We’ve all been there. You buy a brand new pair of soccer cleats for the season ahead, only to find that they don’t quite feel right when you take them out of the box.
But instead of giving up, you just need to spend a little bit of time breaking your soccer cleats in, and we explain precisely how to go about it in this article.
So, how to break in soccer cleats?
The key to breaking in soccer cleats is to take it slowly. After ordering the right-sized cleats, wear them around the house for a little while before trying them out in soccer practice. You can then soften them with vaseline and by dampening them before wearing them on game day. Continue reading to find out precisely how to break in soccer cleats.
Seven tips for breaking in soccer cleats
Get the right size
The first and most important step when it comes to breaking in soccer cleats is ensuring that you order the right size. While it might sound like an obvious thing to say, lots of people just assume they’re ordering the right size.
In reality, every manufacturer sizes their cleats slightly differently, which leads people to often buy cleats that are slightly too big or too small.
Your best bet is to actually measure your feet before ordering a pair of soccer cleats. You can do it yourself, or you can head to your local Foot Locker or another shoe store and get your exact measurements.
This will make a huge difference and will ensure you know what size you actually need. You can then use the manufacturer’s sizing chart to order the correct cleats for your feet.
Apply some vaseline
Even if you’ve ordered soccer cleats that are the perfect size, you might still find them a little uncomfortable at first. This is only natural, and you don’t need to worry.
Grab a tub of vaseline and rub it into all of the points of contact between your cleats and your foot. Pay particular attention to the points in your cleats that come into contact with your toes and heels, as this is typically where blisters form.
Apply the vaseline immediately before wearing your cleats for the first time, and continue re-applying it until you’re happy that you have finally broken your cleats in.
Wear them around the house
If you take a pair of soccer cleats out of the box and wear them immediately on the soccer field, you will almost certainly get blisters.
Instead, ease into your soccer cleats over time. A good way to break them in is to wear them around the house when you’re not doing anything in particular. If you work from home, you can wear them when you’re sitting at your desk, for instance.
After a few days of wearing your cleats around the house, you will soften them up enough to wear them out on the training field, as we explain below.
Train in them before game day
Before wearing your new soccer cleats on game day, wear them during at least one training session. You should take an old pair of cleats and some trainers with you just in case your feet don’t respond well to the new cleats.
If you’ve bought new soccer cleats during the off-season and the ground is particularly hard, it will probably take a little bit longer to break your cleats in.
The trick is to be patient and don’t try and rush into them. Not only are the blisters from ill-fitting soccer cleats painful, but wearing cleats that don’t fit well will affect your performance, so take your time as you’re breaking them in.
Dampen your cleats
Another trick for breaking in soccer cleats is to dampen them before wearing them. You don’t need to soak them, but dampening the leather with a soft sponge will help you ease them onto your feet.
This is a great trick to try on game day after you have eased yourself into your cleats. Just be careful not to wet your cleats too much, or they will be pretty uncomfortable when you take to the field!
Wear the right socks
The socks that you wear will influence how comfortable your soccer cleats feel. When you’re trying on your new soccer cleats in the first place, remember that soccer socks tend to be a little thicker than standard trainer or gym socks.
Some people also swear that waterproof socks help to wick some of the moisture that can lead to blisters, so they could be worth a try if you’re struggling to break in your soccer cleats.
It’s best not to wear two pairs of socks to try and fit into soccer cleats that are too big, as this leads to additional rubbing, which is likely to end in blisters.
Always keep them clean
Keeping your soccer cleats clean is so important for a number of reasons. If you don’t maintain your cleats and leave mud and other debris attached, it can easily get inside your cleats.
What’s more, the leather on your cleats is more susceptible to damage if you don’t clean them regularly, which will influence how long your cleats are likely to last.
So, while it might seem like a bit of a drag, make sure you clean your soccer cleats as soon as you get home after practise or game day.
Bonus tip: Looking for a quality pair of soccer boots that are long-lasting and will never go out of fashion? Check out our review of the most durable soccer cleats to find your perfect soccer cleats for this season!
Recap: How to break in soccer cleats
While it might seem daunting at first, we hope you now have all the information you need to successfully break in your soccer cleats.
Just remember to check the size of your feet and use the sizing guide of the manufacturers to help you before following the top tips that we’ve introduced above.