Improve Your Game – Page 2 – Your Soccer Home

If you're looking to buy new soccer cleats, you will have noticed that there is a huge price difference between the most expensive cleats and the cheapest. And if you're going to spend your money on the most expensive cleats, you want to know that they are going to be worth it. I want to take the time to explain to you why they are. Expensive soccer cleats are worth it because they are made using higher quality materials and techniques. This extra quality enables the soccer player who is wearing the cleats to perform at a higher level than is possible with lower quality soccer cleats. This doesn't automatically mean you should go out and find some of the most expensive soccer cleats that you can (although if that is what you're looking for, these ones on soccer.com are by far the best ones out there in my opinion and also in the opinion of over 280 people who have given them a 5-star rating.). My advice would be to purchase the most expensive ones you can afford. Work out what your budget is and get the best ones. In this article, I want to briefly explain to you how expensive soccer cleats make a difference before taking you through the 11 reasons why they are worth it and then give you my recommendations for the best soccer cleats you can buy in 3 different categories - budget, mid-range, and highest quality. If you also want to find out if the same rule applies to soccer balls, check out my article - Are Expensive Soccer Balls Worth REALLY Worth It? Expensive Soccer Cleats Really Do Make a Difference Expensive soccer cleats do make a positive difference for a soccer player. Expensive soccer cleats are more expensive because they are made using higher quality materials and are constructed using more advanced processes. Both these factors are expensive, adding to the overall cost of the cleats, but they also add quality to the product, which provides a positive difference for the soccer player who is wearing the cleat. Using a higher quality product for anything will usually produce a better result. Products that have been given more time and attention and are made with higher quality materials will do the job better, whatever the "job" is. This fact is as true for soccer cleats as it is for anything else. Soccer cleats that are made of better materials will produce a better result for the wearer as well as lasting longer, and simply looking better. Let's look at some of the reasons why expensive soccer cleats are worth it. To help you choose the best soccer cleats for you, I've also created a step-by-step guide to simplify the process. Check it out here - How to Choose the Perfect Soccer Cleats (In 4 Simple Steps) The 11 Reasons Expensive Soccer Cleats Are Worth It 1. They fit better The first reason that expensive soccer cleats are worth it is that they provide a better fit. Most of the high-end soccer cleats available have used incredibly advanced processes to ensure their soccer cleats fit as perfectly as possible to the player's foot. A combination of the choice of material, as well as the intricate design of the shape, enable these soccer cleats to fit a snugly as they can. The cheaper soccer cleats a designed to a more generic shape. They will fit most people just fine but there is more room for the player's foot to slip around and move in a way that is not helpful to the wearer of the shoe especially when out on the soccer field. 2. They give better control of the ball A more expensive soccer cleat will be designed in a way that allows maximum control of the ball. If you look at some top of the range soccer cleats such as the Adidas Predator 20+, which you can see here on soccer.com, you will notice that they have added 406 little spikes on the upper of the cleats. These little spikes are 100% legal and add more swerve and control to every kick, pass, or shot that you make. Even without little spikes attached to a soccer cleat, the high-quality materials used in the more expensive cleats are specifically designed to be able to achieve far superior control over the soccer ball than is possible with cheaper soccer cleats. 3. They are more comfortable to wear The third reason why expensive soccer cleats are worth buying is that they are simply more comfortable to wear. I've worn multiple different soccer cleats over the years and without doubt, the ones that I went and spent more money on were far more comfortable to wear. This mostly comes down to the fact that these soccer cleats are made out of much higher quality material that is specifically chosen to ensure as much comfort as possible for the wearer. And this is important because the last thing you want to be thinking about when you're on the soccer field is uncomfortable footwear. Your feet are one of your most important assets in a soccer game. You want them to be pain-free and comfortable to be able to interact with the soccer ball as you need to. If you spend the game trying to avoid kicking the ball or running too much because your feet are uncomfortable then you're not going to play at your full potential. 4. They are more lightweight Another reason for choosing more expensive soccer cleats is because they are often more lightweight than the cheaper options. Another factor to consider when you are out on the soccer field is the extra weight you will be carrying on your feet. Although it may seem a subtle difference, a small increase in weight can have a big impact over the course of a 90-minute game. A lighter soccer cleat has multiple benefits. They are less distracting as you move around the soccer fieldThey enable you to move fasterThey enable you to turn quickerThey enable you to move your foot quicker when passing or shooting. Each of these benefits on their own may not seem like much but over the course of a game they all add up and if you plan to be the best player you can be then every little bit helps. 5. They look better Now, this reason may seem fairly unimportant, and maybe to some people it is, but I figure that when you buy something like soccer cleats, and you spend a lot of money on them, then you want them to look good. What looks good to one person may not look great to another and it is ultimately subjective, but I think you'll agree that when you start looking at different soccer cleats you will notice that the expensive ones usually look better than the cheaper ones. This is again is probably down to the fact that the more expensive soccer cleats are designed and constructed with more skill and care, and the materials used are of a much higher quality. And when someone puts more time and skill into a product it shows. 