When I was young, I would spend hours looking online for Kicking cleats that were durable, well built, comfortable, and lightweight. I spent hundreds of dollars and went through so many cleats in order to find the best football kicking cleats. Some often refer to kicking cleats as punting cleats, whatever floats your boat. Enjoy this post on the best punting cleats as well!

Through my 10+ years of kicking experience, I will provide some guidance on what to look for in finding the best cleats for kickers in football.

Some of the topics we’ll cover today are:

• Where NOT To Get The Best Football Kicking Cleats
• What To Look For In Football Kicker Cleats
• Kicker Cleats Football Pros And Cons
• Specific Details About The Best Football Kicking Cleats

Where NOT to get the best football kicking cleats

This might hurt some feelings but, here it goes:

If you go to any retail store with the intention of saving as much money as possible, you will back in that store 2 months later because the kicking cleats broke.

Having a good fitting, and comfortable shoe is one of the most important things for a kicker.

“If you look good, you feel good, If you feel good, you play good, If you play good, they pay good.”

Deion Sanders

If you talk to a kicking coach, many will say you have to be comfortable in the shoes you play in. If you don’t feel comfortable, you may not be confident. And confidence is king in kicking.

What to look out for in Football kicking cleats

You want a shoe that can handle the constant contact with the ground, feels comfortable on your feet, and can feel the ball when you hit it.

Personally, when I would buy cleats, I had a hard time finding some that were actually durable. I would maybe get 2 months into a pair then they would start to fall apart.

Because of that, I actually had a big problem with the shoe’s eyelets (the part where the laces go through)

From the picture above, that’s what the biggest issue for me was when I was kicking. The dang eyelets would always break. (very frustrating)

I then went on a search high and far in order to find a kicking cleat that would withstand my shoe-tying abilities. (I was not able to use many shoes since they were weak in the eyelet area.)

We all want to kick like the NFL pros so this guide will help answer the age old question, “what cleats do NFL kickers wear.”

So I started looking for cleats that were well built, comfortable, lightweight, not too bulky, and were almost made for kicking. Therefore, I have made this list as a result!

In short, they are the best soccer cleats for kicking field goals due to their comfort and shape. You can also use these for punting deeming them the best cleats for punting. Alrighty, enough chit-chat, let’s get to it!

Why are the pros and cons? And What makes these the best football kicking cleats?

Sure, there are many many other shoes out there like these.

But based on years of trial & error, ripped cleats and countless times falling on my butt. These are in my opinion, the best football cleats for kickers on the market.

While there are many websites who claim that “This is the best shoe! Try this one out!” Here at Kickers Of Earth, we know the quality of these shoes because we have tried all of them. We have tried and used well over 30 pairs of the world’s most popular shoes.

These shoes all have their own benefits. We will talk about what makes them great….and not so great.

Adidas Copas Mundial

Since their publication in 1979, the Copa Mundials have been the staple for quality and durability.

Pros Of Copa Mundials

• Well built through their leather that the shoe should last for years if treated properly.
• Because of their quality, they are known for being some of the most comfortable shoes ever.
• Well-balanced shoe evenly distributing the weight.
• Have a wider fit.
• Great for both turf and grass fields.

Cons Of Copa Mundials

• Bulky/Heavy.
• Tongue Is Big. (Just Cut It)
• Laces are Extremely Long (I recommend cutting them)
• You Have To Buy Them 1 to 1.5 Sizes Down For a Good Tight Fit
• Studs And Support Catch Ground Often Due To Bulkiness

When I was a wee lad, I used Copas for the first time. In a broad sense, they are incredible for wear and tear. But are they ideal for kicking field goals, maybe not.

Nike Mercurial Superfly 7

One of the newer models of cleats, the Nike Mercurial Superfly 7 has become a favorite among kickers.

Pros Of Mercurial Superfly 7

• The Mercurial series is one of the longest series in the soccer shoe world.
• Well-padded for comfort.
• A great feel for the ball when kicked.
• Lightweight allowing for minimal drag.
• Flexible upper.

Cons Of Mercurial Superfly 7

• Made more for narrow feet.
• Typically not the most durable shoe based on experience.
• Built for speed but not necessarily kicking field goals.
• Less stability on turf fields than grass

While this may be one of the newest and most updated soccer cleat in the mercurial series, new does not always mean better. However, we have seen many kickers LOVE this shoe. It definitely holds its own as one of the best football kicking shoes of 2020.

Adidas Nemeziz 18.3

The highest rated soccer shoe in the Nemeziz series based on consumer reports.

Pros Of Adidas Nemeziz 18.3

• Lightweight (seeing a trend?)
• Great balance distribution.
• Padded in targeted locations allowing for optimal comfort.
• Fit like a glove.
• High flexibility allowing for a mimick in the foot position.

Cons Of Adidas Nemeziz 18.3

• Made for wider feet (can be a pro depending on foot size though)
• Studs may have trouble staying on after months of kicking.
• Shoelaces have trouble staying tied.
• May have to go a size down in order to make them fit well.
• Made more for grass fields than turf.

These are the most comfortable shoe out of the ones that I have used. They are one of the only pairs I still have and use due to their durability.

Nike Mecurial Vapor XI

A classic among the Mercurial series, the Nike Mecurial Vapor XI definitely deserves to be on the list. These Nike Kicker Cleats are great for a wide variety of reasons.

Pros Of Nike Mecurial Vapor XI

• NFL Kicker Cleats used by Justin Tucker.
• Extremely well-engineered making them almost perfect for kicking.
• Balanced design allowing for confidence while kicking.
• Durable due to the engineering.

Cons Of Nike Mecurial Vapor XI

• Definitely the most expensive.
• Mainly for narrow feet. (which could be a pro for narrow feet kickers)
• Little padding which might lead to blisters on the feet.
• Very thin cleats so they are tougher on the feet when kicking.
• More suited for grass fields than turf fields.

In Conclusion – What are the best football kicking cleats?

If you have read this far (here’s a cookie) you can most likely gather that all of the shoes mentioned are great for kicking. It just comes down to personal preference.

HOWEVER, through years of kicking field goals, I can say my foot has a talent for picking the right shoe. I have wider feet so Adidas is my personal brand of choice. I also really like the sock style shoe.

Therefore, the BEST kicking cleats for kickers in my opinion has to be…….

The Adidas Nemeziz 18.3

This Kicking cleat takes first place since it is the most comfortable on the foot, and has good balance between weight and stability. 

The shoe also has a sufficient amount of padding while still allowing the kicker to feel the ball when kicked. 

So when looking up “Kicking cleats football” on google, this shoe should be at the top of your mind!

How did we do?

If you think these are the best cleats for football kickers and or the best field goal kicking shoes, Let us know in the comment section! If you enjoyed this article, consider subscribing to the newsletter so you can join the community! 

We will keep you in the loop of any updates for the best kicking shoe for football!

Also, there’s an amazing program that will go great with those amazing kicking cleats you decide on. This program covers topics on how to increase the power of your hips. By using your hips, you get more power, leg speed, and explosion. If increasing your kicking power is something you’re interested in, check out the link here!

BONUS RESOURCES:

If you found this helpful and want to read more about how to improve as a field goal kicker and punter, check out my book, “The Art Of Kicking” Also, I created a kicking and punting journal to track your progress called, “The Art Of Kicking JOURNAL” both can be found at these links as well as on Amazon. If you’d like it delivered to you now, here’s “The Art Of Kicking E-Book.” Check these resources out, they’ve already helped thousands of field goal kickers and punters!

Lastly; We hope you enjoyed reading! Seize the day and stay amazing!

– Eric

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