# Let's Talk Cleats



## timbuck (May 15, 2017)

My DD is about done growing, so I don'd mind spending a little extra for the right cleats.
We play on a combination of turf (the newer stuff with the cork or rubber infill) or So Cal grass (grass for a few weeks and then mostly hard dirt the rest of the year).
What is the latest on the right sole plate/cleat to use?

I've not been a fan of the bladed cleat design (heard they aren't great for the knees on turf and hard ground), but it seems that the Nike Hypervenom now has a combination of conical studs on the inside and bladed on the outside.


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## espola (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> My DD is about done growing, so I don'd mind spending a little extra for the right cleats.
> We play on a combination of turf (the newer stuff with the cork or rubber infill) or So Cal grass (grass for a few weeks and then mostly hard dirt the rest of the year).
> What is the latest on the right sole plate/cleat to use?
> 
> I've not been a fan of the bladed cleat design (heard they aren't great for the knees on turf and hard ground), but it seems that the Nike Hypervenom now has a combination of conical studs on the inside and bladed on the outside.


Man who walk in center of road get hit by trucks going both ways.


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## Mystery Train (May 15, 2017)

We went the cheap route all through the younger ages because my DD could only fit in them for 6 months at a time.  Once her foot stopped growing (more or less) we decided to splurge.  She chose the old school Adidas Copa Mundials.  According to her, by far the most comfortable cleat she tried on.  Never have problems with footing and those things have lasted over a year and a half with only needing to replace the laces, still going strong.  Many of her teammates use 2 pair, choosing Copas for grass and some sort of Nike turf shoe for the artificial surfaces.  One of them had an ACL injury a couple years ago because of a cleat getting stuck in the turf when planting and turning, so the coach made them all get turf shoes in addition to their grass cleats.  You probably should get both if she's a field player.  Mine is a keeper, so there is less of the cutting and change of direction at full speed, so the Copas have been ok on turf.


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## timbuck (May 15, 2017)

Copas do seem to be the best all around.  The conical cleat works on most surfaces pretty good.  They are a bit ugly though (her words, not mine) .  And Nike hyper venoms seem to fit her foot really well. 
I'll try to get her foot into a copa and hope they feel right.


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## espola (May 15, 2017)

Mystery Train said:


> We went the cheap route all through the younger ages because my DD could only fit in them for 6 months at a time.  Once her foot stopped growing (more or less) we decided to splurge.  She chose the old school Adidas Copa Mundials.  According to her, by far the most comfortable cleat she tried on.  Never have problems with footing and those things have lasted over a year and a half with only needing to replace the laces, still going strong.  Many of her teammates use 2 pair, choosing Copas for grass and some sort of Nike turf shoe for the artificial surfaces.  One of them had an ACL injury a couple years ago because of a cleat getting stuck in the turf when planting and turning, so the coach made them all get turf shoes in addition to their grass cleats.  You probably should get both if she's a field player.  Mine is a keeper, so there is less of the cutting and change of direction at full speed, so the Copas have been ok on turf.


Between games in an OC tournament, we stopped at a sports megastore to get my son a new set of cleats.  He really liked them - said they were the best fit he had ever had.  Only when we got home did we realize they two had been mixed up and were a half-size different from each other.


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## Jshwora (May 15, 2017)

I'd recommend you get her a pair with an AG (artificial grass) soleplate.  They have all conical studs and are less likely to get hung up in the turf.  

My personal favorites right now are the tiempo legend 6 if you're looking for a more classic kangaroo leather boot but that's still thin and light like a more modern soccer shoe or the hypervenom phantom 3s (low cut).  Both come in AG variations and are nice.  The hypervenoms have a real nice sock like fit but are a little tough to get in and out of (I have a pair of the tech craft ones).  The tiempos run about half a size small and have sole separation issues but are also very nice and you can send them back to Nike if you have issues.  Both shoes are one piece construction which I really like (no tongue getting bunched up or sliding to the sides).

Below those you can look at fg shoes with all conical studs like a Nike premier or Copa mundial (or anything else with a similar stud pattern).  That being said, it's most important that the boots fit and feel good, I'd just stay away from anything with bladed cleats, without laces, or with collars.

A good resource that I use for gear info is soccerreviewsforyou.com the guy has a really good YouTube channel where he talks about all the new stuff.

Also soccer.com has a sale running now 15% off boots over $99, so it's a decent time to buy.

Hopefully that helps


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## Lightning Red (May 15, 2017)

Copas.  You can get lucky sometimes and get them for $130 but more often they will be $150.


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## Mystery Train (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> They are a bit ugly though (her words, not mine) .


Personally, I agree with your DD.  Maybe you can find a pair in white, which aren't so bad.  lol


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## f1nfutbol fan (May 15, 2017)

My dd is/was fast & changed direction very quickly. her cleats would give out from under her when she wore a bladed cleat.

once she went round cleats, her feet always stayed underneath her & she never went down.

tough thing is, within the nike line for example, you need to get a shoe that fits your kids foot well. as some models are wider or narrower than others.


