Kangaroo Cleats Boots

Soccer Cleats. Leather vs Synthetic

A question that often pops up when buying football boots (soccer cleats) is whether to choose boots made from leather or synthetic materials. Both types of boots have their pros and cons but it’s difficult to judge whether one is better than the other. Read on to find out which type of boot is suitable for you.

Up until the turn of the century, leather boots were considered superior than their synthetic counterparts and not surprisingly worn by the majority of professional players. At that time, leather boots were far more comfortable and better feel and provided better control. But due to the advancement in technology, synthetic boots are now considered equal if not better than leather boots.

Even against today’s high-tech synthetic materials, leather boots are still more comfortable and allow the user better feel for the ball. And comfort in my opinion, is the single most important factor when choosing a boot. Among the several choices of leather, kangaroo leather, often called k-leather, is the most comfortable but less durable while full grain leather is more durable but less comfortable.

Leather boots do have their downsides. Among them, they are more expensive. Most leather boots are not water-proof, making them a bad choice of footwear in wet conditions. They are also quite heavy, limiting the amount of features the manufacturer can put on them. Since leather is a delicate material, they require a high degree of maintenance. And finally, leather boots generally have a shorter life-span compared to synthetic boots.

Most synthetic boots today are made from a material called ‘Teijin microfiber’ which is a comfortable, lightweight material. Synthetic boots are light, allowing manufacturers to incorporate more technology into them. They’re also more durable, cheaper, and water-proof while requiring less maintenance. But they’re also less comfortable and provide less feel.

Although the odds seem in favor of synthetic boots, remember that comfort is the single most important factor to look for in football boots. Both types of boots also have their own sets of professional endorsers.

Here is a summary of the pros of each type of material along with some boot model examples.

Leather : Comfortable, feel for the ball
Models : The Adidas AdiPure range, , the Nike Tiempo range

Synthetic : cheap, lightweight, waterproof, low maintenance, more durable
Models : The Nike Mercurial range, the Lotto Zhero range

About the Author

Equipped with technical knowledge, personal experience and an undying love for the game, Des Azhan reviews football boots. To find out more about leather and synthetic boots, or to read his (and his partners’) football boot reviews, visit soccerstuds.net

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