Selecting Your Soccer Cleat
Whether you need cleats for the men's game, women's or youth divisions, here at Dick's Sporting Goods we provide cleats for all levels of play from beginner to the most enthusiastic travel player. There are a number of factors to consider when purchasing soccer footwear including the level of your game and the types of fields you play on. Most leagues require you to wear the proper cleats during play. You can check with your coach or local league association for details.
We will pilot you through the different types of cleats available providing you with the knowledge of the specific benefits of each style.
Soccer Cleats Construction and Materials
With soccer's worldwide popularity and strong universal competition, the materials used in the shoe you choose are pivotal. At Dick's Sporting Goods, we are constantly doing research to find the perfect combination of improved features and new technologies.
Leather
| Offers strength, breathability, and durability |
| Softer leather provides a better feel when dribbling or shooting the ball |
| For a good fit and feel leather allows and increases comfort with each use |
| Full-grain leather shoes are strong and durable |
| Leather is extremely flexible and soft |
| Wicks away more water and keeps moisture out better than synthetic shoes |
Synthetic
| Great for all levels of play |
| Easy to clean and dry out |
| Generally contains a water treatment to help the cleat last better under poor playing conditions, including wet grassy fields |
Rubber/TPU
| Provides superior traction, specifically on grassy fields of play |
| Rubber/TPU outsoles are the most common material in soccer shoes due to their ability to prevent slipping |
Men's Cleats
The men's soccer game is known for its blazing speed and powerful athletes. In order to get the skillful edge necessary for success, Dick's Sporting Goods offers soccer cleats that not only maximize your mobility, but provide outstanding foot protection.
Customize Your Feet
The fit of your soccer cleats is crucial to performance. Soccer cleats are usually narrower than other types of shoes, allowing for greater ball control. When you lace them up tightly, take a walk around. The inner seams should not irritate the foot. These cleats are an extension of you, so find a style and color scheme that brings out your personality.
Types of Cleats
Whether you play indoor, outdoor, or on artificial turf, we have the soccer cleat that's right for your feet. Below you will find the features and benefits of each type of cleat for the appropriate surface you will be playing on:
Molded/Firm Ground Soccer Cleats: Perfect for both beginner to advanced soccer players as they are versatile on most field types and in various conditions. The cleats come in different patterns, but the cleats themselves are always made of non-detachable plastic.
- Designed for all surfaces, allowing you to keep your footing, make quick turns and possess the ball with ease.
- Non-removable rubber or hard plastic. Is formed on the bottom to help provide traction and control.
- Works well on a traditional grass field and turf, typically featuring molded studs in either a circular or blade shape that can not be removed.
- Harder polyurethane in the tip for durability and a softer one at the sole and stud base for less pressure on the foot.
- These shoes have between 10 to 14 individual cleats in locations critical for pivoting and traction.
Detachable/Soft Ground Soccer Cleats: For the intermediate to advanced soccer player performing on soft surfaces. They are primarily made of plastic, but they have screw in metal studs that can be removed, which increases the versatility of the cleat.
- Better for players with more experience.
- On a soft, muddy field, the cleats screw out and longer ones can be inserted.
- Feature studs on the bottom that can be screwed on and off and replaced easily.
- Ideal for experienced players who can tailor the cleats to their playing field and weather conditions.
- Removable studs allow the players to adjust their length depending on how slippery the conditions are.
- Players can choose between metal or plastic.
- The studs are specifically structured so that they are spaced wide enough apart to prevent mud from clumping.
- Most models have two to four studs under the heel and four studs under the ball of the foot.
Hard Ground Cleats: Performs best on a hard, dry-grass field or synthetic grass, providing players with superior traction.
- Most useful in dry conditions when fields may not be watered adequately.
- Features molded round plastic studs that are much shorter and have more studs than firm ground cleats.
- Studs on these cleats sit on top of the playing surface to provide traction without digging into the ground.
- This design most often has a dozen shorter circular studs with a group of four near the toes, four between the ball of the foot and arches, and four in the heels.
Turf Shoes Features and Benefits:
- Non-stud shoes with specialized rubber soles geared toward playing indoor soccer or on artificial turf.
- Contain various raised patterns on the bottom in place of studs, for use on harder outdoor surfaces and on artificial turf.
- Generally good training shoes that can serve as a back-up game pair for hard-surface conditions.
Indoor Soccer Shoes: Gives you the control and foot traction for lateral cuts and pivots. Speed, traction, and ball control is important for the indoor game. Indoor Shoes have a light construction, enabling you to get a good feel for both the turf and the ball itself when shooting or passing. The indoor game involves a lot of quick cutting from side-to-side, and lighter shoes are crucial for these movements.
- Better control of the ball and for sprinting up and down the floor.
- More durable, with real leather or synthetic leather uppers and strong stitching.
- They are designed to withstand regular ball contact and other impacts.
- These can give you more control and an increased overall feel for the ball.
- Flat-surfaced outsoles provide greater grip and traction.
Shop our great selection of Adult Cleats.