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## Eagle33 (May 15, 2017)

There is a reason Copas has been popular for last 30+ years. It's like buying Toyota of shoes - not too flashy but proven, reliable and cost effective.
Nike makes great looking boots, but normally they don't last long.


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## MR.D (May 15, 2017)

My daughter is 11 and her feet are pretty much done growing and has been wearing Kaisers going on three years now.  Is there a really big difference in comfort from the Kaiser to the Copas?


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## SocalSoccerMom (May 15, 2017)

MR.D said:


> My daughter is 11 and her feet are pretty much done growing and has been wearing Kaisers going on three years now.  Is there a really big difference in comfort from the Kaiser to the Copas?


I don't know about stop growing. My daughter went from a 2Y to a 7.5W from 11 to 14


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## SocalSoccerMom (May 15, 2017)

We like the the tiempo legend iv, v and vi. The only issue is that they wear out very fast.  I just heard from another parent that there is 2 yr warranty on Nike. We plan to check this out when her vi fall apart (should be good for couple more months). And with occasional clearance + coupon on Nike.com, we pay around $100-$110 for these.


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## Sheriff Joe (May 15, 2017)

SocalSoccerMom said:


> We like the the tiempo legend iv, v and vi. The only issue is that they wear out very fast.  I just heard from another parent that there is 2 yr warranty on Nike. We plan to check this out when her vi fall apart (should be good for couple more months). And with occasional clearance + coupon on Nike.com, we pay around $100-$110 for these.


Yep, the two year deal is great, just keep the receipt. It really helps if you buy them from NIKE.COM, they will always have the record that way. Hard to keep track of receipts for two years.


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## Jshwora (May 15, 2017)

MR.D said:


> My daughter is 11 and her feet are pretty much done growing and has been wearing Kaisers going on three years now.  Is there a really big difference in comfort from the Kaiser to the Copas?


The big difference is that the Kaiser 5 is calf leather vs the Copas are kangaroo leather.  Comfort and fit are similar, but the K leather will be softer.  I believe that with the release of the Adidas gloro they have discontinued the Kaiser 5.


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## timbuck (May 15, 2017)

I thought that you can't get kangaroo leather in CA any longer?  
I suppose you can order online or find a way.


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## MR.D (May 15, 2017)

SocalSoccerMom said:


> I don't know about stop growing. My daughter went from a 2Y to a 7.5W from 11 to 14


My daughter wears a size 8 in mens right now.  She is 5'4.  She may grow a little more but her feet have been this size for a year now.


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## Jshwora (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> I thought that you can't get kangaroo leather in CA any longer?
> I suppose you can order online or find a way.


Some online retailers won't ship them to you.  I tried to order a pair of copas from Amazon and that was a no go, but I was still able to get them through soccer.com and eastbay

If you're looking for something in store then it just depends on the retailer.  Some still carry the shoes despite the moratorium on the ban being expired (at their own risk I presume).


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## SocalSoccerMom (May 15, 2017)

Sheriff Joe said:


> Yep, the two year deal is great, just keep the receipt. It really helps if you buy them from NIKE.COM, they will always have the record that way. Hard to keep track of receipts for two years.


Wish they offer same warranty on gk gloves


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## Surfref (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> Copas do seem to be the best all around.  The conical cleat works on most surfaces pretty good.  They are a bit ugly though (her words, not mine) .  And Nike hyper venoms seem to fit her foot really well.
> I'll try to get her foot into a copa and hope they feel right.


Unless you get the Copa's outside of California, they are not the Copa's of old.  California and several other states now have the kangaroo (hopping rat) leather ban and the original Copa's were made with kangaroo leather.  The Nike Tiempos also had kangaroo leather.  The Copa's currently sold in California aren't kangaroo leather and the ones legally shipped to California are not kangaroo. My DD uses the Tiempos and we have a friend from Florida send her a new pair when needed.  DD had some foot problems when she was 12y/o and wearing Copa's.  The podiatrist told her those cleats were horrible for your feet and recommended Pumas or the Tiempos.  He said that even with insert they were still not good for the feet since they had no arch support and did not flex.  I know a good number of club players that use the Copa's and like them, but have not seen many adult/college players using them.

The Tiempos and Copa's have the round studs and work well on both grass and turf.  If your kid is going to play college in a rainy part of the country, just get them the soft ground cleats with replaceable studs.  They work great on the soft wet and muddy fields you will run into in the northwest and southeast.  If your kid is going to play college they should at a minimum have three pair of cleats, firm ground, turf, and a practice pair usually firm ground. DD had four pair, FG, turf, SG and a practice pair.


