Are Cleats Ruining Your Feet? (The TRUTH About Sport Boots)

If you're an athlete that plays on turf or grass, you're probably wearing cleats. They're mandatory in most sports these days anyways. Cleats (or boots) are part of the game - designed to improve performance with better traction while reducing injuries from slipping and falling. But they don't come without a tradeoff...
In addition to being an aspiring amateur athlete that spends a decent amount of time in cleats each week for training, I've helped thousands of people get out of foot pain while picking better shoes. When it comes to the high school, college, and professional athletes I work with, the most common question I'll hear is "What cleats should I get?"
And for a long time I didn't have a good answer. Unlike other shoe styles, a few large companies control the cleat market -- Nike, Adidas, Under Armor, and New Balance are the big dogs, with a few other companies trailing behind. And in large part, these companies make shoes that look and function pretty much the same.
The problem is that modern cleats smash the foot into a tiny little torpedo shape that neuters the 28 bones, 33 joints, and hundreds of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. While they do increase traction, the loss of foot function has dire consequences for foot, ankle, and knee injuries. It's not a good situation.
But rather than just shrug when asked about a suggestion for the best cleats on the market, I decided to do a deep dive on the subject and share what I learned. If you wear cleats or boots at all, this video is important for you. Here is the time stamped outline:
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History Of Sport Cleats/Boots: 00:57
What Makes A Cleat A Cleat?: 03:31
Cleats/Boots And Injury Risk: 06:26
The Biggest Problem With All Cleats: 09:59
What Cleat/Boot Shopping Is Really Like: 13:37
Cleat/Boot Comparison: 16:48
My Top Recommendations For Cleats/Boot: 25:26
Final Thoughts: 29:28
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Links to the mentioned shoes/products:
UPDATE - CodeFTWR has split into two companies. Prevolve and CodeFTWR. Both sell cleats but with a different emphasis on their main product line. If you're looking for high end, custom cleats, check both companies out.
prevolvefootwear.com - Custom Made Cleats and Toe Spacers
codeftwr.com - Custom Made Cleats and Toe Spacers
www.naturathletics.us - Minimalist Cleats
www.newbalance.com - Wide Toe Box Cleats
www.vivobarefoot.com - Alternative Options (Primus Trail or Tracker Decon Low)
www.inov-8.com - Alternative Turf Option (X Talon G210 V2)
www.customcleats.com - Change Your Shoes Into Cleats Option
www.amazon.com/Shoe-Expander/... - Shoe Expander from Amazon (Haven't used this, all options seem equivalent)
thetoespacer.com - Toe Spacer Option
correcttoes.com - Toe Spacer Option
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And the soccer store I went shopping at is Soccer And Lifestyle in Davis, California!
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Above all, I cannot stress enough that no shoe is perfect. If your feet hurt, that won't change until you do something about it. Get my 6 week Athletic Foundation course for FREE at unbreakableacademy.org/af - Days 1-14 are focused on the feet. It's a perfect complement for you.
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Make sure to subscribe to the channel if you haven't already and follow @thebarefootsprinter on Instagram and Tiktok for even more content!
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As always, leave a comment below with questions, feedback, or any videos you'd like to see. Thanks for watching!
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT: I receive no kickbacks, commissions, or proceeds from any of the mentioned companies or shoes in this video. Outside of product testing for some of the companies (CodeFTWR and NaturAthletics) I purchased all of the shoes with my own monies. Everything I've shared is my own opinion for your benefit and edification. Enjoy!

[@VK_darkking]

There's a German brand called Imotana. They make custom football boots by taking your exact foot measurements not sure if you've checked them out. Another point the professional players have every boot of theirs custom made according to their foot using casts. So if anything it's the non pro players who get affected by this.

[@wennkelbchenmelken2046]

So 99% of the costumers are affected

[@jeradookadooka4906]

Reminds me of Gatorade for athletes (electrolyte drink) vs. Gatorade for spectators (sugar drink)

[@andrewpalmer1873]

For soccer players, if you want a wide fit, try the Asian market. Those brands do make cleats for wide feet.

[@mctobin13]

Any brands specifically?

[@andrewpalmer1873]

@@mctobin13 specifically look for their 2E options. I know Mizuno makes a Morelia monarcida neo series that's for 2E foot shapes that gets rave reviews.

[@tracker4854]

Mizuno works well with most people. The only issue I have with Mizuno is you better get the size right. Like and adidas 9.5 fits me great while a Mizuno 9.5 sometimes fits a bit short on length or a bit too long for my taste.

