Complete Guide To Football Boot Ground Types
One of the reasons why we call football the beautiful game is its simplicity to be played anywhere. Modern day football is versatile and with that comes options – whether you’re playing on grass, courts, cage or indoors you need to get your footwear right to be at your best, so let us clear a few things up.
SG, FG, AG, TF, IN – you’ll see one of these after each boot online. Don’t worry, they aren’t new positions for one of Jurgen Klopp’s complex pressing systems, they’re simply abbreviations for what type of surface the boot is designed for. Let’s go through them, shall we?
SG: What Are Soft Ground Football Boots?
Soft ground football boots or studded football boots are what you’d call in old money… screw in studs. This is your grass pitch go-to when the ground is soft. Not much more explaining to do here.
FG: What Are Firm Ground Football Boots?
Does exactly what it says on the tin. Firm ground football boots or molded football boots are for grass pitches when the ground has a bit of give in it. Somewhere in between hard and wet. The most popular choice for players.
AG: What Are Artificial Grass Football Boots?
Artificial grass football boots are your choice for playing on astro-turf, 3G and 4G pitches. While some players will wear FG on astro, we’d advise AG is better suited as many astro facilities will insist on all players wearing rounded studs. Not only that, FG studs could be too long for astro, meaning you have more chance of twisting an ankle or inflicting another injury.
HG/MG: What Are Hard Ground or Multi Ground Football Boots?
More and more players are also wearing AG plates in early pre-season. When grass pitches are rock hard in the summer AG (sometimes called HG or MG) plates provide better comfort and prevent blisters. Think about it, if the FG studs aren’t going into the ground, you’re running on top of them, so more chance of slipping/ankle twisting. Hard ground football boots and AG plates have shorter studs and also more of them to help distribute weight more evenly.TF: What Are Turf Football Boots?
Turf football boots are another option for astro pitches, but TF is also the go-to plate for football on concrete. With cage football on the rise in urban areas brands are dedicating more time and innovation to making their TF options as good as their FG and SG elite boots. Elite upper technology on TF soleplates.
IN: What Are Indoor Football Shoes?
We’re in the sports hall here. Indoor football trainers use grippier and flatter soleplates for futsal and indoor surfaces. Sometimes referred to as IC - Indoor Court - with non marking soles and plenty of support for the faster paced small sided games.