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## espola (May 15, 2017)

Jshwora said:


> I'd recommend you get her a pair with an AG (artificial grass) soleplate.  They have all conical studs and are less likely to get hung up in the turf.
> 
> My personal favorites right now are the tiempo legend 6 if you're looking for a more classic kangaroo leather boot but that's still thin and light like a more modern soccer shoe or the hypervenom phantom 3s (low cut).  Both come in AG variations and are nice.  The hypervenoms have a real nice sock like fit but are a little tough to get in and out of (I have a pair of the tech craft ones).  The tiempos run about half a size small and have sole separation issues but are also very nice and you can send them back to Nike if you have issues.  Both shoes are one piece construction which I really like (no tongue getting bunched up or sliding to the sides).
> 
> ...


Sports Page in Fountain Valley  usually gives big discounts if you act in a friendly manner.


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## Surfref (May 15, 2017)

SocalSoccerMom said:


> We like the the tiempo legend iv, v and vi. The only issue is that they wear out very fast.  I just heard from another parent that there is 2 yr warranty on Nike. We plan to check this out when her vi fall apart (should be good for couple more months). And with occasional clearance + coupon on Nike.com, we pay around $100-$110 for these.


My DD uses a he $200 Tiempos and they last her about 5 months a college soccer (5-7 days a week with them on).  Well worth the money and comfort.  We can also write them off on taxes as a school supply since she must have them for her sports training class and team.


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## Sheriff Joe (May 15, 2017)

espola said:


> Sports Page in Fountain Valley  usually gives big discounts if you act in a friendly manner.


Well then, you're screwed.


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## Mystery Train (May 15, 2017)

MR.D said:


> My daughter is 11 and her feet are pretty much done growing and has been wearing Kaisers going on three years now.  Is there a really big difference in comfort from the Kaiser to the Copas?





Jshwora said:


> The big difference is that the Kaiser 5 is calf leather vs the Copas are kangaroo leather.  Comfort and fit are similar, but the K leather will be softer.  I believe that with the release of the Adidas gloro they have discontinued the Kaiser 5.


Correct.  My daughter went from the Kaiser 5 to the Copa after we couldn't find the Kaisers anywhere.  She said the Copas were softer and more comfortable, and I think the construction has held up much better.  Definitely worth the extra $20-$40.  My DD also uses some perscription orthopedic heel inserts that help with the insole cushioning.  The Nike Tiempos also have a good reputation, and we may try those one day.  You can find retailers still selling the K leather shoes in CA, just not the big chain stores.  I doubt it's a regulation anyone is aggressively enforcing.


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## zebrafish (May 15, 2017)

I've been pretty happy with soccerpro.com prices

My approach has been to buy expensive cleats that are on sale b/c they are being phased out for upcoming season's new styles.

I've been able to reliably get $100 shoes for 40-50 bucks.

I'm of the opinion that buying good shoes is money well spent in terms of wear and tear on the feet.

I'm really not a fan of Sports Page in Fountain Valley.  Wait in line for an hour to kiss the feet of the king and get something you could get online for cheaper. And I'm a really nice guy. Hasn't helped me much in that store.

Doesn't address the spike type question, but this is my approach.


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## outside! (May 15, 2017)

If your kid needs wide cleats, Asics makes a wide leather cleat and New Balance has wide cleats. DD could go through Tiempos in 2 weeks. Copas lasted 6.


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## pewpew (May 15, 2017)

Adidas Ace lineup. My daughter is a GK. She has turf shoes as well.. Nike Tiempos. She still prefers the Aces. Conical studs..no blades..which is my big concern for her during keeper training.  All the back n forth lateral movement. No blades to get stuck. My .02


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## Socalsoccer (May 15, 2017)

Stick with ag (artificial grass) and fg (firm ground) cleats. Adidas made some fg/ag hybrid cleats that where great, the ace 15.1 and 16.1. They also had a kangaroo leather variation.


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## timbuck (May 15, 2017)

Why do they even make the blades?  What is the advantage supposed to be?


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## espola (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> Why do they even make the blades?  What is the advantage supposed to be?


Mud.


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## pewpew (May 15, 2017)

Socalsoccer said:


> Stick with ag (artificial grass) and fg (firm ground) cleats. Adidas made some fg/ag hybrid cleats that where great, the ace 15.1 and 16.1. They also had a kangaroo leather variation.


The Ace 17 family has still kept with the conical studs. The stud pattern in the Ace 15 family was the best out there. Not sure why they changed it. All conical studs with a bunch of mini conical nubs to give extra bite but not enough to hang up on the grass/turf.


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## pewpew (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> Why do they even make the blades?  What is the advantage supposed to be?


Marketing. Because it sounds cooler to say "bladed" vs "rounded". 
#espola says for mud. I honestly don't see how bladed can grip better in mud. But I can see how they can hang up on a crappy grass or turf field. I won't put my kids in anything with bladed cleat patterns. I'll spend the extra money on conical studs if it gives me peace of mind. Not to say it won't prevent an injury but I believe it lessens the chance a little bit. At least that's what I tell myself.


