DrAlex’s Guide to Ultimate Cleats

This is a guide to buying cleats for the sport of Ultimate, with some specific guidance extra towards women’s cleats which can be much harder to find.

To start, the most important thing is to buy what’s comfortable, and what you can afford, however spending a little bit more can make a big difference. That doesn’t mean you have to buy expensive cleats, especially when you can get last year’s model/colors on sale. However, I deeply regret the $25 cleats I bought my first year of college, they only lasted 1 year, the insole wore out, and a staple in the heel ate all my socks.

Last updated 2022-05

Shopping

In order of best for ultimate:

1. Ultimate Specific Cleats

There is only 1 brand, you have to order online, they have women’s sizes.

Tokay (Best overall for high level players)
- ~$134
- UK based company - shipping might take longer (1 week)
- https://tokay-ultimate.com/
~Universe Point (Most Affordable) - runs a little big~ Sadly closed now (2022)
- ~$110~$85 UP 2.0, ~$85~$45 UP 1.0 (A bit of a stock shortage until late 2021, early 2022)
- US based company (East coast)
- https://www.universepoint.com/

2. Football Wide-Receiver

Tends to be light weight and has an extra toe stud which is good for jumping, sprinting
If your feet are average for Women’s look in the Youth section, here’s a size guide to cross youth (boys) sizes to womens’ https://www.sierra.com/blog/lifestyle/find-youth-equivalent-womens-shoe-sizes/

3. Soccer

The most common and easiest to find
Specific women’s sizing
Can be used for most other sports
The worst for ankle support
Watch out for weird stud patterns (see below)

Note: Look for FG (Firm Ground) or MG (Medium Ground), better cleat pattern for grass and turf.

4. Lacrosse - Also has the extra toe stud

Much easier to find mid cut cleats for ankle stability (see Cuts section below)
Would be higher ranked if they had better stud shape (see Stud Pattern below)
Tend to be heavier which can be good for larger players.

… Other Football cleats, Rugby etc…

!!! Never baseball/softball cleats!!!

Stud Pattern

Look for a cleat that has lots (6+) of smaller and shorter round studs/spikes spread evenly on the front ½ of the cleat. Research suggests this helps reduce the risk of knee injury. No weird crescents, bars, blades or other strange shapes. The shape of the heel studs doesn’t matter as much.
They should be plastic or rubbery, not metal. “Molded” i.e. not detachable.

Good

Bad

Cut (how high it comes up your ankle)

Low (below ankle) - The most common
Mid - (at ankle) If you have a history of ankle issues, or have a heavy footed running style, or want more support get this cut. Might only be available in Lacrosse and some Football cleats.
High - (above ankle) not recommended for ultimate

Price

Decent cleats will usually be $40-$70 on sale. Stay away from anything that’s cheaper without a sale.
Don’t pay more that $90, at the price you can buy Universe Point ultimate cleats
If you find or know a model/brand you like, consider ordering online, you can hunt for clearance on last year’s colors.

Brands

Doesn’t really matter, go with what feels good, as long as it’s not a weird counterfeit brand. Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, New Balance all make good cleats.

Material

Avoid the upper being hard plastic, usually only the really cheap cleats.
Synthetic vs Leather (personal preference & availability) https://vocal.media/cleats/pros-and-cons-of-leather-vs-synthetic-soccer-cleats
You do want the back of the heel to not be too hard to avoid blisters.

Size

Will probably be close to your regular shoe size
Do not buy very tight fitting cleats. It’s much easier to add thicker socks, tighten laces, or add a better insole.

Socks

Wait, I thought this was about cleats! Yes but socks are the other part of the fit and comfort. You want something meant for athletics, running or hiking depending on your thickness preference. Something that wicks moisture away from your foot. A thicker heal or toes can also add padding in places that rub a lot. Thicker socks can also fill extra space if the cleats are a little big, and keep you warmer on rainy days.

What’s that weird sock like thing on some cleats. It’s to keep rubber pellets from artificial turf out of the cleat. Does it work? Kinda, ask people on the team who have them.

Fleet Feet (Downtown Davis), Target, and REI have decent options.

Note: If you are prone to blisters between toes, also consider Toe Socks.

Other aspects

The lighter the better
Removable insoles can be nice, but the lightest cleats might not have.
If a salesperson asks, you will be playing on grass and artificial turf, in dry and wet conditions.
Insole - replaceable is nice, you can swap for more comfort, and remove to air out
- You might need better insoles depending on your foot - Fleet Feet in downtown Davis can help you get the right ones. Or order online, Running or Hiking brands.
- You can swap the insoles after a season to get more play time out of your cleats.

Cleat Care

Air them out after practice, remove insoles, keep them outside a bag in an open space.
You can shove newspaper/junk mail in them to absorb moisture.
Get the mud off the upper part so it can dry.

Where to Buy:

Davis

Big5
Soccer & Lifestyle

Vacaville

Outlet Mall
- Adidas
- Nike
Big5

Sacramento

Big5
Dicks

Online

Amazon
Zappos
Major sporting goods stores
- Dicks
Direct from Brand sites, check the clearance pages (Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, etc…)

Lacing

Learn to lace for your foot shape and fit.

DrAlex's Guide to Ultimate Cleats