[@dimiyou17]

What brands make wide cleats for Turf for soccer ??

[@TheWolfandreptile]

@@mctobin13 Asics and Mizuno are amazing for wide feet. New Balance offer wide feet variations as well.

[@gennasmithers]

Wow, I've been struggling with the narrow cleats for so long with no options to be found. Thanks so much for this video. I would love an updated one on what's new with wide cleats, they can be hard to find.

[@jstgoalkeeping]

So much to say, I play semi-pro and college soccer and wear vivobarefoots for pretty much everything else. As much as I love the idea of a barefoot cleats, I wear the tightest cleats possible because any spare space means my foot’s gonna slide inside the shoe when I’m cutting or pushing off. It’s like comparing racing bucket seats in a car to a slightly bolstered seat, a bolstered seat will feel good in a straight line but turning at high speeds needs way more support from a bucket seat to keep you in place. I also only wear cleats for 2-3 hours a day, my feet have plenty of time to strengthen and recover the rest of the day.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

No cleat is inherently healthy. My argument is that the last of the shoe is misshapen and that impacts the boney structure of the foot. Additionally, the sliding of the foot is what alleviates the torque in rotation and allows the foot to stabilize. It's a tradeoff for increased safety by lowering some performance. I'm not saying that foot shaped cleats don't come without a cost, it's just a lowered risk of blowing your ankle or knee out. At the end of the day, it's a personal preference on what shoes you wear. The bucket seat is a great analogy but breaks down when we look at rotational and lateral movement. The seat of a car is only intended to keep the driver still in a rigid metal structure. The driver doesn't need to make any movement in the car (especially with flappy panel gear shifters). The shoe is supporting a foot that is meant to bend, flex, and shift. Also, at the highest levels they're making sure the bucket actually fits the hips of the driver. I really do appreciate your response - I know this isn't particularly a popular position haha

[@josea1707]

@@thebarefootsprinter Actually the bucket seat analogy is great because in performance motorsport, while they do shape the bucket of the seat to your hips they also try to make it out of the thinnest, strongest material possible to withstand impact while cutting down on weight. This means that any heavy impact felt thru a bucket racing seat is transferred directly through the material and to the body of the driver rather than acting as a cushion of structure and support for the driver's body like a normally upholstered custom fit seat would, making it the same trade-off as using traditional cleats vs foot-forming ones.

[@yusof_ayran1804]

Great man , i think you found your Suitable way of keeping your feet healthy and strong, best wishes for your football matches and your health. I have something to say ,, do you think going to the opposite “extremes” of (narrow) from football to (wide) from barefoot, is healthy? Specifically for preventing bunions… An answer in my mind is ( barefoot is the natural state, and the healthiest, but for specific sports we need a specific shoe to increase performance, and after that we get back to normal for the rest of the day…

[@beatsbyry]

True, but still no reason for the tow box to push inwards

[@GARZAN10]

I've needed this information for the last 10 years... I am deeply passionate about this topic and I am so glad to see what is being done about this!

[@yusof_ayran1804]

Hey man , it looks we share the same passion, can we contact..

[@Pirlo-mb6ci]

Thanks for this video man! Appreciate it, been looking for a video that explains exactly this since I’m a footballer trying to reduce injury risks as much as possible.

[@footlooseboots]

Interesting stuff! Loved the comparisons

[@abc-de7qe]

Great vid! I've been having foot pains and this explained a lot.

[@david-un8gs]

Great video!

[@Schmidteren]

I want to get back to playing football. But I'll never put my feet in normal shoes or normal football boots again. I just want wide toed, like my barefoot shoes. No more freaking squeezing my feet, destroying my feet and much more! It's stupid beyond belief!

[@soccerkicksofficial]

Great video - very informative! I actually recently did a video myself about the point you had on New Balance creating wide cleats for all their silos - very under appreciated! Always helpful to see the long term effect of what these products due to your feet 😵‍💫

[@16Hawkred]

Man I wish this video was around when I played in undergrad. I've had bunions from tight cleats and shoes for years; I have just started looking into wearing proper shoes and doing "foot rehab"

[@ZGoddessLola]

Ankle and ACL is always on the injury lists for any athlete for over 30 years now.

[@411Adil]

Funny u mention that, I turned 30 years today, 3 years ago I started MMA and realized the lack of fluidity, balance and more importantly: lack of muscle memory I had. I thought "If Iam gonna be able to stand a chance against top guys who has a decade more experience than me, I have to replace my 8 pairs and socks. Tomorrow we're playing against #1 team in the division. The plan was to play just this one last game, but i cant stand the fact that Iam risking injuries while they maintain ignorant. For a deep thinker. This is a matter of principle.

