Superior Turf Shoe; Not for Wide Feet
MichaelW112523964
At long last, you've found it--that shoe that seems to be exactly what you are looking for. For me, that's a shoe in which to referee soccer, mostly on turf. Traditional turf soccer shoes offer very little in the way of cushioning in the soles. While that's fine if you're playing & practicing for a couple of hours, it's not so great if your out for seven or eight hours. Your feet start to feel every little bump. Enter the Cross Turf Men's Baseball Shoes. Yes, "baseball" and not soccer is in the name of the shoe, but that doesn't really matter because this shoe is what I had in mind. Indeed, Nike markets this as a multi-sport shoe, capable of going from the diamond to the gridiron, and that's true. It's a sturdy build of a shoe, made of synthetic materials, so it's not going to give or stretch out a whole lot. I love, love, love the aggressive, grippy outsoles that are designed for multi-directional use. These things will be nailed to a turf field, and grass as well as long as it's not too wet. Now for the cushioning part. Yes, it's there. Compared to turf soccer shoes, you ride higher in the Cross Turfs and they are a little heavier as well, but not so much that you really notice. That's what I wanted. There is also a built in Nike Air Zoom feature under your forefoot to provide extra metatarsal protection. Finally, there is reinforcement all around the toe box area to prevent abrasive wear and tear, like dragging your shoes on the pitcher's mound or in the batter's box. Indeed, I think these would be fantastic turf shoes for baseball, and they are clearly designed for it. All of these things make the fact that I have to return them even more of a bummer. Why? They aren't for people with wide feet like me. It's not that these shoes are narrow; they just aren't that wide. I even ordered 1/2 size up and they still didn't work out for me. The toe box is a little cramped and a little low, and due to the synthetic uppers and reinforcing materials, it's not really going to stretch out like it would if the shoes were leather. It's such a shame, because I really love these shoes and I feel like it's a really quality product. If Nike made it in a wide size, I'd buy five pairs right now. But they don't, so back they go. That's just for me, though. If you have a regular width foot, I'd go with these shoes without hesitation. P.S. I'd still think about going 1/2 size up; the length was pretty perfect.
