With summer in England and the rest of the northern hemisphere just around the corner, we thought it was a great time to look at football boots once more. More accurately, it is a great time to look at firm ground boots and why you should, or shouldn’t, wear them.

As you already know, wearing the wrong type of football boots can produce poor performances on the pitch. The wrong boots can have you slipping and sliding all over the pitch. For players that are new to the game, you may not know which type of boots to buy, so let’s look at firm ground boots for this blog and the pros and cons of wearing them.

Getting the right boots

The biggest difference between soft ground and firm ground boots is the soleplate. For the most part, boots look very similar. It is the studs on the bottom of the boot which are designed differently allowing you to have improved grip and traction on various playing surfaces.

A pair of firm-ground boots have plastic studs in various shapes and sizes. Soft ground boots feature a mixture of stud configurations and interchangeable metal studs. The choice of which one to wear depends on the playing surface. A dry, harder pitch means you need a pair of firm ground boots. A muddy pitch like in England during the autumn, winter, and spring, means you should probably wear soft ground boots. When Astroturf comes into play, firm ground boots or Astro-specific boots should be worn.

Boots for soft ground are made for harsh conditions in which you need extra traction to stay on your feet. Firm ground football boots are made better for all-round surfaces. They are better for a wide range of surfaces and playing conditions.

Whether you purchase firm ground or soft ground boots, the upper and midsole will be the same. It is the studs and soleplate that differ. Therefore, the technology you get in the boot will be the same no matter which you choose to wear. With summer coming up, firm ground maybe the best choice if you are in the market for a new pair of football boots.