[@jeradookadooka4906]

Thank you so much for your video!!! It confirms my suspicions! We had 2 extreme injuries on my team of 15 players this year (Achilles tear, Calf Sprain). 19:07 needs a giant highlighter placed on it. Case and point... Adidas predators have changed their cleat pattern, so the pinky-toe side portion of the shoe now only has 3 cleats (old was 4). They also changed from straight blade cleats to triangular spikes. The new cleats are substantially worse than the old ones because slipping risk increases when turning direction. It's just unfortunate from a consumer perspective - my only voice is to "not buy" but that does not improve the situation. Thanks again, hope the big manufacturers will do something within 15 years.

[@selda2528]

crasy how good.your videos are

[@travisfox7590]

Loved this so much. Would absolutely love a track spike video!! I'm starting as a college sprinter soon as am NOT wanting to kill my feet😢

[@thebarefootsprinter]

A deep dive on track spikes are on the list of things to do! Your best bet for now would be to jump on Grahamtuttle.com/ff The more you understand your feet and the more train with your shoes off the healthier they’ll be!

[@bd11777]

Great in depth video 👍 I put my injury issues over the last 3-4 years down to wearing football boots. My big toe turns in and I had a collapsed arch which I'm slowly restoring

[@PutSomeTwazOnIt]

How would you restore your arch, I am a young footballer and my feet are starting to exhibit what you have mentioned, big toe turning in and flattening archs

[@bd11777]

@@PutSomeTwazOnIt barefoot sprinter has loads of content and exercises

[@enzog1078]

Soccer players care about a tight fit that gives second skin feel for ball control above all else. That simple. Also, I don’t have particularly wide fit, and I’ve never felt discomfort from a boot that was sized properly. A boot should fit like a sock.

[@emomountain5641]

Cleats caused me to get sesamoiditis to the point where my right sesamoid broke into 3 pieces. I am surprised this issue has not been talked about as often as it should.

[@similingun7985]

very informative. I always thought it's a given to have to break-in to the shoes. Even with Imotana (which gives you boots according to 3D scans) still is not perfect and need breaking in.

[@petermarinkovic1390]

This is great! finally someone talks about the big problem in the football boot industry. Very helpful video. Will you be able to do a similar video on other sports such as sprinting spikes for athletics events such as the 100m, 200m and 400m. Very hard to find wide toe box for them very similar issue as the boots.

[@caleb11381]

The section from 6:30 to 9:00 about better traction correlating with higher risk of injury was very informative.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

Thank you!

[@aaronsnumbuh2]

Interesting points, but I personally could not use the special minimalist shoes highlighted here. The extra space in those shoes will make your foot slip around in the shoe which will cause blisters, and injuries too. Also picking shoes that are a few sizes too big is usually a recipe for accidentally kicking the floor when you mean to strike the ball. The added length and extra space in the shoe also decreases the feedback your feet get when you make contact with the ball. Perhaps getting the really wide shoes with toe spacers and the metatarsal insert could help with performance, but I do not think that would be very comfortable to have all those things in your shoe. Like why would I want to have a shoe with extra things smushed in to decrease space, when I could just get a normal shoe that does fit me, but doesn't have all that extra space? I also cannot fit into the mercurials, but I could fit into the Mizuno Alpha, Nike phantom GX, the predators, or any decent leather boot. I might have to check out the New Balance, but maybe my foot isn't as wide to need that.

[@prevolve_]

Aaron, if your feet are fitting fine in the cleats you mentioned, make sure your toes aren't getting deformed (if wearing them for prolonged periods of time, they will). Most notably those tight toe boxes jam your big toe and pinky toe inwards. Which has a net effect of many other issues around weakening your arch and other factors up the kinetic chain. You lose stability when your feet aren't grounded in the most optimal position. Imagine trying to do a handstand, and then "walk" with your hands. Your natural strength is to splay those fingers out and give yourself a wide base as opposed to your fingers all smashed together while trying to move. Same applies with our feet. Not trying to persuade you to buy our cleats, but did want to clarify a point. We can take your foot scans, and if don't want toe spacers, we would just build the exact shape of your toes as is. But if your toes are smashed together, we draw up a mock sample that shows what your cleat would like with a bit more space added to begin thee process of wearing a shoe while getting your toe splay back. Always down to chat more.

