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How to buy Soccer Cleats
SHOES
How To Buy Soccer Cleats
Soccer is a game that is primarily played with your feet. Therefore your
most important piece of soccer equipment is your footwear. A good pair of
cleats, or boots as many people call them, is essential. There are variations
of the basic soccer cleat designed for different skill levels, weather
conditions, and field types.
Types of Cleats
There are many factors to consider when selecting a soccer shoe.
The types of fields and surfaces you will be playing on,
How much you would like to spend, the
width and or narrow
Firm Ground/ Molded cleats
- Firm
Ground or Molded cleats refer to the type of bottom on the shoe. This type
of bottom is most typical for soccer shoes.
- They
use non-removable rubber, or hard plastic formed on the bottom of the shoe
to provide traction and control
- This
type of bottom is good for use on firm grass fields. Some players are also
playing in these for use on the new synthetic turf fields.
- All
levels of players can wear these.
Soft Ground/ Detachable cleats
- These
types of soccer shoes feature studs on the bottom that can be screwed on
and off and be replaced easily
- The
cleats vary in length and are usually made of hard plastic
- Players
can change the type and length of stud depending on the weather conditions
of that day's game or practice
- If
you play on a lot of wet, soggy fields or on well-groomed, soft grass
fields, consider wearing detachable stud cleats
Turf shoes
- These
contain various raised patterns small rubber cleats on the bottom in place
of studs
- They
are good for use on harder outdoor surfaces and on artificial turf
- These
are generally good training shoes that could serve as a back-up game pair
for hard-surface conditions. They are also good for coaching in
Indoor shoes
- Indoor
soccer shoes resemble low-cut, lightweight sneakers and are designed for
playing indoor soccer in a gym or recreational facility
- They
feature a flat, rubbery-type bottom for better traction on indoor courts
and fields
- Most indoor facilities
will require these to be used when playing to extend the life of the turf
Materials
Soccer shoes come in two basic materials: leather and synthetic
Leather
- Leather
uppers are very common in soccer shoes
- Full-grain
leather
shoes are strong and durable, while variations such as Kangaroo
leather are more flexible and offer an even better feel
- The
softer the leather, the better the feel for the ball, but also the less
durable the shoe
- Leather
shoes also absorb more water than synthetic shoes. They are not
recommended for constant use on wet fields, however, water treatment
options are available.
Synthetic
- There
are various types of quality in synthetic shoes. Not long ago if someone
said they wanted a synthetic shoe you would automatically think that they
wanted a shoe that was not expensive. That day has long gone.
Synthetic shoes can range from $19.99 to $200.00
- Synthetic
shoes are generally very light weight and they wont stretch out
- Synthetic
shoes will hold up better if you are playing in a lot of wet conditions
Determining
Your Size
Fit tips
- Soccer
shoes are sized like regular shoes, but most are designed with a more
narrow upper than typical sneakers to allow for better feel and control of
the ball
- High-quality
leather shoes will generally stretch a bit when worn. They will actually
mold to the shape of your foot, so they should fit snugly when new.
- Shoes
that are too small are one of the major causes of foot pain and problems
with athletic footwear. But soccer cleats should naturally fit more snugly
than other athletic shoes because of their design. .
- Players
should also consider the width of there foot.
You do not want a shoe that is too narrow or too wide
- When
determining the correct fit for younger players we have found that a good
rule is to have the player stand with both feet spread slightly apart.
Take your thumb and place it width wise at the end of the players
toe. You should allow for about a
thumbs width of space between the end of the shoe and the toe.
This will allow a young player a little room to grow but not so
much that they will slip in the shoe.
Determining your shoe size
- Determining
your proper shoe size is essential to a comfortable fit
- Don't
assume you shoe size is the same as it has always been. The shape of you
feet changes over time.
Determine Your Shoe Size
Like regular street shoes, athletic shoe sizing is based on the length and
width of your foot. Determining your proper shoe size is essential to a
comfortable fit.
- Fit
tips
- Measurement
tips
- How
to measure your foot
- Men's
to Women's Conversion Chart
Fit tips
- Shoes
that are too small are one of the major causes of foot pain and problems
- Shoes
that are too large can cause blistering and a lack of stability
- Don't
assume your shoe size is the same as it always has been. The shape of your
feet changes over time.
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Measurement tips
- Take
your measurements at the end of the day, when your feet are the largest
- Wear
the socks that you will be playing and practicing in
- Measure
both feet and fit shoes to the larger foot
- If
you are doing the measurement by yourself, you will get more accurate
results if you sit in a chair when measuring. Don't stand.
- If
you have someone to help you take your foot measurement, standing is the
best choice
- You
may take measurements in inches or centimeters. To convert inches to
centimeters, multiply inches by 2.54.
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How to measure your foot
- While
seated, place your foot on a piece of paper in front of you
- With
a pencil, trace around your foot. Hold the pencil as straight up-and-down
as possible while measuring and be sure that your pencil remains in
constant contact with your foot during this process.
- With
a ruler, measure your tracing to determine your foot length and width
- Foot
length
- To
find your foot length, measure the distance between the two longest
points on your tracing. Reduce this number by 5 mm, or 1/5-inch. The
result is your foot length and the number you will use to determine
your shoe size.
- Foot
width
- To
find your foot width, measure the distance between the two widest
points on your tracing. Reduce this number by 5 mm, or 1/5-inch. The
result is the number you will use to determine your foot width. Use
the chart below to determine your width.
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Conversion Chart
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Men's
to Women's Conversion Chart
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Men's
|
Women's
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3.5
|
5
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4
|
5.5
|
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4.5
|
6
|
|
5
|
6.5
|
|
5.5
|
7
|
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6
|
7.5
|
|
6.5
|
8
|
|
7
|
8.5
|
|
7.5
|
9
|
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8
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9.5
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8.5
|
10
|
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9
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10.5
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9.5
|
11
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10
|
11.5
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