Indoor soccer shoes and turf shoes are an ideal purchase to make for those wanting a good training shoe without breaking the bank.
Soccer cleats, whilst long lasting and high quality, are generally the more expensive option. For people who want a different shoe for soccer training, indoor and turf shoes are your best choice.
Indoor soccer shoes, as the name suggests, are designed for indoor soccer games and training.
These are flat-soled and slim soccer shoes that are best suited for flat surfaces, such as a gymnasium floor, and are ideal for training without the risk of twisting the player’s ankle.
Turf shoes, again as the name suggests, are designed for turf surfaces. These shoes feature short rubber studs that mimic soccer cleats, and are more ideal for indoor turf environments.
Unfortunately, most indoor and turf shoes are fairly low quality and don’t have a long service life. These are affordable shoes that are perfect for indoor training sessions, but they aren’t recommended for outdoor games on the pitch.
Whilst we have done research to find the best indoor shoe and the best turf shoe, bear in mind that these types of soccer shoes are more likely to need replacements in the future.
Despite this, we believe we have found the best indoor and turf shoes on the market that are perfect for soccer training! We have also included a handy buyer’s guide section to help you to understand what to look for in both shoe styles.
The Best Indoor Soccer Shoe
Through research, we found that the best indoor soccer shoe on Amazon is the PUMA Men's Future 5.4 It Sneaker.
In soccer, most people tend to buy their equipment from large brands such as Nike, Adidas, or PUMA.
This is due to a mixture of celebrity endorsement, standard of quality, and constant design changes to suit each player.
PUMA is a well-trusted brand in the soccer world, as they continue to develop their soccer shoe styles to benefit all skill levels of players.
What’s more, their soccer shoes tend to be slightly cheaper than other competing brands, which is ideal for semi-permanent indoor soccer shoes.
The Future 5.4 brand was designed with iconic soccer players in mind, including Luis Suárez, Antoine Griezmann, Marco Reus, and Dzenifer Marozsán.
The key to indoor soccer shoes is lightweight and flexibility - which is what these PUMA shoes take pride in.
Unlike running shoes that are usually chunkier, these soccer shoes are very slim fitting, which is most ideal for soccer training.
The sock collar is made of mesh for comfortability, so there is not a likelihood of blisters and rubbing.
The material of the shoe itself is made of a synthetic fabric that is more breathable and durable - making them comfortable for running.
The sole of these soccer shoes are low profile and made of rubber, making it ideal for running in different directions and speeds without the risk of twisting an ankle.
This is really important for indoor soccer shoes, because you cannot risk slipping over from multidirectional movements.
For those who are concerned about these shoes leaving marks all over the gymnasium floor, you’re in luck - these rubber outsoles are designed to not leave any black marks.
However, don’t expect this to be the gospel truth, because the nature of soccer means that it is likely to leave marks on the floor.
It is important to note that these shoes do run small on the sizing guide, so it is best to purchase a size bigger than you would expect.
Indoor soccer shoes are meant to be slim fitting and fairly tight (without being too restricting) for multiple reasons, which will be explained further in our buyer’s guide.
The Best Turf Shoe
Adidas, like PUMA, is a highly reputable and trusted brand in the sports world, particularly soccer.
These turf shoes are kind of a mix between indoor soccer shoes and cleats, which is what makes them so popular and effective.
The Copa 20.3 turf soccer shoes were designed with agility in mind. These shoes are made of synthetic materials for comfortability and breathability.
This means that the shoes are perfect for multidirectional use, as the synthetic material is highly flexible.
This also means that whether you are playing or training on an indoor or outdoor turf environment, your comfortability is taken care of.
The material of the upper is premium leather, making these incredibly durable. The leather itself is also surprisingly comfortable and flexible.
The key feature of turf shoes are the studs. The outsoles of these shoes are lightweight and the studs are designed specifically for agility.
The platform measures between 0-3 inches, so there is less chance of falling or twisting from taller studs.
The lightweight value of the outsoles is vital in soccer, as the sport is constantly active and heavier running shoes will only weigh you down.
This makes these styles of shoes ideal for both indoor and outdoor turf environments, as the studs provide grip to prevent players from sliding around the pitch.
Not only do they provide grip, but they are designed to help the player bounce from their position into another one, making them incredibly multidimensional and allowing for fast acceleration.
Buyer's Guide
What to look for in indoor soccer shoes
Indoor soccer cannot be underestimated, because this environment is all about speed. A soccer ball goes faster on a flat, indoor surface than it does on turf or a pitch.
Some indoor environments are normal gymnasiums, some have artificial turf, and some have a surface similar to a carpet.
This means that the style of shoe for this particular form of soccer has specific requirements.
Balance and grip
Indoor soccer shoes have a flat sole, which means it is vital that this sole provides enough grip and traction to prevent sliding.
Soccer is a fast sport with a lot of quick changes in speed and direction, so these particular shoes are designed to cushion your feet for harsh landings.
This flat sole is also highly beneficial for preventing ankle or foot injuries as, unlike with cleats or turf shoes, there are no studs - which means more support and stability.
To enhance this feature, we recommend finding indoor soccer shoes that have suction grips if you regularly train on surfaces that have the potential to be slippy.
Not like regular running shoes
Whilst you technically can play soccer in normal running shoes, this is not recommended.
Soccer does involve a lot of running, but regular running shoes have air-filled soles that make them heavier to wear for longer periods of time.