[@aaronsnumbuh2]

@@prevolve_ pretty cool points. I forgot that if you are making custom boots then you can make it to my exact liking. A lot of pros have custom made shoes so this is enticing. I'll send a dm, but feel free to reach out too.

[@aronisink1]

Agreed on most aspects of wide barefoot for running and training.. Try hitting a soccer ball as hard as you can with a barefoot shoe and then a soccer shoe.. Think of a boxer or a volleyball player, would they strike with a loose or stiff grip.. Big brands and athletes are only concerned with player performance not foot safety.. Think of it like a car you buy a Volvo for safety and Porsche for speed and performance..

[@danielheywood1002]

Different reasons to make whatever choice is made, but note its not (just) foot safety, its safety all the way up, like he explained.

[@ajhqt9309]

Just bought my first pair of barefoot shoes after developing foot pain from cramming my feet in narrow stiff rugby cleats for yearsss. Wish this was more common knowledge!

[@411Adil]

so important content. Really helpfull!¨ Iam gonna share this with every coach and athlete in Norway, enough is enough! Recently I discovered a way to arch with the hands and torso thanks to understanding foot arching, I felt such an empowerment because I was at my fastest. Then I realized: The shoe industry is DEHUMANIZING us! It saddens me to se a kid mouthbreathing, with all complicated tightness coming from sitting on those damn school chairs with those unintelligent footwear. Parents need to be hold accountable. They say that there have been many civilization before us with grater technological advancement, Iam not doubting that statement. We forgot the fundamentals.

[@Sandman-actual]

Why hasn’t this video gone viral like immediately ?!?! Also I’m almost positive Nike and the other large companies don’t use the SAME last. It might be similar but I’m almost positive it’s not the same.

[@itinkle]

Thank you for the most educational video I’ve seen in a while. I need the 3d scan cleat but they are sold out. Now what?

[@danielheywood1002]

BioCleats at prevolvefootwear. These are the cleats that were formerly called Code but split off from that company.

[@BourneIdentity45]

I'm not saying that this is the perfect way to stop getting injured but I believe injury prevention exercises are a more important type of conversation than whether or not cleats help or negatively affect athletes. I think that injury prevention workouts are quintessential especially in the early development of athletes while their bodies are still growing. I feel like we all know the type who are most likely to end up injured for example neymar gets injured in football almost like clockwork each season and the majority of the time its the same area his ankles, I'm not saying that he hasn't done much to try prevent it but I'm certain he wouldn't have done much when he was back in Brasil as a youngster he was more focused on his new found stardom being one of the most hyped up youngsters since Pele at the time

[@shanebishop7271]

We are at the new balance store currently and they don’t have any cleats over 2E. Which model were you using here and how do I get it?

[@pilotreg]

20:24 im on a budget and uk schools require astro turfs, i have no choice

[@GM-qi8pw]

good Video, Defiantly going to check out the 3D Printed ones.

[@mrcrede244]

How wide is the toe box in the Natur cleats? How do they compare in shoe sizing to your regular shoes?

[@234fddesa]

Ahh man, this more in depth one really got me thinkin... if you wanted a shoe that still gripped well, but allowed for that rotation so you don't injure your ankle, do you think a long, skinny spike, right in between the "knuckles" of the big and, I guess, second toe, do you think that might work? I think you'd probably need some stiffness right around the fore of the sneaker to do such a thing, so the spike didn't just drive into your foot and cause injuries, but I wonder if that might work, and just leave a bunch of holes in the field, totally nightmarish to the groundskeeper. I also wonder whether or not just a toe cleat might solve a lot of this, like a toe cleat that's flexible with little blades on the ends of the toes or something to that effect. Man, I just wish the major cleat makers, the sport booters, even just the regular mainstream shoe makers that just make sneakers, they all pretend as though shoes are just a totally solved market, a totally solved issue, and the only real innovations anyone could make are all around whatever the new yearly fashion trend is, like everything just exists in a vacuum. The actual product doesn't matter, just the packaging. Reminds me of some derrida type stuff.

[@TheGardeinator]

yeah there are some cleats with conical studs placed around the ball of the foot to allow for rotation and pivoting. Basically conical studs are good for rotation, whereas blades are good for straight line traction or "braking" if they are horizontal. Conical studs are preferred for artificial turf because blades get stuck easily.

[@coneilliv]

I played soccer for 40 years and now have arthritis in my feet. Do you think a pair of custom cleats would help with the pain?

[@adrianarteta7971]

Does anyone know where to find the metatarsal pads at 23:45 ? I’ve been looking for them but I can’t find the ones shown in the video. We’re the ones shown custom made?

