What Are Cleats
For those of you that have ever been flagged for wearing baseball cleats in a soccer game, you already know that not all cleats are the same. For those just getting into sports, here’s a brief rundown of the different types of cleats.
BASEBALL CLEATS
- Baseball cleats range from metal, molded plastic or rubber cleats as well as turf cleats with studs or spikes, which help to provide the traction necessary for running on the hard dirt and infields of a baseball diamond.
- Baseball shoes have a toe cleat in the front that digs into the dirt and helps with quick acceleration.
FOOTBALL CLEATS
- Football cleats are longer in length than baseball cleats. They are made to dig into the field to give the player traction and allow them to make quick cuts and turns on natural grass or artificial turf fields.
- The leather on football cleats is heavier and thicker than other cleats to protect the player’s feet when they get stepped on, which occasionally happens in football.
- The different player positions also mean different cleats. There are three heights = high tops, mid-cut and low cut. The high cut is for less mobile positions, such as offensive and defensive line players. Mid-cut is typically for linebackers, running backs and quarterbacks. Low cuts are designed for speed positions, like cornerbacks, safeties and wide receivers.
SOCCER CLEATS
- Soccer cleats can typically be worn in other sports. But, it is not safe to wear baseball or lacrosse shoes that have a toe cleat in soccer.
- Soccer cleats are lighter than football and baseball cleats.
- The cleats on soccer shoes are low cut and they are shorter because they’re made for running and agility.
GOLF SHOES
- The cleats on golf shoes are typically referred to as “spikes.”
- Spikes are necessary for golfers because they allow the shoe to grip the grass and the player can maintain their footing when the grass is uneven, wet and slippery.
- Spikes also provide golfers with a more stable stance when they take a swing.
- Some golf shoes have spikes built into the soles. But golf shoes and spikes can also be purchased separately. These spikes are referred to as “detachable.” Since some golf courses do not allow spikes on golf shoes because they do not want the ground damaged, instead of needing a different pair of golf shoes with no spikes, detachable spikes mean the golfer can simply remove them to play on that particular course.