This is a topic that doesn’t get a lot of attention when it comes to goalkeeping. Mainly because we’re going to be more concerned with our gloves than almost anything else that’s part of your outfit. That being said, your cleats aren’t just a key part of your outfit as a goalkeeper. They actually can help or hamper your performance. It all depends on the type of cleats you’re wearing and the wear and tear that’s built up over the games and training sessions. Today I want to talk about not only how often goalkeepers should change their cleats, but also some signs that you want to be on the lookout for to know when it’s time.
There are different things that are going to contribute to the overall wear and tear on your cleats. Things like where you play, and even how you walk can make it, so your cleats end up lasting longer or not. Actually if you’re seeing an excessive amount of wear on a particular area that seems odd, it could be down to the way that you’re finding your own balance. If you’re worried how this can affect you long term it could be a good idea to go see a podiatrist to see if you can’t correct your posture while you walk or run. Back to the cleats though, does wearing old shoes as a goalkeeper negatively impact your game? It turns out it can! That’s why I feel that talking about this rather obscure topic actually makes a bit of sense.
Signs That You May Need To Change Your Cleats
Number one is rather obvious, if your cleats are worn down or broken to the point where you’re not able to step comfortably on the field you need to change them. Here I want to make a point. Even if you don’t feel anything different when playing with worn out cleats you’re going to want to change them anyway. Over time if you’re stepping wrong that could be a problem for you moving forward. That’s advice that can work for both cleats or any other type of shoes that you wear. Another reason why you don’t want to wear cleats that are worn down from the bottom part is because you won’t be getting the necessary protection when you hit the ground.
Another sign that you need to change your cleats is that they’re getting too soft on the top part. A lot of people don’t love the fact that their cleats fit too tight. Technically though it’s a good idea to make sure that your cleats do fit tight and are a little thicker than most shoes. I know that this is not the norm with new versions of cleats. The thing is, if you have a cleat that’s just too soft all over you’re going to feel all the pain that you can feel when someone steps on you. Especially when they’re using metal cleats. For the most part goalkeepers should want shoes that allow you to feel comfortable but firm.
You May Not Want To Have A Ton Of Grip On Training Cleats
This is the first contradiction that I’m going to be talking about here. There are probably going to be a couple. That’s the main reason why it’s actually rather challenging to pick cleats as a goalkeeper. Of course, also letting go of your cleats as a goalkeeper is another matter. The reason why I talk about not wanting as much grip on your cleats as a goalkeeper, especially for training, is because a lot of knee injuries stem from this issue. In the worst case scenario with too much grip you’ll plant the foot in the ground and try to change direction. Something that’s very common in goalkeeping. When you’re completely planted and try to turn there’s always a risk that the knee that’s planted will stay put and that leads to the worst injuries ever.
What you can also do is stay on your toes to try and avoid those injuries. There are times when they are inevitable. What I wouldn’t do for example is train on a bad turf field with cleats that give you a lot of grip. These cleats won’t be able to attach to the turf at times and that can bring its own set of problems. That’s why in general I would rather have a slip in training than have a situation where you’re too attached to the ground, and you turn and injure yourself that way. I’ve talked about this topic of the types of cleats that you want to wear depending on the surface that you’re playing on before. I’ll link to that instead of going into that idea too deep here.
What’s A Good Time Table On Soccer Cleat Life Spans?
Ideally you shouldn’t be keeping cleats longer than a season. I know that’s something that can be hard to stomach. Particularly for goalkeepers because let’s be really honest. Your cleats are not going to look like they are too worn out. Especially if you don’t use them on a daily basis. In that case you could certainly stick with a pair of cleats for longer than a year. I’ll give you that! Of course, you need to make sure that you keep them at least in a closet that’s not too damp. One of the main issues with soccer/football related gear that people don’t wear often is that they end up storing it in the depths of their home.
You don’t want to store your cleats in a damp spot that’s going to make them smell like damp old shoes. Even if your feet don’t stink, they will after you put these cleats on. Also, keeping them in direct sunlight is not a good idea. That’s usually going to cause the cleats to harden more than they need to be. If you don’t keep your cleats in a dry spot with no direct sunlight you could be one of those people that puts them on after a while and feels awkward wearing cleats. That’s because the composition of the fabric has been altered throughout the time that you weren’t wearing them! Even if you thought that you were not using them, and they were going to be fine.
Are There Ways To Help Your Cleats Last Longer?
Unlike goalkeeper gloves I don’t get the sense that washing your cleats is going to do a lot. What you don’t want though is to leave them out in the sun too long either. A lot like gloves in this case, what can happen is that they’ll get hard. I already talked about some of the reasons why you want to avoid that situation. If your cleats get wet, having them dry out properly before you put them on again may not be a way to have them last longer. What it will help prevent is them smelling horribly. One of the reasons why you may end up changing cleats is because you just can’t deal with the smell! You’re going to want to avoid that stink of humidity before it penetrates into the shoes.
Another thing that’s completely deliberate is to make sure that you’re not using overly delicate cleats on rough fields. The fact is, a lot of the premium cleats on the market today are not going to benefit you a lot if you constantly play on poor fields. I talked about the grip issue before. At times if you have for example cleats with a lot of studs, those are going to be hard to walk with on very hard fields. Not only that, but because the ground doesn’t “give in” these studs are going to go through more wear and tear on dirt or hard turf fields. A lot of times people can think you’re being a “diva” because you don’t want to use your “good cleats” on rough fields. Really it’s going to be the right call more often than not.
Find The Balance That Works For You
You can’t always be so worked up about taking care of your cleats. If you find yourself on a rough field, and you only have your very best cleats on, don’t think twice about it. A lot of times when we try to be extra cautious that tends to backfire. What happens is that you may end up wanting to hold back or make movements that aren’t natural to you. We see a ton of injuries with players that are playing scared. Especially when it comes to these situations where it’s the cleats fault where you’re getting too much grip. I think that’s something that’s a real concern, and we don’t talk enough about it. I would rather have cleats that don’t last as long, but I get a good season out of them. Then some that just stay around, but aren’t all that comfortable.
Having said all this, I do stand by the idea of having more than one pair of cleats. Especially if you’re playing at a competitive level. Also, if you’re traveling a lot to different parts to play. It makes sense to have more than one pair in that situation because you never know what type of field you’re going to come across. Now, if you play on one field every single time out then go out and buy a pair of cleats that are going to allow you to maximize your performance on that particular field. That’s not always going to mean go out and buy the best cleats available. At times that means go out and buy turf shoes instead of cleats. Like I said the key is to find the balance and hopefully a pair of cleats that suits where you usually play.
