Stepping onto a baseball field is about so much more than a game. It is a set of skills, passion, and strategy. The baseball cleats are the most essential gear as the player gears up to walk into the baseball diamond. These carefully crafted shoes are not just a fashion statement but also play a significant role in the field. However, they are a little difficult to break in.
A well-worn pair of cleats encapsulates tales of well-fought victories and losses. So, it is crucial to have the cleats loosened up and perfect to be played in for the player to give his all in the game. Lace up your cleats and get on the diamond as we explore different tips, tricks, and ways of breaking into baseball cleats.
Why Is It Important To Break Into Cleats?
Playing a game without breaking into your cleats can pose a serious risk. In the game, there will be a lot of physical activities involved, like running, shuffling, starting, and stopping, which can harm your feet if the shoe does not fit right. It will negatively affect your performance. Hence, it is important to break into your cleats before any game.
The cleats are made from thicker leather or plastic soles. The plastic sole is a little less hard than the leather sole; however, they are both stiff. To be able to play the game without having blisters on your feet, it is important to break into your cleats.
Different Ways To Break Into Cleats
There are different ways to break into your cleats. You can wear them, soak them, stretch and flex cleats, tie them, and leave them. We will explore different ways to break in the cleats, and you can select your favorite method and make sure there is no hindrance to your performance!
Wearing Method:
One of the most common and used tricks to break into cleats is to wear them. Wear your brand-new pair of cleats and go for a walk. Run in them or do some jumps. Or hit the baseball field with them, shuffle and run, and play around so they mold around the contours of your feet. However, make sure you take breaks and do not wear them for too long continuously, especially at first, so they do not end up hurting your feet. Take breaks while wearing clothes, but do so for a few days so it fits you perfectly.
Stretch And Flex Them:
If you don’t want to go out and walk in your cleats, or for whatever reason, do not prefer the wearing method, try this. Take your new pair of cleats and start stretching them. Bend the toe back to the heels, mimicking the way it would be if you were walking in them. You can bend them in any shape, twist, or turn them. Flexing them left and right to make sure the shoe opens exactly right. You can even lather some conditioner if they are stiff.
Soak Your Cleats:
Soaking your cleats is another method to break into your shoes. If you feel like your cleats are too tight to run in them, try to soak them. However, this approach is not followed by a lot of players. But let us discuss the proper way of soaking the cleats.
Wear your cleats with your preferred socks, take a hot water bucket, and soak your feet in it for 5-10 minutes. After that, walk and run in them. They will easily loosen up as warm water helps. However, this method is disliked for multiple reasons, one of which is that hot water may ruin the shoes. After you are done walking and running in them, put them out in an open place to dry them out.
Moisture Method:
If you do not want to soak your new shoes in a hot tub of water but want to use a similar method, try this. Take a damp, hot towel and put it on the cleats. Make sure to place it where the sole is hard to break in and apply it repeatedly to have an easier break-in. It is a less aggressive method than soaking in.
Tie Them And Leave Them:
Another method to break into your new shoes is to tie them. It is a method in which you will not need to wear and run in it. Stuff the cleats with socks or even a baseball and tie it. Leave the shoe tied up for a few days.
Heat Hack:
While we are on the topic of heat, there is another hack to break into your cleats. Use heat! Wear your cleats with thicker socks. Or stuff the shoe so that it is bulging out with socks, and turn on the blow dryer in blasting heat mode. Heat up the shoe for a good 5-10 minutes.
There are various other methods to break into the cleats, but these hacks are some of the most used methods. They will open the shoes and gradually mold them according to your feet, which will make them more personal.
Conclusion For How To Break-In Baseball Cleats
In conclusion, breaking in your baseball cleats is more than a matter of comfort; it is to ensure your safety while you play your game and make sure it goes smoothly. If you skip this step and take your right-of-the-box cleats to the baseball field, you will end up ruining your performance. So, take your time to break into your cleats by using one of these methods!