Salming Rebel Padel Shoes (Unisex, Black/Gold)

The part of the Rebel that matters most is underneath. A herringbone pattern, the deep zigzag tread you see on most dedicated padel shoes, cuts through the loose sand that sits on top of artificial turf and gives the rubber something to push against when you change direction. Squash Source, which tested a pair Salming sent over, framed it as an outdoor shoe for exactly that kind of sandy, dusty surface.

On a freshly brushed indoor court with very little sand, herringbone can feel grabby, and you may prefer a hybrid or omni sole. Our padel shoes guide has a table matching sole types to UK courts if you're not sure which you play on.

Salming makes the Rebel in several colourways (White Dazzle, Light Dazzle, Camo ETD among them), and retailers don't all list the same specification for each. For this Black/Gold version the UK listing confirms three things: the herringbone outsole, a patented D3O insert for impact absorption, and Salming's TGS 62/75 guide system.

Other Rebel colourways are listed with an EVA midsole carrying that D3O insert, a mesh upper reinforced with KPU, an 8mm drop and weights from 266g in size 36 to 346g in size 44. One shop lists a TGS 65/72 figure on the Light Dazzle instead. It's very likely the black pair shares most of this, but we'd rather mark it as line-wide than claim it for a shoe nobody has published it for.

Because the Rebel is unisex, the size you order is the UK size on the box, whoever is wearing it. We list UK 4.5, 5.5, 7, 7.5 and 8.5; there is no UK 6 or 8.

If you normally wear a women's-specific padel shoe, compare your usual UK size rather than assuming a conversion, and remember a unisex last is usually a touch roomier through the forefoot than a women's one. Our women's padel shoes and men's padel shoes pages cover the gendered lasts if the fit matters more than the price.

The Rebel is a 2023 shoe, so it competes on value with newer entry models rather than on the latest tech. Here's how it lines up against three other budget-to-mid shoes we stock.

Club players who mostly book outdoor courts, and anyone with a smaller foot who has found the UK 4.5 to 5.5 range hard to fill in performance padel shoes. It also makes sense as a first proper padel shoe alongside a racket from our best padel rackets for beginners, replacing the running trainers that slide on turf.

Herringbone wears fastest under the ball of the foot and along the toe where you drag in a lunge. Knock the sand out after each session, let them dry away from a radiator, and don't wear them on pavements, which grind the tread flat. If you have high arches or flat feet, a supportive insert such as the Karakal Performance Insole can replace the stock insole without changing the fit much.

Shoes are only half the kit for a new player: a fresh tube of padel balls and an overgrip from our padel grip range are the other cheap upgrades worth making early.