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## jdiaz (May 15, 2017)

Mystery Train said:


> We went the cheap route all through the younger ages because my DD could only fit in them for 6 months at a time.  Once her foot stopped growing (more or less) we decided to splurge.  She chose the old school Adidas Copa Mundials.  According to her, by far the most comfortable cleat she tried on.  Never have problems with footing and those things have lasted over a year and a half with only needing to replace the laces, still going strong.  Many of her teammates use 2 pair, choosing Copas for grass and some sort of Nike turf shoe for the artificial surfaces.  One of them had an ACL injury a couple years ago because of a cleat getting stuck in the turf when planting and turning, so the coach made them all get turf shoes in addition to their grass cleats.  You probably should get both if she's a field player.  Mine is a keeper, so there is less of the cutting and change of direction at full speed, so the Copas have been ok on turf.


Those are the best copa Mundial.  But in the state of California they can't sold in a store or online.  Kangaroo leather is prohibited in California.


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## Jshwora (May 15, 2017)

timbuck said:


> Why do they even make the blades?  What is the advantage supposed to be?


It basically breaks down to marketing and Nike has a boot for everyone.  Are you a wide player looking for all out speed?  Get a pair of Superfly 5's or Mercurial Vapors that are super light with a bladed stud pattern for maximal traction.  Are you a playmaking CMF?  Get a pair of Magista Obra 2's to be the meastro in the midfield.  Hypervenom's are supposed to be the best of both worlds with half conical studs and half bladed studs, for strikers that need to do it all.  Do you not like the synthetic boots on offer and prefer the feel of a natural leather boot but don't want to have an old 12oz sandbag Copa Mundial on your foot?  Tiempo Legend 6 has a lot of the new technology while retaining that high quality kangaroo leather upper.  Do you prefer a classic kangaroo leather leather boot and don't want to break the bank?  Nike Premier.

That wide array of choices and much better colorways are the big reasons Nike soccer shoes are more popular than Adidas right now, especially in the high end models.  I almost never see anyone wearing an ACE, X, or Messi.  

At the end of the day they're all just shoes and none of them are going to turn you into a superstar.  You just need to find ones that fit, feel good on your feet, and have the proper stud pattern for the surfaces that you are playing on.  Although how they look is really important too.


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## GoWest (May 16, 2017)

Surfref said:


> Unless you get the Copa's outside of California, they are not the Copa's of old.  California and several other states now have the kangaroo (hopping rat) leather ban and the original Copa's were made with kangaroo leather.  The Nike Tiempos also had kangaroo leather.  The Copa's currently sold in California aren't kangaroo leather and the ones legally shipped to California are not kangaroo. My DD uses the Tiempos and we have a friend from Florida send her a new pair when needed.  DD had some foot problems when she was 12y/o and wearing Copa's.  The podiatrist told her those cleats were horrible for your feet and recommended Pumas or the Tiempos.  He said that even with insert they were still not good for the feet since they had no arch support and did not flex.  I know a good number of club players that use the Copa's and like them, but have not seen many adult/college players using them.
> 
> The Tiempos and Copa's have the round studs and work well on both grass and turf.  If your kid is going to play college in a rainy part of the country, just get them the soft ground cleats with replaceable studs.  They work great on the soft wet and muddy fields you will run into in the northwest and southeast.  If your kid is going to play college they should at a minimum have three pair of cleats, firm ground, turf, and a practice pair usually firm ground. DD had four pair, FG, turf, SG and a practice pair.


@Surfref did the university supply her shoes or did you need to purchase?


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## SIMONMAGUS (May 16, 2017)

My boys are still young and up until this age I buy them both Lottos from Target. Efficient.

But when they finally stop growing definitely will buy them both Copas.


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## timbuck (May 16, 2017)

espola said:


> Sports Page in Fountain Valley  usually gives big discounts if you act in a friendly manner.


I've heard that people love this place.  It's not super close to home, but I decided to drive over there one day to see what the hype was all about.  
Nope.  No thanks.  Not for me.  I'd rather pay full price or even a little more.
But some people love it there.


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## espola (May 16, 2017)

timbuck said:


> I've heard that people love this place.  It's not super close to home, but I decided to drive over there one day to see what the hype was all about.
> Nope.  No thanks.  Not for me.  I'd rather pay full price or even a little more.
> But some people love it there.


What didn't you like about it?


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## timbuck (May 16, 2017)

espola said:


> What didn't you like about it?


The smell.  The disorganization of everything.   The handwritten signs on cardboard.  
Other than that, they did have a lot of stuff there.


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## jdiaz (May 16, 2017)

timbuck said:


> The smell.  The disorganization of everything.   The handwritten signs on cardboard.
> Other than that, they did have a lot of stuff there.


So prissy.  Soccer loco doesn't have nothing. Everyone is over priced and never has anything. Sportspage gets it done. I'll go to the computer and print you some signs ok.


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## espola (May 16, 2017)

timbuck said:


> The smell.  The disorganization of everything.   The handwritten signs on cardboard.
> Other than that, they did have a lot of stuff there.


I liked its charm, and the fact that we got a big discount without asking.  I watched for a while - everybody got discounts, some people got stuff for free.  I got the impression from what was going on while we there that he was sponsoring a local club team and was helping the players get good stuff for what they could afford to pay.


