K-Swiss: the legacy of an iconic brand in the world of sports shoes

K-Swiss was born in 1966 when two Swiss brothers, living in California, created a brand of tennis shoes inspired by leather ski models.
Renowned for its unique blend of classic elegance and technological innovation, the brand first conquered the tennis courts with its iconic models, such as the Classic, the first all-leather tennis shoe.
Over the decades, the American company has expanded its expertise to other disciplines, including basketball, running, and more recently, padel.
Today, K-Swiss embodies a sporting heritage while remaining resolutely focused on the future, offering collections that appeal to both sports purists and urban style lovers.
The Ultra Short Padel, whose achievements we will detail, fits perfectly into this tradition of innovation in the service of athletes.

The 5 K-Swiss side stripes

The five stripes celebrate the Swiss Alpine peaks, a tribute to the Swiss origins of the founders, Ernst and Art Brunner, and the precision of Swiss know-how.
Initially, they provided structural reinforcement to the tennis shoe, while forging a unique visual identity in the face of the minimalist designs of the time.
Far from being purely aesthetic, these bands were inspired by the attachments of ski boots, offering optimal support similar to that sought by skiers.

Today, they symbolize the five technological pillars of K-Swiss:

Performance cushioning
Lateral stability
breathability
Sustainability
Specific adhesion

Sports Identity:

Having moved from tennis courts to padel courts, these stripes embody a symbol of performance, as distinctive as the three stripes of its German cousin. The "K" in K-Swiss, taken from "Kalifornia" (its original headquarters), combines with the red and white of the box to reflect a bicultural identity. First appearing in the 1966 Classic, they combine sporting heritage with current innovation. Thus, K-Swiss transposes its expertise from tennis to padel with a shoe combining performance and durability.

Design and Conception: K-Swiss DNA at the Service of Padel

At first glance, the Ultra Court reveals its heritage thanks to the famous, subtly integrated side stripes. Its modern, streamlined design focuses on a no-nonsense aesthetic. Dominated by white, the shoe is enlivened by touches of vibrant azure blue on the sole and trim, suggesting freshness, dynamism, and energy. This vivid contrast against a light background preserves a feeling of lightness and modernity, far from any visual excess.

The shoe combines a neat finish with evident robustness. It seems ready to withstand the specific constraints of padel while remaining dynamic. As K-Swiss indicates, one of the key objectives was to adapt tennis technologies to optimize padel performance, notably by designing a lower-cut shoe to improve connection and stability, while maintaining excellent cushioning.

At the back of the shoe, a fabric tab provides practical help when putting on the shoe. Simply pull upwards to easily slide the foot in, combining speed and simplicity.
The laces, perfectly sized, do not require a double knot and, importantly, remained impeccably tied throughout my games.
From 39.5 to 49, this wide size spectrum with half sizes will allow all players to find the ideal size that suits them.
It should be noted that a women's version also exists, with bold and resolutely feminine touches such as raspberry.

The Key Points of Ultra Short Padel

K-Swiss has spared no expense when it comes to technology to make the Ultra Court a high-performance shoe.

Engineered Mesh Upper and Support:

The upper is constructed from lightweight, breathable seamless mesh for maximum comfort and a secure fit. Crucially, it's designed to provide effective heel lockdown, essential for stability during the many lateral movements of padel.

SURGE 7.0 Midsole:

At the heart of the shoe is SURGE 7.0 foam. Described as "ultra-soft and highly resilient," it promises exceptional cushioning to absorb repeated impacts and a dynamic rebound to promote responsiveness on launches.

Lateral Stability – 180 PSC:

Under the midfoot, a molded TPU insert, called 180 PSC (Plantar Support Chassis), reinforces the structure and provides crucial support during lateral movements, limiting excessive twisting of the shoe and securing support.

Molded EVA Sockliner Insole:

For added comfort, the insole is made of molded EVA with a honeycomb structure. It provides additional cushioning and helps manage moisture, keeping the foot drier for longer.

Enhanced Durability – DRAGGUARD 7.0 & DURAWRAP:

Padel puts shoes to the test. K-Swiss understands this and incorporates two protective technologies:

DRAGGUARD 7.0 : A more resistant rubber strategically placed on high abrasion areas (toe and heel).
DURAWRAP : A TPU film heat-applied to the upper, particularly on the forefoot. It provides additional support while protecting the mesh from friction during slides or serves.

Specific Outsole Padel :

This is a big promise for padel players! K-Swiss has developed a sole specifically for padel. The pattern (which appears to be a combination of herringbone and pivot points) is designed to provide superior traction adapted to different surfaces, enabling lively starts, confident braking, and facilitating rotations, while still allowing the necessary controlled glide.

Key Technical Specifications

Weight : Approximately 366 g (size 45). An average weight for a shoe focused on stability and comfort.
Drop (Heel-Toe) : 10 mm. A fairly standard drop favoring cushioning in the heel.
Width: :D (Medium). A fit that should suit most feet.

Stake

After five weeks of intensive testing without ever taking these shoes off, I was able to push them to their limits. From the very first steps, their immediate comfort amazed me: the soft and well-padded lining, especially around the ankle, prevents any friction, even after three hours of play. The midsole provides remarkable cushioning, effectively absorbing shocks during jumps or sudden runs, without ever weighing down the foot like some overly padded shoes.
The “lower” feel should appeal to players looking for a good connection with the surface.
In terms of grip, the outsole grips perfectly, whether on new or slightly dustier terrain; I sprinted and moved lateral movements without ever slipping, even when pushing hard. Support is also a strong point: the foot stays firmly in place thanks to a structure that fits the shape without being too tight. In terms of durability, after more than 15 matches, wear is minimal – just a few light marks on the sole, but nothing that compromises performance. And then, the look is understated but classy, with clean lines and a neat finish that makes a change from overly garish designs.

The Verdict

K-Swiss, the iconic tennis court brand, is fully committed to padel with the Ultra Court Padel, a high-performance model designed to combine minimalist style, optimal comfort, and durability on the field.

By building on its proven innovations and adapting them specifically for this sport, K-Swiss aims to offer players an ideal combination of technologies by focusing on the key needs of players – stability, comfort, specific grip and durability – and by bringing to them proven and adapted technologies such as the sole Padel Specific, the Surge 7.0 or the 180 PSC
The "lower" positioning, designed to optimize connection to the court, is a promising idea that I was able to validate after having played extensively with these shoes.

In conclusion, the K-Swiss Ultra Court Padel promises to be a sure bet for the 2025 season. A well-designed shoe that puts technology at the service of the performance and safety of the padel player.
It could be a great all-around choice for a wide range of players, from intermediate to advanced, who aren't looking for the lightest shoe on the market, but rather a great compromise between support, comfort, performance and durability.

Now distributed by Dunlop Sports, K-Swiss leverages the Japanese company's reputation and extensive global network to maximize its visibility in the padel sector.

Many thanks, once again, to Guillaume Jarry for providing rackets, textiles, balls and, of course, these superb shoes.

Stéphane Penso

Padel fan, Stéphane has become the official tester of the padel planet in Europe. Everything goes through his expert hands. Thanks to his extensive experience in the world of rackets, he is able to scan your equipment from head to toe!