Humans have likely been trying to protect their feet from the elements since long before they discovered fire Tennis Shoes vs. Sneakers. The oldest directly dated footwear in the entire world is thought to be more than 9,000 years old. Discovered in southeast Oregon and northern Nevada, a lot has changed since humans were making Fort Rock sandals.
These days, you can find shoes for just about any purpose. You can buy clogs, boots, moccasins, sandals, flats, and, of course, sneakers.
If you’re in the market for new Tennis Shoes vs. Sneakers, you might have come across the term “tennis shoes.” What are tennis shoes? Are they the same as sneakers or are they shoes specifically for playing tennis?
Let’s take a look at what you need to know about the grand tennis shoes vs. sneakers question.
What Are Tennis Shoes?
You can find a surprisingly wide variety of answers online if you search “what are tennis shoes?” Some websites claim that tennis shoes are footwear that is specifically designed for playing the game of tennis. According to this logic, tennis shoes have a wide and low rubber sole in order to help tennis players move in an agile and safe fashion.
These sites also claim that tennis shoes often have a reinforced toe because it is common for tennis players to wear out the toe of their shoe. It’s also stated that tennis shoes are non-scuffing in order to avoid making black marks on the court that are damaging.
However, if you look deeper into the situation, you can also find sources that claim that Tennis Shoes vs. Sneakers shoes are simply another phrase to refer to sneakers. According to Wikipedia, sneakers can also be called athletic shoes, trainers, gym shoes, flats, runners, running shoes, and, yes, tennis shoes. Their article states that tennis shoes are a term that is used to describe these athletic shoes in North America as well as in Australia.
What Are Sneakers?
Sneakers are shoes that were originally designed to be used during physical exercise or sports. However, over time, they have also become a staple in casual wear. Many sneakers you find these days aren’t necessarily designed for physical activity, but instead are expected to be worn casually or for fashion purposes.
The term sneakers are largely used in the Northeastern United States, parts of Canada, New Zealand, and Central and South Florida.
The etymology of this phrase is often attributed to an advertising agent named Henry Nelson McKinney. All the way back in 1917, he used the term because wearing these shoes with a rubber sole meant that the wearer could “sneak” around in a stealthy fashion. However, there is evidence that the word was already in use as early as 1887.
Tennis Shoes Vs. Sneakers: Is There a Difference?
Whether or not there is a difference between tennis shoes and sneakers depends on who you ask. You could argue that all tennis shoes are sneakers, but, depending on who you ask, all sneakers might not be tennis shoes. From this perspective, tennis shoes are athletic shoes that are designed specifically for playing the game of tennis.
However, in some locations, you can definitely find people using the phrase “tennis shoes” to describe athletic shoes of all kinds. In this regard, you could say that tennis shoes and sneakers are synonymous terms.
Tennis Shoes Buying Guide
If you are buying athletic shoes specifically for tennis, you will want to look for certain features. Tennis shoes are usually flatter than other athletic shoes, and have specific patterns on the sole that are designed to suit particular court surface styles.
Other athletic shoes, such as running shoes, are designed to withstand repetitive forward motion. Shoes specifically for tennis are instead designed to withstand the frequent stops and starts that a player must make when engaged in the game of tennis.
The type of shoe you want should also be based on the style of tennis you want to play. If you’re a baseline player, you will want a shoe with lateral support. You will also want a highly durable sole to deal with the constant lateral motion.
For serve-and-volley players, you’ll want to look for a shoe with a durable toecap in addition to a medial inside the arch. When buying tennis shoes, you’ll want to take the court surface as well as your foot type into account.
Sneakers Buying Guide
If you’re buying sneakers, you’ve got a lot of options to choose from. You’ll want to think about the activities you’ll primarily be using them for, whether it’s playing basketball, running, walking, or just to wear around town.
Speaking of playing basketball, you might be interested to learn about the Nike Lebron sneaker options out there. Follow this link if you want to buy Lebron 18.
You can find athletic shoes that are called running shoes, walking shoes, and cross-trainers, as well as shoes that are designed specifically for sports. You also might be interested to learn about barefoot shoes, which are minimalistic shoes that aim to utilize the muscular in your feet rather than providing tons of padding.
What Type of Athletic Shoes Are Right for You?
As you can see, the difference between tennis shoes and sneakers isn’t as straightforward as you might expect. That being said, whether you are looking for shoes specifically for tennis or athletic shoes for another purpose, there are more options than you could ever dream of when it comes to sneakers (or whatever it is they call them where you’re from.)
Did you find this article comparing tennis shoes vs. sneakers helpful? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog!