How to Break in Soccer Cleats
Breaking in soccer cleats is the most important stage of your cleats' life. The relationship between a player's feet and his cleats is paramount, which is why the proper breaking in of cleats is so important. Before you break in a pair of cleats, ensure that they are the correct size -- cleats should be tight, but not overly uncomfortable -- and that they meet your requirements. Once you've broken cleats in, you will not be able to return them.
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Instructions
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Wear your cleats in regular, everyday situations before exposing them to any training or matchplay. Footy-Boots.com advises that you should walk around your yard or any grassy area so that your boots will not be subjected to much rigor while they mold to the shape and size of your feet.
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Introduce your new soccer cleats to lightweight training situations. Avoid entering full contact soccer straight away. Instead, use your cleats in short, 20-minute spells to pass the ball between teammates and practice crossing and shooting. Wait for some light rain to capitalize on the perfect conditions this provides for breaking in cleats. If there is no rain, dampen a sponge and lightly brush the cleats, aiming to make them moist rather than saturated.
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Clean your boots with a damp sponge and a brush after your early training sessions, as this removes any additional weight that will not ordinarily be on your cleats. Furthermore, keeping your cleats mud-free ensures they perform ideally and allow you to trust in your ability to control and move the ball.
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Wear your cleats for full contact competitive soccer, both in training and in matches. Do not concern yourself with protecting your new cleats -- remember that one of their main functions is to protect your feet. Consider replacing your cleats if you find that they are particularly uncomfortable, cause more than two blisters on either foot or simply do not feel good.
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Tips & Warnings
Always let your cleats dry naturally, rather than placing them on a radiator or in direct sunlight. Stuff your cleats with a roll of newspaper to help the drying process.
Apply Vaseline to any area of your feet in which you routinely get blisters from wearing soccer cleats. If a blister develops, wear blister plasters whenever you are wearing your cleats.
Remember that, as most soccer cleats are made of kangaroo leather, once molded into a particular shape it is difficult to re-adjust their shape. Do not let any other people wear your soccer cleats, particularly when they are new.
References
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