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.
https://prevolvefootwear.com - Custom Made Cleats and Toe Spacers
https://codeftwr.com - Custom Made Cleats and Toe Spacers
https://www.naturathletics.us - Minimalist Cleats
https://www.newbalance.com - Wide Toe Box Cleats
https://www.vivobarefoot.com - Alternative Options (Primus Trail or Tracker Decon Low)
https://www.inov-8.com - Alternative Turf Option (X Talon G210 V2)
https://www.customcleats.com - Change Your Shoes Into Cleats Option
https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Expander/... - Shoe Expander from Amazon (Haven't used this, all options seem equivalent)
https://thetoespacer.com - Toe Spacer Option
https://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. UPDATE - I improved the delivery model of this program to include it in a membership. If you want to walk, run, or sprint without pain, start here: https://skool.com/wrs/about
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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!