Kids Football Boots: When Resoling Is Worth It

Children's feet usually outgrow a pair of football boots before the boots wear out, so a new sole is often not the answer. There are exceptions, though: a pair that still fits but has the wrong studs for the team's pitch, a sole that came away early, or good boots waiting for a younger brother or sister. Here is how we judge a child's boots, which soles fit which foot lengths, and when we would tell you to buy a new pair instead.

The short answer

• Check the fit first. If the toes are at the end of the boot, a new sole will not solve the real problem.
• Resoling makes sense when the upper is sound, the boot still has room, and you plan to get real use out of it.
• A new pair makes more sense when the child is close to the next size or the upper is worn out.
• Foot length decides the sole. From 165 to 215mm we have one kids' artificial turf sole. From 220mm our adult soles start to open up.

See 3,900+ before-and-after repair photos by brand and repair type

Check the fit before anything else

A resole keeps the upper, and the upper is what sets the fit. So the first job is to find out how much life the boots have left on this child's feet.

• Use the socks they play in. Football socks are thicker than everyday socks and change how a boot feels.
• Check the toes while they stand. About half a centimetre in front of the longest toe is a common guide for football boots. Much less than that and the boots are nearly done.
• Watch the heel as they walk. A heel that lifts can mean the boot is too big, which matters just as much as one that is too small.
• Look at the feet afterwards. Red marks on the toes or sides after training are worth taking seriously, and so is a child saying the boots suddenly hurt.

Feet can change quickly during a growth spurt, so it helps to check every couple of months rather than once a season. If a child has foot or heel pain that keeps coming back, that is a question for a doctor, not for a repair shop.

When a new sole is worth it

• The boots still fit, but the pitch has changed. This is the most useful case. A pair of firm ground boots can get an artificial turf sole when the team trains on turf. Our guide to FG boots on artificial turf explains why the sole matters on that surface.
• The sole failed before the upper did. A sole that has peeled away, a cracked plate or broken studs can leave you with a good upper and nothing to stand on.
• The boots will be worn by someone else. A pair that has been outgrown can go on to a younger brother or sister, and a worn sole does not have to be the end of it.
• Their feet have slowed down. An older child who has been in the same size for a while can expect a longer run from a resoled pair.
• The boots are hard to replace. A favourite model or colour may matter more to a child than it does to anyone else in the house.

When we would buy a new pair

A repair is not always the right call for a growing child. Think about a new pair if:

• the toes are already close to the end, and the child will outgrow the boots within a few months
• the upper is split, the lining has gone or the boot has lost its shape
• the boots are low-cost and a resole would cost close to what you paid for them
• the child needs the boots for a match next week, because the work takes 2 to 3 weeks

If you are not sure, our checklist for resoling or replacing boots goes through it part by part. The same logic applies to adult boots, with one difference: an adult's foot is not going to grow out of the repair.

Soles by foot length, and adding a little room

Replacement soles come in fixed sizes, so the size of the boot decides what we can fit. Many size labels inside the boot show a figure in centimetres or millimetres. A label that says 21.5 cm is 215mm.

• 165 to 215mm: STUD-04, our kids' AG sole. It is natural rubber, tough and slow-wearing, popular for artificial turf, and it has no cushioning layer. It is the only sole we have in these sizes, so we cannot fit a grass (FG) sole, metal studs or a futsal sole below 220mm.
• 220mm and up, for grass: FG soles STUD-08 and STUD-11 start at 220mm. STUD-01 and STUD-03 start at 225mm.
• 220mm and up, for artificial turf: AG sole STUD-12 starts at 220mm. STUD-15 starts at 230mm.
• 220mm and up, for futsal: the basic futsal sole STUD-06 and the cushioned STUD-06-1 start at 220mm. These are turf-style (TF) soles.
• Mixed turf and dirt: MG soles STUD-14 and STUD-14-1 start at 235mm, so these suit older children.

Each sole has its own size range, so send us the size and we will confirm what fits. All 19 are in our replacement sole catalog, with photos and weights.

A resole can also add a little room. Because the work takes the boot apart, we can adjust the size during the work, usually by about 5mm, and we confirm the amount after we have seen the boots. That can be useful for a child who is just starting to get tight in a pair that is otherwise in good shape.

It has limits. It only works together with a resole, it is a small change rather than a full size, and it will not rescue boots a child has clearly outgrown. If you would like it, tell us when you ask for a quote, because the size stays the same unless you do. The midsole, the layer between the sole and the insole, is usually replaced in a resole anyway, and it has to be when the size changes.

Getting a quote

Prices depend on the boots and the sole you choose. Send a photo of the side, a photo of the sole and the size label on WhatsApp, tell us where your child plays, and we will reply with a quote, usually within 2 to 4 hours. If the upper is too far gone, we will tell you before any work starts.

The work usually takes 2 to 3 weeks, up to a month in busy periods. Our workshop is in Goyang, next to Seoul. You can visit by appointment, open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, or send the boots by courier. We will send you the Korean address on WhatsApp. You can also reach us on KakaoTalk (ID 21apro).