Jumbo bought a pair of new footy boots a few weeks ago and intermingled with his usual 24/7 moaning and groaning, were his complaints, they were too tight. What's a Jumbo to do?
It made me remember an old boot hack from my younger days, when dinosaurs were still bopping away. I gave him the tip, knowing full well it wouldn't placate him with life in general, but it did give me the idea of sharing out a few of the old tricks I myself used.
Footy boots......well they aren't the same as other foot attire. I think you can be a little off when it comes to sizing with most footwear, it won't kill you. But with boots, they are always a bit tighter fitting, and with thicker socks being worn by players, you will often find yourself sizing up/down. There's something more personal to cleats too, like they aren't just for chucking on when u go to the chippy, a pint or running out to chase the bin men. They are more than that. So it can be unnerving when your brand new pair arrive, and things aren't always 100% comfortable in your noggin.
These hacks should help, some of them are pretty ingenious, and have made a difference to me and friends in the past.
1. Hot Water Trick
Most footballers want a tighter feel to a boot. At most you'll only be in them for 2 hours a time, and then only once or twice a week. When you buy the boots, they are made tighter. I usually buy size 10 for Adidas, Nike, Converse, Reebok, FitFlop, and they are generally spot on. But for boots, i've never had a size 10, they are too tight. But try to avoid sizing up too much, unless there's good advice online.
Most newer boots, are synthetic not leather, so for those types, try leaving the boots in very warm water before a game, or wearing them in hot water while you watch the telly for 20 minutes, that's all it takes. The heat will slowly stretch the boot, and it will also mould to your foot. You will eventually wear your boots in, but why not speed up that process. Be sure that when you have finished; to stuff your boots with old socks, or newspaper, also dry them naturally. It will help them keep their shape, also worth noting that freezing your boots for a short period will kill bacteria that causes them to smell and strangely stretch them too.
PS: CR7 still does this before every game.........apparently
NOTE: Most new boots these days are synthetic, but a lot are made from leather, or if you're lucky, Kangaroo Leather (K-Leather). Avoid the above with these boots. Leather will naturally stretch quite quick, and it will mould even better to your foot than non-leather, so just give them time. Also worth remembering that you can even afford to size down with leather.....as you'd be surprised how much they stretch after a few games.
2. Candle Wax
Yep, you heard right. Those small tea candles are great for this. After buying a pair of boots, gently rub over the boot with this wax and you can even lightly cover the laces. Then on a very LOW heat, use a hair dryer from distance to apply some warmth. This will waterproof your boots and laces. Rain, which will happen, here in Blighty, is the primary cause of boot degradation. So why not lessen the effects of it. Remember, this is a hack! There are products on the market that are more professional and do the trick, but at a price.
3. Banana Skin
Again.....you heard right.......the weird just gets weirder! Boots need a polish? Forgot to shell out an arm and a leg on the right products?
Well banana skins actually do the same job. Don't believe me? Try it. They tend to work better on black boots, and leave a nice smell........IF you like bananas.
4. Insoles
We touched on it before, but finding the right fit in terms of footy boots, well it's a tough job. What you may sacrifice in a normal "going out" trainer, you don't with boots. But sometimes it could just be you! Rather than size down too much, think about buying some professional insoles, they are quite cheap these days. Not only can you buy them standard, you can also get them tailor made for a higher price. But getting some insoles, could make several boots you own, more comfortable. So the outlay on insoles, is actually an investment, if it means you get more use out of your expensive boots.
5. Laces
The next 2 things on the list, aren't 100% boot hacks but they make sense. Most of the tech applied by the big companies like Adidas and Nike all go into the physical boot. That's why they cost a lot of money. But like above, the peripheries, aren't looked into that scientifically. The insoles and laces of some the highest priced boots on the market are, well, naff. The best thing you can do when buying some new boots, is grabbing a pair of new laces. AMO are new on the market, and do some funky colours, but more importantly, they are slightly longer and are built to last. Laces, break.......but they break a lot on boots. So they are a good investment long term
6. Grip Socks
Like the laces, not directly related to the boot. But they make the boots fit better, cause less blisters, movement of your foot and are a really good investment. These socks tend to come in Crew length for some reason but the soles have these grippy plastic patches. This stops your foot moving within the boot, and ultimately it makes your chances of doing your ankle in. What cost your health? Badly damage your ankle, it could mean months out at best.
Cost is a big issue though. TruSox, are a new brand, and are massively popular for top tier players all over the World. But they cost £30+. I've tried them, and the jury's still out.......I mean they make a massive difference, true, but there are cheaper similar socks out there, which do the job just as well. The idea of grip socks in football, I'm all over, just be careful about the price. Not sure I can quite justify £30 on a pair of socks
7. Heel Lock
If you have runner mates, they will know all about this. I won't even try to explain it in writing, just watch the video below. The dude will mention the 2 close holes you get in most trainers, near the tongue......well apparently this is what they are for. Lacing your football boot like this, causes the mouth of the boot to fasten around your ankle........normal lacing tends to tighten the boot around the top and bottom of your foot. This means that your ankles aren't getting the protection and support they deserve.
Nuff said. If I think of anything else......well I'll put a footnote in, count yourself lucky, as I don't really want to call it "8 Boot Hacks"......what with us being FC7 and all that.
Enjoy!
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