3G & 4G Pitch Footwear Guide – Can You Wear Blades On Artificial Turf?

Footwear choice can have a huge effect on a 3G pitch. It’s one of the things that all sports facilities must consider and it can be difficult to control when you’re managing a busy facility. However, we have solved the problem of which football boots to wear on a 3G pitch with this guide.

categories of footwear

The Best Footwear for 3G Pitches

3G / 4G FOOTBALL PITCH BOOTS

Football is normally played on a 3G pitch with long pile turf which gives a realistic grass feel whilst also being able to withstand heavy use. When using the pitch, players must use boots that have studs, this stops the fibres from becoming compressed and damaging the surface. For football surfaces, we recommend the following footwear:

• Screw-in Stud Football Boots
• Moulded Stud Football Boots

3G Rugby Pitch Footwear

Most rugby pitches are similar to football sports surfaces, played on 3G Turf. 3G surfaces are chosen by many clubs and facilities as they provide the look and feel of natural grass, but are much more durable. 3G pitches typically last a minimum of 10 years. We recommend the following type of footwear for rugby:

• Screw-in Stud Football Boots
• Moulded Stud Football Boots

Hockey Pitch Footwear

Hockey pitches are usually made with short piled turf and contain sand or water infill. This means that more pressure can be applied to the surface of the pitch without being detrimental. For this reason, we recommended wearing a flat sole shoe or ‘Astro’ trainer which will cause minimum disturbance to the fibres and infill, whilst maintaining a high level of grip. We recommend using:

• ‘Astro’ Trainers
• Flat Sole Trainers

can you wear blades on turf?

Most venues have rules against wearing them as it can be dangerous for other players and the artificial grass. Bladed boots are prohibited on all of our surfaces, this is because they can cut through the synthetic turf causing serious damage. Blades can also be considered dangerous to other players in sports like football and rugby where tackling is involved.

Enforcing your footwear rules

Now that we have covered our recommendations on the best footwear for 3G pitches and other sports surfaces, we’ve put together some tips for you to keep your pitch in top condition.

Awareness

The best way to inform most users of suitable footwear for synthetic pitches is to build awareness around the subject. This can be done in various ways such as posters and pitch boards placed around the facilities, blogs on your website (feel free to take some points from us) or social media posts. You could also mention footwear on any paperwork that users must sign before stepping onto the pitch. Doing this will make sure that the majority of players will be aware of the footwear they must wear when playing on synthetic sports surfaces.

Implementation

After spreading awareness you may still struggle to ensure that all users follow your guidelines. In order to pick out the few people who may ignore these rules, you could have staff check footwear before people are allowed on the pitch. It is key that these people understand the importance of the right footwear:

• Teachers
• Referees
• Facility managers
• Pitch staff

Explain how wearing blades on artificial turf can make more problems for these people, such as injuries to players and students. This will then stop the wrong footwear finding its way onto the surface.

Penalty

If you are still having problems, you can implement a penalty system to ensure players with the wrong footwear do not use the pitch. We would recommend that in minor or irregular offences, users are warned about using the correct footwear on the pitch and may be asked to prove they have the correct footwear before they are allowed back on. However if serious/repeat offences occur, a permanent ban could be given to the user.

Learn more about our synthetic turf pitches and book a free consultation today.

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