| A question that often pops up when buying football | | | | Leather boots do have their downsides. Among them, |
| boots (soccer cleats) is whether to choose boots | | | | they are more expensive. Most leather boots are not |
| made from leather or synthetic materials. Both types | | | | water-proof, making them a bad choice of footwear in |
| of boots have their pros and cons but it's difficult to | | | | wet conditions. They are also quite heavy, limiting the |
| judge whether one is better than the other. Read on to | | | | amount of features the manufacturer can put on them. |
| find out which type of boot is suitable for you. | | | | Since leather is a delicate material, they require a high |
| Up until the turn of the century, leather boots were | | | | degree of maintenance. And finally, leather boots |
| considered superior than their synthetic counterparts | | | | generally have a shorter life-span compared to |
| and not surprisingly worn by the majority of | | | | synthetic boots. |
| professional players. At that time, leather boots were | | | | Most synthetic boots today are made from a material |
| far more comfortable and better feel and provided | | | | called 'Teijin microfiber' which is a comfortable, |
| better control. But due to the advancement in | | | | lightweight material. Synthetic boots are light, allowing |
| technology, synthetic boots are now considered equal | | | | manufacturers to incorporate more technology into |
| if not better than leather boots. | | | | them. They're also more durable, cheaper, and |
| Even against today's high-tech synthetic materials, | | | | water-proof while requiring less maintenance. But |
| leather boots are still more comfortable and allow the | | | | they're also less comfortable and provide less feel. |
| user better feel for the ball. And comfort in my opinion, | | | | Although the odds seem in favor of synthetic boots, |
| is the single most important factor when choosing a | | | | remember that comfort is the single most important |
| boot. Among the several choices of leather, kangaroo | | | | factor to look for in football boots. Both types of boots |
| leather, often called k-leather, is the most comfortable | | | | also have their own sets of professional endorsers. |
| but less durable while full grain leather is more durable | | | | Here is a summary of the pros of each type of |
| but less comfortable. | | | | material along with some boot model examples. |