6. They are more durable Another advantage of using higher quality materials along with more advanced processes in the creation of a product is that it usually lasts a lot longer. I know that durability is a significant consideration for me when making a purchase. I want to know that the product I buy is going to last a reasonable amount of time and I'm not going to be back in the same position again, trying to decide what to buy, a few months later. Expensive soccer cleats are often more durable. (I say "often" here because I'm sure that there are some soccer cleats that this not the case for, but for the majority this is true.) Soccer cleats that are made of better materials are specifically designed to withstand the impact of being used regularly. The impact of the soccer ball on the cleats, along with running, twisting, turning, gripping, and everything else a soccer cleats goes through in a game has a damaging effect. But this effect will be minimized with a higher quality product. For the next 5 reasons I want to describe each part of a soccer cleat and explain why the quality of each of these sections matters when choosing which soccer cleat you will purchase. 7. Higher quality upper The upper on a soccer cleat consists of all the material that covers the foot above the sole. With a more expensive soccer cleat, you get a higher quality upper. Traditionally, throughout the history of soccer, all soccer cleats were made of leather. The advantage of using leather is that, over time, it can be shaped to the foot of the wearer and it is a strong and durable material. However, leather can also be heavy to wear and the extra thickness of it prevents the soccer player from really being able to feel the ball as they kick it. Partly because of these issues manufacturers began creating soccer cleats out of synthetic materials and although there are still some high-quality leather soccer cleats out there, such as these ones on soccer.com, the vast majority of high-end soccer cleats these days are made from synthetic materials. One of the key advantages of using synthetic materials for the upper is that it can be incredibly lightweight and offer much better control and feel of the soccer ball. Most high-end soccer cleats are made of a knit material which offers a much more comfortable or "snug" fit, almost feeling as though you are wearing a comfortable pair of socks. These uppers, made of a yarn like material, are innovative and offer a much better experience than using a cheaper alternative. 8. Higher quality lacing The lacing on a soccer cleat refers to the area on the top of the foot where a shoe traditionally has the laces. With a more expensive soccer cleat, you get a higher quality lacing. You may have noticed that some soccer cleats have laces that look similar to any other shoe, some have laces to the side of the foot, and some soccer cleats are completely "laceless". The idea behind these options is to provide the best possible surface for striking the soccer ball during a game. When you make contact with a soccer ball you want the ball to go exactly where you intended it to go. How the laces are designed and positioned can have an impact on this. With a more expensive soccer cleat, the laces are designed to a higher level, enabling a player to achieve their aim. On cleats where the laces are in the center, they are designed to have a minimal impact on the contact between ball and foot. The idea with cleats that have the laces off to the side of the soccer cleat is to provide a flat surface with no interference from the laces as the foot strikes the soccer ball, and this is also the goal of laceless soccer cleats, but the manufacturer has removed the laces altogether Whether you choose laces or decide to go laceless is ultimately a personal preference, but either way, you will get a better experience with an expensive soccer cleat than you will with a cheap one where the design of the lacing has not been considered in the same way. 9. Higher quality soleplate The soleplate is the underside of the soccer cleat where the studs are located. With an expensive soccer cleat, you get a higher quality soleplate. The quality of the soleplate is one of the more important parts of a soccer cleat. Here is where the foot finds traction as you run or turn and also where a significant amount of weight is potentially added to the cleats. The expensive soccer cleats all use much lighter materials than the cheaper ones. Although that difference may only be a few ounces, those few ounces can make a big difference on a wet day out on the soccer field running around for 90 minutes. The expensive cleats also use materials for their soleplates that are more durable and flexible allowing the player to move their foot more freely as they run or kick the ball. The studs are also attached to the bottom of the soccer which is where a soccer player gets traction or grip as they move around the soccer field. The expensive soccer cleats also have better and more effective studs to give the player more grip and better movement. 10. Higher quality insole The insole is the section directly under the wearer's foot within the soccer cleat. With a more expensive soccer cleat, you get a higher quality insole. As with many types of footwear, the insole can often be removed and replaced within a soccer cleat. But with more expensive soccer cleats you often get insoles that you won't need to or want to remove. This is because they are designed and created with the maximum amount of comfort and support in mind. For the entire time, you are wearing your soccer cleats, your foot is directly on top of the insole. Because of this, you want it to provide you with the ultimate amount of comfort throughout the game. As we mentioned before, when you are playing in a soccer game then the last thing you want to be thinking about is an uncomfortable foot which is often the case when you're using a thin insole such as the ones that come in the cheaper soccer cleats. Choosing more expensive soccer cleats will provide a much more comfortable experience in part due to a much higher quality insole. 