Speaking of singles — if you know Nico the Lefty, you know the Cypher. The Key 211 is one of the lightest pickleball shoes I’ve ever worn, right up there with the Solase. For a shoe this light, the amount of support and reinforcement they’ve packed in is genuinely impressive.
A featherweight that doesn’t feel flimsy
It’s a high-top, comparable to the Solase in that respect, but it’s extremely solid for the weight. The base is a little bulky and very stable — and if you look at the actual sole, there are no big divots in it. It runs flat, with a tiny wave pattern, similar to the Winner’s Edge.
Grip you wouldn’t expect
You’d assume a flat sole wouldn’t bite, but the individual cells across the outsole grab the court amazingly. Right out of the box this was one of the grippiest shoes I’ve ever played in. The flat profile is great if you’re a slidy player who wants that extra step to roll into a slide rather than a hard stop. There’s no break-in either — the insole molds to your foot over time, but it plays great from minute one.
Where it belongs: singles
The Cypher truly takes the show in singles and drilling sessions. It’s so light on your foot and it helps in every aspect of movement that demands long strides plus quick direction changes. It’s not the best at short kitchen play — for that I’d reach for the PB5star or the DAPS, which shine on those short, quick stops and explosions.
The one nitpick: the toe area drags out quickly. They could reinforce a little further up — but then you sacrifice the weight, which is the whole selling point. Pick your poison.