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## timbuck (May 16, 2017)

jdiaz said:


> So prissy.  Soccer loco doesn't have nothing. Everyone is over priced and never has anything. Sportspage gets it done. I'll go to the computer and print you some signs ok.


I'm not a big fan of socceloco either.  Their return policy sucks.  And the guys working there would rather try to nutmeg each other than help a kid try on a pair of cleats.


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## Surfref (May 16, 2017)

outside! said:


> If your kid needs wide cleats, Asics makes a wide leather cleat and New Balance has wide cleats. DD could go through Tiempos in 2 weeks. Copas lasted 6.


What is she doing to go through cleats so fast?  When my DD was at college in S. Carolina with all the rain and muddy fields, she had two pair of top of the line Tiempos ($200 a pair) that she used for daily practice.  Those two pair lasted her the entire fall season (August-November).  She would swap them out daily so she always had a dry pair.  They were beat to hell by the end of the season, but still useable.

If they only last two weeks or even six weeks, I would be sending them back to the manufacturer for a refund.


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## Surfref (May 16, 2017)

GoWest said:


> @Surfref did the university supply her shoes or did you need to purchase?


They supplied one pair of cleats and one pair of running shoes.  The cleats were SG Pumas that she used in games on muddy fields.  She said they were actually really nice and fit well.  She had some teammates with larger-wider feet that did not like them.  She hated the running shoes and would only wear them when traveling to games when they were required to wear their warmups. Puma was one of the sponsors for the college athletic department.


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## futboldad1 (May 16, 2017)

Jshwora said:


> It basically breaks down to marketing and Nike has a boot for everyone.  Are you a wide player looking for all out speed?  Get a pair of Superfly 5's or Mercurial Vapors that are super light with a bladed stud pattern for maximal traction.  Are you a playmaking CMF?  Get a pair of Magista Obra 2's to be the meastro in the midfield.  Hypervenom's are supposed to be the best of both worlds with half conical studs and half bladed studs, for strikers that need to do it all.  Do you not like the synthetic boots on offer and prefer the feel of a natural leather boot but don't want to have an old 12oz sandbag Copa Mundial on your foot?  Tiempo Legend 6 has a lot of the new technology while retaining that high quality kangaroo leather upper.  Do you prefer a classic kangaroo leather leather boot and don't want to break the bank?  Nike Premier.
> 
> That wide array of choices and much better colorways are the big reasons Nike soccer shoes are more popular than Adidas right now, especially in the high end models.  I almost never see anyone wearing an ACE, X, or Messi.
> 
> At the end of the day they're all just shoes and none of them are going to turn you into a superstar.  You just need to find ones that fit, feel good on your feet, and have the proper stud pattern for the surfaces that you are playing on.  Although how they look is really important too.


Nike fanboy much?  There's brands other than Nike and Adidas.  Lotto, Puma, Asics and Mizuno make great cleats that last far longer than any Nike that me or my kids have worn.  For the record I'm not hating on Nike, I own lots of their gear and run in Pegasus. 

Round studs are better than blades, leather's better than plastic, sole bolts are better than glue. Just my opinions.


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## MrXor (May 16, 2017)

Ulittle dd is still growing @ 5'4''. At this age group, Sever's, stress reactions, and general overuse have plagued our team. 
She has big Flintstone feet, so we are using men's shoes. She liked the Nike Premiers and easily removable soles for Superfeet inserts.
But the shoe tears and wears out easily. She didn't like the silver duct tape "fixes" I made. 

With Sever's, we switched to Adidas Mundial turf shoes with the little cones/knobs on turf. I think we had to tear out the lining to
insert Superfeet. Great support, control, etc didn't feel like stilts, in her words. Her favorite shoe for turf.

For grass, we used Copa Mundial. Still made in Germany. Heavy, but strong support and feels great. I have a pair so I can look the part
when I kick\shank the ball around with her. She sometimes wears on both grass/turf. Both good. 

For tighter fit, try doing a runner's knot as a tie. Works great for her.


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## MR.D (May 16, 2017)

Jshwora said:


> The big difference is that the Kaiser 5 is calf leather vs the Copas are kangaroo leather.  Comfort and fit are similar, but the K leather will be softer.  I believe that with the release of the Adidas gloro they have discontinued the Kaiser 5.


Yea, I believe they've discontinued them too.  But I have 2 pair (Adidas Kaiser Blue 7 1/2 & 8 1/2) that I ordered last year from the UK that I can't get rid of if anyone is interested.


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## LASTMAN14 (May 16, 2017)

futboldad1 said:


> Nike fanboy much?  There's brands other than Nike and Adidas.  Lotto, Puma, Asics and Mizuno make great cleats that last far longer than any Nike that me or my kids have worn.  For the record I'm not hating on Nike, I own lots of their gear and run in Pegasus.
> 
> Round studs are better than blades, leather's better than plastic, sole bolts are better than glue. Just my opinions.


