With the season finally beginning to change, everyone is anxiously gearing up for the new indoor soccer season. With the fall of the leaves and the temperature dropping, everyone starts to ask questions about indoor. Chief among them is always fashion. And we all know that the main way to stand out on the field or court is through the cleats, or in this case, the shoes. Much like outdoor cleats, indoor soccer shoes have many nuances to them. One size does not fit all. What is best for one player may not be for another. Like cleats, indoor shoe selection has many important variables to look at including your position, size, level of strength, age, and surface type where indoor soccer games are being played. What the shoes are made of is also incredibly important consider when searching for soccer shoes. We are here to help you pick through the trendy fashions and determine what is best combination of protection, comfort, and weight for you!
Top 10 Indoor Soccer Shoes Chart
Indoor Soccer Shoe Brands
All brands are not created equal. Whether we like it or not, brands play a major role in the way people buy. This is no different in regards to indoor soccer shoes. Unless you are brand new to the sport, you have seen plenty of kids and parents cite this. If not, then you have at least noticed that it is usually the same brands being bought by the same people. However, this list is here to ensure that you don’t have to do that. We’ll help you pick through the brands and pick what is truly best for your purpose. And if need-be, you can just pick the best from your favorite brand! The two most well known in the market of indoor soccer shoes are Nike and Adidas. The vast majority that are seen will be Nike and Adidas. But much of that has to do with the fact that they have both had high-quality products that have been in the market for a very long time. I want to go ahead and make a warning to anyone that is very serious about Adidas cleats. As a player, coach, and referee, I am a long-time wearer of Adidas soccer shoes, so I have a lot of experience with them. When it comes to indoor shoes, you must take into account the width of your foot. I have found that Adidas runs a little narrow, so I encourage you to please take yourself or your child to try a pair on at the store before you attempt to buy a pair, even if you plan to do so online. The quality of Adidas is great, but I just wanted to let you know about this! Nike has by far the flashiest indoor shoes on the market. If you want to stand out, then this is the way to go! Another big player in soccer in general is Puma. You will see these, as they are a very popular brand in our game, as they bring quite a lot of flash with years of experience in the industry. Joma, a Spanish company, is much more of a force in the indoor shoe brand war, and they are very popular in smaller countries as well as with the hipster-types because of the colors and the substance of the shoes. Of course, we also have Under Armour and New Balance trying to come in and tip the scales toward their favor. Other brands that would be well-known to soccer fans include Diadora, Kelme, and Lotto.
Before we move on to the materials, we need to speak a little about how Adidas and Nike approach the indoor soccer market. I suspect that many of the products that land on our list will be very closely related to their cleat counterparts. This is going to be especially true with the Nike shoes. However, just because they have the same now and look does not make them equal to, greater than, or less than. We have to take each shoe by its merits for its purpose in indoor, and then we see if they live up to- or possibly- exceed the quality of the outdoor cleats.
Soccer Shoe Materials
Materials from which your indoor shoe is made should be a major factor in your ultimate purchase decision. This can play a major role in your comfort, your overall play, and even your speed on the court! So, this decision must be taken very seriously because it is one that we cannot get wrong. There various material types that can be used, and I am going to help you determine what is the best fit for you by explaining the pros and cons of each type. There is a lot of subjectivity in this decision, but many of the shoes we will see today will have just about everything you could hope for in a shoe. There are two different types of leather that your shoe will likely be made from: synthetics and natural leathers.
Synthetics
Synthetics seem to be all the craze these days, with their ability to be molded into the image of specific people. The quality of synthetics is much more variable than that of leather cleats and there can be a tremendous difference in craftsmanship from brand to brand. They can typically be much lighter and durable than leathers, but rarely stand up to leathers in the ability to control and feel the ball. Many of the shoes will be look at and compare later are synthetics due to these favorable traits.
Leathers
There are 3 main types of leather commonly used in indoor soccer shoes; kangaroo leather, calfskin leather, and full cow leather. Kangaroo leather tends to be the highest grade option and is used by the majority of professional players today. It’s super light and soft and allows an incredible amount of control and ball fell by an experienced player. Calfskin leather is the middle of the road option as it is heavier than kangaroo leather, but also much more reasonably priced. Full cow leather is the most durable option as the leather is matured and thick from older cows. Full cow leather soccer shoes is a great option for people with wide feet or who want a cleat to last for many matches and seasons.
