DAPS Pickleball Performance Shoes: DAPS, a new pickleball-first shoe company, has released two performance models—the DESI Low and DESI Mid. Unlike shoes adapted from tennis, these designs were built specifically for pickleball. Both pairs feature Blumaka NonSlip insoles and were tested and approved by Heeluxe, a leading independent performance lab.
Shoes Tested for Speed and Stability
The Heeluxe lab, led by Dr. Geoffrey Gray, studied how the DESI shoes performed against other leading brands.
“The DAPS Shoe has a Blumaka Connect insole. It’s connecting your foot to the shoe. It’s gonna move as one unit, and that’s gonna make the body move a lot quicker, especially when changing directions. The DAPS Shoe was tested against some of the other industry leading tennis and pickleball shoes, and one thing that really stands out in my mind is how well all of the testers did for a change of direction movement. They were able to move faster and produce more force into the ground using the DAPS shoe than the other products that we tested,” said Dr. Gray.
Built for Doubles Play
DAPS designed the shoes with doubles-style pickleball in mind, which requires quick starts, sudden stops, and short bursts of speed.
Key features include:
A traction-tuned rubber outsole with CNC-cut edges for stability.
An ETPU midsole for comfort and energy return.
A carbon-fiber shank for power transfer.
An exclusive Blumaka NonSlip insole in every pair.
Pros Already Wearing DAPS
Professional players have already adopted the new shoes. PPA Tour athletes the Walker Sisters and Zane Ford are competing in them.
“I chose [DAPS] because I’m so much faster when I’m pushing off that first step it’s super explosive where you can really just fly up to that kitchen line. They’re my favorite shoe to wear. They have a lot of style gonna make me so confident on the court,” said Zane Ford.
Proven Insole Advantage
Blumaka founder Stuart Jenkins explained how their insoles provide measurable improvements across sports.
“A professional sports franchise tested 200 professional athletes over eight months 80% of the athletes started and stopped faster and were more stable And an incredible 90% of the athletes ran faster and had longer stride length. That is performance you can measure. DAPs with the secret non-slip insole inside – get a pair, slip less, win more with DAPs,” said Jenkins.
Industry Recognition and Availability
Pickleball news outlet The Kitchen has already called DAPS “the best pickleball shoe on the market.”
The DESI Low and DESI Mid are now available in multiple colors for both men and women at daps.fit.
About DAPS
DAPS was founded by Rich Goldstein, Dave Goldstein, and Keith Goldberg. The trio, with a background in shoemaking and design, built the brand around science-driven, pickleball-specific footwear. Their shoes focus on grip, stability, and explosive movement, supported by independent testing from Heeluxe.
Looking Ahead
The launch of DESI shows the growing demand for equipment tailored to pickleball. With pro endorsements, lab validation, and early praise from industry experts, DAPS is positioning itself as a leading brand in a rapidly expanding sport.
News in Brief: DAPS Pickleball Performance Shoes
DAPS launched its DESI Low and DESI Mid shoes, built only for pickleball and validated by Heeluxe lab testing. Featuring Blumaka NonSlip insoles, the shoes are already trusted by professionals like Zane Ford and the Walker Sisters. Available at daps.fit, the line has been called “the best pickleball shoe on the market.”
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