INTRODUCTION
The Selkirk Legacy Pro is a performance pickleball shoe with an unusual twist: it looks almost as much like a retro-inspired street sneaker as it does a serious court shoe.
Retailing for around $158 ($99 on sale), the Legacy Pro combines that casual appearance with features designed specifically for pickleball, including Selkirk’s InfiniGrip cast polyurethane outsole, EVA PureFoam midsole, supercritical foam insole, and a lightweight, breathable mesh upper.
I recently received a pair and played in them for the first time today. My initial impression was very positive. After only one game, these were extremely comfortable shoes. They feel relatively light on the feet, have plenty of room in the toe box, and provide a nice combination of cushioning, stability, and court feel.
I had read several reviews mentioning a break-in period, and I agree—but in my case, that break-in period amounted to about one game.
I had also seen comments that the outsole could feel slick when new. That was not my experience. I never felt that the shoes lacked traction or that my footing was uncertain. After the first game, they simply seemed to settle in and become noticeably more comfortable.
ON-COURT PERFORMANCE
Traction
The Legacy Pro uses Selkirk’s InfiniGrip outsole, made from cast polyurethane rather than the more common rubber compounds used in many court shoes.
The major advantage should be durability. Polyurethane is highly resistant to abrasion, which makes the Legacy Pro particularly interesting for players who spend a lot of time on rough outdoor courts and tend to grind through conventional court shoes.Selkirk backs the outsole with a six-month outsole warranty, which suggests the company has considerable confidence in its durability.
Some reviewers have reported that the Legacy Pro feels somewhat slick when new and needs to be scuffed up before providing its best traction.
I did not find that to be the case.
I played in a brand-new pair and had no problem with traction from the beginning. There was a short break-in period, but for me it was essentially one game—and it had more to do with the shoe becoming comfortable and conforming to my foot than with the outsole developing grip.
After that first game, I really stopped thinking about the shoes, which is probably one of the better compliments you can give a court shoe.
The Avacourt Comparison
One thing immediately struck me when I looked at the bottom of the Legacy Pro: it reminds me quite a bit of the Adidas Avacourt tennis shoe.
The broad footprint and way the outsole extends around the shoe give both designs a planted appearance and provide a substantial platform underneath the foot.
That type of design makes a great deal of sense for pickleball. Unlike running shoes, where forward movement dominates, pickleball shoes have to deal with repeated lateral movement, abrupt stops, changes of direction, and quick reactions at the kitchen line.
The Legacy Pro feels planted without feeling cumbersome.
Stability
The Legacy Pro has a wide base with an outrigger-style lateral flare that helps resist rolling during quick changes of direction.
That is particularly important in pickleball, where movement is often less about running forward and more about stopping, starting, shuffling, and making abrupt lateral cuts.
During my first session, the shoe felt stable and secure during lateral movement without having the heavy, somewhat bulky feeling of some traditional tennis shoes.
Lockdown
A gusseted tongue and performance lacing system help secure the midfoot.
The heel collar is somewhat more minimalist than what you will find on some heavily padded tennis shoes, but I had no problem with my foot moving around inside the shoe.
COMFORT AND FIT
Comfort may be one of the Legacy Pro’s strongest features.
That was certainly my biggest takeaway after playing in them.
Cushioning
Selkirk uses an EVA PureFoam midsole combined with a removable supercritical foam insole.
The result is an interesting combination. The shoe keeps you relatively low to the court, which I prefer in a pickleball shoe, but it doesn’t feel hard or dead underfoot. There is noticeable cushioning and a bit of bounce without the disconnected feeling that can come from an overly thick midsole.
My pair needed a very short period to settle in. During the first game I was conscious that I was wearing new shoes. After that, they became extremely comfortable.
That is about as short a break-in period as I could reasonably ask for.
What Is Supercritical Foam?
“Supercritical foam” sounds like marketing terminology, but it actually describes the manufacturing process rather than a particular type of foam.
The process uses gas under carefully controlled pressure and temperature to create very small, uniform cells within the foam.
The practical advantages are more relevant than the science.
