I am going to buy new soccer cleats since my old ones are ruining my feet. I have never really had even average cleats, always around 25$. I know you cannot become a great player by having expensive shoes (as some people seem to think). But can they affect your game even a little? Or is there no point in buying expensive shoes at all? Im not thinking about buying 100$+ soccer shoes but maybe 50-75$ ones.
They definately matter! You don't need 100 or 200 dollar shoes, but try out as many as you can and go with the ones that seem to fit your foot just right. And if you find a good pair that's comfortable and works well stick with it. Never mind all the colors and gimmicks.
A good fit is most important. Good uppers really make a difference in the amount of control you have. Kangaroo skin is very light and flexible so it fits your foot perfectly. That lets you get more surface contact with the ball than if you use cheap stiff leather uppers. That makes for more control. You can see and feel the difference in the uppers. Edit: Just so its clear, I am not saying that good shoes will give you more skill. They don't.
Shoes are not going to make you run faster or shoot harder but a comfortable pair of cleets can help you. Depends how much soccer your playing
Exactly. Usually more expensive shoes are made out of better, more durable material, such as Kangaroo leather
? Kangaroo leather is usually softer and much less durable. I have probably owned about a hundred pairs of soccer shoes in my life. The most durable are usually the cheaper ones (but not the very cheapest, which are also not durable.) I worked in a store, and people always brought back expensive cleats because after a few weeks, they would tear, or the cleats would break off or something like that. But the very top level cleats, the ones that are more than about $175, usually have some protection in the spots where cleats tend to tear, while shoes like Copa Mundials are made out of the same leather, but are going to wear out faster. Comfort is by far the most important thing about a shoe. If the most comfortable shoe costs $40, buy it. But, most people will find that expensive shoes are more comfortable. Softer leather molds to your foot, and they are usually designed with ergonomics in mind. For most people, this makes expensive shoes more comfortable. I bought mid level shoes most of my life, in the $70 range. Then when I worked at a store, I tried on a pair of predators and immedietely realized there was something better about them than any shoe I had ever worn. They fit my foot perfectly. Since I could get them at cost, I bought them and have worn expensive shoes ever since, even though I don't get them at cost anymore. I am wearing Puma's vkonstrukt right now, because they actually felt a little better to me than the predators. The newest predators for some reson felt perfect on my right foot, but awful on my left, so I didn't take a chance. If you play a lot, comfortable shoes are crucial. Soccer, obviously, is brutal on your feet, and good comfortable shoes will extend the amount you can play at full capacity. Good shoes that are tight around the instep will also improve performance, especially in already skilled players. If we could run barefoot and had tougher skin on the top of our feet, we would be much better off playing barefoot. The foot is amazingly a very versatile tool for kicking. Kicking off even slightly different parts of the foot will have dramatic differences. Your foot is like a single magical golf club, you can use it to tee off, putt, and and everything in between. But a shoe that isn't tight around your foot will take away it's unique shape, sort of like the difference between playing golf with a full set of clubs and a kids set with a driver, 9-iron and putter. Good shoes with soft leather can usually fit tighter around the foot, and the best shoes like the predators and Pumas are even designed to take full advantage of the shape of your foot. But usually any shoe with soft leather, if fitted properly, will mold itself into a good shape. To continue with the golf analogy, if you are a bad player, you don't really need anything but a driver, 9-iron and putter. So other than for comfort, bad soccer players don't need good shoes. And Tiger Woods could probably still shoot 5 under par with just those three clubs. But clearly, he would prefer to have everything because he has the capacity to take advantage of the subtle differences in clubs. Average players probably don't need the very best shoes, but I think it not so much makes them a better player as it does makes it easier for them to improve themselves. It still takes practice to hit perfect corner kicks, but with proper shoes, you have one less obstacle, even if it isn't a major obstacle. Good shoes will make it a little easier to feel exactly where on your foot you are making contact, therefore making it easier to learn the best spot. And weight can also be a slight issue. Especially if you play in wet conditions, you can notice how a little more spring in your step in light shoes. This is one of the only things I've ever like about synthetic shoes. I keep a pair of six-studs which I only use in the rain, which are synthetic. Let's put it this way, you don't see pro players, even low-division players who don't get free shoes, wearing cheap shoes. They don't all wear $200 cleats, but they almost all wear kangaroo or similarly soft leather. It is more comfortable and a good player can tell the difference. People ask the same question about balls. If you are a reasonably skilled player, you can tell the difference between kicking a Nike Aerow and a $20 practice ball.
excellent post sokol. But boldaring don't rule out synthetic shoes. IMO certain synthetic boots are excellent like +F50s and vapors
Oh, the cleats matter, alot more than people think. These things are factory-tested before they're put out on the market. The predators, with the fins sticking out on the side, can increase shooting power and put more swerve on the ball, for example. And the best shoes for dribbling, in my opinion, are the R9 mercurials. They were designed specifically for Ronaldo's foot, before Nike decided to put them on the market for everyone. Anyone who has played beach soccer or street soccer barefoot knows its much easier to dribble barefoot, do feints and step over the ball than with any type of shoe on your feet. The R9s are extremely lightweight and have a barefooted feel to them, and if you find the correct size, should fit perfectly around your foot. They can also increase your speed, slightly, though if you're slow they won't make you Henry. However, you can't quite get the power you would with the predators, while you couldn't dribble as well with the predators either. And the type of studs is obvious(depending on wether you're playing on a soggy pitch, a rock-hard one, synthetic one, etc.) and shouldn't need much explanation. It is harder to roll the ball with the sole of your shoe with long studs though. The cleats don't make the player, but if you try and test out different ones until you find what fits you best, they definately can improve your performance.
I kind of agree with Antonio81 but I dont think boots can improve performance. I think they either hinder your performance with stupid attempts to make the boot seem to make you better, (like the predator fins, I think they're a load of rubbish) or a good boot will help you play at your peak but will certainly not make you a better player than you actually are.
Exactly vapors wont help you run faster and predators don't help you bend the ball like Beckham. Good shoes will not give you blisters and will be comfortable while you play
I'd also like to add: If you find a pair of shoes that you REALLY REALLY REALLY like... buy as many pair as you can possibly afford. Especially if you're already done growing. Eventually they will stop making your favorite boot. I wish every time I play in my increasingly beat-up Predator Manias that I'd been able to buy 4 or 5 pair that I could rotate in and out of use. As it is my silver US13s that I use with a special insole for indoor use are almost dead.. and my red US12.5's that I use for outdoor are starting to see better days as well.
Not to mention "comfort". I have bunions and that means trying to find boots that will stretch appropriately and accomodate the width and feel that I need to avoid pain.
Youir shoes are EXTREMELY important. I learned the hard way when I wanted to save money and got cheap shoes. BIG mistake. my feet always hurt and it actually affected by lower back. My current shoes feel like they were custom made for my foot. I paid like 75 dollars for them, but the leather is soft and durable and it has taken to the shape of my foot I LOVE them!
Getting the perfect shoes can help you fine-tune your performance. They may not make a major difference, but might give you that little edge you need to win a tight game.
This may be true, but remember that the synthetics do not stretch and mold to your foot the way leather does. I used to always buy my boots a little on the tight side, taking into account the leather stretching over time. I made the mistake of doing the same thing with a synthetic pair a few years ago, and got major blisters and crushed toes every time I wore them.