University of Washington Men's Ultimate Frisbee

Choosing the Right Cleats

The Basics

Having the right type of cleat can be essential to being a good ultimate player. A poor choice in cleats can be an impediment on the field, but even worse, result in injury. Blistering, ankle problems and injuries resulting from slippage are the most common injuries related to poor cleat choice.

Specific people have specific preferences when buying cleats, but there are a number of constants when choosing cleats. A good pair of cleats should:

-Not have much extra space. Extra space will result in blistering from interior slippage as well as causing difficulty of motion.
-Not be too tight. Cleats which are too tight restrict movement and cause impact-related injuries.
-Not heavily restrict ankle movement. Cleats hindering lateral motion create difficulty on the field.
-No metal studs. Metal studs are hazardous.

Football, Soccer, Baseball, Lacrosse?

Cleats designed for football, soccer or lacrosse are well suited for ultimate. There are also companies which produce ultimate specific cleats. If you purchase football cleats, make sure you buy a pair that is designed for 'skill positions.'

Balancing Weight and Comfort

Purchasing cleats is often about balancing comfort and performance. The lighter the cleat, the less cushioning. More cushioning provides more protection from direct impact injuries (e.g. rolled ankle) and stress-impact injuries (e.g. shin splints). Lighter weight allows for quicker movement. This is especially true in wet conditions because padding retains water.

Stud Pattern

The actual pattern of cleat base plates is a matter of preference. Most ultimate players prefer cleats with studs around the edges of the base plate as well as a toe stud. If you buy cleats with detachable studs, be sure to buy spare studs because detachable studs tend to break occasionally.

Where to Buy Cleats

Big 5 in the U-District has cleats but the selection is usually heavily limited and they rarely carry “marquee” cleats. Eastbay.com is a good online source but their shipping times are often unpredictable.

Popular Cleats for Ultimate

These cleats are generally a little more expensive. Any well-designed pair of soccer, football or lacrosse cleats will work fine. This is just a guide to some of the most popular cleats within the ultimate community.

Nike Speed TD (Football)
One of the more popular cleats for several years, the Speed TD is relatively lightweight (12.9 oz) and provides good ankle support. Also available with detachable studs (Nike Super Speed D).

Nike Vapor Jet TD (Football)
This is the lightest football cleat available from Nike (10.7 oz). It’s basically the no frills cousin of the Speed TD with bladed studs.

Nike Air Zoom Blade Pro TD (Football)
Better ankle support than the Speed TD and therefore heavier (14.4 oz). Also available with detachable studs (Nike Air Zoom Blade Pro D).

Nike Mercurial Talaria III FG (Soccer)
A lightweight cleat (9.6 oz) with a bladed stud pattern. This cleat is truly designed for speed but at the expense of ankle support. It is also notoriously arduous to break-in because the material around the heel is relatively rigid and in new pairs, rubs against the back of the heel. Also available in a soft ground model (Nike Mercurial Talaria III SG).

Adidas Predator Absolion TRX FG (Soccer)
These are medium-weight (10.8 oz) with bladed studs which provide good exterior traction. Also available in a soft ground model (Adidas Predator Absolion TRX SG).

Puma V3.06 IFG (Soccer)
This is the lightest cleat currently available among all cleats (6.2 oz). It’s suited for speed but essentially has no padding.

Gaia G4 (Ultimate)
An ultimate specific cleat available through www2.gaiaultimate.com. The stud pattern is configured with ultimate in mind.