Gotta agree with you. We choose the boot that fits and feels best on our feet. Kind of like our wine palate. We drink what we like. I use to love Puma Kings 20 plus years ago, but they changed the contour of the shoe plate. So, I ended up trying all the above brands (plus Lotto, Patrick, Kappa) and ended up with Nike because they fit my feet the best, but I am limited to wearing Tiempo's (preferably AG's) only. And, I agree with you many of the multiple other Nike styles are not up to par to an old school pair of Copa's or Kings. BTW-I am seeing more kids wearing Copa's. Kinda cool...


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## outside! (May 16, 2017)

Surfref said:


> What is she doing to go through cleats so fast?  When my DD was at college in S. Carolina with all the rain and muddy fields, she had two pair of top of the line Tiempos ($200 a pair) that she used for daily practice.  Those two pair lasted her the entire fall season (August-November).  She would swap them out daily so she always had a dry pair.  They were beat to hell by the end of the season, but still useable.
> 
> If they only last two weeks or even six weeks, I would be sending them back to the manufacturer for a refund.


What was she doing to go through cleats so fast? She inherited square feet from me (and so did my son). When the kids were still growing and before we could find wide cleats from New Balance or Asics, my rule was leather cleats (so they would stretch) and no blades. Their feet are wide enough that the leather would stretch enough from the sides of the sole that the leather would actually touch the ground like a mocassin. The Copas ripped out from toe to instep at less than six weeks. She had a pair Tiempos die in less than two weeks. She could get about 4 months out of some purple Adidas Adizeros, but then they changed the design of the cleat and they didn't fit her any longer. Both Nike and Adidas worked with us on the problems we had with their cleats, but in the end neither company seems interested in serving players with wide feet. We then found some leather Asics cleats in wide widths. They worked well after I would stretch the heal cup wider with a wood clamp for a couple of days as well as fold the portion that protects the achilles over with a clamp for a  day before they wouldn't feel too narrow in the heal. The New Balance cleats in wide are the only cleats that will fit my son. DD has a pair of the New Balance and a pair of leather Pumas that fit her well. She always takes two pair of cleats to games in case she blows one out during a game (which has happened at least three times that I know of).

I for one am thankful for Soccerloco. They have cleats in stock so that we can try on cleats until we find a fit. They have definitely save us mid-tournament in the past. We have always had good service from Soccerloco in San Diego, Carlsbad and somewhere in Orange County. I hope they do not stop carrying New Balance.


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## MR.D (May 16, 2017)

outside! said:


> What was she doing to go through cleats so fast? She inherited square feet from me (and so did my son). When the kids were still growing and before we could find wide cleats from New Balance or Asics, my rule was leather cleats (so they would stretch) and no blades. Their feet are wide enough that the leather would stretch enough from the sides of the sole that the leather would actually touch the ground like a mocassin. The Copas ripped out from toe to instep at less than six weeks. She had a pair Tiempos die in less than two weeks. She could get about 4 months out of some purple Adidas Adizeros, but then they changed the design of the cleat and they didn't fit her any longer. Both Nike and Adidas worked with us on the problems we had with their cleats, but in the end neither company seems interested in serving players with wide feet. We then found some leather Asics cleats in wide widths. They worked well after I would stretch the heal cup wider with a wood clamp for a couple of days as well as fold the portion that protects the achilles over with a clamp for a  day before they wouldn't feel too narrow in the heal. The New Balance cleats in wide are the only cleats that will fit my son. DD has a pair of the New Balance and a pair of leather Pumas that fit her well. She always takes two pair of cleats to games in case she blows one out during a game (which has happened at least three times that I know of).
> 
> I for one am thankful for Soccerloco. They have cleats in stock so that we can try on cleats until we find a fit. They have definitely save us mid-tournament in the past. We have always had good service from Soccerloco in San Diego, Carlsbad and somewhere in Orange County. I hope they do not stop carrying New Balance.


I think there's a New Balance store in Carlesbad.  Saw them online when searching for track shoes.


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## timbuck (May 16, 2017)

At least from a "they're ugly" standpoint, my daughter is now ok with Copas.  Just need to make sure they fit her feet properly.  Her foot is a bit narrow and she likes to lace them tight, so we'll see. 
I haven't paid much attention to the "boutique" soccer shoe brands, but I'm going to have her give those a look too.


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## Surfref (May 17, 2017)

outside! said:


> What was she doing to go through cleats so fast? She inherited square feet from me (and so did my son). When the kids were still growing and before we could find wide cleats from New Balance or Asics, my rule was leather cleats (so they would stretch) and no blades. Their feet are wide enough that the leather would stretch enough from the sides of the sole that the leather would actually touch the ground like a mocassin. The Copas ripped out from toe to instep at less than six weeks. She had a pair Tiempos die in less than two weeks. She could get about 4 months out of some purple Adidas Adizeros, but then they changed the design of the cleat and they didn't fit her any longer. Both Nike and Adidas worked with us on the problems we had with their cleats, but in the end neither company seems interested in serving players with wide feet. We then found some leather Asics cleats in wide widths. They worked well after I would stretch the heal cup wider with a wood clamp for a couple of days as well as fold the portion that protects the achilles over with a clamp for a  day before they wouldn't feel too narrow in the heal. The New Balance cleats in wide are the only cleats that will fit my son. DD has a pair of the New Balance and a pair of leather Pumas that fit her well. She always takes two pair of cleats to games in case she blows one out during a game (which has happened at least three times that I know of).
> 
> I for one am thankful for Soccerloco. They have cleats in stock so that we can try on cleats until we find a fit. They have definitely save us mid-tournament in the past. We have always had good service from Soccerloco in San Diego, Carlsbad and somewhere in Orange County. I hope they do not stop carrying New Balance.


