Are specialist shoes necessary when getting into a sport? Or is it all another money making scheme by sports companies?
While some sports clubs and associations require you to wear certain shoes in order to play or compete, others don’t have any regulations in place regarding footwear. However, it can still be recommended that you buy specialist shoes.
Having the right footwear could be a matter of safety in some sports. In other cases, it can have an impact on performance – which may not matter too much if you’re a beginner, but could be significant if you’re planning to compete at a higher level.
This post delves into a few different sports and assesses the impact that wearing specialist shoes can have.
Running
If you’re planning on taking up running, buying yourself a pair of decent running shoes could be essential. Running shoes typically have a rocker shape that is different to the flat sole of a sneaker – this encourages a heel-to-toe rolling motion that makes running easier. They are also highly cushioned to absorb shock and designed to be a lot more breathable.
Wearing running shoes could greatly improve performance. It can also improve comfort and reduce blisters. Most importantly, it can minimize foot injuries. Running is a high-impact sport that puts a lot of pressure on the feet and ankles. Without running shoes, there is a greater risk of developing fractures and inflammatory conditions like plantar fasciitis. High quality running shoes will typically offer more protection against injury.
Hiking
When going on long walks or mountain climbs, hiking boots are a useful piece of gear to own. Such boots have stiff soles and deep treads, while also being waterproof and insulated. They also offer a lot more ankle support than regular shoes.
What is the benefit of wearing hiking boots? They can help to protect your feet against rocky and rugged terrain much better than other footwear. Added ankle support can meanwhile reduce injuries such as twists and sprains that are common when hiking on uneven surfaces. On top of this, they can provide better grip that can reduce the risk of slipping in mud or on wet rocks.
Weightlifting
A pair of lifting shoes is generally not necessary if you’re just casually pushing weights at the gym. But if you want to become a competitive powerlifter, such shoes could be vital. These shoes have a raised heel, non-compressible sole, wide toe box and hard upper construction.
The raised heel helps with ankle mobility when squatting while doing deadlifts, while the non-compressible sole provides a rigid sturdy base. The wide toe box allows toes to splay naturally so that toes don’t cramp while lifting weights. Meanwhile, the hard upper construction is there to protect your toes in case you accidentally drop a heavy weight on them. You can find weightlifting shoes in various sizes online.
Football
American football cleats have a distinct design that helps to protect the feet when playing football, while also having performance benefits. Compared to your average sneaker, they are much slimmer, but are also heavier. They also have studs in the sole.
The slim shape of the football cleat improves control, while the added weight helps them to withstand repeated contact with the ground. As for the studs, they are designed to improve traction. It’s possible to buy cleats with different material studs for different types of ground (typically, rubber studs for firm ground and metal studs for soft ground). The most expensive football cleats are often made from kangaroo leather, while cheaper boots are made from synthetic materials.
Soccer
Some people assume that soccer and football cleats are the same, but they have a few notable differences. While similarly slim, soccer cleats are lighter, and are more often made from synthetic materials (even at higher levels – although leather soccer shoes are still preferred by some soccer players). The stud layout on the sole of a soccer cleat is also different – these shoes have studs along the heel and ball of the foot, but no toe spikes.
The lighter weight of soccer cleats is essential for helping to move and kick the ball with more speed and precision. Meanwhile the lack of toe spikes is there to prevent injuries to players while kicking, while also allowing greater handling of the ball. Like football cleats, you can buy soccer cleats designed for different ground conditions.
Baseball
Baseball cleats are often recommended when playing baseball in the outfield. These shoes may or may not have studs (studs are typically recommended when playing on softer ground). They are lightweight like soccer cleats, but have studs near the toes like football cleats. They are also wider and bulkier than football and soccer shoes.
The unique design of baseball cleats allows for quick movements while also allowing players plenty of grip and stability to quickly stop and plant themselves without falling over. This can help when batting, pitching and fielding. For the best range of baseball cleats, look online.
Cricket
Cricket shoes have a very similar design to baseball shoes as they are built to deal with many of the same movements. However, due to being more commonly played on softer grassy ground, cricket shoes more commonly have studs. They are also typically white in color to match the traditionally white clothing that is worn when playing cricket.
Wearing cricket shoes can help with traction and can also improve stability. This is very important for bowlers, as it allows much more consistent footwork when stepping up to throw the ball. Different types of cricket shoes can be purchased for different ground conditions.
Tennis
Do you need specialist shoes when playing tennis? Beginners may find that a pair of regular sneakers is all that is necessary. However, once you start moving around more and making more lateral movements, you may find that a pair of tennis shoes is a worthy investment. These shoes have a thicker sole than regular trainers. It is a similar thickness to running shoes, but with a flatter sole.
The thicker sole of tennis shoes helps to provide greater traction and shock absorption – allowing faster movement and preventing injury. Whereas running shoes are built to go forward, the flatter surface of tennis shoes helps with fast movement side-to-side as well as when going forward and back. Some tennis shoes also have thick protection around the toes to reduce damage when dragging toes. There are many tennis equipment sites that sell these shoes.
Basketball
When playing basketball, specialist basketball shoes are often recommended. These are similar to tennis shoes in that they have thicker soles than sneakers. A notable difference between basketball shoes and tennis shoes is that basketball shoes have more ankle support and a softer sole.
Basketball shoes have thick soles in order to help with traction and reduce shock absorption. The reason they have a softer sole than tennis shoes is because they are more commonly targeted towards an indoor court (tennis shoes may actually benefit some basketball players better on a rugged outdoor basketball court). Due to ankle injuries being quite common in basketball, the ankle support of basketball shoes is often necessary.
Horse riding
Riding boots are often recommended if you’re riding a horse. These boots have a raised heel and flat sole. Many extend over the ankles with some extending all the way up to just below the knees. Most of them are steel capped and made from leather.
What is the benefit of this design? The flat sole and raised heel is mainly for preventing feet from slipping through the stirrup. The steel capped toe can meanwhile help if your foot hits something (they can also help if your horse decides to step on your foot). The height of these boots is up to you depending on how much chafing protection of leg movement you want. Check out online tack stores to compare different styles of horse riding boots.
Cycling
Many professional cyclists wear specialist cycling shoes. These are different to regular sneakers in that they have a hard sole and specific tread pattern.
This hard sole and tread pattern is designed to help with comfort and stability when pedalling. When cycling over long distances, some cyclists experience sores on the balls of their feet, which can be reduced by wearing cycling shoes. Some cyclists also find that they are able to generate more power when wearing cycling shoes and that their feet are less likely to slip (useful in wet weather).
Snowboarding
If you’re getting into snowboarding, you’ll likely want to purchase a pair of snowboarding shoes. These boots are made from waterproof materials and are well insulated. They have a stiff sole and often use a BOA lacing system
The reason for this design is to provide protection from the cold and to provide stability and improve balance. Regular shoes or boots may not offer the climate protection necessary and are often not rigid enough to provide the control needed when snowboarding. You can often rent snowboarding boots when visiting a snow resort, but may want to buy your own pair if you’re planning to snowboard regularly.
