What should I check before buying used cleats?
Size them the way you would a new pair, then check the studs, the soles and the fit on your player’s foot. The fit sizes cleats by the shoe size your player wears now, and the league and your player’s age decide metal or molded.
Size them as the fit does
Cleats go by the shoe size your player wears now.
Reviews report youth Under Armour and others running about a half size small; recommend trying the half size up when between sizes.
Molded or metal goes by the league and the age: players wear molded cleats through 12, and metal comes in from 13U where the league allows it, so check the league before buying metal.
New Balance is the only maker stating widths: Standard D and Wide 2E on its baseball models (3000, 4040, Fresh Foam 3000, Ohtani 1, Compv4) and the youth 4040; 4E appears on the size chart only. Boombah: mostly D, EE on a few. Under Armour: no wide fit on Leadoff. Nike and Adidas: no width options.
Clubbie advice Who’s behind it?
Turn them over: molded studs worn down flat, or metal spikes that are bent or loose, won’t grip.
Check where the upper meets the sole, and the toe, which players drag. If the sole is coming away, pass.
Have your player try them on with game socks and walk around. A used pair has already shaped itself to another foot, so make sure nothing rubs or pinches.
Feet often outgrow cleats before the cleats wear out, so a lightly used pair can be a good buy.
Where this comes from
- proposed Assessment input
- published Youth cleats: decentfoot.com, boombah.com, zappos.com
- published Age and league rules: Little League - Bat Rules
- published Parent reports a wide foot or tight forefoot: New Balance product pages
Every rule, with its source, is on How the fit works.
More in cleat guides
- Are metal cleats allowed in youth baseball?Generally not: players wear molded cleats through 12, and metal comes in from 13U where the league allows it, so check the league before buying metal.
- Do youth baseball cleats run small?Buyers report that some youth cleats run about a half size small, so try the half size up when your player is between sizes.
- What baseball cleats fit wide feet?New Balance is the maker that states widths on baseball cleats: Standard D and Wide 2E.