Since I got such good feedback when I asked about shoes for refereeing outdoor/turf, I'll now ask about what those of you who referee futsal wear on the court. My town is ramping up futsal leagues and tournaments with a new multi-court complex recently built close to where I live, and I will work a number of games. I'm friends with a lot of basketball referees, and many of them wear either the Reebok shoes with the Zig "cutout" outsole or New Balance shoes. I'm sure indoor/futsal shoes are an option, but they would pose many of the same issues that wearing soccer cleats pose in the full-field game.
I alternate between "proper" futsal shoes and running shoes with a bit of ankle support (but not full on basketball shoes, because they're way too heavy). As long as you have some grip for the pitch, and a bit of cushion in the sole, that's all you really need.
I use either Adidas Supernovas running shoes or my NB training shoes. I wear the supernovas when I have a lot of futsal games and they are on hard surface, ie concrete. I wear the NB for all other games. Additionally I alternated every 2nd game. Just find some shoes that can take the pounding and are comfortable for you.
I will say that when it comes to NB shoes, there is a wide variety that you many need to try a few to find a pair that fits your foot well. I'm lucky that my running club has a running store & shoe rep out about once a month and they bring a set of demo shoes to be tried on (usually NB). I tried 3 pairs before I got a pair (1080) that help keep me centered, fit to my foot well, and have the right kind of grip. As a side note, I'm sure I looked crazy doing my shoe testing because I'd do intervals except my 'walking' was usually side stepping or moving backwards.
I also have the 1080's and they are great for track. However they are a bit on a narrow side for me plus they lack the cushioning that is needed for concrete. I prefer the Fresh Foam Zante for futsal.
So I went with two different types of shoes. Reebok ZigWild TR 5.0 - These are very similar to the shoes I see a lot of my basketball referee friends wear. They feel much lighter than they look because of the sole design. On-Running Cloud - I wasn't sure how I'd like these since they seemed really light. However, I have done a fair amount of indoor running at my local YMCA with these and I really like them. They have much more cushioning than what appears on first glance. I had much less trouble with my feet this fall and winter when I rotated different shoes for full-field games (Speedcross shoes and Rockadias). I'm hoping this rotation works as well on the court.
Please report back on the ON running shoe. I tried them on in the store, and they look really nice, but I didn’t spring for them yet because of the price. Let me know your thoughts after a few games ... and how they hold up after a long day.
Will do. I may try the ONs for a turf indoor game as well. I haven't seen a high school basketball referee wear them yet. I normally like wearing heavier shoes with more support like Brooks Adrenaline GTS shoes. These ONs have been a really pleasant surprise.