That would suck.  My DD has size 7.5 narrow feet.  Most women's cleats seem to be made for narrower feet.  She has high arches so she needs cleats that have some arch support.  The best thing we did was go to a podiatrist and get custom inserts.

Hopefully your DD will not have to worry about cleats when she is playing in college.  My DD college coach had hookups with Puma and got several players with flat feet or wide feet custom cleats made for free.  Hopefully your DD college coach has an in with one of the shoe manufacturers.


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## John Akii-Bua (May 17, 2017)

Hey, what are some good models of leather shoes, particularly for the smaller  sizes (under size 7)? For years I've been getting my son the Nike Tiempo Jrs., which used to be leather but no longer are. Apart from being cheap and durable, they also have the advantage of coming in indoor, turf, and grass, so I could get all three in the same size and my son could feel used to his shoes no matter what surface. Since the tiempos are now synthetic, I've been looking for an alternative. I recently moved to Adidas gloros for grass, which is much higher quality, but doesn't come in indoor or turf, and also I think I read they're discontinuing that model.


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## younothat (May 17, 2017)

My son loves the feel of K-leather boots, getting more difficult to find, had to get his last pair from out of state but prodirectsoccer does ship to CA. 

The 2nd gen Adidas Gloro 16.1 K's are his current favorite, these are good for wide feet and are listed as a FG but more like a FG/AG and they do very well on grass and artificial surfaces.   They have proven durable for him but others have had issues but Adidas is good about the warranty if you buy from authorized dealers.

For turf the glued on vs stitched on sole plate seem to not be as durable but not that many stitched nowadays.   Some of the Nike Hypervenoms TF's do come stitched on the front and have been very durable for him.  I dunno if its the heat or what but the glued on turf boots seem to eventually get pelts under or separate a lot easier so we try to go with the stitched ones for the turf.


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## Mystery Train (May 17, 2017)

timbuck said:


> I haven't paid much attention to the "boutique" soccer shoe brands, but I'm going to have her give those a look too.


Anyone tried Ryal? I almost ordered the K-leather Europa model from them after reading a great review of them online.   Basically like the Copas, just more unique and a modern polyurethane sole plate stitched into the upper.  
https://ryalshop.com/collection/


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## John Akii-Bua (May 17, 2017)

As long as we're talking about exotics, what about https://www.serafinoboots.com/? Too big for my son, but he loves toe poking shots.



> The rubberised cap which gives the boot a completely flat surface across the toes is designed to enable players to perform “toe pokes” with greater accuracy and power while at the same time needing only minimal backlift.


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## Mystery Train (May 17, 2017)

John Akii-Bua said:


> As long as we're talking about exotics, what about https://www.serafinoboots.com/? Too big for my son, but he loves toe poking shots.


Those look weird...


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## LASTMAN14 (May 17, 2017)

Mystery Train said:


> Anyone tried Ryal? I almost ordered the K-leather Europa model from them after reading a great review of them online.   Basically like the Copas, just more unique and a modern polyurethane sole plate stitched into the upper.
> https://ryalshop.com/collection/


Are the Ryal a shoe with a wide toe box or narrow?


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## Mystery Train (May 17, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> Are the Ryal a shoe with a wide toe box or narrow?


It doesn't say on the website, but I found them while searching for the best cleats for wide feet, so I'm guessing wide toe box...I have never seen them in person.


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## LASTMAN14 (May 17, 2017)

Mystery Train said:


> It doesn't say on the website, but I found them while searching for the best cleats for wide feet, so I'm guessing wide toe box...I have never seen them in person.


Gracias...


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## Hired Gun (Jun 11, 2017)

timbuck said:


> My DD is about done growing, so I don'd mind spending a little extra for the right cleats.
> We play on a combination of turf (the newer stuff with the cork or rubber infill) or So Cal grass (grass for a few weeks and then mostly hard dirt the rest of the year).
> What is the latest on the right sole plate/cleat to use?
> 
> I've not been a fan of the bladed cleat design (heard they aren't great for the knees on turf and hard ground), but it seems that the Nike Hypervenom now has a combination of conical studs on the inside and bladed on the outside.


Anybody try the New Balance Visaro cleats?  New Balance known for comfort has put their footprint in the baseball arena over the past few years and now is trying to slash into soccer.  Tried them in the stores felt great just haven't been able to pull the trigger - mentally I think hard to get past Nike and Adidas...


