Guide To Picking The Right Pair Of Soccer Cleats
If you are experiencing any foot pain with your soccer cleats, there is a good chance that you do not have the right pair of soccer cleats. Getting the sizing right on cleats is so important, especially since you need to have a lot of control over the ball and what your feet are doing.
Sizing
The first consideration that you should make when shopping for soccer cleats is whether the size that you have is right. If your cleats do not fit you well, then you will not have a lot of control over the ball and you are putting yourself at risk for injury.
Soccer cleats should fit snugly, but not so tight that they hurt. You should still be able to feel your feet and move around without pain. Having snug cleats means that you will have better ball feel and control. By snug, we mean that your toes should not be able to touch the end of the cleat. There should be around a quarter of an inch gap at most, but your big toe still might brush against the end ever so slightly. You need the extra space, because swelling is common and your shoes might pinch otherwise.
When it comes to children, it is tempting to buy them soccer cleats that are big enough to last for a couple of seasons and grow into. But, just as you would have trouble controlling your feet and ball with large shoes, your children will run into the same issue. If their cleats are too large, it will be difficult to play well and even harder to learn the techniques that they are working on.
Width
Another consideration that you need to make when shopping for cleats is whether you have the right width. For example, if you have wide feet, you can check this article on Wide Feet Gear in order to find the best soccer cleats for wide feet. If you have wide feet, do not get a narrow or standard width. Otherwise, you might find yourself incredibly uncomfortable. There are plenty of wide soccer cleats on the market, so there is no reason to suffer with cleats that simply are not made for your feet.
Ankle Height
Ankle height is another factor you will need to look into. Standard soccer cleats have a low ankle, which might be what works for you. Other cleats have a mid-profile, so the shoe comes up a little bit in order to add some protection around the ankle. Forwards and wingers will be happier with the low-profile cleats, but defensive positions might like the extra padding you get from the mid-profile cleats.
Material
You might be surprised to learn that cleats to not just come in material, but there are choices. The two most common materials used to make soccer cleats are leather and synthetic leather. Leather has been the preferred choice, because they last longer and they will mold to your foot in order to give you a perfect fit. Leather shoes do have a breaking in period until they fit well, however.
Synthetic leather soccer cleats are typically a little less expensive than leather cleats are. They will not normally stretch around your feet and their shape does not warp over time. Since leather cleats will eventually be the perfect fit for your needs, when it comes to synthetic leather, you will need to get the sizing perfect to begin with, since they will not adapt to fit your feet.
Cleat Brands
There are quite a few soccer cleat brands that you can choose from. All of the major sports brands have them, such as Nike and Adidas, but they are not the only brands to choose from. There are many different soccer cleat brands. Instead of focusing on the brands, you should be looking at the material that they are made out of as well as their sizing options. You should try on your cleats before you play, regardless, just to make sure that the fit is exactly what you need. The brand really doesn’t matter, as long as you get the right pair of soccer cleats to meet your needs.