[@upper90football_]

Loved the video! I’ve been playing soccer for over 15 years and I’ve just gotten into barefoot shoes. I am curious, how would barefoot cleats handle stud pressure on the feet? This could be a challenge with a flexible sole. My current barefoot shoes are Tolos. I play indoor soccer with them and they’re great!

[@prevolve_]

Stud pressure is dispersed and engineered to where it doesn't have any effect on protruding back up into the foot. 2+ years of R&D has allowed us to edit out most every issue that comes up; a major advantage when controlling your own production and assembly.

[@danielheywood1002]

@@prevolve_ Love seeing you guys commenting here. Time to come back and reply to more recent comments :)

[@DaniellMilton]

Hmm some good info in this vid but RE the shoe you recommend at 26:52 … no football boot soleplate should be able to bend like that for numerous reasons.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

What are these reasons you speak of?

[@ZGoddessLola]

The old style all natural leather cleats that stretch to the feet are best 😊. Other than this it is a risk and recipe for injury

[@muttleyt2805]

are they any feet shaped football (soccer) cleats made of leather for toe protection and traditional feel

[@mh-fh2vy]

I bought mizuno kangaroo leather cleats because of this. The shape is better and leather streched a little bit.

[@UberVilla]

new balance has a wider base model, as well as a wide fit option for soccer cleats!!! the only downside is that the sole plate isn’t any wider for the wide fit,, just the material of the boot

[@ant111_]

The fact that the soleplate isn't any wider makes the 2E model completely useless. I've tried both the standard and 2E, not worth it.

[@ahmadarahman5632]

Great video. You speak so fast so hard for non English like me to catch up😅

[@azalikmar2]

So maybe buy mizunos or asics boots with conical studs, they also tend to have wider fitting boots. Then get those curry ankle supports.

[@louisarroyo5255]

One thing I will say is always try to buy leather boots, although they won’t be as wide as we would like for foot health they do stretch in order to avoid cramp toes. I will say although the top end leather boots cost more they tend to feel a lot better on my feet as well as getting wider as the leather forms to my foot. In my 20+ years of playing soccer that’s what I’ve gathered along with not using bladed studs. Will say I was raised in a farm in Central America being barefoot it really close to it most of my life. Welcome to the jungle!

[@carldawes4156]

Do you think that if we combined flexible barefoot-esque shoes with some cleats at the bottom, we could have the best of both worlds? Like good grip and reduced injuring risk. I play soccer, and usually wear leather cleats as they are more comfortable and will actually mold around your foot so that it can spread out.

[@elielgonzalez3744]

Should check out Mizuno cleats.

[@itspluhs]

what store was that video at 0:40?

[@zeenoxxgaming1801]

I have a severe problem with shin splints, I can train one day, and my shins will be hurting for the following week. Any recommendations? to get rid of my shins splints quick as I train every single day due to being in varsity. Also I don’t want to keep getting shinsplints to just by a training one day.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

If you’re looking for a solution to that problem, check out: Grahamtuttle.com/ff

[@bensully94]

What about people in the u.k? Where's no company dedicated to making custom barefoot boots here.

[@dxfault576]

0:25 thats was a fractured vertebrae from a knee to the back lmao, nothing to do with his ankle and until the technology of those wide-foot boots get better no footballer ⚽will wear them, since the feel of the upper makes a difference on kicking the ball especially when going up against anything from nike or adidas etc. and regardless whenever u kick a ball, u want the tightest fitting boot possible or none at all, u need to be able to understand what, so if it doesnt hug ur foot its useless. on top of that the nike mercurial and adidas speedflow are 2 of the best boots for football.

[@planeshinigami]

I play Target level soccer⚽, the new Adidas Predators are one of the best for wide feet (considering I have a super wide foot) I couldn't get into the mercurials 😅 but anyways the Predators mold to your foot really nice and after a few times on the pitch with them it really just takes your mind off the boot while still providing the extra grip (the rubber bumps on the exterior), so it's not really a super tight fit when you mold them in (true to size like me) , the mercurials do NOT mold to your foot when I tried them on the pitch for a week's worth of training, I really just preferred the Predators over the mercurials for wider feet like you and I. At the end of the day every foot type is different and it's all upto personal preference.

[@TheGardeinator]

I tried the Predator Accuracy in a store and I was surprised how wide they are through the midfoot. Currently using a Mizuno morelia which is a little wider in the toe, but narrow in the midfoot. Glad to hear the synthetic breaks in, might pick up a pair of predators myself.

