Kitchen & Court

ASICS Gel-Renma 2 Review

Built around GEL cushioning for players who feel the pounding in their knees and hips — the most joint-friendly court shoe we cover, with one honest trade-off.

By Stephen V.Last updated How we research

If pickleball leaves your knees and hips aching the next morning — that deep joint soreness, not just tired legs — the shoe under your feet is doing more of the work than you might think. The ASICS Gel-Renma 2is the most joint-friendly court shoe we cover, and the reason is one feature: ASICS builds it around its GEL cushioning, the padding designed to absorb the repeated impact of stopping and landing before it travels up into your knees. It’s also a genuine pickleball shoe, not a running model pressed into service, so you get that softness without giving up the sideways stability the sport demands.

This review is for the player whose joints, not their skill, decide what they can play in. We own no pair and claim no on-court test — what follows is built from ASICS’s stated design and honest reasoning about the one trade-off you accept for all that cushioning.

How this is funded:we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we recommend, and we’ll tell you plainly when to skip one. Full disclosure.

ASICS Gel-Renma 2 Pickleball

ASICS builds this pickleball-specific shoe around its GEL cushioning, which is the whole reason to pick it if your knees or hips feel the pounding. You get genuine court stability with a softer landing than most lightweight court shoes offer.

Easier on the joints: GEL cushioning in the midsole absorbs some of the repeated impact that would otherwise travel up into your knees and hips — the single most useful feature for a joint-sensitive player.

What we like

  • ASICS GEL cushioning softens the impact of stops and landings
  • Pickleball-specific outsole and support, not a repurposed runner
  • ASICS' reputation for court-shoe durability

Skip it if

  • Cushioned court shoes run a little heavier than minimal ones
  • Priced above budget court shoes
TypePickleball court shoe
Cushioning techASICS GEL
Width optionsNot published
Key featuresCourt-specific support

Specs read from the product listing, on July 22, 2026. “Not published” means the maker does not state that figure.

A real court shoe, not a repurposed runner

It’s worth being clear about what the Gel-Renma is, because ASICS is famous for running shoes and it would be easy to assume this is one of them with a new name. It isn’t. This is a pickleball-specific shoe, with an outsole and support system built for the stop-start, side-to-side game rather than for running in a straight line. That distinction matters more than any single spec. A running shoe is tall and soft so it can cushion a forward heel strike, but that same height rolls under you when you push off sideways — the movement that turns ankles and tweaks knees. The Gel-Renma keeps you lower and more stable through those cuts while still giving you the cushioning ASICS is known for. If the difference between the two kinds of shoe is new to you, our court shoes versus running shoes guide makes the full case.

There’s a second reason the court-specific build matters for an older player. Strains, sprains and fractures make up the bulk of serious injuries for players over 60, and most of those happen when a foot slips or rolls on a sudden change of direction. A stable court platform and a grippy court outsole are your first defense against exactly that — they keep the foot planted so it doesn’t skid out from under you. The Gel-Renma gives you that stability and the cushioning together, which is rarer than it sounds; plenty of shoes offer one or the other, but few offer both in a shape built for this sport.

Why the GEL cushioning is the whole point

Every time you stop, plant and land in pickleball, a jolt of force travels up from the court through your foot and into your ankles, knees and hips. Younger joints shrug it off. Joints with some arthritis or years of wear feel every repetition, and by the end of a session that adds up to real soreness. GEL cushioning sits in the midsole and absorbs a portion of that impact before it reaches you. That’s the single most useful thing a shoe can do for a joint-sensitive player, and it’s the entire reason to choose this shoe over a lighter, firmer one.

It doesn’t make pickleball zero-impact — no shoe can — but softer landings are exactly what let an achy knee keep playing. And staying active is the goal: the Arthritis Foundation calls exercise the most effective non-drug treatment for osteoarthritis, and the CDC ties regular activity to better strength, balance and quality of life for older adults. The right shoe is what keeps you in the game long enough to earn those benefits. For the bigger picture, see our guides on pickleball and your knees and pickleball and arthritis.

How it fits and feels

Compared with a minimal court shoe, the Gel-Renma feels planted and protective rather than featherlight and quick. You notice the cushioning first — landings are softer, and the shoe takes the edge off a hard court. Underneath that softness is a stable court platform, so it doesn’t feel vague or wobbly on a sideways step the way a soft running shoe would. That balance of a soft landing on a stable base is unusual, and it’s what makes it our top pick for joint-sensitive players. It feels like a shoe that’s looking after you, which is precisely the point for the buyer it’s built for.

