Baseball and soccer, like most sports, have specialized equipment. In general, cleats are worn during sports to provide traction on an outdoor surface. While it is possible to find a multipurpose shoe that will work for a variety of different sports, these shoes do not provide the specialization that advanced competition in these sports require. Baseball and soccer shoes vary in cleat patterns and material.
Toe Cleat
The main difference between baseball and soccer cleats is the cleat pattern on the bottom of the shoe. It is illegal to have a "toe cleat" in soccer, which would be located directly underneath the middle toes. This is mostly for safety purposes because the toe cleat could cause more injury in soccer where there is much running and sliding.
Soccer Cleats
Soccer cleats are most often made from a type of leather so that the shoe will form to the foot better. This is done for better feel and control of the ball on your foot. Soccer shoes have three different cleat patterns -- none has a toe cleat. Firm ground shoes are the most common because they are good for standard grass fields. Hard ground cleats--also called turf shoes--have the most cleats on the bottom of the shoe and are used for short grass on dry ground or artificial surfaces. Soft ground cleats have the fewest cleats and are used in wet, muddy fields or fields with longer glass. There are fewer cleats so that mud will be less likely to stick to the bottom of the shoe.
Baseball Cleats
Baseball shoes come in two different cleat varieties. Molded cleats offer rubberized cleats on the bottom and are the most common type of shoe. Metal cleats are sometimes used if the ground is especially hard so that the shoe will stick better in the ground and provide the best traction.
Materials
Soccer shoes are most often made of leather, but sometimes youth players will opt for a cheaper, synthetic version. Experienced soccer players often purchase more expensive kangaroo leather cleats, which offer the most comfort and feel on the foot.
Baseball cleats are most often made of a lightweight synthetic leather, which provides durability and support while playing.
Price
Baseball cleats are often less expensive than soccer cleats due to the materials they are made of. It is very easy to get a pair of quality baseball cleats for high school play for less than a hundred dollars. Some soccer players will spend a couple hundred dollars on a new pair of kangaroo leather shoes every season.
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