[@planeshinigami]

@@TheGardeinator glad I could help

[@danieln3999]

No, you don't think about or need to move your toes when passing or handling the ball. When you said, "wield it like a sword," you were pretty close. Almost like a pinball lever thingy.

[@joehaa6616]

Do you have any advice for basketball shoes, indoor and outdoor. I play a lot of basketball indoor but i don’t know about any “foot healthy” shoes that there are. Specifically for outdoor, as the function for outdoor basketball isn’t the priority but mainly the durability if that makes sense. If anyone has any advice please let me know

[@danielheywood1002]

A few years back I played some indoor basketball in Altra Superiors, a trail runner. For me, at the time, they were the best feeling shoe I’d ever played basketball in, previously only ever having worn conventional basketball shoes to play in. The foot shape, splay of the toes and the slight lugs for the grip were, for me, the best non-slip grip I’d experienced on the pickup basketball court. For me, now, if I were to play again (have not played for a few years), not sure if the cushioning of those Altras would be to my liking on the court, after almost exclusively wearing non-cushioned “barefoot” shoes in recent years. I still have those Altra’s, and for me, they feel okay on dirt off road, but walking on hard smooth surfaces the cushioning does not feel that great to me. Prefer the basically no cushion of my Splay brand shoes, but I’d never play a sport in them, just don’t have that sort of build for it. Off the top of my head, I might try Realfoot’s Natural Runner 2, or some Tolos, if I were to play on a court again and decided the Altra’s weren’t to my liking. Never tried either of those shoes, yet, but have recently been looking at something athletic and not cushioned and those caught my eye as possibly working. They lean toward more in looks like a casual shoe, but maybe have enough athletic shoe durability in them. Maybe.

[@danielheywood1002]

kneesovertoesguy, I just discovered, has a basketball shoe line. Uncivilized Athletics. While I wish them luck, because they are moving in the right direction, to my eye now trained on what a foot shaped, splayable shoe looks like, they look too narrow for my preference (as do vivobarefoot and a lot of other "barefoot" brands). Better than the torpedo shape of traditional shoes, yes, but, well, hopefully the photos don't convey the actual width and are actually wider. That's not yet been my experience, though. Narrow in the photo has been narrow in fit in my limited experience-compared to photos of Altra Superior's, they definitely look more narrow. They also have "support" and are cushioned, and while cushion may be of value in a basketball shoe, maybe, at least for one transitioning to non-cushioned shoes, I definitely question the support they advertise. What does that mean?

[@gamyu4297]

To be clear the lasts are not the exact same. Although they are similar in shape some are wider some thinner, taller shorter, higher volume lower volume etc. Secondly football are not always super comfortable out of the box. I find after a few wears they are much more comfortable

[@thebarefootsprinter]

Great point, fellow Graham. I did notice that Adidas was a bit wider than Nike's on average. They tend to work around the same pointed shape though, which I'd classify as a traditional last. But you are absolutely right that they aren't exactly the same. They will be more comfortable, but if the plastic sole on the bottom doesn't mirror the shape of your foot, part of that comfort is coming at the expense of an inhibition of your toes and foot unfortunately.

[@XxJkatxX]

I feel like a lot of this does not apply to people with crappy feet. With plantar fasciitis and completely flat feet a lot of these minimalist shoes have 0 support which absolutely kill my feet.

[@antonioshehu6996]

Great vid, instantly subscribed! Finally someone who can explain it!

[@thebarefootsprinter]

Welcome aboard!

[@edifazlic4916]

buy timepo legend 9 elite or nike phantom gt 2, great boots for wide feet

[@AfroDominus]

What about ag plates with circular studs ?

[@Awesome1914]

I've been doing barefoot shoes (vivo) for a few years and it's been great. Started running again a year ago and its been going great, no injuries so far but I run slower than I do in cushioned shoes. Training for a marathon right now and it's really hard to keep my form after reaching a half marathon distance. Been thinking about getting Altras or another brand with a decently wide toebox, low/ no drop but with some cushioning + carbon plate. Should it be fine if I do 99% of my workout in minimalist shoes and do more cushioned shoes comes marathon etc?

[@prevolve_]

That plan sounds ideal as described!

[@7Liri]

It's sounds like you understand the topic. In my opinion the big brands should make the cleats in two versions: Version training shoes- Wich is not restrictive at all and and shaped like our foot. And a competition version Wich you only ware in games etc and it should be little more stiff and have more grip in traction (for performance) In your case with running shoes I think it's a very good idea that if you go to marathon/ competition of some sort you might want to have as long as it's available a running shoes with cousion but no drop and a carbon plate - all that should make the running easier and your foot will work much easier- Wich is great idea for competition.

