Shoes...

Discussion in 'Referee' started by OMGFigo, Jul 2, 2012.

  1. DWickham

    DWickham Member

    Dec 26, 2003
    San Diego
    The latest version of the USSF Advice to Referees states, in 5.1:

    "Black shoes are preferred but referees can wear any color shoes as long as they are appropriate to perform the duties required of an official."
     
  2. Errol V

    Errol V Member+

    Mar 30, 2011
    OK, that's all fine and good. But I am never going to step on the pitch in black socks and anything but almost all black shoes.
     
  3. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    You eschew the shorts and jersey? :eek:
     
  4. Errol V

    Errol V Member+

    Mar 30, 2011
    What I do when I get home is my business
     
    uniqueconstraint repped this.
  5. tomek75

    tomek75 Member+

    Aug 13, 2012
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This season I bought some Merrell running shoes on sale and I'm not going back to my Adidas Kanadia's, Thraser's, or Vigor's

    This is what I generally use on Turf
    http://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Acces...=UTF8&qid=1397762854&sr=1-12&keywords=merrell

    and this is what I use on grass or when it's wet. The grip of these things on wet grass or turf is amazing.
    http://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Maste...=UTF8&qid=1397762854&sr=1-20&keywords=merrell

    By the way, they also make them waterproof. Low top and high tops.
     
  6. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    I like the looks of those. How's the toe room?
     
  7. tomek75

    tomek75 Member+

    Aug 13, 2012
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Very generous toe box, just right for my feet. I actually went 1/2 size smaller because of the width and had room to spare. The barefoot name suits these well. They do feel like there is almost nothing on your feet but still have protection on the sole. I use athletic inserts on all my shoes, but honestly the ones that came with the shoes are pretty good.
     
  8. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    Good for side-stepping too?
     
  9. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    And while we're on the topic, what insoles have y'all had success with?
     
  10. Nesto

    Nesto Member

    Nov 3, 2004
    Superfeet all the way! And use Engo patches for the top of the toe box for blister prevention.
     
  11. tomek75

    tomek75 Member+

    Aug 13, 2012
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I tried almost all of them. I finally settled on Friday Scholes active series for most shoes. However for my Merrill's I use profoot memory foam inserts.

    So the answer is, go to a store that specializes in running and have them properly fit you. You'll save yourself some time and money.
     
  12. socal lurker

    socal lurker Member+

    May 30, 2009
    Yup. Superfeet -- the green ones. Helped my feet a lot.
     
  13. jayhonk

    jayhonk Member+

    Oct 9, 2007
    Great...
    I just bought a pair of the Merrill Mix Masters noted above, last week. (For a real good price at a site called 6pm.com.) The toebox on my Asics is jamming my 4th toe, and New Balance haven't been as cushy as I'd like lately. So I sought out a pair of Merrills, because like Keen, they seem to have actually looked at how a foot is shaped before designing their shoes. I wore them around the house for a couple of days, and they were extremely comfortable. I thought I had found the future of shoes. Then I wore them to ref, and had a slightly different reaction.

    The flatness might be a part of the future of shoes, but I wasn't quite ready for that future, yet. With only a 4mm difference between heel and toe, these demand a "natural" gait. The thing is, you have to retrain yourself for that gait. Anyway, I did OK in the center, and this was on a new artificial surface, so it was pretty forgiving. Then, doing an AR, it became apparent that 1) they are not very stable for side stepping, and 2) my legs were sore. Had the 3rd game not been rained out, I was going to go to the car and see what else I had, even the pinchy Asics.

    The two single games I have done since then, I wore the Asics, I could have worn my more expensive NB, but the fields were wet. I plan to run some training sessions with the new Merrills, because they are SO comfortable in general use, if I can work them into games it will be worth it. But until then, they are on a short rotation.
     
    IASocFan and Nesto repped this.
  14. Errol V

    Errol V Member+

    Mar 30, 2011
    I have been using the same pair of green Superfeet for at least ten years - running, refereeing, playing.
     
  15. Chas (Psyatika)

    Oct 6, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Crystal Palace FC
    I use Powersteps, as recommended by someone on this forum (can't remember who).

    I thought about Superfeet, but was overwhelmed by the number of options, and just gave up and went with the Powersteps.
     
  16. Tigan

    Tigan New Member

    Apr 29, 2013
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I tried the Diadoras - too narrow, although stylish. Found that these baseball umpire New Balance turf shoes work quite well on turf and drier grass fields, with the addition of a strategically placed piece of black duct tape over the MLB logo on the tongue. As others have noted, New Balance offers different widths too. I am fortunate to have a New Balance store in town so I had them order for me, tried them, and took them home.

    http://www.amazon.com/New-Balance-M...bs_shoe_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GNSDBT3P28XTBDFYGCM
     
  17. RichM

    RichM Member

    Nov 18, 2009
    Meridian, ID
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Venture5 repped this.
  18. Chas (Psyatika)

    Oct 6, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Crystal Palace FC
    Have you ever seen a baseball umpire run?
     
  19. chwmy

    chwmy Member+

    Feb 27, 2010
  20. Chas (Psyatika)

    Oct 6, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Crystal Palace FC
  21. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    #71 Bubba Atlanta, Apr 20, 2014
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2014
    And I just bought a pair of these along with some green Superfeet. I'll report back after I've used them a time or two.

    I should add for the record that I continue to be very happy with the Adidas Energy Boost running shoes in every respect except for their being so excruciatingly expensive. I've now done forty or fifty games in them, and they've been great in every condition I've used them in, reffing and running, including Friday night's downpour on turf. The only place I haven't wanted to try them - and won't - is muddy conditions. I've been wanting something with a more aggressive tread pattern (and cheaper) for that, and I'm hoping these Merrells will fill that bill. (My Adidas Team Mundials would be great for that if only they weren't a little too small for me in 13, the biggest size they seem to be available in.)

    I'm also still happy with The Recovery Socks I mentioned last month, after a month of using them. I see they're back down to $23 on Amazon after going up to $35 in the meantime, so I just ordered another pair.
     
  22. Bubba Atlanta

    Bubba Atlanta Member+

    Mar 2, 2012
    Yep, Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta United FC
    First outing with the Merrell Mix Master 2/Superfeet Green combo went very well. They're extremely light, lots of room in the toe box, not much cushion, very little drop, both of which the Superfeet Green mitigate at least slightly. Good grip on a trashed grass field with lots of bare dirt. But it was dry - remains to be seen how they do on that same field when it's wet, but I think they'll do fine.
     
  23. chwmy

    chwmy Member+

    Feb 27, 2010
  24. Chas (Psyatika)

    Oct 6, 2005
    USA
    Club:
    Crystal Palace FC
    Well, at least yours arrived...the postman decided not to leave mine at the house :mad:
     
  25. tomek75

    tomek75 Member+

    Aug 13, 2012
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Bubba, I'm glad you like them. I know I do. I just got a pair of shock doctor cleat inserts and I love them even more. I can run in them all day. As for grip in the wet, they're great.
     

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