Looking For Soccer Turf Shoes That Feel Like Indoors But Grip Like Cleats?

What makes great soccer turf shoes?

Easy, for anyone that has ever said "I love my touch indoor I just wish I had that same ball control outdoors" welcome to the wonderful world of turf soccer shoes. Have you ever repeated that to yourself before?

If so maybe playing with soccer turf shoes on every turf surface indoor our out might be the solution. Turfs are really the wild card in the deck as they can be used both indoor and outdoor under certain conditions.

Some prefer them because you get indoor touch and feel of the ball with pretty good traction outdoors, others can't stand them.

Every year more and more teams and facilities are building turf fields for their training and match fields. Because of this growing trend of turf fields more and more players are wearing turf shoes on a more regular basis.

Soccer turf shoes are also very versatile, whether it’s indoor turf, carpet or outdoor turf these shoes can be used over a wide selection of pitches. Their versatility alone are worth the investment, plus you get better ball control with your sole.

Finally everything you will need to know about buying your next pair of turfs, what to look for, what to avoid, what brands to look for and even which turf pattern soles are the best for your game.

Try it out for yourself (the shoes I mean of course) and make sure you get that right combination of looking and feeling good.

Soccer Turf Shoes Explained

Top 5 Qualities Of Great Soccer Turf Shoes

1. Flexible & Sturdy

• You want some give and flexibility in the shoe especially in the shoe upper part so your foot can move, feel comfortable and flex up and down when controlling a ball.

• You also want the shoe to well built overall and sturdy, meaning you don't want the shoe so flexible and flimsy that it starts to crack or break at the seems easily.

2. Comfortable

• I know the cool thing is to look good in your new flashy turfs but that feeling doesn't last too long.

• The best turf shoes are the ones that look the way you want but are incredibly comfortable.

• You are going to be wearing them for at least a year multiple times a day so you're going to want to feel good with them on.

3. Quality Materials

• You can tell a cheap plastic material compared to a quality synthetic or leather shoe.

• Inspect the seams and see if they are well stitched and don't come apart easily. Inspect the sole of the shoe and where it attaches to the upper part of the shoe and see if it is well put together with quality.

• Although easily replaceable be sure the laces are well made and tough to tear apart.

4. Stud Grip

• Just because the turf pattern on the bottom of the shoe looks good that doesn't make it effective.

• Be sure to try the shoe on and feel the touch of the ball on the studs and how well the studs grip when you quickly change direction on the turf surface.

5. Toe Box

• Every once in awhile you are going to shoot or pass with your toe so make sure the front of the shoe has a nice solid piece of rubber by the toes of the shoe.

• That area will also be the first to start to wear down so make sure it looks durable.

Top 5 Things To Remember When Buying Soccer Turf Shoes

1. You Get What You Pay For

• This is as true in life when buying a car, house or even a new pair of soccer turf shoes!

• If a pair of beautiful shoes are so cheap that it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• You are probably buying the knock off version that will last you a month. 

• It's better to spend a little bit more now on a quality turf shoe than have to replace your shoe in a few weeks.

2. Comfort Over Look

• I get it, you want to look good in the shoes too but don't make that the only thing to guide your decision.

• It's got to feel good or you're asking for blisters, foot soreness or a worse injury down the road.

• Get the right combination of looks, comfort and effectiveness.

3. Turf Grip

• Make sure the grip on the bottom of the shoe does what you want from the touch on the ball you want to feel to the ability cut and move on the pitch.

• Some turf patterns look nice but aren't effective in allowing you to stop and turn quickly on the turf, last thing you want to be doing is slipping on the turf with your shoes.

4. Stick To Name Brands

• Stick to what has worked over time. If you see the pro's wearing a type of shoe you can probably bet they are reliable and do the job.

• So go with your typical Nike, Adidas, Puma or even a Joma and Diadora for best results.

5. Love The Look

• At the end of the day no matter what you must not only like the way you feel in them but also the way you look in them.

• If you're a flash shoe kind of guy, go for it, if it's all back for you, then do you. After all matching your turfs with your jersey never hurt anyone.

Top 5 Things To Avoid When Buying Soccer Turf Shoes

1. Picking Only Based On Looks

• Brighter does not mean better! It's fine to like the look of a shoe whatever that may look like but just don't base your entire decision on only looks.

• Just like car you want to see what's under the hood as well.

2. Buying Too Cheap

• If you plan on playing for more than a couple of months stay away from buying turf shoes that are on the extreme cheap end.

• They will fall apart and end up costing you more in the long run, pay a little more now, save a lot later.

3. Random Brands

• You can vary from the name brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma but don't go too far off the other end with a complete unknown and unproven brand.

