does it matter if you have cheap boots?

[Kickz019]

I have a pair of cross treckers and they seem to be holding up fine, i've had them for two years but do other brands hold up better???

[giggs88]

no, it doesn't. pele played barefoot for a while.

[AFCA]

Big difference between barefooted or with bad shoes.

Cheap doesn't mean bad though.

[comme]

It really matter if you have good boots or not. As long as they don't hurt your feet and are not too big for you then that is fine.

BTW have a look in the Play forum for more tips about how to get better.

[BadReligion]

Not at all. It's how you use them.

[Auriaprottu]

Does it?

If you can't afford more expensive ones, no.

[Maczebus]

As others have said - 'cheap' doesn't equal 'bad'.

I had a pair (played rugby, not football) of really cheap ones £15 or so and they were great - really comfortable but not being terribly sturdy they fell to pieces more quickly than I would have wanted. Conversely I've also had cheap boots that cut into my feet, chafed my toes (especially when wet) and basically I'd have done better if I'd worn the box they came in.
Conversely again (is that possible?) I bought some Pumas for about 400% what I was used to paying - and the studs (the screw bits!) started coming through the sole of the boot into my foot.

There is no hard and fast rule - sometimes it's just down to pure luck. Although if your boots are affecting your feet (rubbing, cramping etc), then bin them. Don't mess up your feet for the want of a few extra £/$.
You are more likely to get a better designed boot the more you spend, and as such will probably be better for your feet - but as we're all physically different, that might not be the case for all boots.

[AFCA]

That's the trouble with shoes. If you want the perfect shoe it will have to be designed for you.

Other than that I can only state what appears to be common knowledge these days (maybe not to all so I'll share :D)

The bending point of the shoe has to be at the toes and not in the middle. Easy way to check if a shoe is complete rubbish or not.

[billyireland]

I remember back about 5 years ago when ronaldo was the next Maradona and was endorsing Adidas Predators when they first came out, I was about 12 and my friend HAD to get one. These bad boys cost IR£120 (over US$200!) and decided to get them for his birthday (what a waste). They made no difference, and started comig apart in about a year. when they were still together, he didn't get better and remained a sub in the same team where I got starting rightback, so it didn't exactly help his playing, either - he's a flashy fu(ker, but useless in matches (trying to run half the pitch, no physical presence, etc.)

About a month after he got the Predators, I got a pair of Nike boots for about IR£25 (US$50-ish) and they lasted a good 8 months until I grew out of them. They were lying around under the stairs for about 2 or 3 years, and my friends little brother uses them now, and they are still in pretty good condition, I figure he'll at least get the summer out of 'em.

[skipshady]

There's a reason top players wear expensive boots. It's because they get paid by Nike and Adidas to wear the latest boots with all kinds of bells and whistles, so people will go out and spend their hard earned money on them.

The important thing is the fit. The top shoes cost $180 because people will spend that much money, not because they're actually worth $180.

[kckicker23]

What you guys say is true, that the amount of money doesn't necessarily mean that the shoe will be of higher quality.

However, I have worn many pairs of adidas boots and I have found that the higher priced boots ARE of better quality. I had a pair of Copa Mundials that I wore for 2 years before they wore out: they were awesome. Then I bought Predators (the type that was out right before the current style) and I noticed a difference in quality, fit and performance. Then when those wore out I didn't want to spend $200 for the new Predators so I bought the Supernovas: the next best thing. They are AWESOME. The fit is incredible and way better than the Copas are. However, my brother has Predators and they ARE better than my Supernova.

So basically what I'm saying is that the top priced boots are better, in my opinion. Besides, it makes you feel pretty damn good wearing professional-quality boots (as long as you don't break the bank paying for them - I'm lucky that I can afford good shoes).

[JRstriker12]

Overall I would say no. I've played with guys that could make me look silly even if they were wearing wooden clogs.

However, I would say that the fit/comfort/durability of some of the more expesive shoes are better than some of the cheaper shoes. The air soles in the bottom of my Nike Internationals are much more comfy than the cheaper Adidas and Lottos shoes I have owned in the past. (Not that more expensive Lottos or Adidas would have been just as comfortable)

But having said that, I"m sure there's no difference in my play between the two shoes, it's just the newer Nike have more cushion.

The one case where I could see cheaper shoes affecting you play is when cheaper shoes have soft rubber cleats instead of the hard plastic leats and that can affect your traction on the field.

[Metro]

It matters to me. I've bought cheap boots in the past and ended up giving them away after a couple of games. I absolutely hate vinyl or synthetic boots. I usually have to buy several pairs a year at $35-$50/pair because they wear out quickly.

I bought a pair of Copa Mundials for US$80 and they lasted 4 years. And I play all year, several times a week. $20 a year for a pair of pro boots is not bad. $100 a year for a bunch of crap boots is bad. I bought a new pair of Copas for outdoor and I have a pair of Puma King for indoor.

On the other hand, a good friend of mine swears by his $30 vinyl Adidas. I don't remember the last time he paid more than $38 for a pair of boots. I think if you start using good boots, you will never go back to cheap boots. And I started using good boots around the age of 15. My first good pairs were Patrick Stabil for outdoor and Patrick Villan for indoor.

But obviously, if you find a pair of foots that fit well, don't need to be broken in, and don't cost much, get them. Just because boots are expensive doesn't mean they are better for you.