For most athletes who play an outdoor sport, such as football, baseball, soccer or golf, cleats are a necessity. Cleats give athletes much-needed stability and traction on the playing field, keys to helping them perform at a high level and in keeping them safe. Cleats can differ in distinct ways based on what sport they are manufactured for, including what the actual cleats themselves are made of.
Plastic Cleats
Plastic cleats are most commonly used in football and soccer. In fact, metal cleats are not used at all on any level of football. Most plastic cleats are permanently affixed to the sole of the shoe. They can also be worn on most surfaces, including concrete and asphalt, without wearing down. Plastic cleats are specially made for grass and turf fields, and you can usually buy plastic cleats of different lengths for use on different playing surfaces and in varying weather conditions. Plastic cleats are generally less expensive than metal cleats and usually last a lot longer.
Metal Cleats
Metal spikes are the preferred spikes of many college and professional baseball players and some golfers. Metal spikes dig into hard dirt infields and grass, and therefore may offer better traction than plastic spikes. But they have their drawbacks too. Because they dig into the ground, metal cleats can compromise safety by creating large divots on field surfaces. It's also been noted that because metal cleats offer such great grip to the ground, they have been responsible for causing injuries when athletes change direction. Metal spikes also wear down when worn on surfaces other than grass or dirt. However, high school baseball coaches in California who were polled for a Los Angeles Times article overwhelmingly prefer metal cleats and feel that they are more durable and actually safer for high school players than plastic cleats.
Interchangeable Cleats
Interchangeable cleats usually offer the benefit of switching between metal and plastic cleats. They also offer the versatility of allowing an athlete to switch to longer or shorter cleats, depending on playing conditions. And because the actual spikes can be purchased separately, an athlete is not required to buy a brand new pair of shoes every time the cleats wear out.
New Technologies
Lee Janzen, a professional golfer, prefers metal spikes to plastic. He says they have better grip on the golf course. However, according to "USA Today," nearly all public and private golf clubs in the U.S. have banned metal spikes because they destroy putting greens and also chew up carpeting and other common areas around a golf facility. Many golfers, though -- about 94 percent on two other professional tours -- use plastic cleats. Innovations in golf cleats in particular give golfers new options. One manufacturer makes cleats that use a "web" of flexible plastic cleats that offer grip while not tearing up putting greens.
Considerations
In most youth sports leagues, the use of metal cleats has been banned due to safety concerns. Many leagues also have regulations as to the length of cleats, no matter what they are made of. For instance, some levels of soccer and baseball do not allow the use of 1-inch spikes, even though they are readily available in stores.
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