Another Soccer Cleat review!!

Well, it is more reviews than just a review! Check out the latest soccer cleat reviews over at http://www.soccercleats101.com, (our sister site) where the team have been working hard to bring quality content and information on all the latest soccer cleat releases.

The site has also had a recent redesign and I recommend getting on the email subscription list as you will receive emails with all the latest coupons and discounts from online soccer stores, as well as information on the latest reviews. Rumour has it that they are currently testing the Adidas Predator X, which will be released in late October!

Neil Jones: Adidas Adipure

Name: Neil Jones
Position: Forward
Team History: UCSB 2001-04
NZ National Team Full international, U-23, U-20. U-17 level
Queensland Roar, Kuala Lumpur FC
Cleat size: 10.5 Sneaker size: 11
Preferred cleat? Adidas Adipure
In one sentence, why? Simple, clean design, made from leather that is comfortable to wear and light.

Neil, thanks for joining us and letting our readers in on your tips!
First, What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
First and foremost, they must be made of leather. I am not a fan of the new plastic type cleats, they do not conform to my foot and are not comfortable in my opinion. I am also not a fan of colored cleats, I guess I am just old fashioned! I like black cleats. Also, I would rather have round molded cleats on the sole as opposed to blades. My perfect pair of cleats would be Adidas Adipure upper with Adidas Copa Mundial sole.

How much would you pay for the 'perfect' pair of cleats? $200

What advice would you give someone who is deciding what types of cleats to purchase?
Well, you have to have at last 2-3 pairs of cleats. One for hard ground, one for soft/wet surfaces and one for training. I like to keep my game cleats separate. A lot of games/trainings these days take place of artificial surfaces and on these surfaces I like to wear turf shoes. It does not feel natural to wear normal cleats on these surfaces sometimes. So, if a pair of turf shoes fits in your budget, I would recommend those too.

What tips do you have on 'breaking' cleats in?
I have always found the best way to break cleats in is in the shower or bath. Take a nice long shower/bath in hot water (as hot as you can handle it!) with your cleats on. The hot water helps to make the leather of your cleat more supple and conforms better to your foot. After you get out of he shower/bath, walk around the house in the cleats. This is the best way to break shoes in quickly.

Do you have any other tips on how to maintain cleats?
Clean your cleats after each practice/game. Cleats are expensive and they need care. A quick clean and a bit of leather food on the cleats goes a long way in not only extending the lifetime of your cleat but keeps the leather supple and prevents it from drying out.


Neil is currently assistant coach at UCSB, where he played for 4 years, captaining the team to the 2006 National Championship game. He had the honor of playing with his native New Zealand at international level, and marked Demarcus Beasley once in a game vs. USA.>

Chris Loftus: Adidas Predator

Name: Chris Loftus
Position: Forward
Team History: Duke University 03-06
New England Revolution 07-08
Limhamn Bunkeflo (Sweden) Current
Cleat size: 12
Sneaker size: 13

Preferred cleat? Adidas Predator
In one sentence why? I like the Adidas Predator because it fits my foot best and is a comfortable cleat.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to share advice with our readers.
First, What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
I have very narrow feet so Adidas shoes have always fit me best. The first and most important thing for me when having a cleat is comfort. I also like the end of the shoe near the toe to be more narrow and pointed like the end of a foot so that I can feel the ball. I've found that many shoes, like Nike, are wide and rounded so it makes it harder to feel the ball. I also prefer leather shoes asopposed to the synthetic shoes because I feel that the leather molds and forms to your foot better. I've also always been a fan of black shoes, but having a comfortable shoe that you can feel the ball andhave a good touch with is most important.

How much would you pay for the 'perfect' pair of cleats? $200

From your experience, what advice would you give to people choosing new cleat?
I think it's always important to have at least one pair of cleats for hard grounds and at least one for soft grounds. What I do when I first get a pair of cleats is to put them on and wear them in the shower. Once they have gotten really wet I wear them around for about 20-30 minutes so that the leather has a chance to stretch and mold to my foot. Alot of players don't break in their soft grounds until the first time they wear them. This can cause blisters and also hinder your touch on the ball. This shower technique has always worked for me. In terms of taking care of your cleats...if they do get wet make sure to leave them out to dry so that the stitching in the leather doesn't get too lose. Sometimes I will put newspaperinside of them to dry them out. Most importantly though when buying a shoe is to buy the one that feels most comfortable.

Finally, are there any other tips you would like to give our readers?
Whenever I get a cleat I usually have it one size smaller than my regular shoes. I do this because ithelps me feel the ball better. I've found that when the cleats get wet, especially leather cleats, they will stretch a little.

Chris played college soccer at Duke, making it the College Cup in 2004. After a year in the MLS with New England Revolution, he decided to try his luck in Europe where he currently plays for Limhamn Bunkeflo in Sweden.

Lotto Zhero Evolution

Previously worn by: Luca Toni, Simone Perrotta, Gregory Vignal

Well, these cleats are pretty easy to review as I have worn them over the past 2 years! I wore these cleats throughout the 2006 season, and they were the cleats that I wore in the National Championship game. I found these cleats to fit very well, and they have good durability. They are blades, and are best for natural firm surfaces. I wore them on turf for practice, and on grass for games. They lasted a 6 month college season, so thats approx 100 practice sessions and 24 games. I prefer to wear lighter, tight boots. And at a weight of 8.0 ounces, these are exactly that. Compared to the like of Adidas Predators, these cleats are lighter.

More info on the cleats:

• Water repellent microfiber upper with EVA padding and asymmetrical lacing
• Puntoflex, external heel counter
• Removable anatomical insole with Shock Absorber in the heel area
• Nylon and fiberglass frame, stitched outsole
• Wt. 8.0 oz

Jamie Redknapp Review

This article comes from the daily mail. Jamie Redknapp is an ex Liverpool and England international, and in this article he reviews several of the newest pairs of cleats.

Jamie Redknapp talks Cleats