Whether you play lacrosse or soccer, indoor, outdoor, grass or on turf, buying the right cleat for your feet is essential. Checking out as many different brands, sizes, colors, and materials are vital so you can hopefully avoid blisters and achy feet (and who wants that!). The best way to do this is to venture into the stores (preferably then buying online), and get your feet measured! Your feet change as you grow, your feet swell as you play and different shoe makers have different sizing charts; example would be a size 10 Nike Tiempo Legend will fit different than a size 10 Adidas F50 AdiZero. Best advice here is to try on all brands and all sizes.
Now, lacrosse cleats are different than soccer cleats which are different than football cleats which are different than baseball cleats. Soccer cleats run narrow for better ball control while lacrosse cleats are said to be a merge of a football cleat and a soccer boot. They are a slightly more ‘heavy-duty’ plus they are cut higher for better ankle support.
Material wise, leather fabric breathes better and is strong while synthetic materials are easier to clean and dry quicker. If you buy leather, look into getting some Mink Oil to massage into the fabric to protect it and keep it soft. Leather can dry out and become very stiff.
Extra laces are always a good idea in case you snap one (Easier to re-lace a shoe than to attempt to tie two small pieces together) as well as buying a cleat wrench (for those boots with detachable cleats).
Once you have made a decision, wear your new boots in the house, around the yard; break them in as you would any other shoe.
Lastly, buying a comfortable pair of flip-flops is smart too. Wearing them to and from practice (or a game) gives your feet a break and saves your cleats from being worn on concrete (walking to and from the car maybe?).
And, don’t forget that one day, this may happen to you
To read more about sizing and care, check out these links below –
http://www.livestrong.com/article/14442-smart-shopping-for-lacrosse-cleats/#ixzz1xnAXAgQk
