Which pair should I buy? (Football boots - General)

Member Name: Tristan AC

Product:	Football boots - General
Date:	05/08/00 (2611 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The right pair can really strengthen your game.

Disadvantages: Can be expensive and not suitable.

The answer to the question of which boots to buy depends on your reason for wanting a new pair. Obviously, if you are after a pair that will turn you into a combination of Beckham and Rivaldo you may be better off letting your mother buy them for you so you have somebody to blame when you're not scoring free kicks with ease. No boot can give you more skill, full stop. Boots can enhance the rate at which you can build on your skill by providing you with better grip, more comfort, greater turning ability, etc. but the boot itself is not going to give you skill you never had before.

Firstly it is important to ascertain what kind of surface you will be predominantly playing on through the season. Wet pitches or pitches with longer grass need better grip and blades or cleats will not serve you well in these conditions. Hard pitches with bare patches require short studs or cleats. Blades on this kind of surface will quickly wear down and you'll often feel as if you've been walking with stones in your boots for days after! If you play on astroturf you really have to go for cleats or short blades. Long blades will plant your foot too firmly and you can damage your knees and ankles when you twist or if you go in for a tackle.

Secondly, which position do you play? For a forward, boots that are good for acceleration (blades) and have a softer leather will benefit you greatly. Predators, at the distance from goal strikers normally shoot from, can be an expensive waste unless you happen to take free kicks and corners. Central midfield players should opt for the Predator option as they are more likely to shoot from longer range and will be expected to make more passes than any other player. Wingers should again opt for a fast acceleration boot that allows quick turning and preferably ones with soft leather. Defenders and goalkeepers however should buy boots with a good grip and a solid structure.

It is important that you go for comfort. For
instance, Italian football boots tend to be narrower and you'll find they squeeze all the blood out of your foot on a wet day when the leather shrinks or you end up with sore feet for days because all your tendons have been crushed for 90 minutes.

All in all, don't throw your money at a pair of boots that look great but feel awful and conflict with your strengths as a player. If you play on different surfaces then buy different types of boots for a cheaper price rather than spending all your money on a boot you think will suit all purposes. Personally I have found Adidas Predators or boots with blades to be the best but it is your choice and you shouldn't be misled or rushed into buying a pair by sales assistants who just want to make a quick sale.

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