We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, flexibility is an element that is important in all athletic shoes. A totally stiff outsole is by no means acceptable in sports as dynamic as futsal and can lead to sore feet and pain. Some people think that flexibility is something needed just at the forefoot, where the foot naturally bends while running. The truth is that the outsole needs flexibility just as much as the upper build does.

If the outsole does not flex, the running motion will be affected in both performance and comfort. The foot naturally bends on both the forefoot and the underfoot, thus the outsole should flex accordingly. A futsal shoe that has a material or mesh upper is going to move with you easily where you may need to give the leather some time to break in before you see it’s true flex potential.

Flexibility on the outsole is important to diminish impact too. Most sportsmen are unaware of the effect that flexibility has upon shock absorption and may not realize how important it is. If the outsole is totally stiff, the flat impact will cause much more stress and pressure on joints and muscles. A flexible outsole will help keep pressure away from your feet and ensure you feel great for the next day’s practice.

Just like in many other sports, the outsole is arguably the most important part of a futsal shoe. Every single aerobic activity targets a different type of motion and surfaces; thus, the outsoles should be specially created for their specific target. In the case of futsal performance, we’re looking at hardwood surfaces or concrete in recreational circumstances, or possibly turf depending on your practice location. By being adapted to a specific surface, all features of the outsole are adapted towards it.

Regardless of the sport, outsoles must deliver basic qualities such as stability and grip. However, futsal-specific footwear takes more than just that. Criteria such as grip, flexibility, and durability are key for a futsal outsole. Without them, you would be performing on slippery, stiff, and loose shoes. Everything in futsal, from acceleration, to change of direction and stability, will depend on the quality of the outsole. Rubber is commonly used as it is superior to others in the form of grip. There are a variety of patterns and they can impact your performance differently. You may have to try a couple before you find what suits you best.

The improper grip can lead to serious injury if you find yourself on a newly waxed floor you want to make sure your futsal shoes keep your feet firmly planted on the ground. Slipping can take you out of the game for weeks or sometimes even longer. Making sure you choose the right grip for your practice and game-day locations are crucial to ensuring you get to continue enjoying futsal.

If you’re a consistent user of sports shoes, you’ll know that there’s a constant race among manufacturers to deliver the lightest shoe. Sure, an extra ounce on your shoe might not seem like it would affect your performance. However, we can guarantee that keeping your futsal shoe light does improve performance. At the end of the day, manufacturers do it for a reason.

By delivering a weightless build, futsal shoes deliver much more sensitivity and touch. This makes contact with the ball much more thorough and natural. The weight of your shoe can be your friend, just as much as it can become your enemy. Lightweight shoes keep your muscles, bones, and joints feeling great throughout your practices and games.

Not all material is created equal. Futsal shoes are tricky, as they have to be steady enough to deal with a harder ball, yet light enough to deliver acceptable aerobic performance.

Outsole
The outsole, or more simply, the sole of the shoe, makes direct contact with the ground and therefore supports the entire foot and body when in motion. Needless to say, a poorly-constructed outsole will lead to discomfort, slipping and foot or other bodily injuries. For this reason, many manufacturers use materials that are water-, weather-, heat-, and impact-resistant. Depending on the type of footwear, one will often see outsoles made from natural or synthetic materials, such as PVC, EVA, rubber, and leather. Each of these has its advantages, depending on the shoe’s purpose; however, as a general rule, they each are resistant to the aforementioned factors. They are also flexible enough to support a proper foot cycle when in motion, but they are not so flexible that they feel like a pair of socks. A sole made of the materials above tends to score higher on our product evaluations, as they are not only comfortable but also support other criteria, such as “support” and “durability”.

Midsole
The midsole is designed to provide cushioning and shock absorption to the shoe, nestling the foot in comfort. Whereas running shoes tend to have thick midsoles, flats and thinner shoes not designed for high-impact activities often have thinner midsoles. The reason for this is simple: you need more shock absorption and vibration dampening during high-intensity movements or activities to maintain comfort and prevent foot injury than you otherwise would with a regular shoe, flat or sandal. Midsoles are often made from EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), a synthetic plastic also used to make insertable orthotics. A firmer type of EVA for the midsole will make the shoe heavier, but more durable; whereas a softer type of EVA, like those found in running shoes, improve shock absorption, but wear much quickly. Podiatrists tend to prefer firmer midsoles for those suffering from orthopedic conditions, such as plantar fasciitis.

Insole
The insole is the proverbial foundation of the entire shoe. The sock liner lays on top of the insole, which is then fused to the midsole, and finally the outsole. A firm insole will give good structure to a shoe and increase its stability and durability, but it will also increase the weight of the overall product and be less comfortable. A softer insole might be more comfortable, but that comes at the expense of stability and durability. We tried to balance these weights when evaluating our products, but each reader and wearer are different, so be aware of this trade-off.

Finding a perfectly-fitting pair of shoes can be like finding the holy grail; there are so many brands, styles, models and makes of shoes that it seems like it’s next to impossible, especially when you are shopping online! Fear not, as we’ve ranked each product on our list for their fit and trueness-to-size to help guide you in finding the perfect match for you.

To come up with a score for the fit of a shoe, we considered several factors, like the ones mentioned above, in addition to real customer reviews, to help boil down everything into one simple score. For example, Nike tends to make shoes that are true-to-size, meaning that you can buy a pair of 11s one year, and another pair of 11s next year in a different model and they will usually still fit (unless your feet have grown or shrunk). A brand like Nike will most likely have a high score when it comes to fit, but the other variables in play, such as make, model, and purpose, will also affect the overall score.

Consider that a running shoe, with its thicker midsole and a synthetic sole, might fit differently than a flat shoe, with its thinner midsole and hypothetical leather sole. Each of these shoes, even if they are both from Nike, may have similar scores for trueness-to-size, but a size 11 in one might not be the same as an 11 in the other. What’s a reader to do in this case? You must also consider the purpose and type of shoe it is. Knowing what kind of shoe you are buying, and for what purpose, will help you make a better decision. A running shoe might run smaller than a flat because it has thicker materials, so read customer reviews as well to arrive at the best decision for fit, in addition to just our overall score.

At the end of the day, however, a higher score for the “fit” criterion will tend to mean that the shoe experiences a better trueness-to-size than a competing product; just don’t forget all the underlying factors that are baked into arriving at that single score!