Do new cleats make that much of a difference?

[Ictar]

Well, the way some of you guys and gals talk about your cleats it sounds more like you're deciding which car to buy.

Do certain cleats make that much of a difference to you? Or is it psychological, other than finding a comfortable pair?

I ask because I've only owned one pair of cleats since 8th grade, and I'm not sure I see that changing. They're still in good condition, but there never was a whole lot of padding in them. If I play for 3-4 hours at a time my feet can get to hurting, so I was thinking of trying to find some better ones. My feet have grown too big for them to put in insoles, too. ;)

[MetrosSoccaFan10]

Through my many years of playing the game, I've found that different pairs of cleats do in fact pose different qualities. For example, I've discovered that the Nike Vapors have a great material. They help you bend a ball so easily. If you are too cheap to buy the Vapors, Nike Talarias do the trick superbly, and at a more reasonable cost. So yes, I've found that new pairs of cleats are good for your game. And might I add, if you buy the chrome version of each, it will make you look better. :-)

[Keep87]

As long as they're comfortable and have a good fell it shouldn't make that much of a difference.

[hambone]

New cleats make no difference. Just as long as your cleats are legal have good traction and good fit it really doesn't matter. I buy the cheapest ones that fit my foot. It's what's on the inside that counts :)

[romagol10]

For me fit is the most important aspect I look for in boots. Psycologically I do like to have nice boots though I like knowing that the boots I wear are no different than what Beckham and Raul wear (predators) and some boots like vapors feel very different from anything else. Also I like my boots to look good, and good looks often come with a larger price tag.

[Ictar]

How do they help you bend the ball better? I'm curious.

[Jc18star]

Originally posted by romagol10
For me fit is the most important aspect I look for in boots. Psycologically I do like to have nice boots though I like knowing that the boots I wear are no different than what Beckham and Raul wear (predators) and some boots like vapors feel very different from anything else. Also I like my boots to look good, and good looks often come with a larger price tag.

Have a look at this thread I started a while back, it discusses the difference in the shoes you and I can buy and what the Pro players really wear because most of the time they are really only wearing a boot that looks like the ones we can buy

http://bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56256

[romagol10]

Jeez. While I expected that Pro's would have their shoes custom fitted or maybe altered slightly (as in different studs, longer tongues, or different padding) I always thought they were pretty much the same as what is sold in stores.

[Anarchist]

Originally posted by Ictar
How do they help you bend the ball better? I'm curious.

The Nikeskin upper on the Vapors is some special kind of fabric that grips the ball better so you can get around it. At least, that's my perception of how it works

[spejic]

Mostly I would say no, but there are some differences. I do find that the blade-style cleats on the new Puma Kings provide better traction and are more comfortable than the normal cleats I had before.

[Elninho]

I think it all comes down to fit and comfort. While a lot of people might prefer Nike Vapors, I think in the end I can shoot a whole lot better in my Fila Claudio Reynas, which are not nearly as popular, as expensive, or as high-tech. That's because I have wide feet, and Fila designs for wider feet than Nike does. More comfort = higher performance, no matter what the boots are made of.