Skip to product information
Koto 1 Mens

Koto 1 Mens

$165.00

Koto is a court to gym shoe designed for unrestricted movement, multidirectional control, and grounded stability across court sports and training.

ColorNavy and Cream
Shoe size
Low stock

Koto 1 Mens Key Features

Grip to Stick

A non-marking rubber outsole with a herringbone tread pattern ensures optimal grip

Made to Move

Targeted forefoot and heel reinforcements provide a secure, locked-in fit for confident play at every angle.

Natural Fit

Natural court shoe that seamlessly integrates a foot-shaped toe box, neutral heel-to-toe platform, and multi-flex outsole with unrestricted movement and grounded stability.

Stack Height

19mm
Stack height is the soles thickness with 0mm heel to toe drop for natural foot positioning.

Simplified weighing scale icon with heavier lines

Weight

290.0g
(Mens Size 9 / Womens Size 10)

Minimalist icon of shoe sole with grip pattern

Outsole

Koto Outsole
Non marking rubber with strategically placed herringbone pattern.

Heel to toe Drop: 0mm platform for natural foot Positioning

Midsole: Next gen eTPU combines extra light weight and soft feel

Anatomical Fit: Unique PU cage for a secure and personalized fit

Lock-in Lacing System: Unique PU cage for a secure and personalized fit

Koto is a court to gym shoe designed for unrestricted movement, multidirectional control, and grounded stability across court sports and training. Built as zero drop tennis shoes men can trust, Koto delivers a true connection to the ground without sacrificing performance.

The Koto is the first natural court shoe to seamlessly integrate a foot-shaped toe box, neutral heel-to-toe platform, and fully articulated outsole that makes it one of the most advanced minimalist tennis shoes men and minimalist court shoes men available today. Designed for athletes across tennis, padel and pickleball, it functions as men’s pickleball shoes zero drop and zero drop padel shoes, supporting quick cuts, pivots, and reactive movement.

With a wide toe box tennis shoes men profile, Koto allows natural toe splay for better balance, power, and stability. This same design makes it ideal for athletes searching for padel shoes wide toe box or a true men’s court shoe natural movement experience.

A non-marking rubber outsole with a herringbone tread pattern ensures optimal grip across surfaces, positioning Koto as a reliable option for zero drop sneakers for padel and high-performance court play. Targeted forefoot and heel reinforcements provide a secure, locked-in fit for confident movement at every angle.
Notace Koto men is built for those who demand precision without interference on the court, in the gym, and from day to day activities.

Customers praised the wide toe box and zero drop design, calling them "exactly what I've been waiting for." The shoes offer excellent court stability, comfort, and natural foot movement for tennis and pickleball. However, several shoppers reported durability concerns, with tread wear and holes appearing after 2-3 weeks of play. Some noted sizing runs slightly large and laces are slippery.

  • 5 stars: 73 (74%)
  • 4 stars: 7 (7%)
  • 3 stars: 10 (10%)
  • 2 stars: 5 (5%)
  • 1 star: 3 (3%)
A
Anthony

Love the shoes. Unfortunately they wear out within two months of play. I would buy again if the price wasn’t so high. If shoes only give you 2 months of durability they should probably be priced under $100

Hi Anthony, thank you for your feedback. We have reached out individually to better understand use. Durability of court shoes is measured in hours as opposed to time since someone who plays 15 hours per week will not get the same durability as someone who plays 2hs. We are happy work with you to determine next steps!

M
Marctenis

I was lucky and honored to meet Cedric in Boulder CO.the founder of notance the zero gravity shoe. I got to wear a pair of Notace shoe and I love the feeling of being closer to the ground and have The stability to move at ease. Thank you Cedric I’m honor to be part of your journey to make the shoe popular among the tennis players/ pickleball players and coaches alike.
Ciao, Marc

W
Wright Malone

I took a big swing on a brand I had never heard of because I wanted a wider toe box. So far no regrets. Quality is solid, they look great, very sturdy.

D
Donna Sosa

I love my KOTO shoes. I wear minimal shoes all the time, but could not find a shoe to play pickleball in. The wide toolbox pickleball shoes I was wearing always made my feet hurt. I’ve been wearing the Koto shoes for one month playing 3 to 4 times a week and my feet are pain free. I love the zero rise and the roomy toe box. I am so glad I found this brand.

M
Marcus Martinez

I played tennis all through high school and college and now very into pickleball. I play 2-4x a week. I've tried dozens of tennis shoes over the years but this is the first time I didn't need a break in period. My feet feel great after playing a couple of hours. The wide toe box is awesome and there's just enough cushion for comfort. Can't recommend these enough.

P
Patrick

Very comfortable, enjoy playing in them.

D
Dean

Terrific shoe. I understand that this is an all court outsole, and it does the job pretty well on clay. Maybe in the future there will be enough demand for a clay specific outsole but it's not a deal breaker. The comfort is excellent and my feet feel fresh after two hours of tennis. Stock laces are a bit too stretchy and long but replaced with a shorter version and it works fine. Great release and will be back for more!

Hello Dean and thank you for your feedback!! We designed the Koto for court, so we do not have a lot of information on how it does on clay yet. Glad to hear it's working out well for you :)

C
CP

It felt good until I almost twisted my ankle

J
Jonathan

🔥🔥🔥🔥

A
Anonymous

I really like the Koto 1 . I play tennis and pickleball and my feet are very happy. Super comfortable and just the right amount of cushioning. I’m so glad I found Notace. Future purchases are a definite.

