• Decide on Running Shoes, Court Shoes, and Cycling Shoes

• Choose Athletic Shoes for Field Sports

• Select Shoes and Boots for Specialty Sports

• Get a Great Fit for Your Athletic Shoes

• Find Athletic Shoes on eBay

• Buy Athletic Shoes With Confidence

Decide on Running Shoes, Court Shoes, and Cycling Shoes

Decide on Running Shoes, Court Shoes, and Cycling Shoes

Joggers and runners need running shoes with extra shock absorption. Running shoes should also allow you to maintain your natural gait. Light and flexible running shoes — like those in the Nike Shox series — provide extra cushioning as well as heel stability and traction control. Popular types of running shoes include performance training shoes, racing shoes, adn off-road running shoes.

• Performance training shoes: Performance training shoes are lightweight and highly responsive, making them ideal for quick, efficient, and experienced runners. You’ll give up cushioning in order to get a pure, light running shoe.

• Racing shoes: Racing shoes are ultra-lightweight and are meant for very fast runners, especially those who are accustomed to running with little or no cushioning or stability features.

• Off-road running shoes: Off-road running shoes (also called trail shoes) are ideal for running on trails and uneven, bumpy surfaces. Equipped with toe bumpers and reinforced stitching, these running shoes provide higher durability.

Traditional athletic shoes

Like running shoes, other traditional athletic shoes have a rubber sole and are made of leather, canvas, or a synthetic material.

• Cross-trainers: Cross-trainers, suitable for limited amounts of running and use in court sports, have lightweight construction and a lightly-colored rubber sole.

• Walking shoes: Walking shoes from brands such as Ecco, Etonics, Rockport, and New Balance have less cushioning than most running shoes and feature a sole with an upturned, curved toe that allows you to roll through your gait. 

• Aerobic shoes: Most aerobic shoes are designed to be lightweight to prevent foot fatigue and have extra shock absorption in the sole beneath the ball of the foot where the most stress occurs.

Court shoes

Court shoes have light-colored soles which will not leave marks on a court surface. They are worn in sports such as basketball, tennis, and volleyball.

• Basketball shoes: Basketball players need shoes that offer stability and are made of breathable materials. Look for basketball shoes offering mid-foot, heel, and ankle support, a good-quality lacing system, and uppers made of leather, nylon, mesh, or other breathable material. Nike makes a large number of popular basketball shoes, including the Nike Air Jordan, Nike Dunk, and Nike Zoom product lines. 

• Tennis shoes: Tennis requires a lot of side-to-side motion and tennis shoes give you the type of support and cushioning you need to move around the tennis court. Tennis shoes typically provide enhanced stability in the sides and have cushioning that allows for quick lateral movements. Buy tennis shoes in your regular shoe size; your foot will slip in the shoe if it's too big. Popular brands include Nike tennis shoes, Wilson tennis shoes, and Adidas tennis shoes.

• Racquetball shoes & squash shoes: Light- to medium-weight racquetball shoes and squash shoes from brands such as Wilson and Adidas provide good traction for quick starts and stops. Their soles, made of a gummy, rubbery material are strong, yet breathable, and will not leave marks on the court floor.

Cycling shoes

Unlike other athletic shoes, cycling shoes have stiff soles and little cushioning in the heel to ensure that you don’t lose energy when transferring power to the pedals. Cycling shoes have a snug fit so that your feet don't slip around while you pedal. Some models use special fixing points for cleats, which engage the pedals.

• Road biking shoes: Road biking shoes have strong, stiff, and lightweight soles and Velcro or ratchet closings that allow you to quickly make adjustments to the shoe's fit. Uppers are usually made of breathable nylon mesh.

• Mountain biking shoes: Mountain biking shoes, worn by mountain bikers and other off-road cyclists, have fairly stiff soles to transfer power to the pedals. They should also have recessed cleats and a good tread pattern that will come in handy if you need to push your bike.

Choose Athletic Shoes for Field Sports

Choose Athletic Shoes for Field Sports

Sports such as football, soccer, and baseball require fleet footwork and players require shoes with cleats, studs, or spikes to get a better grip on the field. Buy the right footwear to get the job done. Companies such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok produce cleats in different types, styles, and materials, including leather and various synthetics.

• Leather cleats: Durable, flexible, and comfortable leather cleats breathe easily and offer a better feel for the ball.

• Synthetic cleats: Inexpensive synthetic cleats have easy maintenance and make good choice for kids and student athletes who will regularly outgrow their cleats.

You'll see molded cleats and detachable cleats on eBay.

• Molded cleats: Molded cleats, made with molded plastic, have studs in various patterns, making them useful on many field types and in different weather conditions.

• Detachable cleats: Versatile detachable cleats have metal tips that can be unscrewed and replaced to match field conditions.

Soccer players may also choose to wear turf shoes with hard rubber soles that provide a better grip on artificial turf or low-cut, stud-free indoor soccer shoes that won't damage gym floors or other hard surfaces.

Select Shoes and Boots for Specialty Sports

Select Shoes and Boots for Specialty Sports

Many other sports and certain recreational activities, such as hunting, fishing, equestrian sports, and boating, require specialized footwear.

• Bowling shoes: You can’t step onto a bowling alley without the right pair of bowling shoes. Whether a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player, opt for bowling shoes that provide comfort and mobility. Today’s bowling shoes also come in a wide range of styles and colors that make you look snazzy on the lane. Consider Dexter bowling shoes, Etonic bowling shoes, Circle bowling shoes, or Brunswick bowling shoes.

