Built for players who want one more game
HeelBase started on the court, when two players set out to build better support for padel and pickleball, during games and between them.
Est. 2026 · USA & Hong Kong
Where it started
We felt it during games and between them
In 2026, the two of us reached the same conclusion: the stock insoles in our padel and pickleball shoes were doing little for how our feet and legs felt during games or how they recovered between them.
That became our brief: build court-specific insoles around how players move and recover. Three months and 24 prototypes after the idea, our first insole was ready. That work became the HeelBase lineup: Drive for regular court play, Apex for competitive play, and Stance for everyday recovery.
Why we exist
Court sports have an insole problem
Most stock insoles are thin and generic. Padel and pickleball ask more of your feet through every stop, start, and change of direction.
- 01
Lateral movement
Running is mostly forward. Court play adds repeated side-to-side cuts, pivots, and changes of direction that need a different support strategy.
- 02
Repeated impact
Split steps, hard stops, and quick recoveries repeatedly load the heel. Players need a deeper, more stable platform underfoot.
- 03
Between-game recovery
Long sessions do not end at match point. Support should account for how your feet and legs feel during play and how ready you are to go again.
The build
Three months from idea to insole
From the first question to the finished lineup, every decision combined published research, rapid prototyping, and real player feedback.
The problem
We started with a simple question: why were standard court-shoe insoles not giving our feet and legs the support we wanted during games or between them?
Research-led design
We studied published clinical research on foot biomechanics and pickleball-specific recovery, then translated the most relevant findings into court-specific geometry.
24 prototypes
We refined heel depth, arch support, materials, and fit across 24 prototypes. Player feedback shaped every revision.
The field test
144 players used pre-launch pairs on real courts (Drive and Apex) or as part of their regular day (Stance), free of charge. Their feedback led directly to three changes before launch.
By the numbers
Tested thoroughly. Built honestly.
What drives us
Built by players, for players
Court-specific geometry
Every contour and support zone is based on pickleball's lateral load patterns, not running or casual walking biomechanics.
Recovery is part of performance
We design for support during games and recovery between them, because the next session matters as much as the current one.
Research-informed design
We went deep into published clinical research on foot biomechanics and pickleball-specific recovery, then used those insights to guide the geometry, materials, and support in every insole.
No overpromising
HeelBase is a support product, not a cure or medical device. We are clear about what it is designed to do and what it is not.
Stop letting foot painown the court instead of you.
Start with the free 2-minute assessment to find out what your feet actually need, or get straight to the insole built for this.
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