What Are Metal Soccer Cleats?

Cleats are projections on the soles of athletic shoes that allow players to grip the field's surface and move with more control. Firm ground soccer cleats have plastic or rubber studs molded to the base of the shoes. Soft ground soccer shoes can feature rounded, aluminum-tipped studs to help players get better traction on soft fields or in wet conditions.

From Tacks to Plates

Metal soccer cleats have come a long way since 19th century Europe, when players hammered tacks into the soles of work boots to boost their grip on the field. European football boot makers started producing name brand soccer boots in the early 20th century, making the first replaceable, metal studs available by the mid-1920s. These same boot makers introduced synthetic materials to shoe production in the late 1940s, with a base sole, called an outsole, made of plastic or rubber. In the 21st century, name brand sporting equipment began using thermoplastic polyurethane technology to create the TPU plate, a lightweight, durable, supportive base with studs strategically positioned to enhance a player's speed and accuracy with the ball.

Molded and Detachable Cleats

Modern aluminum-tipped soccer cleats are either molded to the synthetic outsoles of the shoes, or available as detachable studs, allowing the wearer to change his cleats to match challenging field conditions. The detachable studs, also known as removable studs or screw-ins, come in a variety of sizes, lengths and shapes to suit various field conditions. The newest name brand shoes have hybrid outsoles, offering both molded studs and removable studs on the same shoes.

Where to Get Them

Soft ground soccer cleats with metal tips are easiest to find online, in soccer-specific sites. For example, worldsoccershop.com, wegotsoccer.com and Eurosport's soccer.com have a selection of soft ground soccer shoes that feature either outsole-molded, aluminum tips or removable studs. Name brand soccer shoes have the most recent soft ground soccer shoes promoted on their websites. When you buy shoes with removable studs, keep in mind that metal-tipped studs may be sold separately. Replacement studs can be found online or can be ordered through your local soccer pro shop.

Metal Cleats in Youth Leagues

The "Laws of the Game," the official rulebook for both FIFA and the United States Soccer Federation, lists no rule against metal cleats. Professional soccer players and adult league players use aluminum-tipped studs when playing on soft fields or in wet conditions. Youth soccer leagues may prohibit aluminum-tipped studs if there is a general consensus in the leagues against them. AYSO, the largest single-entity youth soccer organization in the United States, states in the 2010 publication "AYSO Guidelines for Referees and Coaches": "It is the responsibility of the referee to examine the players and their equipment and then make a decision regarding whether or not there is any danger to the player or to other players." Although a league may not have a rule against metal-tipped cleats, a single referee has the authority to prevent their use during a match. Adrian Gumowski, founder of my-youth-soccer-guide.com, recommends parents purchase traditional, molded, round studs for young players who play on all kinds of surfaces. "Unless you play on a lot of great, soft fields and have extra cash," he writes, "screw-ins cannot be the only kind of shoe you have."