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## Buddhabman (Jun 13, 2017)

My 03 kids feet are growing. From size 9 to size 11 in the last year and a half.  Days of the $70 cleats were gone for me 3 years ago. He has worn Adidas, now Nikes but looking at Pumas. He tried the new Puma Vigor 1 and he said they were very comfortable. Anybody with any experience with Puma Cleats?


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## outside! (Jun 13, 2017)

Hired Gun said:


> Anybody try the New Balance Visaro cleats?  New Balance known for comfort has put their footprint in the baseball arena over the past few years and now is trying to slash into soccer.  Tried them in the stores felt great just haven't been able to pull the trigger - mentally I think hard to get past Nike and Adidas...


Both my kids wear the Visaro cleats in wide widths. They like them since they fit, unlike anything from Nike, or Addidas. Back before New Balance started producing soccer cleats, DD was going through a pair of cleats on average about once a month. She killed a pair of Tiempos in less than two weeks. A pair of Copas lasted less than three months. Asics also makes a wide cleat.


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## timbuck (Jun 13, 2017)

Hired Gun said:


> Anybody try the New Balance Visaro cleats?  New Balance known for comfort has put their footprint in the baseball arena over the past few years and now is trying to slash into soccer.  Tried them in the stores felt great just haven't been able to pull the trigger - mentally I think hard to get past Nike and Adidas...


For all shoes, I hate Nike.  I just think they make a crap product.  They are stylish but I think you are mostly paying for cool styling and athlete sponsorship. 
How much of that $250 Nike shoe is going to Neymar, CR7, Alex Morgan, etc?

But my oldest kid does wear Nike soccer cleats. Mostly because of the style. And some because the hyper venom women's fit her foot really well. 
Why hasn't adidas released a copa in women's sizing?


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## outside! (Jun 13, 2017)

timbuck said:


> Why hasn't adidas released a copa in women's sizing?


Silly timbuck, futball is for boys.


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## DNGNCB (Jun 14, 2017)

Found this this morning and sent it to my nephew who loved it: https://www.soccernation.com/quiz-cleat-right/

A little fun for the kiddos


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## Sheriff Joe (Jun 14, 2017)

timbuck said:


> For all shoes, I hate Nike.  I just think they make a crap product.  They are stylish but I think you are mostly paying for cool styling and athlete sponsorship.
> How much of that $250 Nike shoe is going to Neymar, CR7, Alex Morgan, etc?
> 
> But my oldest kid does wear Nike soccer cleats. Mostly because of the style. And some because the hyper venom women's fit her foot really well.
> Why hasn't adidas released a copa in women's sizing?


My daughter only will wear Nike, we have good luck with their product and with the 2 year warranty and great customer service we will not be changing anytime soon.
Those fricken Copas weigh a ton.


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## rainbow_unicorn (Jun 14, 2017)

John Akii-Bua said:


> As long as we're talking about exotics, what about https://www.serafinoboots.com/? Too big for my son, but he loves toe poking shots.


Omg, those are ridiculous.  You know a kid is going to get ridiculed if they step onto a pitch with those things on their feet.


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## LASTMAN14 (Jun 14, 2017)

While in college I worked with sporting equipment representatives (Nike, Adidas, Pumas, etc) and learned a great deal about their products. As player I asked many a question about cleats and learned that the top of line soccer footwear were not worth the cost because the added features/specifications to the shoes themselves did not necessarily improve the quality or performance of the shoe as promised. I still refer to that bit of knowledge. I do wear Nike but only buy from the Tiempo line and do not go above the $120 mark as their is no real benefit to buying up for the $250 pair.


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## LASTMAN14 (Jun 14, 2017)

rainbow_unicorn said:


> Omg, those are ridiculous.  You know a kid is going to get ridiculed if they step onto a pitch with those things on their feet.


They look great if you play kick ball.


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## outside! (Jun 14, 2017)

rainbow_unicorn said:


> Omg, those are ridiculous.  You know a kid is going to get ridiculed if they step onto a pitch with those things on their feet.


In general if a car looks like a shoe (or a fish), I usually think it is ugly. This shoe reminds me of a Ford Edsel. The theory behind it is interesting however.


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## Lvdepech (Jun 14, 2017)

Soccercleats101.com

Been following for awhile ..he has all the answers


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## LASTMAN14 (Jun 14, 2017)

Lvdepech said:


> Soccercleats101.com
> 
> Been following for awhile ..he has all the answers


BB who runs that site is also a quality player. I've


Lvdepech said:


> Soccercleats101.com
> 
> Been following for awhile ..he has all the answers


Always good stuff from BB. Good player as well.


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## LASTMAN14 (Jun 14, 2017)

LASTMAN14 said:


> BB who runs that site is also a quality player. I've
> 
> Always good stuff from BB. Good player as well.


Not a fan of this auto-save. Sometimes I start on one device and finish on another. It kinda goofs things up.


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