A buyers' guide featuring boots for flashy stylish backs, traditional forwards and everyone inbetween
Best Rugby Boots 2022
Pre-season has snuck up on us. If you aren’t already running broncos then you can be sure that they are creeping up over the horizon. Why not look to upgrade your boots as you embark on another season? If you haven’t brought a pair for a few years we guarantee you will be shocked be the technological advances.
Boots are now lightweight, but without the potential for damage that comes from wearing what amounts to socks. They are built for speed. You might not be Jasmine Joyce but you can certainly get the most out of your own top-end pace with boots designed to pass all your power directly into the ground.
Plus, and this might be sacrilege, why not step outside your comfort zone with some non-black kicks? Just because you’re charging around in the mud doesn’t mean you should neglect style.
What should you look out for in a boot? Most boots will be specified as either soft ground (SG) or firm ground (FG).
Soft-ground boots are for the mid-season when the ground is muddy with little grip. They will have traditional studs; long, rounded, and metal. Firm-ground boots are for better surfaces where you can forgo long studs in favour of sleeker plastic pegs, shorter metal studs, or a combination of the two.
A lightweight boot will allow you to reach your top speed but it comes at the expense of protection from a stray stud. Forwards may prefer to carry a bit more weight to protect them in scrums and mauls whereas backs would be advised to head down the lightweight route to maximise their agility.
Below we run through the best rugby boots of 2022.
Best Rugby Boots
Puma Ultra 1.4 FG Boots
We tried these on straight out of the box. They are lightweight. Extremely lighweight. Lightweight to the point that you feel they must be compromising on something. But, on firm surfaces, or if you play on 4G pitches, they offer everything you need.
The studs were more than grippy enough for a Manchester pitch in July after some recent heavy rain. Unless you had particularly poor underfoot conditions you could probably wear them year round.
That lightweight construction also doesn’t ignore protection. Puma say the upper has Matryxevo carbon yarn technology and a microfibre speedcage. What that feels like is a firm, but flexible, upper which deflects all but the most insistent stud.
Reasons to buy:
– They look extremely good
– Our testers noted genuine improvements in their speed. The lightweight construction really does encourage you to accelerate and jink and dart where you please
Reasons not to buy:
– There’s no getting away from it, they are very expensive. Puma has other boots in the range (Ultra 2.4 and Ultra 3.4), which are cheaper while still offering some of the same features
Adidas Malice SG Boots
(adidas)
The Adidas Malices come highly recommended. These are the boots I’ve chosen to wear for the last couple of seasons.
The Malices are comfortable immediately out of the box thanks to the soft cushioned inner. After about 30 training sessions and 12 matches I can confirm that they remain as comfortable as ever.
The offset laces are ideal for kickers. It is hard not to be encouraged when you look down and see a dinner plate sized area to kick with.
Reasons to buy:
– Incredibly comfortable with good cushioning to protect ankle knocks
– Very reasonably priced for a boot of this quality
Reasons not to buy:
– Very effective on most surfaces aside from very muddy, which isn’t what you would expect from an SG boot
Buy Now from Sports Direct for £39
Buy Now from Pro Direct Rugby for £65
Buy Now from Lovell Rugby for £52
Adidas Kakari Z.1 SG Boots
(adidas)
It’s impossible to write a list of the best rugby boots without including a pair of Kakaris. They have consistently been some of the most popular boots among pros and amateurs alike.
The outer is even more durable than before and the sole offers great traction and stability.
It could be seen as more of the same, except Adidas have taken the design and trimmed weight from it without compromising on other areas. It truly is the boot for the modern forward.
Reasons to buy:
– Tried and tested by thousands of pro and amateur feet over the years. You are guaranteed a quality boot
– Even lighter than before but without losing any functionality
Reasons not to buy:
– Last year’s boots, recommended by Rugby World, are available for up to 75% cheaper than the latest Kakaris
Buy Now from Lovell Rugby for £180
Buy Now from Pro Direct Rugby for £180
Canterbury Phoenix Genesis Elite Boots
The Phoenix Genesis Elites are designed in conjunction with Wales flanker (come winger, come centre, come fly-half!) Justin Tipuric. The boots are unsurprisingly therefore a mix of forward grit and back agility.
They don’t have the sock-like construction of some boots but they are still light. The benefit of that sturdier construction is that you feel like all your power is going through the boot and into the ground. I don’t have much power but I felt instantly more powerful when stepping or driving into contact in these boots.
Reasons to buy:
– Understated style if you are someone who decries the rise of the sock boot
– Would suit any player regardless of position. If you are a scrummaging prop or a flighty winger, or even Tipuric himself, you will benefit from this boot
Reasons not to buy:
– Would not be a good fit if you play mostly on dry pitches
Buy Now from Lovell Rugby for £130
Puma Future Z 2.3 Boots
The Future Z 2.3 is certainly eye-catching; it will probably catch your opponents eye as you tear past them on the way to scoring!
They are incredibly light and feel fast when you put them on. The knitted upper won’t be for everyone. I found it a little tight for my wide feet whereas a team-mate, with narrower feet, felt they were very comfortable and secure.
The knit upper is reinforced near the sole so it does feel like you are wearing high-performance boots rather than a high-performance sweater.
Reasons to buy:
– Very comfortable boot for those with narrower feet
– Hits the modern balancing act of lightweight but not flimsy
Reasons not to buy:
– Zero toe protection on these from a stray stud
– Not for anyone hoping to play in the pack
Canterbury Speed 3.0 Pro SG Boots
(Canterbury)
The Canterbury Speed boots have been regular appearers in these lists over the last few years. They punch significantly above their price range and are extremely comfortable.
Once again we’re talking socks. The Speed 3.0 aren’t a full sock design like some of the others on this list, but they contain a sock element to provide a tight but comfortable fit. The sole and stud design will be enough for most positions all year around.
The fact that you can get this much boot for well under £100 is testament to the work Canterbury have done.
Reasons to buy:
– Plenty of features you would find on a more expensive boot but at half, or sometimes a quarter, of the cost of their competitors
– Good comfortable fit straight out of the box
Reasons not to buy:
– Can feel a little saggy at the edges, as though some of your energy is being lost into the boot
Buy Now from Pro Direct Rugby for £64
Buy Now from Lovell Rugby for £41
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