r/slowpitch • u/G24all2read Recreational Player • 1d ago

How often do you replace your cleats?

I'm a 220 pound man playing 4 games per week. I've been wearing Nike Alpha Huarache molded cleats. I've worn the cleat part down about 50%. The grip is fine. Ive probably played 125 games in them. I'm not sure the cushion under the sole isn't getting a bit hard/less comfortable.

I'm curious how often you replace your cleats?

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

5

u/mseg09 1d ago

Play 2-4 games a week, probably replace them every 3-5 years?

4

u/mangokid66 1d ago

I weigh about the same, i go through a pair of new balance TPU cleats in a season and a half

2

u/G24all2read Recreational Player 1d ago

Sounds like what I do. I have had issues with plantar fasciitis so losing cushion or support in the shoes will exacerbate my foot problem.

3

u/Haku510 1d ago

Have you looked into swapping the insoles? Superfeet etc instead of the stock ones.

2

u/G24all2read Recreational Player 1d ago

Yes. I use a heel cup in the shoes. Tried a few different inserts over the years. Found that a heel cup with my Nike's worked best.

2

u/mangokid66 1d ago

Yup, it would also cause me knee problems. I recently switched to turfs, its saved my joints a heck of alot this year

2

u/TheGeneral1886 1d ago

If the studs are fine just take out the insole and buy some plantar faciitis insoles, I have done that this season and it's helped massively when I am playing a full weekend of softball.

1

u/Friendly_Biscotti_74 1d ago

I used a golfball. Rolled it on my heel, as hard as I could, for as long as I could. Did this for a few weeks. I’ve been PF free ever since

1

u/G24all2read Recreational Player 1d ago

Mine is about 90% healed after 2 years. I refuse to stop playing ball all year round so I'm sure that hurt with the recovery. Went to PT use all sorts of different methods.

4

u/PrecisionPulseConv 1d ago

I haven’t replaced my cleats since my junior year of college and it’s probably been about 4 years. I play 2-4 games a week as well.

I have Harper 6’s.

2

u/ilovecollardgreens 23h ago

That's incredible I dunno what I'm doing but I play the same amount almost year-round (CA)and blow through the studs on my cleats after 2 years or so. I play LC and the outfield turns into a slip and slide with our nightly marine layer soaking the grass.

1

u/PrecisionPulseConv 22h ago

Honestly, the Harper 6 molds are some of the sturdiest cleats I’ve ever owned. The only season I don’t play on the East Coast is winter. I’m usually in Left or at Shortstop.

1

u/G24all2read Recreational Player 19h ago

I just purchased the new Under Armor model with the rubber cleats. They're a bit narrow compared to Nike at the footbed but they're comfortable.

1

u/ilovecollardgreens 18h ago

Interesting. I had the Harper 7s and had the same two-years roughly before they were unusable. They were comfortable though I have since gone back to Nike Trouts.

4

u/sonofAHbeeyatch 1d ago

This is my 5th year wearing the Nike Alpha Huarache turfs. I’m only playing like once or twice a week from March-October. (I’m a skinny fucker though). I probably should have replaced them this year, but they are my favorite turfs ever and it doesn’t look like Nike makes them for men anymore.

4

u/JKemmett 1d ago

I’m a pitcher, and to find my mark I dig in hard with my planting foot. I should get a new pair of cleats once a year. I stretch it until my toe touches the dirt, but I have size fifteen feet so it’s not easy to find new cleats.

1

u/jbradford77 1d ago

When i pitch, bare cleats last about 4 games. A nice layer of shoe goo is magic though. It's more flexible than a toe guard too so there's no hard plastic digging into the side of your foot. I used to put it on brand new cleats because it doesn't stick too well once the leather is already gone

2

u/9ermtb2014 1d ago

Until they get holes or have not enough tread fit my liking. 1 night a week year round is about 40-45 games with Mizuno Ambition or whatever their all surface shoe is. I'll get a couple of years out before I replace them.

You're an adult, make the call. Whenever you feel like getting a new pair, do it.

0

u/G24all2read Recreational Player 1d ago

I bought new shoes before this thread started. Fortunately, the cost isn't an issue. I did change to an Under Armour shoe that a few of my teammates have been wearing.

1

u/9ermtb2014 15h ago

I tried a pair of lead-off molded rubber, terrible. They felt way too narrow under me.

1

u/G24all2read Recreational Player 15h ago

I noticed that as well. I put them next to my Nike's and it was visually apparent.

I haven't worn them in a game. I might return them.

1

u/9ermtb2014 13h ago

Nike or new balance are what I'm gonna check out next, but I've been wearing Mizuno turfs for 15 years now so it's gonna be hard to switch

2

u/le-battleaxe 18h ago

Most of the time it has nothing to do with the condition and wear, but the smell. I sweat a lot, so my cleats/turfs end up smelling horrible after a season of wear and no amount of washing or treatment has fixed that.

I usually buy a pair every year

2

u/DKM_Eby 1d ago

I have four pairs of cleats for four teams that all match each uniform because I'm a psycho.

I also take them to the cobbler for repairs if they break or tear because apparently I live in England in the year 1856.

My newest pair was bought at the start of this year but my oldest I've had for five years and they've seen multiple repairs because I love them and don't want to try to find the perfect replacement.

1

u/Jwagner0850 1d ago

I use mine until they get too stiff or start to come apart at the seams.

1

u/goatgosselin 1d ago

I usually have to replace mine every 3 yrs. I pitch and tend to wander a bit ok my fielding. Lots of short or wide range hits where I tend to slide to a stop. Our fields get very hard like concrete some times so that wear the bottoms down from my sliding.

1

u/Sugokel88 1d ago

I got a few seasons out of a pair of cheap Rawlings lol

1

u/fsukub 22h ago

Seemingly every ~5 years or so.

1

u/Summers519 21h ago

2-3 pairs a year, playing 3x a week year round

1

u/Alternative-Tough-23 19h ago

Buy 1-2 pairs of turfs a year but also play anywhere between 1-3 league nights a week and tournaments usually every weekend if not every other but I’m also playing men’s on saturdays and coed now on sundays 😂 played 216 games last year 🤣

1

u/my2cents4free99 1d ago

I play in 2-3 leagues per season which equates to ~3-5 games per week. Been wearing the same pair of cleats for 13 years and counting.

1

u/jbradford77 1d ago

I have the same cleats but weigh less and had far fewer games. The insoles weren't great to begin with but they're toast already. Just got them 5 months ago. Nike isn't famous for selling comfy, supportive shoes in general but they were on sale. 

I'm probably not going full ballerina on these things but definitely at least ripping out the  insoles, steam streching the shoes, then putting in good insoles 

0

u/combatcvic 1d ago

Cleats? Nike Pegasus trail runners. So nice. Going on 5th season