While shopping for soccer cleats, you may have noticed that indoor and turf shoes are identical. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The materials, soles, and a few other aspects of turf and indoor cleats are different.
In the article, we defined indoor and turf shoes in a comparative manner. Moreover, we discussed various soccer surfaces to show you what shoes are suitable for certain surfaces. At the end of the article, you will find out the key differences between turf and indoor boots.
Contents
Playing Surfaces For Soccer
Players need to become familiar with soccer surfaces. As a result, they will know what shoes to wear on a particular surface. Let’s check them out.
1. Turf
Turf refers to a surface containing low-profile grass, such as carpet turf. The depth of grass is nearly nonexistent when compared to an AG pitch. The texture of turf is similar to a plain surface, which is why so many indoor grounds utilize it.
2. Artificial Grass (AG)
The appearance of an artificial grass surface is similar to that of real grass, but it is entirely or partly artificial. The AG surface (also referred to as FG and MG) consists of longer grass that is 1 to 2 inches tall. It is the sole reason that these pitches have a noticeable depth.
These surfaces are typically covered with rubber pellets or even sand, unlike turf fields. A turf surface is more like the first generation of plain artificial surfaces, whereas the AG surface is the newest.
3. Hard Floor
It is common for indoor courts to have hard flooring, even for football. On such surfaces, soccer is called futsal, which is different from the original game in a few ways.
You will also see the use of linoleum, varnished wood, and generic synthetic floors instead of ordinary hard floors. These materials are ideal for indoor sports, including football.
4. Grass
Last but not least, the grass is undoubtedly an ideal surface to play football. It allows the players to stand firmly while constantly changing positions without experiencing any problems. Even if a player falls, he is unlikely to sustain any cuts or scratches. Furthermore, soccer balls bounce much more on grass than on any other surface.
Turf Vs. Indoor Soccer Shoes
Turf and indoor shoes are both soccer cleats, but they differ quite a lot. The differences may not be apparent if you do not understand how they work. Thus, let’s first get to know these shoes before learning what makes them different.
1. Turf Shoes Soccer
Many soccer grounds do not have real grass. Instead, they use turf/carpet turf that contains smaller grass than what you see on AG surfaces. The turf shoes are an ideal choice to play soccer on these pitches.
By looking at the blades, it is easy to identify carpet turf. As opposed to natural grass or AG grass, the blades of carpet turf are thinner as well as smaller.
As a result of the short blades, your shoes need to have lots of spikes (often called nubs in the context of turf shoes) on the outsoles. Hence, turf shoes come with more spikes than turf cleats. This helps strengthen your foot’s grip on the surface.
Although turf soccer shoes are suitable for football on turf, the same boots will struggle on an AG surface. The grass on such surfaces is too long for the shoes to perform well. You may want to consider turf cleats instead.
2. Indoor Soccer Shoes
There are a wide variety of indoor surfaces, including concrete, ceramic, and carpet turf. The indoor soccer shoes are the appropriate pair to wear when playing on them.
Perhaps you are wondering why we mentioned carpet turf as an indoor surface? Here is why. In comparison to 3G and 4G surfaces, the grass on the carpet turf isn’t as long. These short blades make it difficult for turf cleats to grip your feet on the turf. For this reason, people consider it as an indoor pitch.
So what makes the indoor shoes stand out on indoor surfaces?
Due to the flat rubber outsole and valleys of indoor boots, players can move with fine precision while still maintaining a good grip. The outsole is designed to hold onto even the slightest amount of ground contact. Regardless of how flat and hard the surfaces are, these cleats will provide the maximum possible grip.
What’s The Difference Between Indoor And Turf Soccer Shoes
Now, let’s get to the meat of the article. We will learn what really sets turf and indoor cleats apart.
1. Materials
Indoor and turf shoes are very different based on their materials. There is a tendency to use leather in indoor boots since leather works well on hard surfaces. The material, however, does not have a significant impact on the shoes. Hence, manufacturers even make indoor soccer shoes out of suede.
Materials like suede are too fragile for turf shoes. To withstand the adverse conditions of outdoor areas, it is necessary to use more durable and resilient materials.
2. Outsole
The outsole plays a major role in ensuring the user gets enough grip. Most indoor boots come with flat outsoles. You will find a few small indentations on the soles that aid in gripping.
As for the outsole of turf shoes, there are a bunch of rubber nubs embedded in it. These spikes dig into the turf to maintain a stable footing.
3. Sole’s Thickness
In soccer, you are very likely to kick the ground multiple times, either while shooting or out of anger. Grass fields are quite forgiving when it comes to kicking. It is not safe to do the same on concrete or gym floors as you could injure your toes or, worse, sprain your ankle.
Indoor soccer cleats from reputed brands always feature the thinnest midsoles and outsoles. This allows your toes to move downward. In this way, you cannot accidentally kick the floor when you shoot it.
Artificial grass on turf surfaces is as soft as real grass. No matter how hard you kick it, your toes will not get hurt. This eliminates the need for turf shoes with thin soles.
4. Upper
Turf shoes have a thicker upper as compared to indoor soccer boots. The reason is that these cleats need to endure inclement weather since they are for outdoor use only.
The thicker uppers of turf shoes will make you feel heavy on your feet. This may cause discomfort for a number of folks.
There is a softer and thinner upper on indoor cleats, so they are light and comfortable.
5. Weight
Turf shoes will never be lighter than indoor boots. One of the reasons is that turf shoes have a thicker upper, as you are already aware. Another reason is manufacturers concentrate most on reducing the weight of indoor shoes. The lighter the shoe, the more agile it is, which is an essential feature for indoor soccer.
However, traction, grip, and durability are more important than lightweight for turf shoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can You Use Turf Shoes For Indoor Soccer?
No, turf shoes are not ideal for indoor use. Read on to find out why.
As you may already know, indoor soccer arenas have flat floors made of ceramic, hardwood, and concrete. In addition to not being flat, turf shoes have small nubs on the bottom. The shoes fail to make full contact with the ground because of the spikes. You will therefore slip frequently if you use turf shoes indoors.
Carpet turf is an exception since it is covered with artificial grass. For this reason, turf shoes are acceptable on carpet turf. However, turf cleats are designed to accommodate long blades. Thus, you may still feel a lack of grip on such a surface.
One thing to keep in mind is that carpet turf is made from fragile materials. Due to this, some indoor venues prohibit turf shoes on carpet turf to avoid damage. Be sure to check with the venue before wearing them.
So are turf shoes good for indoor soccer, considering all the points mentioned above? No, they are not.
2. Can You Wear Indoor Soccer Shoes On Turf?
It is certainly possible to wear indoor shoes on turf, especially when you are just looking to have a little fun. There is, however, a risk of slipping and injuring yourself or even injuring other players. So how do indoor soccer cleats cause players to slip? Let’s find out.
With the rubber spikes underneath, turf shoes give their users adequate grip. Since the indoor boots lack these studs and have a flat sole, you will constantly lose balance and slip. The problem is more evident when you make different movements. It is even worse when it rains. Considering all this, we do not recommend players to use indoor shoes on turf.
Additional Resources
We have also some indoor soccer shoes-related articles that you might be interested in, and these are:
Final Words
There are enough differences between turf and indoor shoes to distinguish them. You should not wear indoor cleats on turf, nor should you wear turf shoes indoors. Doing so will put you at a significant disadvantage.
You might be unsure of what to buy, turf or indoor soccer shoes. In that case, learn about different surfaces and what indoor and turf boots mean from the article. You can then decide which pair of shoes to buy based on your requirements.
Are there any other differences we might have missed? Share them in the comments below.