Asics Volleyball Shoes

The old adage that you need the right tool for the right job, applies just as much to shoes in sports as it does to tools in a toolbox. Your ability to perform to your potential depends highly upon picking out the right footwear from the mass of choices that exist.

The main problem I find when looking for the right shoe is that there is not a truly perfect specimen that is volleyball specific. Instead, and against what my gut reaction, the best choices tend to be hybrids that are suitable for more than one use.

I went in with skepticism when I decided to compare the hybrid shoe to a Volleyball specific shoe, which are each priced in the $100 range. The hybrid specimen was the Asics Volleycross. The "Volley" of Vollycross obviously represents the volleyball side, and the "cross" represents a running shoe.

The Volleyball specific was Asics’s Gel Sensei 2. The Gel Sensei, as advertised, is volleyball specific. It’s design takes into consideration the volleyball specific movements and shock absorption.

The shoe loses points for its misleading advertising regarding its "Impact Guidance System" and its "Propulsion Plate." Like so many other marketing strategies embraced by sport shoe manufacturers, the company tries to sell you on the idea that their product will help you perform and jump better than the competitor in a different shoe.

I suspect, as with the other shoe hypers, this sounds better than it works. When moving to my analysis of the Volleycross, the first things I noticed were its weight and breathing ability. Not only is the Volleycross lighter than the Sensei 2 (11.9 oz to the Sensei’s 15 oz.), but its greater use of mesh keeps the shoe cooler than the Sensei’s heat trapping leather.

The Volleycross scored well on shock absorption, a vital component, and showed no significant impediment to the lateral movement a volleyball shoe requires. In the end, the volleyball specific Sensei 2 is of course better for those who play the sport regularly.

The Volleycross, however, is just fine for those playing volleyball who also want to sprint in the gym. If you do not commit that much of your time, and don’t see a reason to spend the money on two pairs of shoes, the Volleycross is probably your best bet, although running outside may wear them out more quickly and negate any anticipated savings.