Why Ultimate Players Can't Keep Shoes Alive

One thing I'm sure every ultimate player can agree on is there is an issue with cleats. Specifically, cleats don't last long enough. You get your fresh pair of cleats, break them in, and a few tournaments later they are already starting to show heavy wear and tear. This problem is frustrating, and most of all expensive. 

The majority of Ultimate players wear soccer or football cleats because there just aren't many shoes made for the game of Ultimate specifically. The main issue with this is, these sports have very different movements compared to ultimate. Soccer cleats are made for smoother cuts, and football cleats are made for very short explosive movements. Ultimate involves constant running, stopping, and changing direction. This causes these types of cleats to get destroyed quickly, as they just aren't made for these repetitive movements. Ultimate players are then only able to use these cleats for a season or two before they are completely ripped or broken. 

Cleats are often designed for lightweight performance and style, but this usually means a compromise is made in terms of durability. Even the most expensive soccer and football cleats struggle to survive in Ultimate, which can see up to seven or eight games in a weekend alone. 

Unfortunately, there is no perfect fix for this cleat issue. Some players are able to stretch the life of their cleats a little longer by keeping them clean, not letting mud and dirt build up on them, which seems to help a little. Another temporary solution that may extend your cleats a tournament or two is to tape the weak spots in the cleats, especially by the toes as these spots rip very easily. With this issue, its time for brands to make a change. Ultimate is a quickly growing sport, and Ultimate players need cleats that can last.