Hockey ShoesInformation and buying guide

The outsole is the part of the shoe in contact with the court. It must ensure sufficient grip but also offer stability. The material and technology built into the outsole and midsole largely determine their quality, grip and the comfort while we wear them.

TPU, for example, is a material made from thermoplastic polyurethane that strongly resists abrasion. It stands as a more resistant choice than rubber or gum, also common in this sport.

The Munich Hook have an outsole made from discontinuous rubber blocks that serve a double function: reducing the weight of the shoe and increasing flexibility and grip. The midsole incorporates X-Lite technology to improve the stride.

This part of the shoe is the one located between the upper and the outsole. Its function is basically to give the shoe enough cushioning to avoid painful impacts. It also provides a lot of stability. The Adidas Lux are made paying special attention to this part of the shoe. In addition, the outsole is TPU, the midsole includes Responsive Lightstrike technology to improve cushioning and the front part incorporates additional protection on the toes.

The upper, also called the mesh, is the part of the shoe that wraps the foot on top and on the sides. It's the area furthest from the outsole, and between this area and the upper sits the midsole.

Field hockey is a sport with explosive movements, so you have to ensure a powerful fit of the shoe to avoid injuries. The upper, therefore, has to be well designed. With the Mizuno Panthera, this brand has done a good job, since its upper guarantees all this and also ensures good breathability across the whole front area.

If we go back to an Adidas model, the Flexcloud, the entire upper part incorporates a breathable mesh with aluminium overlays, to also gain in sturdiness. The outsole ensures maximum grip thanks to its Traxion technology and the toe cap is made from TPU.

The laces and the tongue are key elements in field hockey shoes. For our sport, most models include laces, since with them you can adjust the shoe. However, some children's shoes include a velcro fastening, as is the case with the Brabo models.

As for the tongues, a good part of them follow a regular design, so it doesn't make much difference between one shoe and another. However, there are also some models in which the tongue is attached to the upper as an integrated whole, a one-piece structure that ensures a better hold of the foot. The Adidas Lux Hockey are a model that follows this scheme.

There are different pitches, pitches with more sand and pitches that are more wet. The type of pitch you play on influences the type of footwear right for you. If you play mainly on sandy pitches, the bottom of your shoe should have longer studs for better grip. When you play more on wetter pitches, shorter studs are more suitable.

The cushioning of the sole is important to avoid injuries. When the shoe has good cushioning, the energy of the movements will be partially absorbed by the shoes. Cushioning is important for all players, but in some situations much more so, for example when the ground is very hard because it doesn't absorb impacts well. Also for players who run and move a lot because they exert more force on the shoes. Finally, cushioning is important when you're heavier, because the force exerted on the shoes is greater. That's why there is more cushioning in adult shoes than in children's shoes, for example.

Hockey shoes can also vary according to the width of their last and the thickness of their materials. Shoes with thicker materials are on average more stable, but if you run a lot, you may prefer more flexible shoes. It's important that the shoes fit snugly around the feet, so they can't move while you're playing.