Pickleball is a sport named after a condiment, so it was only a matter of time before someone made a shoe that looks like one. I'm actually surprised it took this long.
SQAIRZ's Dill Pickle is a limited-edition version of its XRZ2 pickleball shoe, with a textured green finish that'll make you question whether they dipped it in brine. It won't fix your third shot drop and it won't stop you stepping into the kitchen, but it will turn every head and start plenty of conversations.
For start, you can inject a bit of trivia on the court. Those little bumps on the side of a pickle are mistakenly referred to as lenticles when they're actually tubercles, and SQAIRZ's Dill Pickle shoes wear them proudly all over. They're the dark green ovals with a lighter dot in the middle, and they're noticeably raised, giving the kickers some dimension.
If you ask me, they're the perfect pair to complete your outfit this coming National Pickle Day on November 14.
An XRZ2 in a pickle costume
If you haven't come across SQAIRZ before, the brand started out in golf. The founder once forgot his golf shoes, played a round at a New England driving range in square-toed dress shoes, and came away wondering why most shoes squeeze your toes into a point. That became the brand's patented square toe box, which gives your toes room to spread out for balance.
The Dill Pickle is built on the XRZ2, SQAIRZ's current pickleball shoe. According to SQAIRZ, the outsole, toe protection, insole, and lacing all carry over. Here's what that gets you:
- The square toe box, with plenty of room for your toes to spread.
- A SmartTraction outsole with herringbone tread, lateral outriggers and pivot points, built for the stops, slides and pivots pickleball throws at you.
- Toe protection against the wear that comes from dragging your toe.
- A non-slip footbed from the insole brand Blumaka. SQAIRZ says every 2026 model has one, and its product page cites independent testing, with no tester named, that found 14% more energy return than standard insoles.
- Sta-Put lacing, which is meant to keep your laces tied and your foot from shifting inside the shoe.
- A 30-day money-back guarantee and a six-month sole warranty.
The outer shell is the part that's actually different. SQAIRZ has swapped out its hexagonal side guard overlay for a smoother mesh that lets the pickle shine. Those dark green ovals run across the whole body, from heel to toe. Up front, the toe cap is a muted green with a fine honeycomb texture and a few raised ridges. That's SQAIRZ's patented toe geometry, built to protect the part of the shoe that takes a beating when you drag your toe.
Even the small stuff is on theme. The sole is accented with a neon lime green, which matches the heel pull tab, tongue loop, and eyelet panels. The laces are olive with little raised dashes of darker green to mimic the tubercles, and the collar has a diamond-textured lining. The outsole is a deep green herringbone tread with a circular PIVOT mark under the ball of the foot and SQAIRZ branding at the heel and toe. The only thing standing separate from the pattern is the bright pink and white speckled footbed.
Men's sizes run from 7 to 14, with half sizes up to 11.5. Women's run from 6 to 11, with half sizes throughout. There's no wide fit for either, however the XRZ2 runs large and the toe box is roomy on purpose, so check the size chart before you order. That roominess is a plus if your feet are on the wide side, but it doesn't replace the need for wide fit.
The SQAIRZ Dill Pickle costs $159, the same as the standard XRZ2, or $144 with our code, and it's out now as a limited edition. If you want a pair, don't wait around, otherwise you might miss out.
To get a pair, use our SQAIRZ links for the men's Dill Pickle or the women's Dill Pickle. They apply the PICKLEHEADS15 code for you, so you save $15 at checkout.
If you'd like to know how the shoe underneath plays, here's our XRZ2 review. And if this design is a little garish for your liking, rest easy: SQAIRZ has released all-white and all-black versions of the men's XRZ2 too. The women's XRZ2 doesn't get those two, but it does come in muted colors like Desert Court, Sage, Glacier, and Ultra Bloom.
