new shoes

refnrev · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Mar 27, 2005, 11:15pm

Opinion time again. It's about time to replace my old Addidas cleats with some new shoes. My knees, calves, and heels were killing me after three hours of youth games yesterday morning on a local field that is as hard as concrete. I have several games in the next few weeks. What type of shoes do the rest of you wear when you officiate?

Nevadaref · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Mar 31, 2005, 08:48am

Hard fields are the norm here in Nevada. North and South, just part of the desert climate.

I do not even own a pair of molded cleats anymore. I have turf shoes. I highly recommend the Arbitro Sec by Lotto. Retail is about $55 and available from officialsports.com Mine were quite soft at purchase time and were easy to break in.

For multiple games at tournaments, it depends upon the field conditions, but I like to wear the turfs when I am in the middle and basketball pair shoes for the lines. They are all black adidas low cuts. Any running or tennis shoe that you could find in all black should do wonders for saving your knees and feet.
The added cushion of the basketball shoes and the rotating of the shoes is a big help. Just don't wear the basketball shoes if it is wet. They weren't built for water!

When I have worked on artificial surfaces, I just wear the flats even for being the R.

refnrev · #3 (**permalink**) Fri Apr 01, 2005, 01:22pm

Nev,
We meet again, only in another forum. I did the same field last week after it had rained all day the day before. It had soaked in and the field felt great even in cleats. I have an old pair of Pony Anaheim turf shoes that I use if the field is dry, but they are lousy in the mud. I'll check out the Lottos. The Puma indoors that some friends of mine wear do not have enough arch support. Thinking real seriously about using some black Reebok walkers for AR or really dry feilds. For what it's worth, I've used Reebok DMX walkers for b'ball for the last 5 years. The new ones, the Dura DMX Walkers are the most comfortable I've ever put on my feet. Every bit as good as any runner.And with my arthritis in both knees and having torn the meniscus 4 years ago in soccer, shoes are the lifeblood of my officiating future.
RR