Firm Ground boots are ideally suited for hard natural ground surfaces. Because of the weather you’ll mainly wear them in spring or summer, but if you happen to be somewhere drier you may get use of them all season. Below we have the most popular Hard/Firm boots right now:


What is an FG or Firm Ground boot?
One of the specifications of boots is whether or not they apply to a certain type of football ground. Given that football is generally played outdoors on grassy pitches, you need to prepare for the kind of surface that you are going to play on. Otherwise, you may find yourself slipping when you play, affecting your game & worst still injuries might occur. That is why football brands have different stud configurations and construction in that they are adapted to the type of pitch they are assigned to. With that said, you need to understand whether you are playing on firm ground or soft ground and choose an appropriate boot for that.
Firm Ground refers to the playing surface with the natural firmness and density of soil. However pack and flat it is, Firm Ground still breaks with force, causing slippage to footwear with flat soles. Thus, Firm Ground boots are those with a plastic solepplate that house moulded protruding studs. They literally act like a set of teeth that bites into the ground to maintain your stability and balance even in high-speed situations.
Rank | Why? | Boot | |
---|---|---|---|
1. Nike Mercurial Superfly Elite | Chevron studs a hallmark of that aggressive traction the Nike speed boot silo has been known for; now packed with the Zoom Air cushioning technology | ||
2. adidas F50+ | Besides the blades, look forward to its snapback courtesy of the forefoot plate overlay; dives into the cushioning game as well with the Lightstrike insert on each side | ||
3. Puma Ultra 5 Carbon | Powerful energy return because of the carbon fibre-based SPEEDSYSTEM; includes a very sharp FastTrax stud configuration that can only be used on FG | ||
4. New Balance Furon v8 | Very Mercurial-like because of the adoption of chevron stud configuration | ||
5. | An outside-the-mainstream choice that can really compete in FG because of its blades and carbon soleplate |
One might argue that the Nike Mercurial popularised a new way of thinking about FG stud configuration with its vaunted chevron stud configuration. The current generation employs such and even added a series of cascading ones on the Zoom Air window that further adds traction. All the talk of course is about the integration of Zoom Air, but as far as FG tooling is concerned, those familiar Mercurial chevrons are still something to look for.
2. adidas F50+
adidas is joining in the speed boot soleplate technological advancement with the Sprintframe360+ of the F50+. The brand packs the tooling with some snap courtesy of the forefoot plate overlay, and on each side has the Lightstrik Pro inserts that add some cushion and bounce on each step. Some might feel though that the overall package is bulky, and would rather opt for something simpler.
3. Puma Ultra 5
Ultra 5, I think, is the best option if you are all-in on that energy return experience. The carbon fibre-based SPEEDSYSTEM is just totally off-the-charts when it comes to the responsiveness. And for those who got used to the FG/AG label, you can forget about it now. FastTrax studs on the current Ultra is very sharp and can easily be identified for FG even by just looking at them.
Call it whatever you like, but adopting a Mercurialesque stud configuration really works especially for a speed boot. In addition, the New Balance Furon also offers a nylon soleplate that is relatively on the stiffer side. This is perfect for those who really want a solid and stable underfoot sensation when playing on FG.
5. Under Armour Shadow Elite 3
Not a mainstream choice, obviously. But I can say the Under Armour Shadow Elite 3 can hold its own as far as FG boots are concerned. The pointed blades indeed penetrate sharply and getting the studs to bite has been made easy thanks to the snap of the carbon fibre soleplate.
Can you wear FG on AG (Artificial Grass/Turf)?
Firm ground boots are the most common type and work best in dry, hard natural grass surfaces. Technically, they can also be played on artificial grass as long as the boots have an FG/AG rating. This is certainly because artificial grasses have different textures and materials that might affect traction. AG grounds are 100% made of synthetic grass and based on the increasing grass height and infill requirement could be classified into 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and 6G.
2Gs are usually just for recreational football while the 3G with its sand and rubber infill are used by football associations sports. 4G to 6G pitches which are yet to be recognized by football governing bodies do not have any infill. Nowadays, there are what we call hybrid pitches where there is usually a 95%-5% split between natural and artificial grass respectively and are present in the pitches of the English premier league.
In terms of seasons, summer is the best time to use this type of boots but can also be worn in winter when the pitch is frozen or hard. A little moisture on a pitch isn’t usually a problem for FG cleats. While they might work well in sand-based turf pitches, it is best to avoid using FG boots there as the studs might wear down faster than expected. And for the obvious reason that there are protruded studs, FGs are not intended to be used indoors, you won’t be able to stand up safely or properly with them.
What studs are on Firm Ground boots?
The studs on the soleplates of firm ground boots come in all kinds and shapes, be it conical, bladed, chevron or mixed, and are either in plastic or rubber material. And while there are different configurations out in the market, they are generally designed to provide perfect penetration to firm ground surfaces. The studs are generally non-removable in FG boots. The studs are usually placed strategically across the plate to evenly distribute the pressure.
We do have more of a range of hard and firm ground boots, but you will need to search by the boot type and look out for the FG icon next to the boots which indicates they are suitable for playing football on firm and hard surfaces.
Can you Wear FG on SG pitches?
When playing on hard or firm ground you are going to need a pair of boots with a little less grip than if you were out on a slippery, wet or muddy pitch when you’d need to wear soft ground boots, that have metal studs that penetrate deeper for you and will give you better grip.
The most common sole types of Hard Ground (HG) boots are with either blades or moulded studs. The blades are mouldes soles that face in multiple directions to maximise grip and minimise ankle injury. Nike make a MG sole plate which is designed to be used on firm or artificial pitches and is found on the scaled down cheaper products.
Firm Ground Soleplate Innovations
You have read about FG/AG, a soleplate playable in both natural and artificial pitches. But lately the big brands have been introducing technologies on the FG soleplates of their speed boots to double down on their pacey and explosive attributes.
Nike has always prided the Mercurials for their chevron studs that have become synonymous with aggressive traction. And they have partnered said stud configuration with their proprietary Zoom Air technology via 3/4-length strobelled cushion. By experience, we can say it does smoothen the transition of one step to the other. It’s a rather comforting experience than the responsive, energy-return sensation that the brand advertises.
On the other hand, we see the likes of the Puma Ultra go full-blast on that speedy, high-level-of-snapback performance with their SPEEDSYSTEM. It’s carbon-fibre based and has the three-pronged FastTrax stud design that is simply suited only for FG, even at just one glance. It can be a bit demanding, physically speaking, and so I think this boot is a niche one.