If you want to play football to the best of your ability, you need to look at all aspects of your game. How can you make those incremental improvements that mean the difference between enjoying the sweet taste of victory or leaving the field disappointed? It’s not just a question of honing your skills so you can bemuse the opposition. Or developing that second sight to instinctively pick out a player in the box.
These are important, but so too is choosing the perfect kit for the surface you’re playing on. That includes the right type of boot to give you the surefootedness you need to consistently perform at your peak.
WHAT ARE SOFT GROUND FOOTBALL BOOTS USED FOR?
When you’re buying football boots you want to make sure you choose those that make you feel great and play even better. So how do you decide from the huge range out there? Do you go for those that are understated, or others that shout ‘look at me’? There are so many to choose from. But one of the most important things to look for – and which, arguably, could improve your game the most – is the boots’ suitability for the surface you’re playing on.
You wear soft ground football boots (sometimes called sg football boots) when you’re playing on a natural grass pitch that’s had more than its fair share of rain. In the UK, this happens over most of the winter. The ground underfoot will have plenty of give in it and might become a mud bath later in the game – especially in the penalty box where the hard action happens.
This is where soft ground boots are worth their weight in goals. If you can keep your balance when all around you are losing theirs then you can put yourself at a real advantage. These football boots are designed so you can plant your feet with confidence, helping you strike the ball perfectly for that long ball clearance or that rising thunderbolt into the roof of the net. They help you give 100% even on the worst of pitches.
WHY ARE THEY BETTER ON SOFT GROUND?
Soft ground boots are designed with longer metal or plastic studs that give you a far better grip on the ground. The studs are often removable and between 1/2 to 3/5 inches in length. This means you can choose the right size of stud depending on the conditions. The spacing of the studs is also important. Typically, they’re wider apart than on other football boots, so they don’t collect too much mud between them. This is important because the mud could affect your balance, making you run less efficiently and shoot less accurately.
Each boot will have just two to four studs under the heel and four under the ball of your foot. Some also feature additional small, moulded studs for extra surface grip. Altogether, this means maximum traction for better agility and acceleration over wet, muddy grass. Fewer studs also mean they’ll penetrate the surface better and let you accelerate from it without picking up too much mud. Any mud they do pick up will naturally fall off as you run or can easily be scraped away by hand.
SOFT VS HARD GROUND FOOTBALL BOOTS
If you’re going to be playing on grass – whether that’s just a kickaround or more serious league games – you need to choose between hard and soft ground football boots. You might even impress your mates by buying a pair of each.
From the sole up hard and soft ground football boots are identical, so whatever you choose you won’t have to compromise on materials or design. The difference between the two lies in what’s under the sole, with the studs below designed specifically to give you the best grip and traction on the different surfaces.
As we’ve already mentioned, soft ground boots have longer interchangeable studs. These dig in to give you extra traction and speed when the conditions are slippery and wet. Firm ground football boots, on the other hand, have shorter plastic studs, or moulds, designed to give you a better grip on hard natural surfaces.
While you could get away with using hard ground football boots all season, soft ground football boots should be kept for the winter – they’re your secret weapon when the ground is squashy and muddy.
PLAY YOUR BEST GAME IN THE WORST OF WEATHER
Whatever the ground conditions, you’ll always want to bring your A-Game to the pitch. The last thing you want is to not feel confident during play. So, when the pitch is soft and heavy on the legs, you can make light work of it with a pair of soft ground football boots. With their longer, widely spaced studs they’ll give you the traction and purchase you need. You’ll be able to accelerate faster, balance better, and stay light on your feet the whole winter long.