature labels.

Overview of this guide

1. How we determine the best outdoor basketball shoes
2. Best overall
3. Best Nike
4. Best Adidas
5. Best high top
6. Best budget
7. What are the most popular outdoor basketball shoes in 2022?
8. What are the cheapest outdoor basketball shoes in 2022?

How we determine the best outdoor basketball shoes

To keep our opinions as objective as possible, we do the following:

Steer clear from sponsorships

While freebies are nice to have, we’re afraid that they may color our judgments. We see it fit to purchase the outdoor basketball shoes that we were to test using our own cash.

Test the shoes in realistic outdoor courts

Just because we played in it outside doesn’t really mean that a basketball shoe is already fit for outdoor use. They must still be played on surfaces that’s typical of outdoor courts: rough, dusty, and made of solid concrete with asphalt on top.

In addition to our qualitative descriptions, we also give a CoreScore for each outdoor basketball shoe. This numerical rating is an aggregate of all the scores given by expert reviewers and regular hoopers all over the web, not just here at RunRepeat.

Best outdoor basketball shoes overall

4 colorways available

Puma Clyde All-Pro

4 colorways available

Unisex

$130 $125 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Top pick

Since the Clyde Court Disrupt, Puma Hoops's Clyde line has been dishing out worthy alternatives to the usually pricier and more popular Adidas and Nike kicks that flood the market. The Puma Clyde All-Pro is assessed to be even better than, or at least comparable to, the Nike Kobe 9, which critics say is among the greatest basketball shoes. The All-Pro's bad points are either easy to remedy or just because of personal preference.

See our full review and facts

8 colorways available

Nike Cosmic Unity

8 colorways available

Unisex

$150 $123 from Nike Best price from 53 retailers >

Also great

At $150, the Nike Cosmic Unity is on the pricier end for basketball shoes, but reasonable because of the top-notch cushioning setup, reliable containment, and elusive recycled materials build. If you are a player who loves a supportive, plush cushioning setup that still feels relatively low to the ground, this is a basketball shoe that fits that mold well. Plus the benefit of being a more sustainable purchase choice!

See our full review and facts

Best Nike outdoor basketball shoes

11 colorways available

Nike Kyrie 7

11 colorways available

Unisex

$130 from Als Best price from 53 retailers >

Top pick

Players with aggressive playing styles will love the Kyrie 7. Wearing this shoe equips anyone playing with an advantage when playing aggressively. Having an upper that hugs the contour of your foot, a bouncy cushion and an elite tread pattern that will provide control is a winner. The Kyrie 7 is recommended for everyday and competitive basketball players.

See our full review and facts

13 colorways available

Nike Zoom Freak 2

13 colorways available

Unisex

$120 $110 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Also great

The Zoom Freak 2 is a decent performer for me due to its amazing fit, lockdown, and traction, but is weighed down by its minimal cushion. The other minor area of warning is ventilation and midfoot support, where the lack of any midfoot shank may cause some pain for those with prior midfoot pain. The Zoom Freak 2 was very close to being a great performer if the cushioning was upgraded!

See our full review and facts

Best Adidas outdoor basketball shoes

14 colorways available

Adidas Dame 7

14 colorways available

Unisex

$110 $64 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Top pick

The Dame 7 has “no serious weaknesses,” but experts can’t stop comparing it to others that are better. Although a “very solid shoe” and a “jack of all trades,” the Dame 7 is still “master of none;” and it still doesn’t make it as the players’ favorite.

See our full review and facts

35 colorways available

Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2

35 colorways available

Unisex

$100 $34 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Also great

The Adidas D.O.N. Issue #2 is a good follow-up to the successful #1. Still priced at a fairly affordable $100, this basketball shoe delivers in terms of comfort, support, and style. There are issues, but they seem like ones that disappear once the shoe gets broken in. Compared to other basketball shoes, this basketball sneaker is already a good catch.

See our full review and facts

Best high top outdoor basketball shoes

2 colorways available

Nike Air Force Max

2 colorways available

Men

Women

$195 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Top pick

The Nike Air Force Max is a stylish high-top that offers comfortable support on the court. Owners appreciate the plushness of the full-length Max Air cushion. They are also impressed at the supportive fit brought about by the ripstop upper and midfoot strap. Big men looking for a stylish, secure, and comfortable basketball sneaker can give these a go on the court. However, there are much better options out there for a fraction of the Air Force Max's price.

See our full review and facts

7 colorways available

Adidas N3XT L3V3L 2020

7 colorways available

Unisex

$150 $80 from Shoebacca Best price from 53 retailers >

Also great

The Adidas N3XT L3V3L 2020 successfully builds on the success of the inaugural 2019 version. Aside from the premium feel, the upper materials also deliver comfort and reliable support. Traction isn't so bad either. Generally, this Adidas high-top shoe is going to be worth the $150 that buyers are going to pay for it.

See our full review and facts

Best budget outdoor basketball shoes

17 colorways available

Nike PG 4

17 colorways available

Men

Women

$110 $75 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Top pick

The Nike PG 4 is a good basketball shoe, with a snug boot-like fit that felt faster in transition and had me feeling more balanced on my mid-foot. It felt bouncy and stable enough lateral movements. The PG 4 also has a nice look and comfortable design that makes it suitable for casual wear.

See our full review and facts

5 colorways available

Nike Renew Elevate

5 colorways available

Unisex

$80 $73 from Amazon Best price from 53 retailers >

Also great

The Nike Renew Elevate reportedly gets the job done. It offers comfort, durability, and style. However, this is only according to a handful of commenters and reviewers. Assessments can still chance once more reviews start rolling in.

See our full review and facts

What are the most popular outdoor basketball shoes in 2022?

See all outdoor basketball shoes sorted by popularity

What are the cheapest outdoor basketball shoes in 2022?

See all outdoor basketball shoes sorted by lowest price

Author

Dimitrije Curcic

Dimitrije Curcic has been playing basketball for over 22 years. Like Manu Ginobili, he’s a left-hander whose moves led him to a better career-shooting percentage than the Argentine himself. After playing professionally for 10 years, Dimitrije moved to coaching for two seasons before he became a basketball statistician for StatScore, and FanSided contributor for the San Antonio Spurs. Dimitrije loves to tell hoop stories through numbers and graphics and has been featured on Fansided, FiveThirtyEight, Eurohoops, and TalkBasket among the others.