How to Shrink Soccer Cleats to Make them More Comfortable
Knowing how to shrink soccer cleats is very important because it can give your cleats a better fit, which can enhance comfort, improve performance, and reduce the risk of injuries. As a soccer player, from youth all the way up to the professional level, one of the best feelings in the world is getting a brand new pair of soccer cleats, which are one of the most essential pieces of soccer gear and equipment.
But what do you do when you find out your brand new pair of cleats are too big? Maybe the only available pair of cleats were a size too big or someone gave you big soccer cleats as a gift.
Whatever the reason may be as to why you need to shrink your soccer cleats, this blog will explain various ways to make your soccer cleats smaller so that they can fit better. The first few options will not change the size of your cleats, but will make them fit better, while the last options will actually change the size of your cleats.
Try them out and see which technique helps you make your cleats fit more comfortable and secure.
Properly Lace your Soccer Cleats
One of the easiest ways to make your soccer cleats fit better is to lace them properly and it is also important to try different lacing styles to see what works best for you. This should be one of the first things to check for when trying to make your cleats fit better.
Wear Thick Socks or Double Socks
If your cleats are too big, another one of the most effective ways to make them fit better, although this won’t necessarily shrink your cleats, is to wear a thick pair of socks or grip socks. Wearing a pair of comfortable thick socks or even using double socks will help your cleats fit better by filling up the extra space inside the cleats. Having really thin socks might make your feet slide around more inside the cleats.
Wear Insoles
Similar to the last method for making your cleats more comfortable, this method will not necessarily shrink your cleats. If you don’t have access to a thick pair of socks, or don’t like double socking, then you can consider using high quality insoles to help make your cleats fit better.
The Freezer Trick
Now, onto the first method that can actually change the size of your cleats, the freezer trick. For this simple method all you need is a plastic bag, water, your soccer cleats, and a freezer.
Place a plastic bag in each shoe and fill them with water. Place the shoes inside of a freezer to allow the water to freeze, expand, and stretch the shoe.
Use Hot to Warm Water
The next technique for shrinking your cleats requires using hot water. For this trick, simply fill up a bucket with hot water, put your cleats on, plus a pair of socks, and put your feet, while wearing the cleats, inside of the water.
Let your feet and the cleats soak for about 30 minutes and you will find that afterwards your cleats will fit a lot better. You don’t have to use boiling water but it should be hot, not warm.
Use Hot Air from an Airdryer
Similar to the last method, this method will require soaking your shoes in water first. After your cleats have soaked for about 30 minutes you can use a hairdryer to blow hot air into your cleats, which will help shrink them.
Use a Dryer
The last trick, which is similar to the last two, includes using water and heat. Begin by soaking your cleats in water for about 30 minutes and afterwards put them in a dryer on low heat, which can help with the shrinking process.
Put your socks and cleats on and submerge them in a tub of hot water
Summary
To summarize, properly fitting soccer cleats are essential for comfort and performance on the field. Whether dealing with oversized cleats or looking to improve the comfortability of your cleats, the techniques in this guide will help your soccer cleats fit and feel better.
In this blog, I covered everything you need to know about how to shrink your soccer cleats, your most important weapon and piece of equipment on the soccer field.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 stretch soccer cleats?
On the opposite end of knowing how to shrink your soccer cleats is knowing how to stretch your cleats, if they are running a size too small.
Do soccer cleats run true to size or do they run smaller or larger?
The answer to this question will depend on the brand which is why it is important to make sure to do some research first before you choose a new pair of soccer cleats. For the best possible fit make sure to get wide soccer cleats that are made out of leather as these cleats will provide the most custom fit since the natural leather will mold to the shape of your feet.