11. Higher quality heel The heel of a soccer cleat is the part that surrounds and supports the wearer's heel. With an expensive soccer cleat, you get a higher quality heel. A higher-quality heel consists of a molded shape that offers far greater comfort and support than the cheaper models that are more likely to be simply padded rather than molded to the shape of the wearer's heel. The benefit of a molded heel is that it does a much better job of keeping the wearer's foot in place and doesn't allow the foot to slide around inside of the shoe. When the foot can slide around inside the soccer cleats then the player is more likely to develop blisters and other injuries. The heel on the cheaper soccer cleats also tends to offer far less support to the foot reducing a player's ability to change direction quickly or move forward as instantly. All the individual parts of a soccer cleat may seem inconsequential on their own but together they add up to give the wearer of the soccer cleat a far superior experience then if they were wearing cheaper soccer cleats. My Soccer Cleat Recommendations Now we've seen 11 different reasons why it's worth the extra cost of buying expensive soccer cleats I want to give you my 3 recommendations for soccer cleats you should consider when buying. As I mentioned before, you don't have to purchase the most expensive cleats on the market to own a great pair of soccer cleats, but as the price drops, so does the quality of the cleat. So my recommendation is to buy the best soccer cleats you can afford, and you shouldn't be disappointed. Let's look at 3 different pairs of soccer cleats starting with the highest quality ones with the highest price tag, then looking at a great pair of mid-range cleats and finally ending with my recommendation if you're on a smaller budget. Best high-end soccer cleats Top Features Extremely comfortable to wearLightweightUltra-thin NIKESKIN overlay gives an almost barefoot feel of the ballOver 280 5-star reviews The Nike Mercurial Superfly 7 Elite FG Soccer Cleat is in my opinion the best soccer cleat available right now. Created with a complete wrap-around Flyknit construction these cleats really do feel as though you are playing soccer barefoot. They are so lightweight on your foot but despite the thinness of the upper body they also provide solid protection against the impact of the ball in a way that many soccer cleats don't. They are also designed to provide maximum traction allowing the player wearing them to run, move, twist, and turn with ease and efficiency. Because of the high quality of the overlay and finish these cleats also perform great in wet conditions allowing for surprisingly good control even on a wet soccer ball. With regards to fit, they are pretty accurate to size, not running to small or too large, but they do run a little narrow which may be something to bear in mind if you have wider feet. If you purchase them from soccer.com they do offer free returns and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee so it's no real hassle to change them for a different size if your first choice doesn't feel quite right. If you choose these cleats I really doubt you will be disappointed. Click on the button below to check them out on soccer.com. Click here for the best high-end soccer cleats Best mid-range soccer cleats Top Features LacelessGives a high level of precision when passing or shootingHigh-quality PrimeKnit foot covering I really like the Adidas Predator 19+ FG Soccer Cleat. They really do feel like you are getting a really high-quality soccer cleat for your money. At around $100 cheaper than my previous recommendation they don't quite have the top of the range high-end quality but if you are looking for a high-quality product in the mid-range price bracket then these cleats should make you very happy. The Primeknit fit of these cleats really does feel like a sock on your foot. And because of that sock-like construction, the cleat naturally molds itself to the shape of your foot given incredibly comfortable fit from day one. These cleats are also completely laceless providing the wearer with a clean ridge-free area to strike the ball allowing for the most accurate shooting possible. The cleats also have a textured coating on the forefoot allowing the wearer a high level of precision when passing or shooting. And the midsole is designed to be especially responsive as you move around the soccer field. These cleats are a great option for any soccer player. With over 150 5-star reviews for these cleats on soccer.com, there are many people happy with them. Click the button below to have a look for yourself. Click here to check out the best mid-range soccer cleats Best budget soccer cleats Top Features Micro-textured upperLightweightComfortableLaceless The Adidas Predator 20.3 Laceless FG Soccer Cleat is my recommendation for a great soccer cleat on a budget. Similar to my previous recommendation this soccer cleat is laceless providing the wearer with a snug fit as well as a smooth area to strike the soccer ball and achieve maximum accuracy. Although made with synthetic material rather than the knit material used in more expensive cleats, these cleats are still very comfortable to wear. They may take a few times on the soccer field to fully break them in but when you do you will hardly notice them as they are not only comfortable but lightweight only weighing 88oz. The upper of the soccer cleat is micro-textured. This means that the cleats provide extra grip each time you touch the soccer ball that allows the wearer to pass and shoot with more accuracy than a smooth surface would allow. These soccer cleats are in the lower price bracket at under $100 but still provide excellent value for money and you can only stretch your budget to these then you will have still purchased some great soccer cleats. Click the button below to have a look at these cleats on soccer.com. Click here to check out the best budget soccer cleats. Conclusion I hope this article has helped you understand why expensive soccer cleats are worth it as more expensive often means higher quality which gives any soccer player a much better experience. To find out more about soccer cleats click here to go to my article explaining everything you need to know. And if you're looking for more soccer equipment recommendations click here to go to my page providing you with my recommendations from soccer balls to soccer bags.