Football

How to Choose the Right Cleat for Your Position
When it comes to American Football wearing the wrong type of cleats will have you looking like a duck out of water. Conditions change constantly on the field and the proper foot ware will give you that competitive advantage that you are looking for. There are many different types of cleats that can be used depending on position and the safety support that your are looking for.

The first thing you should look for when out looking for cleats is the cut of the shoe. There are different cuts that are ideal for different positions. High top cleats are built to support higher up on the ankle limiting the joints movement. These types of cleats are usually worn by linemen, because they are not normally concerned with quick lateral movements for speed. Then there’s the low cut cleats, these types are cut lower with a lot less support but allow the ankle to move freely for quicker cuts and movements. This type of cleat is usually made to be lighter perfect for speed positions like wide-receivers and cornerbacks. Lastly there is mid-cut cleats, this a compromise between the high-top and the low cut cleats. They give more support than the low cut while offering less restriction than the high-top. Quarterbacks, running backs and linebackers usually find these types of cleats appealing. If you are a parent and don’t know which type of cleat to get your child, the mid-cut would be the best option.

When it comes to the cleat itself there are basically two types. The first being molded soles and the second being detachable cleats. Molded soles are comprised of hard rubber that included the studs as part of the actual sole of the shoe. These types are usually worn in youth football leagues because they are much safer for the athletes. Detachable cleats are cleats that can be removed and replaced for different weather conditions. You would use longer spikes for wet weather. The spikes are made from metal, rubber or hard plastic.

Sometimes football is played on artificial turf and normal cleats do not provide the traction that is need to navigate the field properly. There are special types of shoes for this called turf cleats. These cleats are formed more like sneakers but have deep ridges at the bottom along the sole for better traction and a turf surface.