[@prevolve_]

@@7Liri We're on the same page. Train in something minimal, and compete with something that gives you a slight edge, a bit more stiffness, cushion, etc, which is all good when the rest of the shoe fits/functions properly.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

Yes - and remember, competition isn't the same as training. I'd go with an Escalante for longer runs and you can mess with a carbon fiber plate for the actual race days. But if you're doing most of your daily stuff barefoot or in foot friendly shoes, you're golden!

[@jonesy1589]

Knit football boots are the next best thing, form around your football and lightweight

[@RedEyePergo]

Primetime Deon Sanders is missing toes because of turf toe from cleats

[@maxinento6386]

Could you review Tiempo 9

[@gabrinjos104]

(25:18) 1. 3D printed cleats = best, but expensive 2. NaturAchletics = for youth / recreational, good price 3. NewBalance wide = widely available, good price - don't wear Nike/Adidas/Puma/... --> if you have to, buy shoe spreaders or use toe socks, ...

[@andrewpalmer1873]

Well, they definitely aren't great for your feet, but often soccer players will sacrifice comfort for as close touch on the ball as possible, even wearing cleats that are too small for their feet. Personally, I like a cleat that is close to the end of my toe box but has enough room on the lateral side that my toes can expand when I'm putting my foot in the ground as I run.

[@totowolffstable4044]

When I was buying cleats the only shoe that fit comfortable was a predator BUT 2 sizes bigger than my foot size lol

[@ravneetsingh5548]

can you make them available in india?

[@pdituri12]

Love all this info!!! Is there a brand or type of cleat for kids that is wider?

[@culotro]

Mizuno, Asics, and some other Japanese brands. These Japanese brands make wider fitting cleats to accommodate Japanese feet which are typically wider at the forefoot. I personally wear Mizuno Morelia Neo 3 MIJ for soccer and love them

[@thebarefootsprinter]

Super valuable feedback - Thanks Ray. Also, in the next few months I'd go NaturAthletic for kids cleats - affordable and flexible for the growing feet.

[@II-lv7cn]

can i get the short answer

[@PyroEx]

Great video, but why’d you put the clip of Neymar after he got his back injury in the World Cup 💀💀

[@JohnMoseley]

'Three and a half inches at its widest... You might as well say goodbye to your pinky toe...' Yeah, nightmare. It took me until my mid-40s to realise I was saying goodbye to my pinky toe even in ordinary sneakers. Toes fully splayed, my euro size 9 feet are over 4.5 inches.

[@charlesjonesii3]

My guy 💯👊🏽👊🏽

[@celisbaldeonsegura1408]

Great video! Do you know which New Balance with the big toe box is the best? Thanks!

[@thebarefootsprinter]

Depends on your sport. I like the Rush the best, but the freeze v4 Low is good. However, it'd be your preference on which of the soccer cleat models you'd like. You just choose the wide toe box option.

[@block_head_steve240]

Take a look at mizuno cleats

[@csg2165]

Good information. What about the stability bar under arch on soccer boots? You had the one brand that was in production that was able to twist . Wouldn’t this damage the arch or plantar fasciitis.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

The stiff midsole and any stability bar that runs the length of the arch is designed to give more resistance and spring to translational movement (movement going straight forward). Like, more bounce in each step when you load the plastic plate and pop off of it. Some of this material is also designed to keep the plastic bottom from snapping underneath - there's a certain load tolerance that shoes have to manage or else they break, so companies shoot far north of that which can make an overly stiff shoe (given the limitations on the material they use to construct). A healthy arch/plantar fascia is incredibly resilient. We just forget the context that humans played sports and moved around the world either barefoot or in leather moccasins/sandals for millennia before we invented the modern cleat and foam shoe in the last century. You'll lose some performance with the super flexible cleat but gain a lot of safety.

[@csg2165]

@@thebarefootsprinter understand completely. Thanks for the reply and looking forward to new things in your videos to share. 😁👍

[@guillermotozzi4139]

I don't know what you will do with all those football boots. but I just want to tell you that you have bought a pair of Copa Icon. They are limited edition and in a few years they will cost a lot of money. Please save them

[@kanny8742]

Try mizuno cleats

[@fonfon1]

new balance wide versions aren't actually "wider" there's just more material near the laces. You just stretch the shoe out more and wind up getting a muffin top effect as ur foot hangs over th soleplate which is identical to regular width versions

[@thebarefootsprinter]

I've bought a regular (D) width and a wide (2E) width and there is a substantial difference in that half inch width increase. I know what you mean though regarding manually stretching out the shoes without adjusting for a wider base/last. The plastic/rubber bottom cuts up into your foot

[@kevinmcd112]

I've seen a LOT of athletes wearing vivos. They're a little spendy but worth the extra money.

