If this is the first time for you to buy football cleats, savor the moment first. It can be exhilarating as well as terrifying. They are more than just a pair of shoes. They are your gear that can determine if you will be a scorer or only a mediocre player.
Before you get confused, read the tips below.
The Brands
Brands get popular for some reasons. In football, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Diadora, Kappa, and Under Armour are familiar names with celebrity athletes endorsing them. They also claim to have unique technologies applied to the design of their cleats. Some are gimmicks, while the others work.
For instance, in 2015, Nike launched the Nike Vapor Speed Cleats. And the unique feature in that series was the Untouchable design. It basically substituted the plating underneath the cleats with carbon fiber instead of metal plates. And the company claimed that technology could return any force put down to the cleats. In other words, they made the wearer’s energy efficiently transferable. But did it work? Or was it just a cheap marketing strategy aimed at gullible buyers? Well, it’s hard to say. Many buyer reviews are saying that it’s not worth the money, while some others say that the tech works. And for you, there will be no other way to tell this unless you put the cleats on by yourself. Different brands have different feels, and you’d better start saving money so that you can find a pair that is truly yours.
The Size
The size of the cleats is exactly the factor that should make you think twice or even three times before you buy a pair online. Unless you have experience with the brand, and you know that the vendor only sells genuine products, you’d better visit a brick-and-mortar sportswear store and pick the cleats there. And one more thing, you should put the socks that you like to wear for playing when you are to try putting on those cleats.
The cleats must not be either too big or too small. It’s got to feel just right on your feet because they will impact your agility on the field. Besides, cleats with an unfitting size increase your chances of injuries.
The Materials
Cleats are often made of either synthetic or natural leather. But their quality depends strongly on the brand’s quality. For instance, if you have natural leather cleats, but then it is made by an unknown company, the tanning may not be good enough, and the cleats can end up causing your feet to smell. For natural leather, Kangaroo’s leather and calfskin are the best materials.
As for synthetic leather, you need to know that it doesn’t last as long as the natural counterpart. But for an entry-level player, synthetic leather cleats can be the most economical option.