Best Field Hockey Shoes 2019
There are several factors that determine the effectiveness of a sports shoe. Factors like agility, grip, breathability, curvature, surface endurance and resistibility, flexibility, contour structure, and guards, tensile strength, etc. are some of the important asks by a player shopping for a hockey shoe. Both a beginner and a professional level player must wear a good sports shoe to showcase their best performance on the field.
While in a soccer cleat the inclusion of spikes is quite prominent, the hockey cleat uses a rubber grip for the right amount of friction required on a wet as well as a dry turf.
Features and Benefits of the Hockey Footwear
As mentioned earlier, a good hockey cleat must demonstrate characteristics like durability, agility, strength, flexibility, breathability, and much more. Jazba footwear brand incorporates the latest technology during the manufacturing of its products that includes-
· The Upper- it is an integral part of the sole configuration in both turf and hockey cleat design. Jazba footwear brand stands out for offering a 3D LayerCraft technology that integrates a flexible mesh in the upper sole of the footwear for extra-breathability of the fabric. This attribute is quite significant for sports turf or cleat, for it includes long hours of practice resulting to sweaty feet. Alongside the breathability, the micro-fiber unified in the fabric allows a PROGUARD feature offers an extra-protection to the player’s toe from friction related injuries during the extensive play duration. This layer is also made with waterproof lining for it maintains a steady ground even on a wet floor or turf.
· The Midsole- This creates the interiors of the shoe that the feet are in direct contact with. Thus, it is one of the most crucial surfaces of any sports footwear. Jazba footwear understands the importance of the midsole for it needs to have that extra-grip and room for the feet to be positioned comfortably as well as must have a strong shock absorbing capability to protect not only the feet but the intricate muscles in the leg. The integration of an EVA midsole meets the above requirements with ease, for EVA is considered the best shock absorbing material till date. Not only does the footwear offer shock resistance but this is a lot better in the flexibility, feet adhesion, as well as comfortable cushioning and curvature quotient.
· The Outsole- Even the footwear bottom needs protection and proper built. This part of the footwear is known as the outsole. In the game of hockey, players are seen playing on the grass or mud (in case of rains). In such cases, a highly configured friction resistant outsole is the key for a great performance expected from the player. With the help of the DURATURF Rubber outsole used by Jazba footwear brand, the player gets a 360-degree swift flow tread pattern and 3X tensile strength for a better playability in both wet and dry grounds.
In terms of a great grip against surface tension, colour patterns, latest technology, and several other attributes searched for by a beginner as well as a professional hockey player, Jazba footwear brand is an ideal option. The Jazba Rattler 2.0 is available in various colour patterns like blue, black, orange, yellow, and many others in both men and women categories. The Rattler 2.0 series is quite cost-effective, for it is priced at only $69.99 in both men and women categories.
Another brand which also has an economical hockey cleat is featured by the brand Under Armour. The Women’s Lax Finisher Turf Lacrosse Shoe (by Under Armour) is priced between $41.99 and $69.99 and is available in Amazon.
The footwear is certainly an integral part of a hockey player’s uniform. But it is not the only component that a hockey player needs. In the game of hockey, the player must be properly guarded and geared up with Shin guards, mouth guards, etc. Being a goalie is also quite a risky affair, hence he or she must be protected thoroughly with the help of helmets, goalie pants, pelvic protectors, leg guards, foam guards for cleats, arm guards, elbow protectors, right- and left- hand protectors and proper padding is vital.
How to Choose Hockey Shoes?
Before venturing out on a shopping spree, especially when it is related to sports, the buyer must be aware of the best features of the product in general. This knowledge is instrumental in helping the buyer to analyse the products and make the final call. There are a range of hockey footwear brands available in the marketplace which interrupts with the buyer’s decision-making quality. Brands like ASICS, ADIDAS, Gryphon, etc. also have good quality hockey cleats and turfs to choose from, but it may turn out to be an expensive buy for you.
Let us begin with the equipment terminology in the game of hockey, particularly if you are a beginner. Hockey can be bifurcated in two categories- field hockey and ice hockey. Of course, this article provides you with the field hockey paraphernalia. Usually, a beginner in the game is familiar with hockey turf, for they tend to play indoor practice games more often than not.
These turfs acquire their grip to the surface with the help of rubber soles.
Cleat, on the other hand, is usually used by a professional hockey player during a match to enhance their performance and agility this type of footwear promises to carry. Since an outdoor game is usually set up on grass or soil, the footwear are designed and integrated with plastic or metal spikes that acts like claws during the play.