4. Buying Without Trying

• You have to give the shoes a test drive.

• See how they feel on your foot, while you're running and cutting and of course how it feels with a ball on your foot.

• Blindly buying a shoe without trying it can only cause you problems later.

5. Buying Without Trying

• Make sure while trying it on you get a feel for the ball with the turfs on.

• Not only how it feels to touch and roll it but also get someone to pass the ball with you back and forth a little to get a good feel for it.

5 Different Types Of Turf Shoe Studs

1. Round

2. Triangle

3. Thin Sliver

4. Tiny

5. Combination of any of the above

Top 10 Best Soccer Turf Shoes of the 2020's

Top 3 Places To Buy Great Soccer Turf Shoes

1. Sportchek.ca

2. Soccer.com

3. Amazon

Generally turfs range anywhere from $50-$120. You’re better off paying a little extra now for better quality then saving the $30 or so for some cheap rip off that isn’t going to last you through pre season.

If you know a buddy of yours who is looking to buy soccer turf shoes around the same time as you are try find a place that gives you a discount on a second pair to save you some money as well.

Going with name brands such as Adidas, Nike, Puma are always a smart buy due to their history of reliability. If you happen to stumble upon a non name brand pair that's fine too but just be sure to read some reviews, ask some friends and of course test them our yourself.

In the case you find a cheaper price online then in person be sure to go to the store anyways so you can get a feel for them and get your exact size to ensure easy ordering online.

Mid Cut Or Low Cut?

There are typically two types of cuts of soccer shoes no matter the type of shoes you're wearing.

You have your low cut and more recently in fashion your mid cut.

There aren't drastic differences between the two but here are a couple strengths of each to consider when buying your next pair.

Mid Cut Soccer Turf Shoes Strengths

• Better ankle support.

• Allows you to wear cut socks on the ankle.

Low Cut Soccer Turf Shoes Strengths

• More flexible foot movement.

• More flexible ankle rotation.

Leather Or Synthetic Soccer Turf Shoes, What's It Going To Be?

The eternal debate like Coke vs Pepsi, chocolate vs vanilla and Shakira vs JLO. Leather or synthetic soccer shoes? What side do you stand on? To be honest this is completely down to your own personal preference and those that like one or the other swear by it.

If you happen to be the minority that is on the fence or you're thinking of a possible change, here are the top 3 strengths and weaknesses of each you should consider.

Top 3 Strengths Of Leather Turf Shoes

1. Long lasting no matter which positions you play.

2. Very durable in terms of the way the shoe is made and the turf grip pattern.

3. Very comfortable compared to most cleats.

Top 3 Weaknesses Of Leather Turf Shoes

1. Don't hold up in the rain so well.

2. Can stretch beyond your desire if you're not familiar with leather.

3. Tend to be heavier than most non-leather soccer turf shoes.

Top 5 Strengths Of Synthetic Turf Shoes

1. Hold up well in all conditions.

2. Will stay same size and not stretch.

3. Lightweight so you can move more freely.

Top 5 Weaknesses Of Synthetic Turf Shoes

1. Can lack flexibility if the material is a stiff material.

2. Difficult to repair.

3. No give and can be uncomfortable and rigid.

Which Types Of Surfaces Are Soccer Turf Shoes Best Suited For?

These are specifically designed to be worn on artificial turf surfaces both indoor and outdoor. The reason these are so popular are you get the ball control of an indoor shoe outdoors!

Very versatile and popular for those who know what they are doing with the ball at their feet. Not suitable for grass fields, rainy damp pitches and frozen pitches. A shoe for all artificial surfaces.

Below is the different field conditions and how these shoes perform on that pitch with a rating of Poor, Below Average, Average, Good, Perfect.

Field Conditions

• Hard Field: Poor

• Not too hard or Soft: Poor

• Some Rain Fall: Poor

• Damp Field: Poor

• Turf: Perfect

• Indoor Surfaces: Good

Do You Need To Bring Turf Shoes To A Tryout?

The last thing you want to do is show up to a trial or preseason of a team and as you're pulling in seeing turf fields in their complex and all you have is six studs.

Yes you can of course wear your cleats on the turf but it’s nice to have the option and comfort of wearing turfs that tend to be more comfortable and flexible.

Now that you're an expert in terms of soccer turf shoes, now it's up to you when you're going to use them.

It might be a difficult transition to wearing them at first but if you’ve played enough indoor in your life you’ll be fine.cMore and more pro teams and players are moving to the artificial surfaces and footwear so don’t think it’s Copa Mundial multi studs for life or nothing.

Grow with the game and make sure you know not only who you’re playing against next game but on which surface. Add another specialty club to your bag and be ready for every situation that’s thrown at you with your soccer turf shoes.