Football Boot Buyers Guide

The most important thing to consider when choosing pair of football boots is comfort and what surface the boots will be used on.  

The guide below will help you to decide which boots are best for you. 

Types of Leather Uppers

The best leather uppers - i.e. hardest wearing, softest, that mould to the feet best - historically have been kangaroo skin. There are now oil based, water repellent leather that do a similar job (e.g. Pittards leather). Then we have full grain leather uppers from various origins ( e.g. American hide, Italian etc.) which wear well and are very supple

Other types of Uppers

Further down the scale is split leather with a polyurethane (P.U.) coating, then synthetic boots which are still normally the cheapest. On the way through the scale, of the best downwards, are varying degrees of mixtures of full grain forefoot with the rear split leather with a P.U. coating or full grain forefoot with rear synthetic or forefoot split and rear synthetic etc.

New Types of Uppers

For over 50 years quality leather dominated the uppers of football boots. There are now uppers with a mix of Kangaroo leather and rubber such as the Adidas Predator which arguably give better touch on the ball. Nike have been working for years on complex synthetic uppers that perform equally as well as leather but give a better feel on the ball.

Types of Football Boots

There are four basic types of football shoes: 

• Changeable studded (Screw In) boots 

• Moulded boots (often referred to as ‘rubber studs’ or ‘rubbers’) 

• Astroturf shoes 

• Indoor football trainers
  

Screw in Or Studded Boots

In the UK, these are the best sellers. In the rest of the world moulded boots are best. This is because of the changeable weather conditions in the UK - the studs can be changed to longer studs when it is muddy and wet and shorter studs when it is dry and hard - a balanced decision being made between traction and comfort.

Moulded Boots

Multi studded sole units normally containing 16 rubber studs are much more comfortable on drier, natural pitches they provide good grip on drier ground but the more wet and soft the ground becomes, the less grip is given.

Astro-turf Shoes

Consists of hard wearing rubber sole units with many small studs for traction on artificial surfaces. Often used as casual ‘trainers’ because of the hard wearing nature of the sole. Because of the hard nature of the artificial surfaces, there is generally a comfortable midsole to help absorb shock in Astro-Turf shoes. Not often used on natural surfaces as the closeness of the studs can clog with mud.

Indoor Football Trainers

Soles are generally flat and made of clear gum rubber. Not as hard wearing as carbon black mix rubber soles but will grip the indoor surfaces much better because of the softness. Many Leisure Centres will not allow black sole units, as the carbon black can mark the floors.

There are also 3 new types of outsoles based around the bladed sole unit.

Moulded Bladed Sole Unit for soft natural surfaces
This has deep blades that allow traction on wet surfaces.

Moulded Bladed Sole Unit for firm or hard ground
This type has the same position of blade as before but the blade is not as deep so that traction can be gained but also for comfort.
Adidas has this year brought out an innovation of a bladed sole unit which has 8 blades, six of which are changeable. This allows stud length to be changed to suit the ground conditions as well as when the blade wears.

Fittings

Obviously, if a child is growing there needs to be room for growth. When growing has stopped, boots need to fit snugly. The reason being that there should be no movement inside when playing; leather when put under pressure stretches and when wet and put under pressure stretches even more. Nike generally tend to be best for wide footed players. Adidas and Reebok generally tend to be of a more narrow fitting.

‘Breaking - in’ 
The best way to break boots in, is in the wet - when it has just rained or is raining. This allows the leather upper to fit to the foot. Vaseline can help reduce the possibility of blisters ( i.e. Vaseline the foot prior to putting boots on ). Many professionals initially break boots in without socks.

Nike Football Boots

Adidas Football Boots

Reebok Football Boots

Puma Football Boots

Football boots - A buyers guide

Cleaning and caring for your football boots

The Adidas Predator Story

Astroturf Football Shoes