When playing on softer pitches, especially during the winter months when you are more likely to be playing in the rain, you are going to want a pair of Soft Ground boots, with removable metal football boot studs. Check out the most popular pairs on the site below:
Soft Ground & Muddy Pitch Boots
Now standard on all Nike Elite level soft ground boots, anti-clog technology resists mud, meaning it struggles to stick to the bottom of your boot, improving your traction in difficult pitch conditions. Maybe Elite level players don’t often need it, but on some of those dodgy Sunday morning pitches, this will be a gaming changer in you getting around the park.
Soft ground boots are prepared for wet and muddy pitches. When the ground is wet and muddy, or to a certain extent is composed of very tall grasses, the pitch loses its ability to provide cushioning and bounce back to sprints. Certain attributes make the SG useful for these conditions. They are usually made up of longer studs to get more bite on the softer plane. The main difference though, aside from the length of the studs, comes into the use of metal studs, which are usually designed to be screwable and interchangeable. This allows any accumulated mud to be wiped off from the studs. For muddy, sticky, wet surfaces, metal does a better job in providing grip and stability.
Can you wear FG on SG pitches?
The metal studs of soft ground boots will struggle to penetrate the harder firm ground, giving you an unstable footing and off-balanced foot, this can also lead to an increase in blisters on the feet and the chances of a rolled ankle or twisted knee and should be avoided at all costs. Consider buying replacement plastic studs, to make your boots firm ground suitable, adidas stocks TPU studs, whilst you will need to buy aftermarket generic ones to fit Nike and other brands thread size.
Can you wear SG boots on AG or artificial grass/turf?
The short answer is no, firstly they can damage the pitch and you won’t be very popular with the owners or managers of the field. They can not penetrate the ground properly so you find the same issues as FG as above, you should consider a specific AG-Pro pair or switching out your metal studs for a plastic alternative.
Top 10 SG Football Boots
| BOOT | DESCRIPTION | SOLEPLATE | LINKOUT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 Elite | Nike SG Player Edition gives players an option to prefer a lightweight SG tooling by doing away with the Anti-clog template |  |  >> Get Nike Vapor 16 SG at Nike | |
2. Nike Mercurial Superfly 10 Academy | Good choice for those with budget considerations and the inclusion of the Anti-clog technology |  |  >> Get Nike Superfly 10 Academy SG at Nike | |
3. adidas Predator Elite | Maintains the same FT, laced and laceless selections on the FG type |  |  | |
4. adidas F50 Elite | Like the Predator, adidas gives you a say if you prefer a laceless or laced F50 SG |  |  | |
5. Puma Future 7 Ultimate | Wide-fitting and comfortable dual mesh upper |  |  >> Get Future 7 Ultimate MxSG from Puma | |
6. Puma Ultra 5 Ultimate | Form-fitting mesh upper and weatherised ball control thanks to GripControl Pro coating |  |  >> Get Ultra 5 Ultimate MxSG from Puma | |
7. New Balance Furon v7+ | A unique, knitted option on the list that also appeals to wide-foot players |  |  >> Get New Balance Furon v7+ SG Pro from New Balance | |
8. adidas Copa Pure 2 | Quality leather forefoot experience with decent levels of responsiveness |  |  | |
9. Mizuno Alpha | The best in the business in terms of SG boot lockdown |  |  | |
10. Nike Tiempo Legend 10 Elite | Dampened ball touch even on wet and muddy surfaces |  |  >> Get Nike Tiempo Legend 10 SG at Nike | |
1. Nike Mercurial Vapor 16 Elite
Air Zoom technology meets wet and muddy grounds with the Nike Mercurial Vapor SG boots. You can also get the Superfly, but I think most would prefer that regular, low-cut look. Mercurial SG comes with extra studs, so that’s a plus point in there. Keep in mind though that recently Nike is releasing Player Edition SGs. No, they not those pairs customised for the pros. They just mean they don’t have Anti-Clog to keep the boot light, as with the Mercurials here.
2. Nike Mercurial Superfly 10 Academy
Price-wise, this simply goes to the top if that is just the main consideration. But there are other reasons why this makes the list. First among these is that it does maintain that snug fit profile that is core to the Mercurial’s DNA, not to mention that the cheaper Nikeskin upper here also has that give to copy to a certain extent the comfort of the Elite’s Gripknit+AtomKnit material. Academy Superfly SG also packs in the outsole with a combination of Anti-Clog and heel Air Zoom unit, which is a nice touch I believe. Just expect some added weight though to your SG speed boot experience.
3. adidas Predator Elite
This is perfect for those who want a pair of grippy football boots on those soft pitches. And I like that adidas maintains the same FT, laced and laceless options for this silo’s Elite SG. My only concern is that other than the obvious inclusion of metal studs, the Predator Elite SG seems to be on the same plastic as the FG ones, which are a bit notorious for cracking issues.
4. adidas F50 Elite
Besides getting an SG-specific adidas speed boot, you still have a say on what type of F50 you would like to wear on the soft ground. As you can see, you can opt for the laceless or the laced model. At the moment there’s no F50+ SG (I reckon it’s going to be the bulkiest outsole if ever they do release one!). It’s nice though that adidas still gives out those comfort and speed insoles for you to select.
5. Puma Future 7 Ultimate
This is a boot that partners its soft and comfortable mesh upper plus with muddy ground-friendly traction. The only thing is you might need some width and volume on your feet, especially on the heel, to make this boot as functional as it can be. If your feet’s shape is a perfect match for the Future, you’ll find that the targeted PWRTAPEs on top does have some effect on the lockdown.