The design of regular running shoes is to encourage runners to run forward, as the sole is predominantly higher at the back so it forces wearers to put their weight on their toes.
Though this is good for regular running, soccer requires shoes that allow the wearer to bounce in different directions effortlessly. To achieve this, indoor soccer shoes have a flatter and thinner sole.
Tight fit
You will find that most indoor soccer shoes state that the sizing is small, and this is usually deliberate.
Imagine trying to play indoor soccer with shoes that are slightly too big, with your toes bouncing to and away from the front of the shoe and your foot wobbling around - you’ll be spending most of your time worrying about not falling over, which will prevent the quality of your game.
This will affect your running, as you won’t feel the traction and support to move freely, as well as your kicking aim.
Indoor soccer shoes are designed to be slim and tight fitting to enhance the lightweight value.
Not only will foot movement inside of the shoe affect your gameplay, but this also increases the risk of causing injury. Tight shoes don’t have to be uncomfortable, they just have to be snug enough.
Material
The key features to look for in the material of indoor soccer shoes are breathability, flexibility, and moveability.
Synthetic materials are the best for this, as not only is the material lightweight for comfort and breathability, but your foot is not restricted to one position (unlike with regular running shoes that only require your feet to move forward).
This type of material is also best for soccer, as synthetic fabric provides better grip for the soccer ball.
The player may or may not notice this as the game is so fast, but the ball will actually grip to the shoe, providing better aim.
It may also be worth looking for shoes that have a built-in flap to cover the laces, which will enhance control over the ball.
What to look for in turf soccer shoes
Turf shoes are somewhat in between indoor soccer shoes and cleats.
The main difference between them is that there are more studs and they are less tall than regular cleats. This stud design is perfect for turf environments, as it will not bring up the turf.
Turf material
Artificial turf is fairly popular for soccer pitches, as it requires much less maintenance than real grass. This makes it ideal for training situations, especially for soccer clubs.
The turf itself does not mimic grass at all, other than the color, as the material is rough and harsh. This means that it will naturally wear down shoes over time, regardless of how durable they may seem.
Comfort and balance
As with any shoe, the most important factor to consider is how comfortable the shoe is. Sure, most shoes require a break-in period, but if they still feel uncomfortable after that, then they aren’t the shoe for you.
Soccer is a very active sport that requires constant movement with very few breaks, other than halftime, so you need a pair of shoes that will not cause discomfort and rubbing.
Balance comes with comfort in turf shoes. You will need shoes that you can easily bounce around in without fear of twisting your ankle, and fortunately turf shoes are designed with this in mind.
The studs are placed around the outsole in specific places to allow the wearer to run around the turf without ripping it up.
Material
Like with indoor soccer shoes, the material of turf shoes is a really important factor to consider when looking to buy a pair.
Turf shoes are slightly more durable than indoor soccer shoes, purely down to the environment that they are designed for.
This means that the key material is usually premium leather, which is very high quality for keeping the shoe long lasting.
Cheaper materials will feel artificially soft, which will not last as long. Sometimes it is worth buying more expensive material for a higher quality, which is why brands such as Adidas are so trusted.
Price
This goes for indoor soccer shoes as well, because the higher the price doesn’t necessarily mean the better the shoe.
Indoor soccer shoes and turf shoes aren’t actually designed for longevity, and they will require more replacements than soccer cleats.
This is all due to the environment they are designed for and how often they are used. Of course, cheaper shoes will often break far quicker than more expensive ones.
However, this does not mean that $200 shoes will be incredibly durable. Unfortunately, some brands just like to charge more for shoes with the same materials as more affordable ones.
Tight fit
As with indoor soccer shoes, turf shoes are designed to be slim fitting. They need to be snug, and brands will often recommend buying a size bigger as they are designed to be smaller.
This is to enhance the quality of gameplay.
Soccer cleats vs Indoor soccer shoes vs Turf shoes
There are major differences between soccer cleats, indoor soccer shoes, and turf shoes.
We can’t exactly tell you what is the best type of shoe to buy, because it all depends on where you play soccer the most.
These shoes are designed specifically for different terrains, so it is really easy to tell them apart with their advantages and disadvantages.
Soccer cleats are designed for outdoor soccer pitches made of real grass. The studs are longer and made of metal or solid rubber to provide the best traction in a muddy field.
No other style of shoe would benefit on this type of surface, as cleats are designed specifically to stop soccer players from sliding around the pitch - though this does happen in the muddiest of pitches!
With the taller studs, they cannot be used on turf surfaces and certainly not indoor ones as this will certainly create injury.
Indoor soccer shoes are designed for indoor environments, which usually includes gymnasium flooring or a carpet-like turf.
This type of surface requires shoes with flat soles and high quality suction pads to provide the best form of traction.
As there is no grass, there is no need for studs.
Turf shoes, you guessed it, are designed for turf environments. Turf is artificial and only somewhat mimics grass, as it is not as deep without the mud.
This means that the studs are much shorter, but still provide the right amount of traction to grip to the turf.
Can I wear indoor soccer shoes on turf, or turf shoes indoors?
As each shoe is designed for a specific surface, it is not recommended to wear indoor shoes on turf or vice versa.
This is because the different shoes will affect your gameplay, and most importantly this will risk your safety.
Wearing turf shoes indoors can be dangerous, as your feet and ankles are more likely to twist on a harsher surface.
Likewise, indoor soccer shoes will not adapt to the turf terrain, and will just cause the wearer to slide everywhere.
