While Nike soccer shoes are popular and well made, having the right type of shoe for the field is far more important than the brand name. Soccer can be played on both indoor and outdoor fields and each turf comes with its own specialized needs when it comes to acquiring the proper footwear. Even the hardness of the field makes a difference.
If the game is being played on a firm field, you will need molded outsoles. Molded shoes are available with both conical and bladed studs. These provide improved traction and are very versatile for most natural surface fields. Studs are far more popular, though blades boast improved grip on firm ground. This type of soccer footwear is fairly common given the firmness of the pitch of most American fields.
For soft, wet, or well-groomed pitches, try replaceable outsoles. These shoes have fewer studs that are longer and more evenly spaced. Given that professional soccer fields have very well-groomed and manicured pitches, these types of shoes are most often used by highly competitive teams. Soft ground or replaceable shoes are not ideal for most fields due to the hardness of the pitch. Using this kind of footwear on firm fields can lead to stud pressure pain and other injuries.
Hard ground fields require a different kind of outsole as well. These fields, whether they are natural or artificial, require cleats that have a higher density and even distribution of studs. These studs are shorter and are designed to create traction without digging deep into the ground. It would also be ideal to use this kind of footwear on frozen fields.
Turf boots are ideal for artificial fields and hard surfaces. These shoes come with a very durable rubber outsole. Some turf shoes come with studs while others simply utilize patters on the outsole to promote better traction.
Lastly, we have indoor shoes. These soccer shoes typically come with gum rubber flat outsoles. They are often referred to as flats and function just as well for street wear as they do for indoor soccer. This is ideal for playing inside of a gym. As such, most come with non-marking rubber soles.
Wearing the wrong shoes for the field can not only lose the game, but take you out of it as well. The additions and various changes to these shoes are functional accents to help improve grip, speed, and also prevent injury to the feet and leg joints.