6. Puma Ultra 5 Ultimate
If you’re into speed boots, the Puma Ultra can give you a lightweight pair to work on soft ground pitches. The composition of that mesh upper does a good job of forming around both wide and narrow feet types. It feels pleasant on-feet, but perhaps the comfort lags a bit behind the Mercurials. SPEEDSYSTEM outsole has a slight toe lift that is just excellent in keeping you on your toes but still gives you room to flex your foot naturally with every step.
7. New Balance Furon v7+
I find this as legitimately a suitable buy for wide-feet players. Much will be said about the comfort and give of the Hypoknit upper, but the canopy style of the off-centre lacing is also a nice feature as it gives you a wider, cleaner striking surface. That canopy cover somewhat helps in improving the lockdown, which might be affected because of the give of the knitted upper.
8. adidas Copa Pure 2 Elite
Adidas brings in their trademark Fusionskin technology of leather forefoot and synthetic midfoot in an SG-specific make. I imagine this boot appeals to those who wants a taste of that natural leather comfort without sacrificing too much lockdown. And since adidas opts to just modify the existing Torsionframe to include a couple of metal studs, one will also get a bit of that soleplate responsiveness on those mushy playing surfaces.
9. Mizuno Alpha MIJ
Let’s get it out first. Mizuno boots are really expensive. But if you can afford one and buy the Alpha, what you get here is a super locked-in football boot in soft ground. That is because of the amount of ZEROGLIDE lining that makes the upper stick to your feet and prevents them in turn from sliding around. Upper is also up there in terms of pliability, and the sole is relatively flat. That is good if you want your SG boots to feel closer to the ground.
10. Nike Tiempo Legend
Both in the upper and the soleplate, I think the Tiempo Legend 10 can weather both the moisture and dirt. That is because the Flytouch Plus directly addresses the weatherisation issues of natural leather, which jives well with the Anti-Clog feature of the soleplate. I’m not saying it’s already there in terms of replacing leather, but at least Flytouch is able to replicate the dampened ball touch experience.
Nike Soft Ground Boots
Nike have the Anti-Clog soft ground versions for all their existing silos of Mercurials, Phantom, and Tiempo. However, you might have heard about the SG-PRO Nike boots that professionals favoured back then over the Anti-Clog ones.
Elite SG-Pro models usually maintain the soleplate structure of the FG variants and do not have the Anti-Clog full-length application which significantly added weight.
What is Anti Clog for Soft Ground?
Technology-wise, Nike introduced in 2016 its Anti-Clog soleplates (AC SG) for Nike’s SG boots. They are made up of an adaptive polymer material that, in the words of Dr Jeremy Walker, moves away from repelling water to being compliant to it, resulting in a lubricious layer without sacrificing traction. The layer of the Anti-Clog soleplates works best when in contact with mud & water or a slick, slimy surface that feels almost like a goo or watery.
Why Pros Don’t Like Anti Clog
1. Anti Clog, when it was first released, added even more weight to soft ground soleplates and reduced the flexibility of the sole for players.
2. Pros play on good quality pitches, where the problem of mud sticking to the sole is considerably reduced compared to the poorer quality social pitches, where they can be more mud that grass.
3. Nike started to reduce the availability of the standard SG-Pro boots as the pushed the Anti Clog tech throughout their range, making it harder for pros to get their preferred boots.
Nike have now tried to address the weight issue by strategically limiting the coating to certain areas and retaining as much of the original FG soleplate structure as possible, thus adding much less weight than before. Another change is the use of the more durable non-removable steel instead of the screw-in aluminums. This allows for the removal of the screw-in structurally inserts altogether, thereby freeing up another burden to Anti-Clog plates overall.
How Many Studs Do SG boots have?
Traditionally, SGs had used a 6-stud configuration. The boots have now evolved and have increased in the number of studs employed as well as shapes, usually mirroring the stud patterns of their FG counterparts whenever possible, with SG-Pro being a combination of the six metal studs, with smaller plastic studs used also.
SGs are then worn during rainy seasons and most of the winter when extreme moisture has already built up on the pitch, making it wet and muddy to play on.
adidas and Puma currently only offer two types of sole plate, the PRO version which includes a combination of changeable metal studs and fixed plastic studs, the cheaper versions of soleplates, included only six changeable metal studs, rather than the mixed sole option perferred by pros. Whilst that pro set up is ideal for quality pitches, you may find a six stud combination works best on the average Sunday league pitch.
Save yourself some cash and get two pairs of boots for one with adidas boots, as their metal studs can be switched our for screw in plastic studs, converting any soft ground adidas pair in to a firm ground pair, with the help of your stud key!
Boots for soft pitches (except for the 2021 Nike SG-Pro ACs) have removable studs, which means depending on the conditions you can change the studs to give yourself more or less grip as the field requires. By changing the studs you make one pair of boots usable in multiple conditions, saving yourself money in the long run. Studs usually come in three different lengths, mixing shorter studs at the front with longer studs at the back. In really bad conditions you’ll need to use the longest metal studs provided.
Best to apply some water (just pour some from your drinks bottle) over the soleplate of the Nike SG-Pro ACs before you walk onto the pitch, to activate the sole & stop the mud sticking as Anti-Clog boots work at their fullest when wet.
Be aware that you should never use SG boots on an artificial, dry ground or sand slip pitch, as the special anti-clog coating on the soleplate can get scratched by these surfaces, reducing its effectiveness in future.
If the ground is very hard you may want to consider a pair of firm ground boots, or changing to those plastic studs, but usually through the winter months of the season you will want to stick to your soft ground boots.
