Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
We are about to hit August, which for many of you means a new preseason is fast approaching. Many of you are probably looking for new boots right now – well here is a list of some important tips that we put together to help you make the right buying decision for the long season ahead.
1 – Pick up 2 pairs of boots!
Many players are under the impression that the more money you pay on boots the more durable they will be – this is completely false! Spending money gets you the most advanced boots in terms of technology but it doesn’t mean the boots are designed to last a full season.
Top tier boots are designed with professional players in mind – what professional player do you know that wears one pair of boots for an entire season?
The better option is to look at picking up 2 pairs of boots; 1 for practice and 1 for game day. Picking up more economical options not only saves money but in many cases results in more durable boots. The tips below should help organize how you go about getting the best deals, but the obviously the important thing to remember is that the cheaper boot will be used for practice while the more expensive boot will be used for game time.
2 – Consider 2nd Tier Options
Many players immediately brush aside second tier releases and look to purchase the more expensive boot in the range – well hold on their Speedy Gonzales. Take a second to look at what the likes of the Nike Miracle or Adidas Absolion have to offer. The second tier of releases are actually usually more durable and last longer – plus they are extremely more economical, saving you more money for a second pair. Larger companies invest more time promoting the top-tier $200 release, for obvious reasons, but it is the 2nd tier $120 that they sell most pairs of. This means a larger audience judge their performance on that 2nd-tier boot – thus a lot of time and effort is invested into producing a quality finished product.
3 – The Unknowns
Some of the lesser known brands keep their prices lower to compete on the market and in many cases their boots offer fantastic value. The likes of Diadora and Lotto are world renowned brands have have a proven track record for quality releases, while the likes of Under Armour and Asics are working to break into the market with their own advanced technologies. These companies are not as prominent when it comes to media advertising, instead they invest additional money in boot performance and word of mouth advertising. A great option right now is the Diadora Maracana – it has a fantastic leather upper and is a perfect back-up boot, at only $69.99!
4 – Last Season’s Releases
Again, many players forget that when they were released, prior releases were the “big thing”. So often with releases, we hear companies saying “these are the best boots ever to hit the market”. Well guess what, they have to say that for every new release! It doesn’t mean that this seasons release is better than the last and in many instances the older version of the boot was actually better. Take the current Predator LZ vs the adiPower Predator – there is an argument for the adiPower being a better release, even though Adidas won’t admit that. With the adiPower already on the market for over a year, prices are starting to drop and there are some great deals to be found on a new pair.
5 – Sales – Hit the Sales!
There are always sales going on that you should be looking to take advantage of. In some cases there might not be a big selection in your size, but with a little persistence you might find that bargain 2nd pair to use as your backup pair. We keep our Steals and Deals page updated with an awesome WeGotSoccer 20% off code listed there right now, keep an eye on that page for some hidden gold.
We want to know your guys opinion on selecting new boots for a long season. If you have any more tips that can be added to the list, leave them in the comments section below.
Hey. I had some Nike Total 90 Laser II FG for a few years until they broke a few months ago. Now I'm looking forward to get some Adidas F10. The thing is that my Total 90 were 10.5 D(M) US, but my foot is slightly wider than normal, so I need to know what size should I get in Adidas. I hope you help me asap.
Hey Rafael,
I have a wider foot and Nikes for me usually fit true to size and true to width. For adidas shoes I currently have two pairs and for me they fit slightly narrower than Nikes and longer as well. As a former F10 weared myself I would say go with your regular size as they tend more true than higher end adidas releases. Hope this helps
José, supongo que hablas bien el español, ¿cierto?
Sí puedo entender español. Yo hablar bien, pero permítame ayudarle lo mejor que puedo. Yo diría que, si vas a pedir un par de adidas F10's luego ordenar su tamaño normal. Es la mejor?
Please correct anything I wrote wrong. I'm trying to practice more. But I still need to speak it more.
*yo HABLO bien ( conjugation error )
So you say I should order a 10.5 D(M) US pair of Adidas?
