Baseball and softball cleats are designed to help enhance one’s athletic abilities by adding traction, which improves speed and agility.
The pair of cleats that you wear while on the field can have a significant impact on your performance. As such, it is important to choose wisely when buying a new pair.
Here are some helpful tips for picking out baseball and softball cleats to ensure you make the right choice.
Molded or Metal?
The two main styles of softball and baseball cleats are molded cleats or metal cleats. Molded cleats are made from plastic and have rubber studs molded to the bottom of the shoe.The studs on molded cleats are relatively short and wide with deep grooves, which helps add traction while maintaining comfort.
Metal cleats on the other hand are equipped with rounded metal studs. While they are often considered less comfortable than molded cleats, they generally provide the best traction and are more lightweight.
In addition to personal preference, make sure to consider the requirements of your league when choosing between metal or molded spikes. In some cases, metal cleats are prohibited—especially in amateur leagues.
Choosing the Right Size
Wearing the wrong-size cleats can be uncomfortable and result in painful blisters. Fortunately, cleat sizing is very similar to that of regular athletic shoes, so finding the right size shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.However, because all brands will size their shoes slightly differently, you should try them on before making a purchase. When doing so, wear the type of socks that you typically would while training or competing, as their thickness could impact the fit of the cleats.
Ideally, your baseball or softball cleats should fit a little tighter than your regular shoes but not so tight that they cause discomfort.
Consider Your Position
Another helpful tip for picking out baseball and softball cleats is to select a pair that is optimized for the specific position that you play.For example, if you are an outfielder, you may want to opt for low-cut metal cleats because they are lighter in weight and the metal studs will improve traction, allowing for optimal speed.
On the other hand, if you are a pitcher, you may want to select cleats with a reinforced toe and a mid- or low-top to facilitate quick and easy ankle movement.
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