It doesn’t take much play a game of Ultimate. All you really need is a disc, cleats, maybe a glove, and some friends. Over the years discs have changed to ultimately become our beloved 175-gram Discraft, gloves have now become specifically for Ultimate and used widely, your friends may still be losers, but cleats never really made any traction (pun intended) in the Ultimate world. We always just found ourselves in the soccer aisle wondering why no one has created an Ultimate-specific cleat yet. Well ladies, gentlemen, and the 86 other currently existing genders, that time has come. Universe Point (“UP”) has created the first Ultimate Frisbee cleat 1.0 designed specifically to enhance your cutting, pivoting, and overall sex appeal. Now, they have pushed the bar even further with their 2nd edition to the already perfect cleat with version 2.0. If you thought they were good before, just wait.
I was fortunate enough to take these cleats for a ride. Below, I have personally ranked UP’s Ultimate cleats on four categories I see most important; Quality, Durability, Comfort, Usability
Usually I would end the review with this category but part of what makes these cleats so special is how the team at Universe Point accomplished such an amazing feat of engineering. Let’s start by saying Nike and Adidas have been developing cleats for decades, not to mention Under Armor, Puma, etc. If you want a great cleat from any of these companies you will spend at least $120, which makes sense since you are paying for top-quality materials and generations of research. Universe point however, on there first try in the cleat market, developed a cleat that matches if not exceeds those top-of-the-line cleats and they did it for a price of just $85 bucks.
Universe Point’s cleat is made of mostly premium materials. The top of the cleat is a synthetic microfiber leather which is known to be breathable yet durable. A perk of this type of leather is that it is antibacterial and anti-mildew which will help extend the life of the cleats and also cover up your horrendous smell over time. The sole is made of a dense thermoplastic polyurethane, customized to maximize durability. The new 2.0 cleats removed all of the design seams on the upper part of the shoe making it far more durable, water resistant, and improving the overall look and design of the shoe.
Overall the quality of these cleats far exceeds their price tag. This a premium product and should be a necessity for any serious Ultimate player.
In my eyes, durability is the most important when it comes to Ultimate cleats. Most of us are just poor college kids who’s primary diet consists of calzones and $1 beers on mug night. We don’t have the kind of cash to be buying a new pair of cleats every semester. What we want is a cleat that will last us multiple seasons, a cleat that won’t fall apart just before that last tournament of the semester, a cleat that won’t force us to spend more money on duct tape prior to said tournament.
I tested these cleats for 8 weeks. I play in a club league 2 days a week and also a few random scrimmages in between. I also attended two intense 3-day tournaments during that time. In addition, I usually go jogging in my sneakers but for 6 weeks I jogged in these on grass just to try to get them to break. I played in the rain, morning dew, and in hot and cold weather.
So, how did they hold up? Well, they did phenomenal. After a little wash they almost look like new again. I paid close attention to where the polyurethane sole meets the synthetic leather and there is no separation whatsoever. Most cheaper cleats tend to separate, or at least start to, before the end of the first season. In the 2.0 version of the cleats, UP replaced the mid-sole of the shoe, which is the part that joins the hard plastic bottom with the rest of the shoe, with a significant upgraded material designed to be more structurally durable.
The spikes on these cleats are very thick, much thicker than most soccer/football cleats. This is a good sign that the spikes will not break off after significant use. There were no rips or tears after 6 weeks of use either. Not even a string out of place. I intend to keep wearing these cleats throughout the next few seasons and I will update this review again as the cleats start to take more of a beating.
If you have ever bought brand new cleats there is a 99.3% chance you have gotten blisters the first few times you wore them. With most cleats it seems like comfort is sacrificed for usability. If only we lived in a world where we could have both…
When I first received these I tried them on and they were unbelievably comfortable, they actually felt more like sneakers than cleats. I said to myself “theres no way these cleats are gonna be any good, they are too comfortable.” I am used to Soccer cleats that hugs the foot very tightly which I always liked because it almost felt like I was barefoot with studs. I imagined my foot would slide all around in these especially when cutting (I got the right size btw, it’s not that they are big, just looser).
In addition, version 2.0 now comes with an extra set of soles for two reasons. 1) If your cleats get wet you can temporarily replace the sole to get back to practice the next day while they dry and 2) If your a real Ultimate player you know that after about 1 year your soles get ripped to shreds, often times before the cleats themselves fall apart. Which leaves us in an awkward state of self-questioning “Do I buy new soles even though my cleats will probably fall apart soon?” “Do I throw these cleats out and buy new ones?” The addition of a free pair of soles extends the life of these two-fold and adds to the value. Great addition UP!
Imagine wearing your favorite, most comfortable, running sneakers then attaching Ultimate-specific studs on the bottom, and then cutting better than your top-of-the-line cleats. That’s exactly what these are like. I’m not sure what Ultimate-playing virgin had to be sacrificed to make this magic happen but these are by far the most comfortable and efficient cleats I have ever worn. I did not even get a single blister when wearing them. The 2.0 version added an upgraded security and fit around the instep and ankle areas. They used a neoprene type material to allow the mid to back part of the shoe fit to your foot like a glove. I have noticed this stretchy material around the ankle also keeps out dirt, rocks, and water from entering your cleat. The upper part of the shoe is made with synthetic padded microfiber leather and the sole seems to be slightly more padded than normal also. I have worn hundred of cleats over my lifetime for various different sports and I have never worn one as comfortable as these. Overall, 5 out of 5 starts for comfort. Great job guys *fist bump *
This category will explain the overall traction of the cleat and a couple features Universe Point added to make these puppies top of the line.
Traction is definitely key. The more traction the better. I got a chance to speak with the team behind the cleat and they truly started from the basics..
“The cleat pattern design is 100% kinesiology and physics. The kinesiology looks at how the human body works to apply force for different movement” – Universe Point
UP settled on an omnidirectional spike pattern for the bottom of the shoe. This pattern is ideal for Ultimate since we cut forward/back and left/right, unlike soccer cleats which are more for forward acceleration. UP also mentioned that they put a lot of time into the thickness and number of spikes. Thicker spike have less give which makes for stronger acceleration while smaller spike dig into the ground for more traction.
These cleats performed extremely well in all types of weather. If you ever wanted to know what it’s like to surgically implant your foot to the ground every step then I highly recommend you try these. UP mentioned they went through five prototypes to get to the finished product, and it shows. Every cut I made felt stiff and precise. The sole adjusted perfectly with my foot for not only a powerful cut but also a comfortable one. This cleat pattern you see to the right is patented by UP Ultimate because of all the time and research they put into making the best cleat in existence.
Universe Point also implemented a “toe-spike” as you can see at the tip of the cleat in the close up. This spike does not feel that sharp but it really sticks into the ground nicely. The main perk of a toe spike is for quick forward acceleration and it works extremely well nice weather. Not to mention it helps when pivoting, no more unwanted travel calls. The only criticism I have is that the toe spike slides a little in muddier weather, especially because I got so used to the traction it gives in nice weather. Nonetheless, these cleats did an outstanding job and are definitely a solid competitor to the major brands like Adidas and Nike.
