Soccer Cleats & Football Boots - How to Choose the Right One For You

If you are on the market for a new pair of soccer cleats there is a number of factors to consider. The design and shape can affect performance, as well as the quality of cleat can. Nike, Adidas and Puma are the three biggest companies that all sell HG (hard ground), FG (firm ground) SG (soft ground), and TF (artificial turf) soccer cleats.

In soccer, the Nike line ranges from super lightweight to wide fit. Nike Vapors are be good, lightweight football boots coming in at 6.6 oz.s.

Lighter soccer cleats can help speed up the game. An all around player may prefer the Total 90; it is a wider fit cleat that is side-laced with a large striking surface and a supportive arrangement of its studs.

Adidas released the F50; a cleat built for adaptability. The Predator compares with Total 90.

Puma compares to the others with the PWR-C v.1.10 and King XL. All of these examples of soccer cleats are available in kangaroo leather, regular leather or synthetic leather.

Paying more for football boots gets kangaroo leather which gets the most supple feel and fit for the ball. Regular leather will not get the same type of touch. Synthetic leather feels like plastic, is somewhat rigid and the least durable, but cheapest, of the three. Only those involved in serious football need the most expensive of what Adidas, Nike and Puma have to offer.

Shorter and more numerous studs are used for HG pitches. The length and count shows what kind of surface the soccer cleat is best used on. TF boots are used on the hardest of ground when HG would apply too much pressure and cause pain while playing. SG cleats usually have removable studs (and others of varying length) to allow more traction on soft or wet fields. FG football cleats are able to be used on all types of fields (hard or soft) except the most extreme. This is also the option to pick if it is expensive to own multiple pairs of cleats.

Soccer Shoes Or Boots Are Important In Protecting You From Injury

Wearing The Proper Soccer Shoes Will Prevent Injury

When you play soccer, or any sport, you must ensure that you are wearing the proper footwear so that you do not injure yourself. Now, if you are playing in gym class, or in a situation where you are on a hardwood surface, any non slip gym shoe will do. However, soccer shoes are meant to be played on a grassy field. That means they have to be specially made not to slip on the grass so that the player does not get injured. For that reason, soccer shoes are made with cleats, or pointy metal barbs on the bottom, that are designed to dig into the grass, thus giving the player speed but they also prevent the player from slipping so that they do not get injured. When playing with cleats, though, you need to be careful that you don't injure other players. With all that kicking at the ball, injuries can happen but with certain precautions you can play safely and have fun.

Dig In

Soccer shoes are built with cleats that are meant to dig into the field. This allows the player to gain traction where they normally would not have any. They can also pivot easier, which allows them to get past other players as they move for the goal. If they did not have cleats, they would slip and fall, especially if the grass was wet, and they would not be able to get around other players as much. That's why soccer players can't just wear any shoes if they hope to avoid injury and play well, they must wear proper soccer shoes with cleats designed to dig into the grass and dirt.

Avoiding Injury

Because soccer shoes have cleats, the possibility for injury is greater. If you've ever watched a group of soccer players vie for the ball, you probably saw them standing around the ball kicking at it. This brings those cleats awfully close to other players' shins, which can cause bruising, cuts or even breaks. For that reason, you have to be careful when wearing soccer shoes. Keep your feet on the ground or on the ball but keep them away from other players' shins so that everyone can stay injury free.

You can find soccer shoes at any sporting goods store or even on the internet. Just remember that if you're playing with friends in a fun, friendly game, regular tennis shoes should do the trick. If you're playing on an actual team, competitively, then you want to get real soccer shoes to prevent injury and so that you can play at your best.