What is the average weight of a soccer cleat?

While soccer cleats vary in weight based on manufacturer and style, the average cleat falls somewhere between 7.5 and 10.5 ounces. The leading football cleat manufacturers – including Nike, adidas, and Puma – have shifted their production focus to lightweight cleats, largely as a result of sales trends through the 2000s and 2010s. 

A lightweight boot offers players several advantages, and most competitive footballers prefer lighter cleats.

Benefits of Lightweight Soccer Cleats

Among soccer players, speed is the ultimate game-changer. For attacking players like forwards, a single-stride speed advantage over a defender can be enough to earn you a critical goal. Speed helps defenders generate crucial interceptions, mark opponents more effectively, and bring the ball upfield for a more effective attack. As a result, high-level footballers are often on the hunt for any way to improve their running pace.

Using lightweight soccer cleats is one of the easiest ways to gain this sought-after speed advantage. A study performed by the University of Colorado–Boulder in 2017 found that runners ran 1% slower for every 100 grams of additional shoe weight, illustrating the difference a lightweight shoe can make in a player’s performance. 

According to the study’s findings, a mere three-ounce difference in boot weight can measurably impact a player’s footspeed. For soccer players who are looking for every possible edge on the pitch, lightweight cleats are a must-have.

Lightest Football Cleats

With a large number of players desiring lightweight soccer shoes, most manufacturers have begun to cut the average weight of their boots. Each of the three main manufacturers – Nike, adidas, and Puma – now offer at least one ultra-lightweight model.

Nike

Of the three major soccer cleat manufacturers, Nike’s boots are the heaviest on average at 9.2 ounces. Still, Nike football cleats are available in a wide variety of styles, with plenty falling on the lighter end of the spectrum.

For example, the Nike Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite – worn by such high-caliber players as Kylian Mbappe and Jadon Sancho – weighs just 7.0 ounces. Another example of a high-quality lightweight Nike soccer cleat is their Mercurial Vapor 15 Elite. Used by players like Ansu Fati and Vinicius Junior, the Mercurial Vapor 15 Elite weighs just 6.5 ounces.

adidas

Weighing in at an average of just 7.9 ounces, adidas’ cleats are the lightest among the three main manufacturers. However, like Nike, adidas soccer cleats are available in an assortment of styles and models, allowing players to choose the ideal boot for their playstyle.

For players who desire the speed boost provided by lighter cleats, the adidas X Speedportal.1 – worn by soccer legends such as Mo Salah – is the ideal choice, weighing in at just 7.09 ounces (201 grams).

Puma

While Puma’s average cleat weight of 8.3 ounces falls in the middle of Nike and adidas, their top model, the Puma Ultra Ultimate, is the lightest football cleat on the market. Weighing just 5.64 ounces (160 grams), the Ultra Ultimate is considerably lighter than any other boot.

The Ultra Ultimate light weight is a major reason for its popularity among top-tier footballers such as Antoine Griezmann, Kingsley Coman, and Christian Pulisic. However, it is not the only ultra-lightweight cleat manufactured by Puma. Two other models of Puma football cleats – the King Ultimate (7.23 ounces) and the Future Ultimate (7.58 ounces) – are also among the lightest boots available.

The right pair of soccer cleats can help you transform your game. Whether you’re an elite-level player or a dogged weekend warrior, your soccer cleats will partially dictate your level of performance. Use The Instep’s in-depth blogs to find your perfect pair and shop with SoccerPro to get the best deals and turnaround times on all soccer shoes.