I usually go with the lesser known brands. I bought a pair of Umbro Stealths for $70 two years ago and a pair of T90 Shoots 3 for $40. They are both still serviceable and I've saved over $300 for another pair if either pair rips before the end of summer 🙂
Which boot do you recommend for striking the ball? I'm thinking about getting a pair of Powercats, Predator LZ or wait for the Maestri III.
ive tried all 3 and find the LZ feel fantastic for shooting, but I really hate the dribbling aspect of it because it tends to over grip. powercats are another great shooting boot and has a k-leather upper which is nice (although it is pretty stiff at first and takes a really long time to break in)
Thank you for the answer! I'm always having a hard time to find shoes that fits good because I get blisters really easy. The Predators seems like a boot that suits me and felt great when I tried them on in a store. I just have to find a pair of Powercats before I decide which cleats to buy.
Do you write the whole blog yourself? Or do you have help?
Bryan writes all the posts on the main site but I am his intern writer for sc101blog which we both write for.
Outlet Stores are the greatest places to get boots. I got a pair of Nike CTR 360's for $105 and a pair of Adidas f50's for 80$.
i got a pair of f50s for $50 at an outlet mall. id never go back to purchasing online thats for sure.
Ross is even better — totally hit or miss but when you hit!!!
I found CTR Maestri for $30 – Adidas Adipure IV for $30 – Adidas Adipower (whites and the the gold DB ones!) for $30 … Puma Powercats for $30 — Adidas F50 for $25!
Crazy deals on soccer jerseys as well!
i already got my two pairs i have the nike ctr360 maestri 2 for game day and the puma king finale for practice but the funny thing is i kind of am in a mixed zone cause i like to play more with the king finals we'll see how it works out
I like the 2 pairs of boots advice.
I'm going into this season with Umbro gt pro and Pele Trinity.
I'll most likely wear my trinitys in games and use my umbro more in practice.
Doesn't have anything to do with what you wrote above,
but since when did Pele release another colourway for the trinity??
just found these online.
http://www.prodirectsoccer.com/products/pele-spor…
Those are weird! Never seen them before.
I know right?
I thought they were fake when I first saw them.
those are released overseas, not here in america
I only buy top tier quality boots in either lesser known brands such as Lotto or buy older season boots at bargain prices. I have about 8 pairs at home right now and I only ever use the 1 or 2 boots anyway. I refuse to pay inflated prices for 'current' releases.
Hey Brian? when is the winner of evoSpeed giveaway going to be announced? Thnx
This is a tangent off of #3 and #4 – I think one common problem people have is that they don’t always have the option to try a pair of boots on in person before buying it. In my case, both large chain stores and small mom-and-pop style stores are really narrowing down on selection; only thing I see in-store nowadays are Nike and Adidas (slight exaggeration, but not far from truth either), and even then, selection is terrible.
I know some people are comfortable with taking a leap of faith with buying online, but I do find it a bit annoying at times, especially given how the return process is, more often than not, big pain in the ass.
i recommend shopping at ebay. i recently bought two adipowers for 120 each.
eby is the ticket if you know your size. Also you can find some rare gems from the past that are still brand new.
adiPure IV SL for the win if you can find your size. Very few left. I stocked up on these classics to last me a few seasons. They are probably the last great classic Adidas release if you're into a FULL kangaroo leather boot that's lightweight.
DCYiddo05 is right, it is hard in many localities to find a store with selection/stock of options. We ended up buying my kids cleats in VA while on vacation, as there are not that many good shops around home (Ohio). We ended up buying lower end cleats, with an eye toward a second pair as fall and the wet season rolls around. It nearly worked out as I found some Puma v1.10’s for $30, but they did not fit him, but his team mate is digging them.
Also at Marshalls, where I got the youth v1.11's I got some PWR cat 1.10's for myself for $35!
prodirectsoccer.com has a great sale going on right now, I just got Umbro Geometra Pro ST. George Collection for 108 plus shipping.
Hey, I'm in the Dominican Republic and I want to order some Adidas Predator Absolion TRX FG. Right now I'm using some Nike Total 90 Laser II FG sized 10.5 D(M) US. What size should I get in Adidas? Please, help me asap.
