When shopping for baseball cleats there are several aspects you must consider before investing in a pair. Brand is of course a big one, as many prefer to stick with particular brands for the consistency, but often times finding the right brand is not the difficult part. Instead of only looking at Nike baseball cleats, searching for the right type and model of cleat proves to be the harder decision.

The debate over the best type of baseball cleats has been going on for ages, with the types of cleats being at the center of the discussion. The three main types of baseball cleats are molded cleats, metal cleats, and interchangeable cleats. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of the different types of baseball cleats.

Molded cleats

As the most common cleat design, molded baseball cleats are ideal for the youth baseball player. Both light and adaptable, molded cleats come with plastic spikes to ensure player safety and come with the added bonus of being able to be worn on and off the field. Molded cleats are required in almost every youth league and are a perfect buy for any novice baseball player. Some in the major leagues actually prefer molded cleats as they are softer on the feet and provide its wearer with some added safety when compared to metal cleats. The obvious disadvantage of plastic spikes is that they do not provide as much grip as their metal and interchangeable cleat counterparts.

Metal cleats

Popular amongst high school level baseball players and above, metal cleats provide superior grip for players and are far and away the preferred cleat of the high level ballplayer. They are more expensive than molded cleats, but on average, the top of the line baseball cleat is typically features metal spikes. One disadvantage of metal cleats is that they wear down relatively fast compared to plastic spikes, leading to subsequent replacements.

Interchangeable cleats

Interchangeable cleats are a departure from molded and metal cleats in that the spikes on the cleats are not permanent, allowing you to replace or change spikes at will. Thus, the lifespan of your cleats are extended with a simple purchase of new spike studs to replace the worn out ones. However, with the extra screws comes extra weight, making them the heaviest shoe of the bunch.