Cricket Rubber Shoes vs Spiked Shoes: Full Comparison

What role do you play in cricket? Your performance on the pitch is dependent on several variables of which your shoe is one of them. Suppose you assumed the shoe factor and wore any shoe to the game. You may still succeed but with bruised feet. So you’d better get the right shoe for your cricket role. But have you ever wondered which is which between cricket rubber shoes vs spike shoes?

Cricket rubber shoes work best in synthetic cricket pitches that have hard floors but need slip-resistant shoes. Spike shoes are applicable whenever you are playing on turf or wet and greasy surfaces. In addition, the cricket spike shoes need to have full spikes enough to boost your stability.

Cricket shoes can be somewhat confusing with ordinary shoes except for those with spikes. However, the applications of the cricket rubber shoes and the spike shoes can also mix up the players confusing them on when and where to wear which shoe. Make sure you read ahead for more details on this topic.

Which Type of Shoes Are Best For Cricket?

The best types of shoes for cricket are cricket rubber shoes and cricket spike shoes. In the game, they however vary depending on the roles of the players on the pitch.

The game 

generally involves lots of intense activities thus the need for physically fit bodies. Although the training is important, a physically fit body alone is not a guarantee of success on the pitch. Instead, what matters most is the skill and the right shoes; these determine a cricketer’s performance.

However, these shoes can be slightly different from other ordinary shoes, so I wouldn’t encourage you to wear them on matchdays only. Instead, these shoes need to be part of your daily attire if you intend to be a good cricketer. That means you should use them wherever you are on the pitch, whether you are up for a friendly match or training.

So the most common soles for cricket shoes are:

Rubber Shoes

These are cricket shoes without spikes, but they have to meet all other factors for a cricket shoe to ensure the users’ high performance. It might be slightly tricky for you to understand this if you are a beginner on a cricket pitch. 

But check this out:

A rubber cricket shoe is made specifically for the game, so it may have features that, unless you are keen, you may not notice at all.  Therefore, pick any rubber shoe close to you and compare it with a cricket rubber shoe. 

You should be able to notice the following differences:

• Top Material: –this should be either polyethylene or microfiber. Since they are suitable for various weather pitches, they are light in weight and very durable. So the manufacturers take into consideration the fact that the user of a cricket shoe will need to clean the rubber shoe from time to time.

The top microfiber is always meshed or netted to provide adequate aeration for cricketers. This factor is crucial to maintain a cool and dry feature for the user’s feet.

• Rubber Grips: –  checking at the bottom of cricket rubber shoes, you should notice sturdier and protruded rubber spike-like features. These are important for ensuring a firm grip of the floor when the cricketer is in motion. A typical rubber shoe will only have a flat outer sole. 
• Mid-Sole: – in a cricket rubber shoe, this part is cushioned and extra padded to accommodate the increased jump activities of the cricketer. The cushioning is crucial to give the user safe and comfortable landings despite the jump height.

The cricket rubber shoes also vary according to the manufacturer’s desire to meet their customer’s preferences. Therefore, some may have leather side3s but blended with polyethylene top surfaces for breathing and completed with sturdier rubber soles. 

Generally, a cricket rubber shoe should also have antiskid features, extra paddings at the heels, and double cushioning for the user’s comfort.

Spike Shoes

These shoes always have small metal spikes on their outer soles. Looking at them closely, you will notice the studs are arranged equally on the sole. It is crucial to ensure utmost stability for the user and up-close support that has firm grips on turf, wet and greasy surfaces. 

You might not have a hard time noticing these shoes from other spiked shoes for football or golf. However, it is necessary to note the difference in their ankle’s height. Spiked cricket shoes will always have a raised height at the ankles for protection from any injuries that may result from sudden braking on the landing zones for bowlers.

On the other hand, any spiked shoe unsuited for cricket matches will always have a shorter ankle height. If you glance at a spiked football shoe, you will notice it reaches just below your ankle.

What Is The Difference Between Rubber And Spiked Shoes?

The difference between rubber and spike shoes is the lightweight design of rubber shoes and, the presence of metal spikes in cricket spike shoes. The rubber shoes are best used on synthetic surfaces with hard floors whereas, the spike shoes are best for turf, wet, and greasy pitches.

Cricket rubber shoes and spike shoes can both be worn at any time on a cricket pitch. However, each one of them is designed specifically for particular roles in the game. Cricket games do not limit any cricketer to maintain spiked or rubber shoes in line with their roles. However, for your comfort on the pitch, you should choose the right type of shoe according to your role.

So the key difference between cricket rubber shoes and spike shoes is in the following roles:

Batting Shoes: – Batters receive deliveries coming as fast as 90 mph, and at times they have to run through wickets with their eyes focused centrally on the bowlers. So they need to have a steady grip on the ground and manage to turn quickly after each run. Therefore, cricket rubber shoes fit a batter best.

Bowling Shoes: – Bowlers have more challenging tasks as they have to run fast and break at just the crease while turning. However, this is easier said than done because most of them often jump high to reach their targets at the crease for special deliveries. So with the bowlers every step necessitating cushioned moves. Cricket spike shoes provide a firmer grip on the ground than rubber shoes, making them an ideal choice for them.

Fielding Shoes: – a fielder can have either spike shoes or cricket rubber shoes as long as it is light in weight to ensure the fielder’s motion is not limited. Their roles also need occasional firm grips.