I just bought Mizuno Neo Estrela's, which are 2nd tier in the Neo range. I've worn them once and can already say they surpass the comfort and touch of my adizero ii's and vapor v's. Their weight is also comparable to to them, being at 190 g (6.7 oz?).
Hey everybody, Im in need of a new pair of boots and am strongly considering the powercat 2.12. Has anybody tried them and if you have, could you let me know the details about them? Such as if they fit true to size, how comfortable they are, performance and such? Huge thanks to anybody that answers this!
Adidas adiPure IV SL … FTW!!! Nuff said.
The more boots I try out the more I realize that comfort is king. Nothing is worse than playing the last 10-15 minutes or more of a game with blisters and bruises from stud pressure, ill fitting and inflexible synthetics and designs. No matter what the gimmick is that claims increased performance in striking, touch, speed, whatever, its nothing compared to how well the boot fits.
hey Brian, I got two pairs but I dont use one for training and one for match, I kinda use both:) thats ok too isnt it?
Great cleats to get are T90 Laser IV. I just got a pair and they fit to your feet very well and are very comfortable even when you first wear them. Plus you can really kill the ball with them.
I find it quite ridiculous that these shoe companies charge several hundred dollars for a shoe that is supposed to be the best ever, yet in fact they cannot make a reasonably durable shoe that lasts for more than one season. Ridiculous. And people eat it up!
In comparison, I also play hockey, and purchased a very high quality skate which cost 150$ on sale, and has lasted for ten years, and will last at least as many more.
For boots now, all the rage is recycled plastic garbage or leather with crappy craftsmanship that breaks in a couple months, often made in sweatshops, and the consumer is charged for silly "technology" that is nothing more than hype!
Wake up people, they charge so much because they can! Supply and demand…
Presently anyone out there can buy the 250$ boot of 2 years ago for near 50$ (ebay et al.) … and someone is still making a profit…
Sigh….
DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
Soccer is the People's Game, not a Corporate Oligarchy!
I don't think you're making a good point with the hockey skates. I think you should compare soccer cleats to hockey sticks which is the essential piece of equipment of the sport and is the one placed under the most strenuous activity. I'm not trying to defend companies making cleats that only last one season but how long can they really make them last I mean the life of a car is only about 10 years and they cost us thousands of dollars and are made using steel and iron. It can't be easy to please those that want a shoe thats light, comfortable, technology packed, with an easy break in time that we will use for at the very least for 90 minutes a week sprinting, stopping, turning, jumping and kicking and still want durability.
Any idea where I could get the adipure IV ?
Does anyone know when Nike is coming out with the new Tiempo elite's? You cannot find them anymore, and the clash versions aren't Elite's. (I want the Elite's because I had a very good experience with them this spring, while my friend had a very bad experience with the regular ones).
You guys should considering heritage release when it comes to a durable yet still has the “tech” that they said and not so “old” looks, and of course they’re cheaper, more constant release and i’m sure the heritage relase won’t let you down as if you’ll gamble on most of “tech” boots available on market, and you could buy last season heritage release for a cheaper yet same tech!
And my best bet is to buy another lesser known brand, sometimes they’re really has that performance compared that brand whose made a nonsense gimmick for sub-200 dollars boot yet sub-100 grams weight, and they’re far more cheaper!
My choice for this season would be :
-Asics Lethal Testimonials ( got a pair for, yes.. $200, but i use this for collection and just sometimes use it, still it has a far more quality!)
-Asics Lethal Trigeor 5 (game boots, $90 for a really performance boots, has many tech that won’t let you down and k-leather!)
-Tiempo Super Ligera (training/game boots, got a pair for only $65)
-adiPure III (training boots, only for $45!)
See, if you don’t mind the Lethal Testimonials, you’ll get 3 boots below $200!
So you guys still wanna buy a “high tech” boots for $200 and will rip for only 3 months while you could buy another 3 boots like me?
I don’t think so..