According to a recent estimate, the footwear market in the US alone is valued at US$34,550 million as of the year 2018. With this statistics, one can easily comprehend the kind of competition prevailing the footwear industry on a global scale. Hence, identify the right footwear and making a purchase needs a lot of analysis and knowledge, particularly when it related to playing sports.
In the hockey footwear market, there are several options offering trainer-like exterior that includes ankle support feature. The footwear can also be classified into categories that give prominence to the study of
- How and with what force will the foot hit the ground?
- How to control the gait of an individual player?
- What are the different kinds of technological inputs to make the footwear highly effective for the player?
2. Size of the Hockey shoes
Shoe size is very important, not only for the manufacturer but also for the player. It is no brainer that a person may have to toggle between different sizes while trying to choose between an UK, US or EU shoe. If the buyer is buying the shoe directly from the store, comparing the shoe size and buying the right one is quite easy. But the major fall out happens when the product is purchased online (the most frequent activity of today’s millennial generation). Hence, knowledge of the brands and the shoe size measurement parameter each brand uses is very important while the buyer makes the purchase decision online.
3. Terminologies used in Hockey Shoe Industry.
Every industry has their own terminologies to refer to different features and parameters their products showcase. In the hockey footwear market, the usage of RB (Rubber Sole), PU (Polyurethane Bottoms), EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) outsoles, TRP (Thermoplastic Rubber) bottoms, PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), BPU (improved form of Polyurethane materials) outsoles, ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) outsoles, etc. are quite common. A basic understanding of what each material carries and how it will benefit their performance matrix is recommended before a purchase is made.
Our Recommended Hockey Shoes for 2019 are:
Adidas Lux Men’s Hockey Shoes,
With a great brand to back it up, Adidas’s SRS.4 has the best ventilation and foot support system for the player. Armouring the person with a strong grip, it has a very comfortable foot-resting midsole section. Not only does this cleat helps protect the sole and ankle area, its special features like Bootee construction, and Neoprene collar helps keep away the water to seep into the shoes and is mud and moisture resistant.
Kookaburra Field Hockey Shoes Turf Cleats Enigma II Unisex Men & Women,
One of the stand-out features of this pair of field hockey shoes is that it works on cage technology. With this the player is benefitted with a comfortable midsole, a well-gripped outsole, and latex covered upper sole which is water-proof in nature.
Kookaburra Xenon Hockey Shoes- SS19,
Given its trademark cage technology concept, this pair of shoes is another great choice for field hockey enthusiasts. It emphasizes on toes protection of the player by offering him with a Toe guard thicker coverage.
Gryphon Aero G5 Turf Women’s Field Hockey Shoes
It has a distinguishing feature amongst other shoe brands in this category, for it has a unique forefoot flex-engineered mechanism. It also has a multi-stud grip configuration to hold the feet in place in difficult turfs.
Jazba Women Rattler Hockey Shoes,
This hockey shoe is the right built for field hockey enthusiasts and players. It offers the player with the right amount of cushioning, a perfect shock-absorbing feature with the help EVA midsole, a strong grip in wet and dry turf due to its PROGUARD 360-degree tread pattern technology. It has a flexible mesh with waterproof functionality, breathability and protection to the player’s feet with the help of 3D LayerCraft technology. With the help of these features, the player can easily ward-off serious leg injuries during the play.
Another prominent brand in the sports shoe category, Under Armour features this imported, lightweight, EVA sock liner incorporated, rubber outsole, cleat that does not just look good bust also offers a high-performance on the field. It is known for its incredible grip which it maintains with the help of a patterned rubber outsole built with mini-lugs. Manufactured in synthetic and textile material, this cleat can be easily worn in an artificial as well as natural dry or wet terrain.
Each footwear (cleat or turf) purchased must meet the durability, flexibility, foot and ankle support, and most importantly comfort parameters a buyer is looking out for. A proper and flexible GEL-based cushioning system makes the run comfortable for the hockey player. During the play, the player is not just moving at one particular pace but has to perform quick reflex movements which are strenuous for the feet and muscles. A good hockey cleat can help manage the stress of the feet to a great extent.
The Jazba Sports Rattler 2.0 series meets the above-mentioned parameters and offers the player with great comfort, agility, and durability with the inclusion of latest technologies in its footwear manufacturing process. Hence, a great buy for real-time hockey players.
All in all, the above categorization of hockey shoes is based on both pricing and feature classification. When on one hand, you can opt for the Adidas Lux Hockey Shoes for $100 (close to) per pair, you can still protect your feet while playing the game. The brands like Avia, Joomra, Gryphon etc. have options in the range of $50 or below. However, the best brand that falls within the bracket of $50-$100 is the Jazbasports’ rattler 2.0.
More details refer to https://www.jazbasports.com/blog/