Introducing SQAIRZ: Innovation in Pickleball Footwear

At Pickleball Central, we’re always looking for brands that bring something truly unique to the sport. That’s why we’re excited to introduce SQAIRZ, a performance footwear company known for its groundbreaking approach to shoe design. After making waves in the golf world, SQAIRZ has taken its expertise in biomechanics and stability to create the XRZ™ Pickleball Shoe—a shoe built specifically for the demands of pickleball.

With a focus on balance, injury prevention, and long-lasting comfort, SQAIRZ is setting a new standard in pickleball footwear. From its roomier toe box to its enhanced traction system and lateral support, every detail of the XRZ™ is engineered to help players move with confidence. We sat down with the team at SQAIRZ to learn more about their journey, their commitment to foot health, and why they believe the right footwear can make all the difference on the court.

1. SQAIRZ is known as an innovator in the performance footwear space. What’s the story behind how SQAIRZ came to be and its evolution into pickleball footwear?

We've long believed that footwear should be more than just an accessory—it’s a tool for performance. Our journey began on a New England driving range, where our Founder forgot his golf shoes and played a round of golf in his square toed dress shoes. This sparked a visual idea; one that would become a breakthrough in golf footwear design.

Through years of research into ground force reaction, biomechanics, and foot anatomy, we built an award-winning shoe that diverges significantly from the shape of traditional footwear, truly helping you play better. How? With cutting-edge features like our signature roomier toe box for your toes to spread naturally, athletes enjoy better balance, stability, and ground connection—which inherently leads to better performance.

But our vision didn't stop at golf. The same dedication to innovation is now driving us to create footwear that enhances performance and comfort, no matter what sport you play. The SQAIRZ XRZ™ Pickleball shoe was built to meet the demands of one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. With insights from top professionals, we've engineered the most comprehensive pickleball shoe, a tool that fuses stability and power with comfort and injury prevention.

The patented SQAIRZ toe box allows for natural toe splay, while the optimized outsole enhances ground connection for swift pivots and precise footwork—helping you safely play with confidence and control. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting to build your skills, the SQAIRZ XRZ™ pickleball shoe is designed to help you unlock your full potential on the court. SQAIRZ is not just changing your game—we're redefining what athletes can expect from their shoes.

2. SQAIRZ are built with distinctive features with an emphasis on injury prevention. Tell us about the design philosophy behind your shoes.

Pickleball injuries are all too common, and we solved for that. Stability, comfort, and support are key to peak performance and injury prevention, and XRZ™ reflects this design philosophy.

With more room for toes to spread in the shoe, players experience a significant improvement in balance during play. And unlike other shoes which cram your foot into an unnatural curved position, SQAIRZ create space for your foot to function properly. The result? This can help avoid common foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis, hammer toes, and bunions.

We've designed an outsole specifically for the needs of pickleball with a herringbone tread pattern for side-to-side traction and pivot points for responsive, smooth rotation—both enabling players to move nimbly without losing grip. Another unique facet of our outsole is the addition of four lateral outriggers. These are extensions that widen the base of the shoe, ultimately creating a more stable foundation that prevents ankle rolls. A TPU heel stabilizer begins at the heel and extends underneath the arch for incredible arch support, and a proprietary Sta-Put Lacing System comfortably secures your foot in place to prevent unwanted foot movement.

Pickleball players deserve a shoe that stands up to intense gameplay, keeping them safe match after match. Other footwear brands have failed in this regard. XRZ™ stands out as the most comprehensive pickleball shoe that delivers on this promise.

3. Leading pickleball pro Zane Navratil had creative input on the XRZ™ shoe design. Tell us about that collaborative process.

The development of the XRZ™ shoe was led by SQAIRZ with collaboration from two trusted sources of pickleball input: ProXR Pickleball and Zane Navratil, one of pickleball's top professionals. Working with Zane was incredible because he knew exactly what he was looking for in a shoe. His deep understanding of the game combined with SQAIRZ’s expertise in biomechanics led to a high-performance shoe built for players of all levels.

Zane provided input on essential features such as the lateral outriggers to prevent foot rollover, a reinforced toe cap for toe drags, and a multi-directional herringbone tread pattern. Each of these are pickleball-specific features that allow the shoe to handle the quick lateral movements and fast pace of the sport.

We are continuing to work closely with Zane and have some exciting announcements in the coming months that players will definitely want to check out!

4. Your shoe is very heavily studied. We’d love to hear more about how SQAIRZ footwear promotes optimal foot health.

SQAIRZ footwear undergoes rigorous testing and is endorsed by a Medical Advisory Board consisting of leading experts in podiatry and biomechanics. What we’ve learned through years of research is that although fashion dictates the rounded shape of today’s shoes, foot health is what should be dictating it.

Round toe shoes are a relatively new emergence in footwear history. Our ancestors wore square toed shoes or walked barefoot, and this was for good reason: our foot is designed to splay when pressure is applied, allowing it to become a rigid lever for push-off. Rounded shoes compress the toes together so that they can’t spread and your foot can’t absorb shock properly. This can lead to stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, neuromas, delayed stabilization at push-off, and decreased force output. And while choosing a “wide” shoe may seem like a solution to create more room, it’s your toes that need the room. A wide toe box is the answer.

The patented SQAIRZ toe box and wider base align the foot naturally, improving posture and overall foot health. With more room for your toes to spread, your foot can function properly, developing new pathways to the brain. This in turn helps to reduce strain on the ankles, knees, and lower back. Foot health is critical in every sport because it is the foundation for every other part of your body. Choose a shoe that supports that foundation, and you’ll play better, safer, and for longer.

5. With this new collaboration with Pickleball Central, what excites you most about bringing SQAIRZ to a wider audience, and how do you see your brand helping to shape pickleball as the sport continues to grow?

Partnering with Pickleball Central provides an incredible opportunity to introduce SQAIRZ to a broader pickleball community. What excites us most is how our unique design philosophy, centered on stability, comfort, and injury prevention, can enhance players' performance and enjoyment of the game. As pickleball continues to grow, we see SQAIRZ as a key contributor to the sport’s evolution, delivering innovative footwear that supports and enhances players’ performance at every level, from beginners to professionals like Zane Navratil. This collaboration allows us to make a meaningful impact on one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.

SQAIRZ isn’t just creating another athletic shoe—it’s redefining what players should expect from their footwear. With insights from top pros like Zane Navratil, years of research in biomechanics, and a design focused on performance and injury prevention, the XRZ™ Pickleball Shoe is built for players who want to move efficiently and play comfortably.

We’re proud to bring SQAIRZ to the Pickleball Central community and invite you to experience the difference for yourself. Whether you’re dialing in your footwork, looking for extra support, or simply want a shoe designed for the sport you love, the XRZ™ Pickleball Shoe is ready to help you play at your best. Shop now and feel the SQAIRZ difference!