ASICS also has a long reputation for court-shoe durability, and that reputation is part of what you’re buying. A cushioned shoe is only worth it if the cushioning holds its shape and the outsole keeps its grip over a season of play; a shoe that packs down flat after a month has quietly stopped protecting you. This is a build meant to keep doing its job, and for a shoe you’re relying on to spare your knees, that staying power is not a small thing. It’s the difference between cushioning you can trust in the last game of the season and cushioning that was only ever there on day one.

Who should buy it

  • Players who feel the pounding in their knees or hips. This is the core buyer. If joint soreness is what limits your play, the GEL cushioning is worth every bit of the extra cost.
  • Anyone managing arthritis who wants to keep playing. Softer impact makes an already low-impact sport gentler still, so you can keep showing up to the court instead of sitting out.
  • Players who want protection over pure speed.If you’re happy to trade a little quickness for a softer, safer landing, this is your shoe.

It tops our roundup of best court shoes for bad knees, and you’ll find it among the cushioned picks in our wider senior roundup too.

Where it falls short

The honest trade-off is weight. Cushioning is made of material, and material has mass, so a well-padded court shoe like this runs a little heavier than a minimal, racing-style one. For most joint-sensitive players that’s a trade worth making — the cushioning does more good than the extra grams do harm — but if you prize quickness and light feet above all, you’ll notice it. The other catch is price: the Gel-Renma sits above budget court shoes, because the GEL system is what you’re paying for. If your joints are fine and you don’t need the padding, that money is better spent elsewhere. As with every shoe here, ASICS doesn’t publish a width chart for this model, so we mark that cell “Not published” rather than guess.

How it compares

The natural alternative is the K-Swiss Express Light, our best all-round pick. The choice is simple and comes down to your joints: the K-Swiss is lighter and more agile, the better shoe if your knees and hips are holding up; the Gel-Renma is more cushioned and protective, the better shoe if they’re not. If you feel the pounding, spend up for the ASICS; if you don’t, save the weight and the money with the K-Swiss. Our K-Swiss vs ASICS Gel-Renma comparison lays the two out side by side, and the senior roundup shows where each sits among the rest.

The verdict

For the player whose knees or hips decide what they can play in, the ASICS Gel-Renma 2 is the most joint-friendly court shoe we cover, and worth its higher price. The GEL cushioning does the one thing that matters most for a sore joint — it softens the impact before it reaches you — while a proper pickleball platform keeps you stable through the side-to-side game. You accept a little extra weight for that protection, and for the buyer it’s built for, that’s an easy trade. If your joints are comfortable, the lighter K-Swiss Express Light will suit you better; but if you feel every stop and landing, this is the shoe that keeps you on the court.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ASICS Gel-Renma 2 good for bad knees?

It's the shoe we point players with sore knees toward first. ASICS builds it around GEL cushioning in the midsole, which absorbs a share of the impact from stopping and landing before it travels up into your knees and hips. No shoe makes pickleball zero-impact, but softer landings are exactly what let an achy knee keep playing. If joint soreness is what limits you, this is our most joint-friendly pick.

Is the ASICS Gel-Renma a running shoe?

No — and that's a real strength. ASICS is best known for running shoes, but the Gel-Renma is a pickleball-specific model with an outsole and support built for side-to-side movement, not straight-ahead running. A running shoe sits high and soft and rolls under you on lateral steps, which is how ankles turn. This shoe gives you the ASICS cushioning you want on a stable court platform that keeps you planted.

Is the ASICS Gel-Renma heavier than other court shoes?

A little, yes, and it's the one honest trade-off. Cushioning is made of material, and material adds a small amount of weight, so a well-padded shoe like this runs heavier than a minimal, racing-style court shoe. For most players with sore joints that's a trade worth making — the softer landings do more good than the extra grams do harm. If you prize light, quick feet above all, you'll notice it.

ASICS Gel-Renma or K-Swiss Express Light?

It depends entirely on your joints. The ASICS Gel-Renma is the more cushioned, protective shoe, built for players who feel the pounding in their knees and hips. The K-Swiss Express Light is lighter and more agile, the better all-round choice if your joints are holding up fine. Sore knees, choose the ASICS; comfortable knees, save the weight with the K-Swiss. Our full comparison walks through both in detail.

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