Softball Cleats Buying Guide

Softball.com is your go-to shop for all of your softball footwear needs. We carry the latest footwear from top brands like New Balance, Under Armour, Nike, Ringor and more. Follow our buying guide below to pick out the cleats that best fit your style, size, and your needs on the diamond.

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Our Most Popular Cleats

CLEAT CONSTRUCTION

Today's softball cleats are usually made out of mesh, synthetic leather, or even a combination of the two. Synthetic leather provides the wearer strong support at the ankle and front of the foot, while mesh provides good breathability and flexibility. Whichever you prefer comes down to playstyle and personal preference. Just make sure whatever you choose is comfortable, first and foremost.

SOFTBALL CLEAT TYPES

Metal softball cleats are the most popular choice among today's college and professional players as they provide the best traction on grass and hard dirt infield surfaces. Because of this, they provide fantastic grip to get a good jump on fielding a fly ball or stopping quickly to make a fast turn on a groundball. Given their stiff nature, metal cleats are often reserved for high school levels of play and above. Consult your league before buying metal cleats as they may not be allowed.

NOTE: Metal Cleats are never allowed on artificial pitching mounds.

SHOP METAL CLEATS

Molded, plastic cleats are among the most popular in the game today as they last longer than metal cleats and tend to be cheaper as well. Molded cleats can be worn on most surfaces without wearing down and work really well in soft or muddy conditions. While not providing the same amount of traction as metal, the versatility and longevity of molded cleats are a good fit for any player at any level.

SHOP MOLDED CLEATS

Baseball turf shoes are a comfortable option for playing and training on artificial surfaces. Providing more grip than normal training or running shoes, these are great for on and off-field practice as they give the player a good amount of traction and will not rip up the playing surface in the process

SHOP TURF SHOES

These are shoes that you most likely wear every day. Great for cardio training, these shoes tend to be among the most durable and long-lasting. Note these are for training purposes only as they will provide very little traction on natural grass fields.

SHOP TRAINING SHOES

CLEAT HEIGHT

New Balance Women's Low Metal Fastpitch Cleats

Softball cleats generally come in two different heights: Low-Tops and Mid/High-Tops. Low-Tops feature a lower profile making for a lighter shoe so they are great for greater speed and agility. However, the lower profile does mean some ankle support is sacrificed. If you prefer great ankle support and you don't mind a heavier cleat, you will want a Mid-Top or High-Top cleat.

CLEATS BY POSITION

All softball cleats generally translate between all different positions very well. But if you want something particular to where you play on the field, here are some things to consider:

OUTFIELDERS: Metal Cleats are recommended if your league allows as they do not pick up large portions of grass and dirt that molded cleats will.
INFIELDERS: Most infields are just fine for molded cleats. But if you find yourself on a dirt infield that is dry or compact, metal cleats can give you the extra strength you need to dig in and get your preferred amount of traction.
PITCHERS: A low-top cleat is strongly encouraged because of a pitcher's motion and footwork, a high-top cleat can cause uncomfortable rubbing and result in foot blisters.

CLEAT SIZING

Nike Womens Hyperdiamond 4 Pro Molded Softball Cleats

Softball cleats are very simple to find the correct size in as they generally have the same fit as everyday shoes. Here are some tips on finding the perfect fit for your softball cleats:

1. Your toe should leave no more than a quarter of an inch from the end of the cleat and the heel should have a snug fit.

2. If you are in-between sizes, pick the size that is a tighter fit. Cleats will expand over time so after a few uses, the fit will become more comfortable.

3. Comfort is the top priority. Style doesn't matter much if your feet are hurting. Remember, you have to wear these for games that last a couple hours so comfort should be your highest priority. After that, everything else will fall into place.

OUR TOP SOFTBALL CLEATS

Softball.com has one of the largest selections of softball cleats from today's top brands. Here is a selection of some of our favorites for the upcoming season. Don't see anything that fits your style? Shop our entire cleat catalog and find your perfect pair of softball cleats.