Variations of Soccer Shoes
Before we go any further, we have to speak about the different types of indoor soccer games that are played. There can be many variations of this, and knowing what type you are playing can be huge in determining what type of shoe is necessary for your purposes. One type of indoor soccer that is very popular is futsal. Futsal is a game of skill and it typically played in a 5v5 format. It is played on a very small court (either grass or a hard court ala basketball) and is played using either the basketball lines or another set of lines already laid down. If the ball goes completely over the line, then it is out and must be kicked in, as opposed to throw-in like in outdoor soccer. Another type of indoor soccer is typically called “indoor soccer,” and is essentially played on a court inside of walls that can double for hockey. The walls keep the ball from going out of bounds for a vast majority of the time, and they are used to make passes, dribble, and even take shots toward for teammates to try and capitalize on. It is a very fast-paced and brutal game, which can lead to increased wear-and-tear on your shoes. There are also other combinations of the game. I have seen the variety with the walls being playing in regular rectangular basketball gyms, so please ask and see where your indoor season is played as well as what the rules are. Sometimes, a facility may have walls on all sides and may not allow them to be used so that spectators may sit on one side. Some also will have partial walls, so those can’t be used either! Also, there are some outdoor facilities that will only allow indoor shoes, but some indoor facilities will let you wear cleats! It all depends on your league and the rules and all of these factors can have a major influence on your choice of shoe.
Types of Indoor Soccer Shoes
Flat Shoes
Some people like to differentiate between “indoor” shoes and “futsal” shoes. However, a look at various websites shows that the companies consider them to be one in the same. So, for the purposes of this list, we are going to refer to them as “flats.” Flats have a gum-like, rubber bottom on them with small grips that help give traction on the basketball court or on the artificial surface. I have labeled them as “flats” as well because, as you guessed it, they are flat on the bottom. In public, they look like really cool sneakers, and that’s how they feel as well! There are various designs that the bottoms can have, but these are all flat.
Turf Shoes
Turf shoes are another option that the buyer needs to take a close look at. To be clear, these are not simply shoes with a special stud on them for indoor use. These are basically flats that have small grips on the bottom of them that raise them up slightly. These grips provide a little more traction than flats. I have used both in my experience as a player, and they are simply just options to choose from. Some of these have many of the small grips on the bottom with a seemingly immeasurable number of them, while some have 5-6 well-placed grips on them in key areas of the foot. Those are very similar-looking to golf shoes, but they have nowhere near as much weight to them. Turf shoes are a little heavier, typically, than flats, but they are very useful.
Best Soccer Shoe Reviews
1. Nike Men’s Superfly 6 Elite IC Indoor Soccer Shoes
Coming in at #1 is a very sleek and mesmerizing look from Nike. With its Dynamic Fit collar (which allows for ankle movement while enhancing the link between lower leg and foot) and its Zonal NIKESKIN technology which enhances the feel and touch qualities, this shoe is not surprisingly, much more expensive than others on our list. The herringbone-patterned rubber outsole offers as good underfoot control and possible, and the overall look of this shoe is unmatched by any others! This would be a shoe for a very serious player …. or someone who has the cash and wants to rock the court! Just sayin’.
2. Nike Youth MercurialX Victory V Ronaldo Turf Shoes
While this listing is a youth shoe, it is also offered in adult sizes, so I had to put it on the list! This is our first turf shoe, and it comes in a deep blue and black combination that will catch the eye and look classic at the same time. After all, these are inspired by world-class star Cristiano Ronaldo. That alone would make this shoe very popular. It is totally synthetic here as the upper and the sole are both synthetic. The grips on the bottom provide the player with the ability to accelerate quickly in multiple directions and the grips on the upper allow you to have great control of the ball.
3. Adidas Men’s Samba Original Indoor Soccer Shoe
this is THE classic indoor soccer shoe! It has the classy look that we all know and love from Adidas. Simply white with the three stripes, this is the look for a truly composed individual to wear on the court. An added bonus with these shoes is the eco-friendly materials that it uses! So, if you are into that, these may be the product for you. This shoe comes with the large tongue that Adidas’ Samba line are known for. Before buying, you might want to make sure this is a good feel for you! The difference between this pair and the two above it is that this pair has actual leather on the front on the upper, which will give the user added feel and a better touch as a result. With the use of leather, please keep in mind that it will not hold up quite as well as the synthetics would. However, the added feel and touch will likely overcome that for you. On the bottom is a rubber sole, making this an excellent flat option.
4. Nike Men’s Elastico Pro Indoor Soccer Shoe
This is a synthetic shoe that offers more support (both lateral and otherwise) than many other indoor soccer shoes. This shoe also has a lacing system that allows the player to have a much larger area in which to strike the ball. This has been an annoyance of mine for years as it felt that the indoor shoes never gave me as much room as I felt was necessary to strike properly. So, this is finally an answer to that! It has a flat, rubber sole that helps enhance movement and traction out on the court. Although these shoes are more on the expensive side, the advanced features may be worth it to more serious players. They are meant to be used on a flat, clean surface like a hardwood gym floor.
