Okay, so I’ve been playing tennis for a while now, and I’ve gone through my fair share of shoes. I started wondering, “How long are these things supposed to last anyway?” So I decided to do a little experiment and keep track of my own tennis shoe usage.
I bought a new pair of tennis shoes, a decent brand, nothing too fancy but not the cheapest either. I made a note of the date I started wearing them – let’s call it Day 1. I play tennis about three times a week, usually for a couple of hours each time.
My Tennis Routine
- Play 3 times a week
- 2 hours per session
- Total: 6 hours a week
For the first few weeks, the shoes felt great. Good grip, nice cushioning, no complaints. I kept playing, kept sweating, and kept track of the weeks as they went by.
Around the 6-week mark, I started noticing some wear. The soles were getting a bit smoother, especially under the balls of my feet and my big toes. But they still felt okay, so I kept going.
By week 10, things started to change. The cushioning wasn’t as good anymore, and I could feel the hard court a bit more through the soles. My feet started to ache a little after playing, especially after longer sessions.
I pushed it to week 12, which is about three months or 72 hours of playtime since the start. At this point, the shoes were pretty worn out. The grip was definitely worse, and I almost slipped a couple of times. My feet were consistently sore after playing. I figured it was time to call it quits.
So, from my little experiment, it looks like my tennis shoes lasted about 12 weeks, or roughly 72 hours of play. That’s pretty much in line with what I read. Some folks online were saying you can get 6 months to a year if you don’t play as often, which makes sense. Of course, if you’re a pro or play every day, you’re going to burn through shoes much faster.
I guess the lesson here is, pay attention to how your shoes feel. When they start feeling worn out, or your feet start aching, it’s probably time for a new pair. Don’t push it too far, or you might end up with sore feet. And hey, I’m gonna go buy a new pair of shoes now.