R
Richard

🔥🔥🔥 I got one after watching a review on the Koto shoes compared to a bunch of other zero drop shoes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45jVMOP-bf4

I tried the shoes today and they are an amazing fit. I typically use vivobarefoots as my daily shoe so these were perfect.
💰💰💰 Also the discount code 10kpickleball and the FSA payment made this an amazing deal!

R
Rob Baldwin

I am enjoying the shoes while playing tennis. The wide toe box an overall fit is comfortable to wear.

A
Anonymous

The shoes are great! Exactly what I expected. True to size, wide in the toe box, grippy on the court, and comfortable to wear. I wish there was a jumping volleyball type shoe that had some bounce in the sole but still had the wide toe box.

G
Gregoire Sitter

Quite happy with them so far. I've used them for a few sessions now, coming from barefoot shoes.
These aren't barefoot, but I've enjoyed the extra support while still remaining fairly minimalist.
They seem durable, and I feel like I found the shoes I'll buy again and again 👍

C
Chris

Great shoe as well, just needed to size down as it fit a bit longer than expected. Feels great underfoot!

J
James Renn

Only two pickle ball days so far. Seems to be a great shoe and I am playing better in them. I have a low volume foot, not flat feet, but rigid and thin. So there is a little bit too much material on top, so that it puckers a bit when i tighten down the laces.That can't be helped for a one size fits all, and the lateral movement protectors make the shoe a little less conforming to my foot than a simple mesh upper.

R
Robert Housler

Comfortable for daily use and good on the court. I’ve gotten compliments on their appearance. Happy with my purchase

J
Jared Berquist

I’ve enjoyed the performance of the shoes. Lightweight but sturdy.

E
Evan Roller

they are comfortable and I like playing in them. I have played one tournament and played 1 additional day for 2 hours and there is quite a bit of wear and I think a hole will develop in another 2 weeks. Typically tennis shoes have lasted 2-3 months with my current level of play. The shoes were what I expected they offer good support while having plenty of room. I would continue to wear them if they were more durable.

Hi Evan, thanks for sharing your experience. We’re glad you find them comfortable :) Regarding the wear on the shoes, we will reach out directly to evaluate it and we can go from there. Thank you!

J
Joe Granados

I tried so many. But these are my favorites. Especially being able to expense through FHA.

J
JOHN PARRY

I gotta say, I was sceptical (I even paid the extra for free returns)....but after one morning of intense pickleball....I'm so happy. Fit, feel, footwork, all an improvement over my previous "court" shoe. Highly recommend.

G
Geoffrey

Feel good and provide support pleasanly surprised

C
Carmelo Cataluna

Love the wide toe box and zero drop great balance and quick movement. But after just 2.5 weeks, the sole and upper are already wearing out.

W
William DiLorenzo

Overall great shoe. Slightly smaller toe box than I would have liked. Grip within the shoe itself is not the best.

K
Kevin Henry

In terms of comfort and performance this is my favorite court shoe of all time.

Unfortunately, as others have reported here, the durability of the sole is extremely poor. I've bought two pairs now, and both very quickly wore not only through the tread grooves but through the entire sole, leaving the shoes with noticeable holes.

Hopefully they can improve this in the next version of this otherwise excellent shoe.

Hi Kevin, thank you for sharing your feedback. I am glad to hear you have been enjoying the shoes! Regarding durability - We stand by our product, and we will contact you directly to discuss next steps. Thank you!

L
Luis Ruiz

So far so good, I've had the shoes for a week now and the first thing I noticed was how light they are compare to my previous shoe. As I've worn them I've notice that my heel pain has gotten better even though the sole is very supportive, not hard butt not squishy soft either, definitely more on the firm supportive side of the spectrum. I've observe that I'm moving better on the court and it gets easier to move my feet. My previous court shoes had a very rubbery/squeaky sole and the Koto's while not slippery they allow me to slide the foot easier on small side to side movements or when pivoting. The only negative... After receiving my black pair the dropped the navy colorway which I would have preferred, oh well I might have to start playing more to wear this pair out and buy the Navy ones. ;)

J
Jay Loftsgaarden

So far they are great. Love the wide anatomical toe box. Was wearing Nike Le Brons 7. These are a better, wider, fit. Good grip for racquetball.

A
Anonymous

So far, so good! They fit great and my feet have plenty of room to move.

A
Anonymous

Very good foot-shaped shoe for tennis. What keeps it from being great is that it needs more cushioning. I added Blumaka extra-cushion insoles, which helped, but the shoe itself needs more cushioning to be a viable option for hard-court tennis. In order for me to order another pair in the future Notace will have to put some legit foam in this shoe.

About Notace

We believe less is more - and purpose beats noise.

We don’t chase trends. We don’t overbuild. We craft footwear that honors the way the body was meant to move.

In a world overwhelmed by noise, we choose clarity. Every design choice, every material, every detail—considered, tested, refined. Because real innovation doesn’t shout. It endures.

We stand for simplicity, functionality, and the freedom that comes from stripping away the excess.

We build with intention. We design for movement.

We escape the noise—so you can, too.