Get the Right Football Boots for Your Needs

If you’re playing football, then the right boots are a must to get your playing levelled up. This is especially important for younger children just getting started in playing. Having the right football boot helps with better foot protection as well as increasing performance. While there are many factors to consider when choosing a football boot, comfort is still the priority. And this is because scientific research has shown that special features do not significantly improve or enhance performance. Just like fitting other shoes, a football boot should fit snugly, giving room for wiggle around the toes. Comfort should be the aim, rather than the brand-promoted flashy features often seen for football boots.

How to Choose the Right Football Boots

There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing football boots. In fact, there are various key features to always look at. These include the material, sole stiffness, lacing placement and the stud types. However, while these can all play a part, the player is still better than the shoe. And, it should be noted that different types of boots are specific to various playing surfaces. So, selecting the right one is essential if you’re to see good performance and importantly, prevent injury during playing.

This all means that it really comes down to the studs when finalising your choice between different boots. For instance, Artificial Grass or AG studs are the ones that are best on artificial turf like astroturf. They’re not a common stud, and really only necessary if you’re planning on playing regularly on astroturf. Similarly, there are Turf or TF studs which are good for astroturf or even street playing. The studs for Turf are very small, and the boot is more a cross between a football boot and a trainer, which means harder surfaces are better.

Multi-ground or MG studs are the best option for the average player. This is because it offers a more versatile option, and can be used safely across an array of different surfaces. Additionally, they’re good for all weather, and give traction, though not for as long, on soft surfaces. If one pair of boots is all you can manage, then MG studs are the way.

There are Firm Ground (FG) or Hard Ground (HG) studs as well. These are shorter studs than the norm, which means that the boot doesn’t stick into the mud as much during running. As such, they’re better suited to harder surfaces. Conversely, Soft Ground or SG studs, are great for wet or muddy pitches. They’re the typical English stud, and are better for soft grass pitches. Finally, there are Indoor (IN) studs, though these are for gym or futsal use and can even be used in a gym.

Football Boots Pricing and Ways to Save Money

As football boots can be pricey, especially if you’re opting for a high-end pair similar to those worn by professionals, it’s important to find ways to save. Luckily, there are some steps you can take. For one, you can head to outlet stores and see if you can find discount boots from previous seasons. Seasonal sales are often great places to find some solid deals and discounts, getting the quality without the price tag. You can also look at less mainstream brands which will also offer good quality boots, just without the higher cost.

For instance, Skechers isn’t a brand you would initially associate with football boots. But they do have a solid range of excellent boots, all at competitive prices thanks to the habitual promotions and deals offered by the store. To get your hands on these offers is easy, since it is possible to find regularly updated pages about Skechers online, all year long. This can help you save money without having to get something of lower quality.

When looking at football boots, really the two most important things are comfort and the studs. Fit comfort should be prioritised as features like extra cushioning have been shown to do nothing much in terms of improving performance. Always try on multiple pairs of the same model, even from the same brand, as there can be a difference in fit. Make sure you choose the boot based on the playing surface, to prevent injury and improve performance.