Soccer Reviews ‘How To’ Series: Boot Care

Here at Soccer Reviews, we’re all about boots. When I receive a pair after that dreadful shipping process, I get giddy.  If you feel the same way, then I’m pretty sure you want those cleats to last as long as possible too. Lucky for you, Soccer Reviews is here to present you with the Tips and Tricks to ensure those boots remain in the same condition as you received them for a long, long time. 

Don’t be lazy! 

The first helpful hint is a pretty obvious one, yet it is often overcome by laziness. When putting on or taking off your shoes, untie the laces. This is a very simple task, but  will definitely add  a few months to the life of your boots. I know you may be tired after a long training session or a match, but the extra effort will definitelty benefit your boots in the long run.

Concrete – A huge no no

The next tip is an easy one: don’t wear your boots on concrete, even if its just for a few steps. The studs on the cleat were made for a specific reason, grass. The friction between the studs and the other ground types increases the deterioration of the cleats much faster than normal wear on grass.

Clean your boots!

It’s crazy how many people let mud and dirt remain on their boots for ages. Simply hosing down your boots with water is better than leaving them with hardened mud on the upper, and especially with leather boots, leaving them dirty can shorten their life span considerably.

Leather Food

If you have a pair of leather boots, be sure to apply leather food every two weeks. Leather food will greatly extend the life of your boots and is relatively inexpensive.  Be sure to clean the upper of your boots thoroughly before applying leather food and use a cloth to apply. It’s ideal to do it at night so that the boots can dry while you sleep.

Newspaper

One object I find very helpful in boot care is newspaper. Newspaper can be used to speed up the drying process of cleats and help the boots maintain their shape. Anytime you play in some sloppy weather, make sure you fill those shoes with newspaper completely to dry them. This works especially well with leather cleats. Another trick with newspaper is just putting it in your shoes when they are not in use. This method allows the boots to retain their original shape, which essentially enables them to last longer. The process works against the wear and tear and the “deformation” of your boots.

Loose Stitching

This next trick is fairly unknown but can be used very effectively, especially if you have a pet peeve about loose stitches.  When you have an annoying stitch that pops out of you boots, burn it. When you just simply pull the stitch, it may easily grow to the next stitch and just become even more obnoxious. I advise just putting the flame close enough for the stitch to melt from the heat, the flame doesn’t need to touch the stitch at all. The stitch will dissolve into a little black ball that you can easily be disposed of, you can add water to help remove the stitch too. However I must recommend being very careful not to burn the actual boot. If done correctly, the stitch will be gone and boots will retain their original look.

Tying your laces – the Runners Knot 

Even though this next trick doesn’t help boot care, it may aid the way it feels on your foot. It’s a special way to tie your boot known as the Runners Knot. If you also find Adidas’s shoes loose around the heels because of their cut, you might want to try this knot. It is pretty simple to do and can really tighten your shoe around the ankle area. The lacing for this knot is similar to a regular knot, but the last two lace holes get tricky. The laces are looped through the last two holes together and then criss crossed through the opening created by the two loop holes. Now this probably sounds way more complicated than it actually is and hopefully my pictures will help clarify.

*Please note that I only showed the knot with the Gt Pro’s because of the Orange’s visibility with the white, the knot is not necessary on these because of the A-Frame cradle which works very well; I use the knot on my all-black adipure III’s and the black on black wasn’t very clear in the images. And yes, I did change the laces (which has resulted in a mocking by a few teammates and coaches but I like the change!).

If you have any questions about the details in the processes mentioned above, or if you know of any other boot care tips, or if you tie your boots in a special way, please share with us in the comment section below.