Supercritical foams can be:
- Extremely lightweight
- Resilient and responsive
- More uniform internally
- Efficient at providing cushioning without adding unnecessary weight
In the Legacy Pro, that translates into an insole that feels lightweight and somewhat bouncy while still providing good support.
Breathability
The upper uses a translucent, ripstop-style mesh designed to combine airflow with abrasion resistance.
It gives the Legacy Pro much of its distinctive appearance, but it also serves a practical purpose. The shoe breathes well, which should be particularly welcome during long sessions on hot outdoor courts.
SIZING
The Legacy Pro appears to run true to size, with a relatively generous toe box.
I would describe the fit as accommodating rather than excessively wide. Players with medium-width feet should have plenty of room, while those with slightly wider feet may find the Legacy Pro more comfortable than many narrow performance court shoes.
As always, players with genuinely wide feet should probably try them on before assuming that a generous toe box is the same thing as a dedicated wide-width shoe.
DURABILITY
This is the part of the Legacy Pro that I can’t evaluate yet.
Pickleball is notoriously hard on shoes. Frequent players can wear through conventional rubber outsoles surprisingly quickly, particularly on abrasive outdoor courts.
The cast polyurethane InfiniGrip outsole is specifically intended to address that problem, and long-term testers have reported relatively minor tread wear after substantial court time.
That matters because a $158 pickleball shoe isn’t inexpensive.
If the Legacy Pro lasts considerably longer than a less expensive shoe, however, the economics start to look very different. A $100 shoe that needs replacing twice isn’t much of a bargain compared with a $158 shoe that lasts substantially longer.
The six-month outsole warranty also provides some reassurance.
I’ll reserve judgment on durability until I’ve put considerably more hours on my pair.
WHAT I LIKE
- Extremely comfortable after a very short break-in
- My break-in period was only about one game
- No traction problems, even when brand new
- Lightweight, responsive cushioning
- Low-to-the-court feel
- Generous toe box
- Excellent lateral stability
- Broad, planted outsole reminiscent of the Adidas Avacourt
- Breathable upper
- Outsole designed specifically for durability
- Six-month outsole warranty
- Styling that doesn’t scream “court shoe”
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING
Some reviewers have described a break-in period and have reported that the outsole initially feels slick.
My experience was somewhat different.
I agree about the break-in period, but mine lasted only one game. I do not agree that the outsole felt slick. I had good traction from the beginning.
What changed after that first game was comfort. The shoe seemed to settle around my foot, and from that point forward it was extremely comfortable.
The other consideration is price. At around $158 ($99 on sale), these are premium-priced pickleball shoes. Their ultimate value will depend partly on whether the InfiniGrip outsole delivers the long-term durability Selkirk promises.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After my first day playing in the Selkirk Legacy Pro, I’m impressed.
The shoe combines a relatively casual appearance with the characteristics I look for in a pickleball shoe: a broad and stable platform, good lateral support, low court feel, responsive cushioning, and plenty of room in the toe box.
The bottom of the shoe reminds me quite a bit of the Adidas Avacourt tennis shoe, particularly in its broad, planted design. That’s a compliment. Both designs provide a substantial platform underneath the foot without making the shoe feel unnecessarily bulky.
I had read about the Legacy Pro requiring a break-in period, and technically I agree. But my break-in period was one game.
I also did not experience the slickness some reviewers have mentioned. Traction was good from the start. What changed after the first game was simply how comfortable the shoes became.
By the second game, I wasn’t thinking about my shoes anymore.
For a court shoe, that’s exactly what I want.
The remaining question is durability. The InfiniGrip polyurethane outsole and six-month warranty are major selling points, but that’s something that can only be evaluated after considerably more playing time.
For now, my first on-court impression is very favorable.
Comfort: Excellent after one game.
Stability: Excellent.
Court feel: Excellent.
Traction: Very good from the start.
Break-in: About one game.
Durability: To be determined.
I’ll update this review after I’ve put considerably more court time on them.
PURCHASING
Go to the Selkirk website (https://www.selkirk.com/). The shoes are on sale for $99. But if you use the code ADV-GREGORYH at checkout, you get a $40 credit towards new purchases at Selkirk.
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