[@JourneyATG-wm4ww]

I have wear minimalist shoes for half a year. But recently I’ve experienced pain in my arch. What should I do? Is it a sign of overusing?

[@aswinpradeep291]

Sir could you do a detailed video on how to place our feet while walking and how to maintain posture there are a lot of videos in KZbin but none gave a clear cut explanation

[@thebarefootsprinter]

I'm on it!

[@aswinpradeep291]

@@thebarefootsprinter thank you so much

[@samlove933]

your shot for this and the people believing this bs more power to them

[@samlove933]

if you listen to people like this noone would be a pro

[@cameronmoffatt9110]

you know you can just buy wider but right? 8.02

[@aberulau2061]

Well nike has also options for wide feet like the new phantom gx, i myself think i’m going to buy these next

[@TheGardeinator]

Been going through this whole scenario the last two years. All of the cleats shapes narrow into the midfoot which is the widest part of my feet. The squeezing creates a really intense ache on the outside of my feet after running for 15 minutes (depending on the shoe), and you wouldn't feel it trying them for the first time in a store. Nothing wide or foot shaped exists from my research. My most comfortable boot was one I wore 9 years ago that I left in my closet with a shoe stretcher inside the whole time. It had basically been reshaped into an oval. So my only thought is get something moldable and break it in thoroughly.

[@gkelete9978]

Nahh bro there are a lot of football boots special made for big feet so your research bro

[@thebarefootsprinter]

The manual stretching can get you more options but it doesn't work super well on all shoe models depending on construction. Fortunately there are more options now, but it can be rough out there if you're in touch with your feet!

[@jonesy1589]

Those mouldable boots are already about, knit football boots, they mould to your foot, and also you can get wide boots anyway

[@mencynazarian]

Puma is the way to go for comfort

[@yato8940]

no Mizuno?

[@devantelewis6774]

Man is just chatting 😂

[@koalakevon]

puma future z are wide

[@RushScotch]

Mizuno and Asics have waaaaay more Quality and wide feet options plus they use full leather shoes in some of the models, not like toeboxes only stay away from popular brands even this days all there top of the line merch is produce in Asía, so You are really overpaying for those Nike vapors and Adidas Predators 😂 200$ in a piece that probably takes 10 dollars to be put together

[@user-zp1qp3b]

It is unblelievable that it is 2024 and there's NO CLEAT that fits my foot!!!!!!!!! Every cleat pushes my big toe inward! I understand they have to be tight so your foot doesnt slide around but just make the shoe narrow but KEEP THE BIG TOE STRAIGHT. FUCK THESE BIG COMPANIES.

[@aDSdl_l]

I'm a soccer player with 4E feet... cleats are torture

[@Tate525]

Cleats destroyed my feet, they just aren't any custom options when it comes to cleats, it's always one size fits all.

[@thebarefootsprinter]

I hear you! But there are custom options now. Check the description for some companies that make them bespoke for you.

[@RushScotch]

Use grip socks

[@mohammedzohaibashraf835]

1:17

[@andreslosada559]

Mizuno

[@hiimangel6212]

My cousin always ask why I don't want to play football in our adult years now. I enjoy the game but will not go back to wearing football shoes which make my toes smash into each other. I already have a bunion on one of my feet when I got when I was younger. All the information I know about "baresfoot shoes" (shoes that have enough room for my toes to spread ) and actually being able to wiggle all my toes everyday is something that really makes me happy and won't be planning on going back. I even went out of my way to purchase barefoot "safety shoes" after a rule was placed at my employer about having to wear composite safety shoes everyday that have composite toe protection in case a heavy item were to fall on them my toes wouldn't get hurt. The composite toe barefoot shoes I'm talking about is the "Birkenstock QS 700" if anyone also was wondering.

[@hasankumar089]

27:29

[@danielszilagyi2508]

Could help with Shin splints too?

[@thebarefootsprinter]

You'd need to address foot strength and mobility as well as running form to really tackle that, but better shoes can make a huge difference!

[@danielszilagyi2508]

@@thebarefootsprinter thanks