There are Elastico Pro II and Pro III versions, but in our opinion, they are much less supportive (especially laterally) and unsurprisingly, noticeably less expensive!
5. Adidas Performance Kids’ Messi 16.3 Indoor
this simply couldn’t be kept off the list, so despite the fact that it is labeled as “kids,” it makes the list because of its qualities. And you can’t have a list with Ronaldo without Messi! It seems anytime those two are mentioned, they are always done so together. In any case, these are great in their own right. They have both a synthetic upper and sole, making them very speedy and agile. These are flats and have a rubber sole on the bottom. They fit very snug to prevent any potential pieces of turf to come into the shoe. Anyone that has played on that before will appreciate how much of a nuisance that can truly be. Another cool feature that this pair has is the front grips, which help players control the ball. With three choices of colors, you too can be like Messi!
6. Nike Men’s Mercurialx Finale Street IC Indoor Soccer Shoe
I instantly loved the look of these cleats from Nike. Its a simple color scheme of black and the white swoosh, but it just pops out at you and makes you take notice of it. A unique feature of this pair of shoes is the mesh that they have used on the sides. Mesh gives you much more breathability in your feet and allows you added comfort. It has a rubber sole as is cushioned as well as being very lightweight. It is a little pricey, but the look and feel may well cause you to overlook that!
7. Nike Men’s Hypervenomx Phelon III Turf Shoes
Nike’s very popular Hypervenom line finally lands on the list of best indoor shoes. Like its outdoor counterpart, it has earned its place as a beloved shoe because of its comfortable, snug fit and the support afforded to the player as a result of its synthetic make-up. It also has a rubber sole to help grip on the bottom. I do have some concerns that the upper will make controlling the ball difficult. There is no real design or molding to help as well as no leather, so it may prove to be slippery to use. With its bright green look, it certainly sticks out. If that is what you are looking for then these may be the indoor soccer shoes for you. They are optimized for use on artificial turf (not on a flat, shiny surface like a hardwood or tile floor). At first glance, they look to have no lateral support, but that’s not the case. They do have Dynamic Cords along the sides to keep your foot secure from side to side, and they really conform well to your foot since they lack several layers of structure that is more common with (for example) an indoor court performance shoe for volleyball or badminton.
8. Nike Men’s Hypervenom Phelon II Tf Turf Indoor Soccer Shoe
This is the turf version of the above shoe, and it fittingly comes in right behind its cousin. Like the flat version, it is totally synthetic and it has rubber on the bottom. However, this shoe has many small grips on the bottom to help improve your traction. Its synthetic nature makes it last quite a long time, and in terms of turf shoes, it is on the inexpensive side. I like that this pair has an extended strike zone like the Elastico earlier.
9. Under Armour Speed Force ID
I must admit, these didn’t look soccer shoes to me. Neither the name nor the look of the shoes made them appear to be soccer shoes, but sure enough, they are! And they are on the list because Under Armour has delivered a quality product for use on the courts. It has a nice yellow and blue color scheme that certainly catches the eye. It has a synthetic upper as well as having a rubber bottom that provides the player grip and added ball control. The synthetic material provides added comfort as well as being lightweight. Under Armour may well have its first big foot-hold in the indoor soccer shoe market with this shoe.
10. Joma Men’s Top Flex 801 Indoor Soccer Shoe
The Spanish company unsurprisingly finally lands on the list with a classic looking black and gold design (though many other options are available on Amazon). The upper is made from leather, which gives it an unmatched level of flexibility not found in most synthetics! The leather will give players the added “touch” for the ball that they need out on the court. There is an added protective element to the toecap which adds reinforcement. This is designed to both protect from harm as well as add stability for kicking/striking the ball. The pre-shaped EVA midsole is made to adjust to your foot’s shape over a short break-in period as well! The sole has a series of flex lines using Flexo technology, consisting of ergonomically designed lines providing an enhanced transition from heel to toe at every step. At the heel they only allow the sole to flex, without affecting the upper, and that provides for a better grip and allowing for a more natural and comfortable tread. The shoe is priced very fairly, so we endorse this a definite buy if you’re serious about upping your game!
Before leaving, I will make one honorable mention. This one is for the most serious of players who may be looking for an edge up on turf surfaces. The Adidas Performance Mundial Team Turf Soccer Cleat is once again classic Adidas. Its simple white and black shows class, but its small turf spikes allow for maximum grip. It comes with leather upper for added touch and a synthetic sole for comfort.
