How do you Choose Soccer Cleats?

Soccer is not always played on the same surface and that is one of the reasons it is the most popular sport in the world. The beautiful game can be played at any time and anywhere and all you need is a ball your feet, and the right footwear to start playing.

Soccer cleats come in different styles and choosing the right cleats is important for optimal performance and preventing injuries on the field. In this blog, I will go over everything you need to know about how to choose soccer cleats because having the right cleats for the right surface is a gamer changer.

Surface

One of the main factors that will determine the type of cleats you need is the primary playing surface that you will spend most of your time on. Different surfaces need specific stud patterns to provide the best traction and stability.

Firm Ground Cleats (FG):

The Firm Ground stud pattern is the most common type of stud pattern that has bladed or conical studs. Firm Ground cleats are used mainly for outdoor play on natural grass fields but can also be used on other surfaces because they are usually the most versatile.

Metal cleats or Soft Ground Cleats (SG)

Soft ground cleats have fewer but longer studs made from metal because they are designed for wet and muddy natural grass fields.

Artificial Grass Cleats (AG):

Artificial grass cleats are designed to be used on artificial grass surfaces and they feature a lot of round studs.

Turf Soccer Shoes

Turf soccer shoes are designed for turf surfaces and they have lot of short studs spread out evenly along the soles of the shoes.

Indoor Court (IC)

Indoor soccer shoes have no studs and are designed to be used on hard surfaces, such as when playing futsal or pickup games on concrete.

Budget

The next thing to consider once you know which type of cleats you need is your budget. How much money are you willing to spend and how much makes sense to spend based on your current budget?

If you are looking for the best most expensive models you will be paying anywhere from $200 + and if you are looking for cheaper models you will be spending less than $100. This is why it is important to understand how much soccer cleats cost and how you can get the best bang for you buck.

Size

After you have decided what stud pattern you need, you need to find the right size for you. Use the following steps to find out what size cleats you need:

• Determine what type of foot you have- wide or narrow?
• Get measurements of your feet to know how much they measure in inches or centimeters
• Find a cleat size chart from the brand of the cleats you are interested in buying
• Match your foot size with the size chart
• Try the cleats on with a pair of socks or grip socks that you will use during a real game or training session and see how they fit
• From there determine if you need more or less space
• Avoid overly tight cleats that provide too much of a snug fit
  

Your cleats need to fit snuggly but they should not be too tight that they cause pain or discomfort. It’s normal for them to feel a bit tight for the first few days to a week because they have to go through the break-in period.

Materials

Soccer cleats can be made from different materials that can affect the cleat’s durability, break in period, and comfortability. The main types of materials soccer cleats are made of are knitted fabrics, synthetic materials, and leather.

Leather soccer cleats tend to be more long-lasting and premium option of the three, plus they can provide a more custom fit because of the natural materials, but they may need extra care and attention.

I’m currently playing with Puma King Ultimate FGs for outdoor and Nike Mercurials for indoor

Personal Preferences

Even though personal preferences is at the end of this list, it is just as important, if not more important than the others factors on this list.

• What type of cleats do you find most comfortable?
• What cleats do you like the most?
• What brand do you like the most?
• What is your favorite color?
• Do you want to add any personal customization?
• Laceless or with lace?

Summary

To summarize, the main things to consider when choosing a new pair of soccer cleats are the type of cleats, your budget, your size, materials, and personal preferences. In this blog post I provided you with everything you need to know about how to choose the right soccer cleats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should soccer cleats fit?

A very common question a lot of people ask is how should soccer cleats fit? Your soccer cleats need a nice snug fit and should provide a sock-like feel, but they must provide enough room for you to be able to retract your toes inside of the cleats. There should be some space between your toes and the end of the shoe, but not too much and not too little.

How to clean soccer cleats?

To clean soccer cleats check out this detailed guide: how to clean soccer cleats.

How long should soccer cleats last?

Soccer cleats usually last about 1 to 2 seasons which is about 1 to 2 years, but this depends on a lot of different factors.