Footwear Friday: A closer look at New Balance’s Men’s 4040 Low Metal Baseball Cleats

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We’ve taken an informal poll around the office at Baseball Express HQ, asking some of our equipment experts the most important thing to keep in mind when buying new cleats.

The unanimous answer: Fit.

Without a good fit, even the most advanced cleats become useless. A poor fit will affect your running mechanics, hampering your performance as your cleats literally hurt you more than help you.

Long-term use of poor fitting cleats will cause more than just calluses and blisters. It can lead to Achilles tendinitis and Plantar fasciitis, both of which will require extensive recovery time. With younger athletes, poor fitting footwear can lead to development problems.

By finding well-fitted cleats, you can keep those problems from ever coming up.

New Balance makes that easy with its new Men’s 4040 Low Metal Baseball Cleats. Our selection of 4040s has the traditional sizes (from 7-16), but it also allows players to choose a size based on their foot width (narrow, medium or wide).

That takes the guesswork out of buying cleats. It means the end of buying a size or two too large in order to accommodate wide feet, or sacrificing toe space in order to get fitting shoes for narrow feet.

Every pair of New Balance 4040s comes with a custom, comfortable fit.

The New Balance 4040s also include a resilient engineered elastomer, designed to provide shock absorption. That makes for a responsive, comfortable ride.

They weigh 13.3 ounces apiece, so there will be no wasted energy on the basepaths and in the field, and most importantly, no injuries caused by your cleats.

They’re available in five different color combinations, including Dustin Pedroia’s camo.

Get a pair for $89.99 at Baseball Express.

Related: Shop our entire selection of New Balance baseball cleats and shoes.

Friday Focus: A second look at Reebok’s Men’s Zig Dynamic Running Shoes

It’s been out on the market for a while now, but we’re still fascinated with the technology in Reebok’s ZigTech shoes.

It’s got a unique look, that’s for sure. But beneath all of those wiggly bumps on the bottom of your shoe is solid science, designed to protect you from shin splints, knee injuries and the wear and tear of hard training.

As the folks at Reebok explain:

“Traditional energy return is focused only on the vertical impact of the heel strike,” said Reebok’s Head of Advanced Innovation, Bill McInnis. “In contrast, ZigTech is designed to transfer energy horizontally along the zigs so the athlete gets that energy back in the forefoot.”

The lightweight, flexible bottom unit, minimalist upper, and whisper-quiet ground contact also contribute to making ZigTech a new standard in running and training footwear. In fact, by wearing Reebok’s ZigTech footwear, training longer just got easier. The technology causes up to 20% less wear and tear on key leg muscles, especially the shins and hamstrings.

That’s certainly the case with Reebok’s Men’s Zig Dynamic Running Shoes.

They’re built for the gym, the trail and the diamond. They’ve got the ubiquitous ZigTech sole, designed to provide the perfect balance of energy efficiency and cushioning.

They also feature a SmoothFit upper, designed to minimize irritation and rub, and a Transition Bridge for optimal heel-to-toe handling. The synthetic upper provides lightweight comfort and support.

Get a pair for $99.99 at Baseball Express.

Related: Shop our entire selection of Reebok footwear.

Save $10 when you buy a pair of Nike Men’s Air Diamond Trainers

Nike Men’s Air Diamond Trainers have been around for years, and they’re consistently among our top sellers in footwear.

Why?

Try as they might, competitors just can’t beat the durability and quality of these versatile shoes. The Air Diamond trainers are great for wearing into the batting cage, using for outfield conditioning or wearing on turf fields.

You’ll always have a comfortable fit, thanks to the Air Diamond trainer’s lightweight synthetic leather construction. The training shoe also has a full-length Nike Phylon midsole with Air-Sole units in the heels.

The outside is an aggressive rubber that utilizes a nubby design preferred by our pro-level baseball players.

These shoes usually retail for $59.99, but you can get them at Baseball Express for $49.99.

Related: Shop our entire selection of recently reduced baseball footwear.

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Save $25 when you buy a new pair of Reebok Men’s Zig Pro Cooperstown Baseball Cleats

Our selection of recently reduced items continues to grow, and we just added Reebok Men’s Zig Pro Cooperstown Baseball Cleats to the list.

You can now get a pair of Zig Pro Cooperstowns for $89.99, a $25 discount from their original retail price.

By now, you might be familiar with Reebok’s ZigTech technology. By increasing the surface area in the “zigs” of the shoe, there is more area for the shock to disperse. The result is a springy, comfortable ride.

The Zig Pro Cooperstown Metal Cleats feature a set of metal spikes underneath the EVA zig outsole, which provides lightweight cushioning and flexibility for muscle efficiency. The cleat’s reinforced toe area makes this a great set of cleats for pitchers.

For comfort: The upper is soft synthetic leather with mesh, and the PlatDry collar lining keeps your foot cool and comfortable. The anti-microbial footbed keeps your cleats nice and funk-free.

These baseball cleats usually retail for $114.99, but you can get a pair of Zig Pro Cooperstown Low Metal Baseball Cleats for $89.99 at Baseball Express.

Related: Shop our entire selection of baseball cleats.