How to Buy Artificial Grass Soccer Cleats
Artificial grass soccer cleats should be a consideration for most players around the world. It’s important to have the best cleats for the surface you’re playing on. Having the appropriate gear will ensure that you perform your best and are less likely to be injured.
Depending on where you live in the world, you may not have access to the best natural grass fields. These days I rarely get the chance to play on real grass. Instead, I mostly practice and play on artificial grass (AG) surfaces. For this reason, I play in AG cleats. In this article I want to explain why AG cleats may be a great option for you if you mostly play on artificial surfaces.
Artificial vs Natural Grass Surfaces
The first artificial grass surface was invented in the US in 1965 and called “AstroTurf”. This surface was extremely unforgivable. It essentially felt like playing with a thin layer of carpet on top of concrete. Luckily, there have been many advances in artificial playing surfaces since then.
In the early 2000’s, several advancements in AG fields made the surface feel more similar to real grass. Layers of silicon and granulated rubber were incorporated into the playing surface in order to make it softer and more forgiving. Despite these advancements, AG fields still have a lot of disadvantages compared to natural grass. They are painful to slide on due to the plastic materials used, and the harder materials can cause discomfort when running long distances.
Given all the differences between firm ground grass (FG) and artificial grass (AG), major football brands decided to make cleats specially for AG surfaces.
What Makes Artificial Grass Soccer Cleats Different
The difference between FG cleats and AG cleats lies in the sole plate. The studs on FG sole plates are long and have a sharp design in order to get traction with soft grass. This helps you be more explosive when changing direction on the field.
AG cleats on the other hand, typically have shorter and more conical shaped studs. This is important for playing on artificial surfaces, as sharp FG studs are more likely to get caught on the turf and result in an injury. The rounded shape of the studs on AG boots are more suited for changing direction on harder surfaces.
Additionally, there are usually more studs on AG sole plates compared to their FG counterparts. The benefit to having more studs is that there is less pressure distributed to your feet. This will help your feet feel more comfortable on the harder AG surface.
Where to Buy Artificial Grass Cleats
One of the frustrating things as a player is that it’s sometimes difficult to find AG cleats in stores. For that reason, I like to purchase my AG cleats online. Below are links to some online stores that have a wide selection of AG models.