Indoor Cricket: – occasionally, cricket games may take place indoors where floors are covered with polyurethane floors or other hard surfaces. In either case, the cricketer will need a cricket rubber shoe because of its firm and anti-slip grip. A spiked shoe has better features in steadiness and stability but when used in an indoor setting, it may tamper with the house’s flooring.

Are Cricket Spikes Removable?

Cricket spikes are removable. You can remove them when you need slightly lighter shoes or if you’re switching your cricket pitch to a synthetic surface.

As much as removing the spikes is an easy task, the spike key tool necessary for the efficient removal of the spikes shoes can be slightly expensive. So you may need to figure out other means if you can’t manage the tool at the moment. You can also cost-share the expense with your fellow gamers so that it can be available for everyone interested in removing or replacing them.

So to go about removing the spikes with a spike key tool, you should:

1. Hold the shoe in a firm position and after fitting your spike key or adjustable wrench on spike shoes, turn it to the left.
2. Once the spike begins to turn around, you can complete the removal using your hand.
3. However, it can be slightly challenging to wind the spikes using pliers or a wrench but if you can tighten either of these at the base of the spike shoes, it should loosen up much simpler. 
4. At certain times, you may notice the spike is too rusted to be clipped by the spice key tool. In such instances, you may try using the wrench in the above method.
5. To remove the spikes without a spike key tool or a spike wrench you should:
6. Clean off any dirt around the spikes
7. Holding the shoe firmly in one hand, gently hit the perimeter of the shoe’s sole.
8. This should loosen the spikes from their sockets for easy removal by a hand twist.

Can You Use Cricket Shoes Without Spikes

You can use cricket shoes without spikes, but not for any role in the game. You can only use them when playing on hard surface pitches as long as they have rubber spikes enough to grip the surface.

Batting has no intense activities as bowling does. However, batting on its own also needs extra care from the constant running between wickets. The batter would need shoes safe enough from any hit injuries. 

Bowling shoes need an almost full spike capacity because of the nature of their activities. However, in case the general playground is soft and wet, every other cricketer on the pitch will need spiked shoes to reduce the risk of skidding.

You may want to look at the following levels of spikes on the cricketer’s shoes:

Zero Spikes: –  Batters have no risk when playing without spikes on their shoes as long as it’s on a hard surface. Their main concern is always a grip on the surface for easy turning.

Partial Spikes: – you may have noticed some cricket shoes come with spikes at the front only and zero spikes at their feet. The fielders and batters can use such shoes, except for the bowlers who require full spikes shoes. If the partial spiked shoe is the only option, the bowlers can sometimes wear them since much of the bowling action involves jumping and landing on one’s feet.

Full Spikes: – This is the uniform arrangement of the spikes on the cricket shoes. However, these are not the kind of shoes you would want for a hard synthetic pitch. 

How Do You Maintain The Spikes On Cricket Shoes?

To maintain the spikes on cricket shoes you should hand clean them every time you are off a muddy pitch. You should also check for any blunt surfaces and check for their replacement and scrub clean their soft surfaces using toothbrushes.

Although spikes appear to be simple metals, they are essential for cricketers playing on wet fields and turf. Therefore, to maintain a cricket shoe spike you should:

Clean the spikes with a toothbrush and the spike base with soap and clean water. You should nevertheless avoid putting the shoes in a washing machine for cleaning. The cleaning machine has forceful movements that can damage the spikes and the whole of the shoe as well.

If you were playing on wet or muddy grass, you should make sure you clean the mud off the spikes immediately. This helps to prevent the spikes and their metal bases from rusting off. In case either of these overstays can fasten the rust on the spikes.

If you keep your shoes on the floor when not using them, depending on the floor type, the spike can rust because of dust and moisture from the floor.  So unless you are keeping them on a shoe rack you should consider removing the spikes when not using them.

When removing or putting back the spikes, in case they get too stuck to wind in the sockets, you should consider using petroleum or WD-40 lubricants to ease their movements.

Whenever you are screwing or unscrewing the spikes, you should make sure the spike key grips the spikes tight enough. If it does not the spike key could have loose teeth signifying a need for its replacement.

Spikes to get worn out from the frequent use of the shoe. Therefore, you should check them regularly. In case you notice the sharp ends of the spike have started being blunt, you should consider replacing them immediately to ensure their overall effectiveness.

How Do You Maintain Cricket Rubber Shoes?

To maintain cricket rubber shoes you should clean them constantly and avoid machine drying them. You should also avoid using a machine for their cleaning to reduce any fast damages that they may get because of the constant knocks they receive.

Generally, cricket shoes can be somewhat expensive to purchase and this includes your cricket rubber shoes too are not that cheap. Therefore, you need to maintain them to ensure they cover a worth period. So to care for cricket shoes, you should:

• You should make sure they are spot clean using a hand wash. However, you may feel tempted to put them into your machine washer with other clothes but remember that will tamper with the general structure of the shoe. It may no longer be as fitting as it was, thus affecting your general pitch performance.
• Throwing the shoes into the dryer could be an excellent way to dry them, but the machine will probably knock off the shoes damaging them in the process. You should also avoid exposing it to any heat source for fast drying them. Instead, let the boots dry off gently in the sun. 
• But in case you need a much faster drying method, you should consider stuffing newspapers in them. The newspapers can draw moisture quite faster.
• Using a toothbrush, clean off the soft bristles in the shoe that can easily get damaged by stiffer materials.