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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I have been using the same pair of green Superfeet for at least ten years - running, refereeing, playing.
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.
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
My current shoes: http://www.amazon.com/New-Balance-M...keywords=new+balance+mt510+trail-running+shoe Just replaced an older pair of the same that I wore out last year.. Available in wide widths for those that need them. I use them with Powerstep ProTech inserts
Exactly. Might as well have gotten these: http://www.amazon.com/New-Balance-B...bs_shoe_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=02DF86P7CH984DZMDQ9H
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.
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.
I just got a pair of these turfs: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EHRFPKW/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1398481425&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70 I have a pair of joma cleats that I really like, so I thought I would try these. These have been super comfy! They were great from the first wear- no hot spots or bruised toenails. Significantly more comfortable than the diadora maracana turfs I've been using.
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.