Running Shoes, Cleats, Turfs, and Trails - OH MY! PART 2: Cleats, Turfs, Trails
AT LAST!!! Part 2 of the shoe blog! Today we will talk about certain turfs, trail runners and cleats! There will be times I will list names of certain models of turfs, trails and cleats. These are the ones I recommend or have had a great experience with. At the end of the day, these are my personal opinions, and every referee must wear what works best for them.
When it comes to turfs/trails/cleats there is going to be some debate. I recommend wearing trail runners or turfs on dry/hard ground grass or turf. If it is raining on a natural grass or turf field, I recommend wearing cleats.
Starting with turfs they are all similar when it comes to the bottom of the shoe for traction. Some will have some slight modifications but ultimately, they will be the same. Most of the modern-day turf shoes will be made by Adidas, Nike, Umbro, and New Balance. These companies have been around a long time and provide great turf shoes. When I first started my referee career, I wore the Adidas Mundial Team Turf soccer shoe. I feel most referees start off with these turf shoes and continue to wear them throughout their career. They provide good traction in moderate wet conditions but also provide adequate cushioning and support. They are ideal for wearing on field turf and are still available as they have been a “main stay” with Adidas in the Copa line for years. They also provide that classic referee shoe look being predominately black and a trim of white with the Adidas 3-stripes. They have also updated their Copa line with newer modern materials and athletic fit.
Nike has also provided great turf shoes throughout the years; they continue to update and change their models with the times. Always evolving and never being satisfied, just like their athletes, that’s NIKE! Nike makes a lot of turf shoes but in all honesty, I like the look and feel of the Tiempo line or the Premier Line. Both have a great fit and feel on the foot and they use premium materials. They also work well in both natural grass and turf.
I have never worn Umbro or New Balance but I have heard great reviews from many other referees. Also, with New Balance they have started making wider toe box turfs and cleats. Just a bonus for referees that have wide feet.
Now lets talk about the hybrids - THE TRAIL RUNNERS!
There are some great companies that make some excellent trail running shoes
-Adidas
-Nike
-Altra
-Salomon
-Hoka
-Brooks
-North Face
-Topo
-Craft
-Merrell
I have tried many different trail runners from almost all of these companies. My top choices are Nike, Adidas, Saloman, and Altra. All of these companies provide great traction on all their shoes and good styling. Currently, a few of these companies are also developing carbon fiber plated trail running shoes! Meaning an added boost in your performance on the field. If you would like one of these, check out North Face, Craft, and Merrell as they are the only brands that have them. However, Nike is about to release their Nike ZoomX UltraFly Trail. This shoe will have full length ZoomX foam, a carbon fiber plate, and vibram grip outsole. It’s set to be released in the U.S. in August. Gathering information from the prototype testing, this shoe looks like it could be the top choice for trail running shoes for any referee. Hopefully Nike will makes them in black. All the photos I have seen have been just one colorway, white with orange. However, if they do make them in black, I will be first in line to purchase them!
When it comes to certain models, I currently own about 3-4 different pairs of trail running shoes. My favorite currently being the Nike Zegama Trail and the Adidas Rockadia. Previous to those I wore Salomon SuperCross and they were excellent as I wore them for 2-3 years. However, like most shoes they tend to be discontinued or limited supply run. The Rockadia and SuperCross are now discontinued, or the design of the shoe has changed. I highly recommend, if you like a certain brand and model of a shoe, buy 2 or 3 pairs; you just never know when they are going to disappear or change.
Now, onto a section I am really excited about! This will be a shout-out to Leland Grant at Umpiro Shoes! Umpiro has taken the referee shoe world by storm this past year. These shoes were designed by Leland, who has been a referee for over 20 years; including being a U.S. Soccer National Referee from 2011 -2019 and has worked professional and international games and has also appeared twice in the NCAA Final Four Tournament. His resume speaks for itself!
Leland did countless hours of his own testing on the shoe and had other elite referees test them. After getting feedback from other referees and using his own, Leland came up with the design of the shoe. He took the best parts of all three shoes: cleats, turfs, and trail runners and made them into one. Quoting from Umpiro.com “These shoes were created to work on any field, in any weather, so that referees would be at their best from grass to turf, rain or shine, no matter what. I simply created the shoe because I got so tired of having to pack three different pairs of shoes, and my dress shoes, to fly to a game.”
These shoes have definitely been a game changer for referees! It means less items to pack and not worrying about what shoes to wear based on conditions. I have worn these shoes and it does everything it says it does! Thank you for all the hard work Leland, you have provided referees with a great new shoe.
Last but certainly not the least, CLEATS! When it comes to cleats - style and fashion take a back seat and comfort take over. Unless you can find both and if you can buy as many as you can!
The most important thing is wearing the correct cleat that won’t hurt your feet and provides the best traction. Cleats come in firm ground and soft ground. What does that mean? Firm grounds or molded, are plastic or synthetic material studs on the bottom. These will provide traction and support on ground that is either hard or firm. Soft grounds or metal studs will provide traction and support in wet and muddy conditions.
Here are a few cleats I recommend
-Adidas Copa Icon
-Nike Legend PRO
-PUMA King
-Adidas Predator
-New Balance
-Diadora
-Umbro
Because these companies have the same feel of every cleat from their base to their top model, the only thing that really changes is the materials used and how the cut of the show feels on the foot. The lower grade cleats end up having synthetic leather or plastic materials and the foot in the shoe may feel generic. The higher end cleats will use more soft premium grade leather like kangaroo or calf skin and provide a true athletic cut that hugs the foot with proper padding on the sides and bottom.
I have tried almost every pair of cleats that is out there, including the ones that are on this list. I personally prefer the Nike style cleat right now, only because they have updated with the times and have made comfort meet fashion. Some of the other companies have updated some of their styles but still offer their old ones; adidas with their Copa line, as previously mentioned.
I love the original Adidas Copa cleats but I have found they hurt my feet too much. The sole plate tends to be too stiff and the toe box is also narrow. Also, where the studs line up on my feet, there tends to be too much pressure to the bottom of my foot and causes pain. Adidas has made some improvements with their Copa line with some current new-age models. I recently tried on the new Adidas Copa Icon and they are great to wear. They provide premium heel padding and a smaller stud pattern on the sole plate. This alleviates any pressure point issues for me. They have also widened the toe box and the leather is premium materials. Adidas stayed true to their classic Copa look with the three white stripes on the side of a black cleat, and some moderate white trim around the heel. After sampling these Copa Icons, I immediately ordered a pair. Look for a review blog on these in the near future!
The new kid on the block in the cleat game is New Balance and I have to say they have opened the eyes of players and referees, especially with the making of wide foot cleats. Brining a whole new market into play and meeting a demand that has been there for years.
Overall, there so many different options for every referee. Testing out different pairs is always great but can get pricey. I recommend finding a pair that fits comfortable for you and you enjoy wearing. Always be on the lookout for newer shoes that come into the market and see what unique features they have to offer. Below, in my opinion, I have ranked all the Turfs, Trails, and Cleats in order.
Best ALL AROUND– UMPIRO SHOES
Best TURFS - ADIDAS and NIKE
BEST TRAIL RUNNERS – NIKE, ADIDAS, SALOMON
BEST CLEATS – NIKE, ADIDAS, NEW BALANCE