In French, the word “Cleats” means securing the mirror, scenery, and other art objects to the wall by making a 30-40 degree angle slope.
But in sports, the cleats have a different meaning. It is known for the projection on the lower part of the shoes. These are also called studs and are attached to the sole. These cleats look like an external attachment to shoes.
On shoes, there are 8-12 studs on the outer sole. They are of different shapes and materials: rubber, plastic, wood, and metal.
Read | What is Soccer Cleats?
In various sports, a specific material cleat is allowed.
As metal cleats are not allowed in soccer, they can harm an athlete’s safety and be unsafe for the opponent.
The material of cleats depends on the surface. Surface means the playground with different playing surfaces, including muddy or grassy ground, artificial greens, glass surfaces, and different turfs.
So, each kind of cleat can perform on different grounds.
This article will teach you more about cleats, their function on the playground, in which sports these are used, and much more.
Brief History:
During the era of the Roman Empire, people used to wear studded sandals. These are heavy shoes and are known for military training.
In the world of sports, cleats were introduced in the 1500s. According to The first football, shoes were made by Cornelius Johnson, a royal shoemaker. These were the hand-stitched boots of Leather.
The first cleats were used in 1860 in the US on baseball shoes. After that, detachable cleats were first introduced in 11920. Nowadays, different types of cleats are available in the market.
In 1954, modern football shoes were introduced by Adidas. The Adidas cleats were lighter and made up of Kangaroo Leather and non-leather sole.
After that, more brands started producing different material studs.
The Function of Cleats:
As cleats give good traction, safety is the primary concern for a player. And, Cleats play the following functions:
- Cleats provide a strong grip. Your ankles remain protected if you have a firm grip on the knees.
- These prevent injury. Players make sudden movements easily without fear of serious injury.
- In short, the cleats ensure that you cannot slide away and don’t have slippery moves.
What are the Different Types of Cleats?
Typically, there are four types of cleats.
- Metal Cleats
As the name shows, metal cleats are the most common cleats on shoes. These are the best cleats for most sports except soccer.
These cleats are essential in the field due to their stability and traction. They are also light in weight and firm in structure.
These are only popular for softball and baseball play. But as per the rules of soccer play, they are illegal. A soccer player can not wear metal cleats. Because of safety concerns, a player can slip, and it can cause severe injury.
- Molded Cleats
Molded cleats are all-rounder as these cleats can be used in all sports by players. Plastic or rubber material is the structural part.
These cleats have a long life, as players can use them for extended periods. These cleats are essential for running, and sliding also provides protection.
- Interchangeable Cleats
These cleats are most convenient for players because they can remove and fit on the sole. The best thing is that players or practitioners can use different cleats according to the field type.
Interchangeable cleats are stern and heavy, but players consider them a good option due to their various functions. And young people who just play sports for their physical activity, these cleats are prevalent in them.
- Turf Cleats
Turf cleats are most popular with young people. These cleats are the best for practicing and are comfortable as they are light in weight. These cleats offer the best grip and are the best choice for practitioners.
These cleats are comfortable and used mainly by softball players. Baseball players usually do not wear these cleats, as these players require a firm grip—turf cleats do not provide this grip.
Do football players wear cleats?
Of Course, football players wear cleats. But they have some limitations according to the size and shape of cleats. Football players often use long and short cleats.
The best suggestion is for the use of short cleats. These cleats are also called football-style cleats. When a player uses long shape cleats, it does not give proper protection and can cause severe injury to the ankle, knee, or even leg.
What is a cleat on a woman?
The woman also has cleats on their shoes, and they mostly wear cleats shoes for running, baseball, golf, track, and soccer.
According to different brands and designs, there is a difference between man and woman’s cleats based on size, pressure points, position, and traction points.
Functionally there is no difference between man’s and woman’s cleats, as they also provide all the functions that we are already introduced to you above.
Final Words:
Cleats are the extended spikes structure to the bottom of the sports shoes. They have different types, designs and shapes. The main purpose of them is to pull and balance on the surface. Support and protection are essential in every play, and that’s why many sports need cleats. These are also popular among women.
