Cleat (shoe)

This article is about the protrusions on the soles of certain shoes. For the shoe itself, see football boot.

Football boots have studs on their soles

Cleats or studs are protrusions on the sole of a shoe or on an external attachment to a shoe that provide additional traction on a soft or slippery surface.[1] They can be conical or blade-like in shape and can be made of plastic, rubber or metal. The type worn depends on the environment of play: grass, ice, artificial turf, or other grounds.

In American English, the term "cleats" is used synecdochically to refer to shoes featuring such protrusions.

In Commonwealth English the correct term for shoes with studs is usually boots, especially when referring to football sports.

  1. ^ "Footwear-Field Sports/Cleats". American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. Retrieved 21 June 2024.