Youth Cleats
When your youth decides to kick into the soccer world, the proper footwear should provide ventilation, stability, and durability for the ultimate feeling of security and safety. Youngsters should go with molded cleats for safety reasons as the bottom of the shoe is rubber, not metal.
Fight the urge to get your youth a cleat that is too big. Instead of getting a shoe with extra room in it, get the shoe that fits perfectly now. Getting too large of a shoe can cause blisters and sprained ankles. A snug fit is the right fit when it comes to the proper soccer footwear.
5 Tips for Proper Kicks
| Leather stretches and then molds to the foot. |
| Choose the correct fit that will not affect the growth of the feet. |
| Try on cleats with soccer socks and shin guards to ensure proper fit. |
| Check out the soles. Regulation rubber studs provide traction and stability. |
| They should be snug at the top. This will allow for a better feel for the ball when you are passing, dribbling and shooting. As the shoes get worn in, the upper will stretch and become more comfortable. |
Shop our great selection of Youth Cleats.
WOMEN'S CLEATS
The women's game of soccer is represented by power, speed, and agility. Having the proper footwear will be your best teammate on the field. At Dick's Sporting Goods, our cleats have a new stud shape which allows increased stability and improved lateral movements.
When it comes to your style, we offer many sleek colors and designs for you to not only intimidate your opponent, but to look good doing it. Our new technological advances have given us the ability to provide soccer cleats that have superior traction without sacrificing speed or flexibility.
Shop our great selection of Women's Cleats.
Please see chart below to easily determine your soccer shoe and cleat size:
| MEN'S | WOMEN'S | KIDS |
| Inches | Size | Inches | Size | Inches | Size |
| 9.00 | 5 | 8.00 | 3 | 3.23 | 0 |
| 9.33 | 6 | 8.33 | 4 | 3.56 | 1 |
| 10.00 | 8 | 8.66 | 5 | 3.90 | 2 |
| 10.33 | 9 | 9.00 | 6 | 4.23 | 3 |
| 10.66 | 10 | 9.33 | 7 | 4.57 | 4 |
| 11.00 | 11 | 9.66 | 8 | 4.90 | 5 |
| 11.33 | 12 | 10.00 | 9 | 5.23 | 6 |
| 11.66 | 13 | 10.33 | 10 | 5.57 | 7 |
| 12.00 | 14 | 10.66 | 11 | 5.90 | 8 |
| 12.33 | 15 | 11.00 | 12 | 6.24 | 9 |
| 12.66 | 16 | 11.33 | 13 | 6.57 | 10 |
| 13.00 | 17 | 11.66 | 14 | 6.90 | 11 |
| 13.33 | 18 | 12.00 | 15 | 7.24 | 12 |
| 13.66 | 19 | 12.33 | 16 | 7.57 | 13 |
| 14.00 | 20 | 12.66 | 17 | 7.91 | 1 |
| 14.33 | 21 | 13.00 | 18 | 8.24 | 2 |
| 14.66 | 22 | 13.33 | 19 | 8.57 | 3 |
| 15.00 | 23 | 13.66 | 20 | 8.91 | 4 |
| 15.33 | 24 | | | 9.24 | 5 |
| 15.66 | 25 | | | | |
League Regulations
*REGULATIONS MAY CHANGE SO CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL LEAGUE*
Boys' and Girls' Youth: Screw-in cleats and cleats from other sports may not be used. Metal cleats are NOT allowed for safety reasons.
High School: Individual states and local sections and leagues do create some of their own unique rules, but for the most part, a rule that is put in place by the National Federation of State High School Association is generally accepted and enforced across the board. The bottom edge of the cleat may not be higher than two inches above the ankle.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association: Shoes shall be worn by all participants in a game. Shoes with soles containing aluminum, leather, rubber, nylon or plastic cleats, studs or bars, whether molded as part of the sole or detachable, are allowed as long as the referee does not consider them dangerous. The NCAA allows metal soccer cleats in addition to soft or hard rubber cleats.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What kind of surface determines the kind of cleat? Rubber cleats are generally more beneficial when you are playing on hard surfaces. Firm Ground or Detachable cleats are ideal for those who play on a wide variety of fields or varying weather conditions.
2. How should I pick my cleat stud size? You should choose by determining the type of field you are playing on. Short studs are useful on hard surfaces, dense grass and artificial turf. Longer studs are beneficial for play on soft soil. Long studs sink into the soil, allowing for better traction.
3. What kind of leather cleat should I be looking for? Dick's Sporting Goods offers the highest quality leather, which offers foot ventilation and strong mobility on the field.
4. What are the most important features for cleat comfort? A cushioned feel, breathability, traction, and stability.
5. What accessories do I need with my cleats? Dick's Sporting Goods, offers socks for drawing away sweat, point-kicking tees to retain correct ball position, agility cone sets for speed and precision, and agility ladders for improved lateral speed and enhanced rhythm and body control.
Soccer is a sport of concentration, team work, speed, and precision. Being the best all starts at your feet. This guide provides you with the best success for the true athletes' greatest weapon. Now it's time to get onto the field, break in your new cleats and break records!
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