SG Metal Stud Boots: When to Wear Them and Stud Care

SG boots are the ones with screw-in metal studs, made for natural grass that has turned soft and muddy. On the right pitch they hold when moulded studs start to slide. On the wrong one they feel harsh, can damage the surface and are often not allowed at all. Here is how to tell when SG makes sense, how to look after the studs, and how to put an SG sole on boots you already own.

The short answer

• What SG means: soft ground. Fewer, longer studs, usually metal and screwed in, so they can be changed when they wear down.
• Where to wear them: natural grass that gives way under your feet, and soft dirt pitches.
• Where not to wear them: artificial turf, indoor courts and hard, dry ground.
• The quick test: press your heel into the pitch. If it sinks and the studs would go in, SG can help. If the ground pushes back, stay with FG, AG or a turf sole.

The photo at the top shows our STUD-05, an SG replacement sole with screw-in metal studs, and a close-up of a stud and the stud key that turns it.

Soft ground means soft, not just wet

Rain is a clue, not the rule. A pitch can be wet on the surface and still firm underneath, and on that kind of ground a firm ground (FG) boot usually works fine. SG earns its place when the top layer is loose enough that shorter moulded studs cannot reach anything solid, so your planted foot slides as the ground moves.

Longer studs pass through that soft layer and find firmer soil below. Because there are fewer of them, each one goes in more easily, and the wider gaps between them give mud less room to pack in. That is why a typical SG plate has a small number of studs under the ball of the foot and the heel rather than rows of short ones.

So the question to ask before a match is not "did it rain?" but "does the ground give?" Walk on it, press a heel in, and look at how deep other players' studs are marking the grass.

Where metal studs do not belong

Metal studs are made to sink into soil. When they cannot, the problems start.

• Artificial turf: long metal studs do not suit the synthetic carpet and its base. They can catch in the surface, they can damage the pitch, and many venues do not allow them. If you play on turf, an AG or turf sole is the right tool. Our guide to boots on artificial turf explains the options.
• Hard, dry ground: if the studs cannot go in, your weight rests on a few small points. The boot can feel raised and unstable, and the studs wear down quickly.
• Indoor floors and pavement: no grip, and a quick way to ruin both the studs and the floor. Carry SG boots to the pitch and change there.

Rules differ by league and venue, so check the footwear rules before you bring metal studs, especially if you play somewhere new.

Looking after screw-in studs

The big advantage of an SG sole is that the studs are replaceable. When they wear down, you change only the studs, not the whole sole. A few habits keep them working:

• Check them before each match. Tighten any stud that turns by hand. A stud that works loose can fall out mid-game or damage the thread it sits in.
• Replace worn studs. When a stud has worn short or the tip has gone flat, swap it before it wears into the plate.
• Knock the mud off after play. Clean the plate and the base of each stud before the mud dries hard, then brush the upper with lukewarm water.
• Dry them slowly. Stuff the boots with paper and leave them at room temperature. Direct heat from a heater or hair dryer can harden leather and weaken the glue.
• Keep the threads clean. If you take studs out between seasons, keep the empty holes free of grit so the studs go back in smoothly.

Leather boots get the most from this care, because the upper usually outlasts the sole. Our leather boot care guide covers cleaning and conditioning in more detail.

One pair or two?

For most players SG works best as a second pair for the wettest weeks rather than the only boots in the bag. If most of your games are on dry grass or turf, a pair with moulded studs will cover the rest of the season more comfortably.

If your pitch changes between firm and soft, or you play on dirt as well as grass, a multi-ground (MG) sole is another option. It uses dense rows of short moulded studs, so it suits mixed surfaces where long metal studs would feel too harsh.

Our guide to FG, AG, MG, SG and futsal soles compares every type side by side.

Turn boots you already own into SG boots

You do not need to buy a new pair to get metal studs. If you like the fit of your current boots, we can remove the old outsole and attach our SG sole, so the upper you are used to stays as it is. This also works the other way round: an SG boot whose plate has cracked can get a new SG sole or a different type for the pitch you now play on.

• STUD-05, SG metal studs: screw-in metal studs for dirt pitches and wet natural grass. When they wear down, only the studs need replacing. Sizes 245 to 310mm, about 260g at size 260mm.
• The midsole is usually replaced too. The original midsole in most boots is a thin layer that does not bond well to a new sole, so we replace it in almost every resole.
• We check the upper first. If the leather is torn or the boot has lost its shape, we will tell you before any work starts.

Photos, sizes and weights of all 19 soles are in our replacement sole catalog.

Getting a quote

Prices depend on your boots and the sole you choose. Send photos of the side and the sole on WhatsApp, tell us where you play, and we will reply with a quote, usually within 2 to 4 hours. This guide shows which photos help most.

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).