Name: Chris Loftus
Position: Forward
Team History: Duke University 03-06
New England Revolution 07-08
Limhamn Bunkeflo (Sweden) Current
Cleat size: 12
Sneaker size: 13

Preferred cleat? Adidas Predator
In one sentence why? I like the Adidas Predator because it fits my foot best and is a comfortable cleat.

Chris, thanks for taking the time to share advice with our readers.
First, What do you look for when choosing a cleat?
I have very narrow feet so Adidas shoes have always fit me best. The first and most important thing for me when having a cleat is comfort. I also like the end of the shoe near the toe to be more narrow and pointed like the end of a foot so that I can feel the ball. I’ve found that many shoes, like Nike, are wide and rounded so it makes it harder to feel the ball. I also prefer leather shoes asopposed to the synthetic shoes because I feel that the leather molds and forms to your foot better. I’ve also always been a fan of black shoes, but having a comfortable shoe that you can feel the ball andhave a good touch with is most important.

How much would you pay for the ‘perfect’ pair of cleats? $200

From your experience, what advice would you give to people choosing new cleat?
I think it’s always important to have at least one pair of cleats for hard grounds and at least one for soft grounds. What I do when I first get a pair of cleats is to put them on and wear them in the shower. Once they have gotten really wet I wear them around for about 20-30 minutes so that the leather has a chance to stretch and mold to my foot. Alot of players don’t break in their soft grounds until the first time they wear them. This can cause blisters and also hinder your touch on the ball. This shower technique has always worked for me. In terms of taking care of your cleats…if they do get wet make sure to leave them out to dry so that the stitching in the leather doesn’t get too lose. Sometimes I will put newspaperinside of them to dry them out. Most importantly though when buying a shoe is to buy the one that feels most comfortable.

Finally, are there any other tips you would like to give our readers?
Whenever I get a cleat I usually have it one size smaller than my regular shoes. I do this because ithelps me feel the ball better. I’ve found that when the cleats get wet, especially leather cleats, they will stretch a little.

Chris played college soccer at Duke, making it the College Cup in 2004. After a year in the MLS with New England Revolution, he decided to try his luck in Europe where he currently plays for Limhamn Bunkeflo in Sweden.