• Golf shoes: Look for superior traction and stability when shopping for golf shoes. While walking around the golf course, you can easily spend hours on your feet, which makes comfortable golf shoes a necessity. Overall balance is also essential to make good golf ball contact. Versatile, replaceable spikes let you change golf spikes for any golf course condition.

• Boat shoes: As the popularity of boating and sailing continues to increase, so has the demand for water-worthy, non-skid boat shoes that are stylish, comfortable, and functional. Antimicrobial boat shoes can help combat the odor that sometimes develops when shoes are continually exposed to water.

• Climbing shoes: Climbing shoes from companies such as Scarpa, Five Ten, and La Sportiva are a must for any type of climbing. The stiff rubber soles on climbing shoes offer the support and traction you’ll need.

• Wading shoes and boots: Wading shoes, wading boots, and fishing shoes, provide traction on slippery surfaces in areas where fish often bite. Since river bottoms can be unstable, you want solid ankle support. Look for a tongue sewn straight up the side of the shoe or boot so there’s no space for pebbles to enter. Ideally, water should be able to move in and out freely so it doesn't collect inside your shoe or boot and weigh your feet down.

• Hiking shoes and hiking boots: Hiking shoes and hiking boots from brands such as Timberland, Columbia, New Balance, and Rockport usually have a rugged exterior and sole. Look for a water-resistant upper and a bellows tongue to help prevent water and dirt from entering your hiking shoes or hiking boots.

• Riding boots: Western riders typically wear cowboy boots in competition, although many also like high lace-up boots or even ankle-high paddock boots. English-style riders often prefer knee-high leather boots, particularly in competition.

• Hunting boots: The type of hunting boots you buy will be determined by the weather in the area and the type of terrain you’ll be trekking through. On rocky or uneven terrain, you’ll need lots of ankle support, stiff, strong soles and extra padding. Open-field or upland hunting requires lightweight boots with less traction. Nylon uppers are a good choice here. You’ll definitely want breathable, waterproof linings. If you’re hunting in lowlands/marshes or swamps, look for rubber boots that fit tightly around the ankle. You’ll need lugged soles to give you traction in the mud. Rubber boots aren’t the best choice for uneven terrain, though, because they don’t have comfortable cushioning or support. You may need to buy several pairs of boots to suit all your hunting needs. And if you’re hunting in cold weather, you’ll need insulated, waterproof boots. Lighter, non-insulated boots are the best choice for warm-weather hunts.

Get a Great Fit for Your Athletic Shoes

Get a Great Fit for Your Athletic Shoes

You'll want to buy athletic shoes that fit snuggly and do not constrict or press against your toes. If you don't already know your athletic shoe size, measure your feet before you shop for athletic shoes online. Your feet expand throughout the day; to get the most accurate results, measure your feet in the afternoon or early evening, after you've walked on them for a few hours.

• Trace your foot: Place a piece of paper on a hard floor. While standing and wearing socks of normal thickness, place one foot on the paper. Bend your leg slightly forward so that your shin is in front of your ankle. Using a pencil, trace the outline of your foot.
  

• Mark length and width: Use your pencil to draw straight lines touching the outermost points at the top and bottom of the outline, then both sides of the outline. You should have a box-like diagram.
  

• Measure length and width: Measure the distances between the horizontal points that show your foot’s length using a tape measure or ruler. Write down this number. Repeat this step for the vertical points that show your foot’s width. Again, write down this number. Repeat these steps for your other foot, and use the larger measurement of the two.
  

• Find your shoe size: Subtract two-tenths of an inch from each of your numbers to account for the space between your foot and the pencil line. These final numbers are your foot measurements.

Once you determine your U.S. shoe size, you can determine your approximate European shoe size, too.

Men's athletic shoe sizing

Women's athletic shoe sizing

Children's athletic shoe sizing

You may also want to make a wet footprint on a piece of dry paper to see the arch of your foot.

• Normal arches: If you have normal arches, your footprint will show the full foot, with a slight inward curve at the arch. Stability athletic shoes offer a good level of cushioning and medial support (inner foot support) for people with normal arches. 
  

• Low arches (flat feet): If you have low arches or flat feet, your footprint won’t curve in at the arch. You may be an overpronater, meaning your foot rolls too far inward when you run. Motion control athletic shoes may be a good choice, offering firm midsoles and greater stability than many other options.
  

• High arches: If you have a high arch, your footprint may show only the ball and heel of your foot, with no connection between them. Your foot may be supinated or underpronated, meaning it doesn’t roll inward far enough. In this case, you may want to opt for athletic shoes with plenty of cushioning. For example, you can find highly-cushioned Asics athletic shoes, Mizuno athletic shoes, and Saucony athletic shoes, among others.

Find Athletic Shoes on eBay

Find Athletic Shoes on eBay

Once you know what type of athletic shoes you need, go to the Shoes portal or Clothing, Shoes & Accessories portal and start searching for men's athletic shoes, women's athletic shoes, girl's athletic shoes, or boy's athletic shoes on eBay.

• Product Finders: Use the drop-down menus on the Women’s Shoes Finder to quickly narrow item listings by Style, U.S. Size, Main Color, Heel Height, and Condition. Use the Men’s Shoes Finder to quickly narrow item listings by U.S. Size, Type, and Condition.

• Keywords search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find women's athletic shoes for wider feet, type "women's athletic shoes wide" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. You could also use your favorite brand as a keyword. For example, Nike, New Balance, Adidas, Reebok, or Wilson. Visit eBay's Search Commands page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Athletic Shoes With Confidence

Buy Athletic Shoes With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.