Considering how technical the event is, finding the right pair of high jump spikes can make all the difference.
I’ve tried pretty much every pair of high jump spikes under the Sun. to find a pair comfortable for my jumping Style and me.
Luckily we live in a time where sporting manufacturers make high jump spikes that allow you to take off with both feet. Years ago, athletes would have to make sure that they had the right shoes designed to run the curved depending on what foot they would be taking off with.
High jump spikes have always varied over the years and changed as technology developed. As you can imagine, having a pair of light high jump spikes was advantageous. But because of the significant stresses and strains put on the shoes during takeoff.
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Best High Jump Spikes you can buy in 2023
Nike High Jump Elite Spikes
When I first tried on at Nike, high jump spikes fit like a glove. I’ve always struggled with high jump spikes, which are somewhat built and feel cumbersome, but that’s not the case with the High Jump Elite Spikes.
The synthetic material Nike used for the shoe’s upper part felt like it was moulded to my foot shape nicely, Enabling me to feel confident during the entire phase of the run-up and take-off.
The straps across the top also added to the lockdown feeling the spikes gave me. So I felt like I could push myself during the jump, and my feet wouldn’t move around in the shoe.
The shoe’s sole is solid, but I could still feel some flexion while running in them, so they didn’t feel weird. I struggled with this previously with other high jump shoes, where the shoe’s sole is solid, and they feel like boats on your feet. But I had no problem with the Nike Elite high jump spikes.
Overall they are a fantastic pair of spikes, and you can’t go wrong with them on performance alone. One downside is the price of being one of the more expensive pairs of spikes you can purchase, so it limits the potential target audience of jumpers who can afford them.
Adidas Adizero High Jump Spikes
I’ve been using Adidas adizero high jump spikes for many years because they have consistently been among the best spikes you can buy. Adidas has changed the overall design too much over the last 3 and 4 years. With some material changes, as I said before, technology has enabled manufacturers to use lighter but more robust materials.
When I first picked them up, there were many similarities to the Nike High Jump Spikes. The spikes on the underside of the shoe are in the same position. They also come with a matching strap across the top of the foot.
My feet are pretty narrow, so I found the Adidas spikes fit me slightly better, but this is relatively consistent with many other points, as Adidas always tend to have a somewhat narrow fitting to their shoes. Indeed, something to keep in mind if you are in a similar position to me.
One area I found that was better on the Nike spikes was run-up, as it’s more comfortable wearing Nike shoes than Adidas Adizero HJ.
Adidas high jump spikes tend to come in slightly cheaper than the Nike Spikes, so if the price is a factor for you, you probably want to get the Adidas adizero high jump spikes.
Puma EvoSpeed High Jump Spikes
Believe it or not, other sporting manufacturers besides Nike and Adidas exist. Although Puma always slips under the radar for many people, They have been making perfect spikes for a long time now, more noticeably for the sprinting events. But they have been causing perfect jumping spikes as well.
The Puma Evospeed, High Jump Spikes feel very premium in your hand and feel the same when you put them on. The overall support you feel around your feet is superb. I was wearing these spikes.
I found them slightly cumbersome at times, but this could be down to my narrow feet, whereas people with wider feet will probably not have this problem. Another factor could also be the sole of the shoe feeling rigid. You want this for a performance, but I feel slightly uncomfortable walking around.
They are the cheapest spikes out of the 3 I’ve listed here, Which will be a factor for many of you considering getting any of these pairs.
Can you wear different event spikes for the High Jump?
Yes, you can, and many brilliant jumpers have worn different event spikes to compete in the high jump.
Most famously, the Russian high jumper Ivan Ukhov used to wear sprint spikes, and he did go on to win multiple world titles. But he would always struggle in wet conditions, causing him to slip because he didn’t have the spikes on the heel of a shoe.
Why would you want to wear high jump spikes?
High Jump spikes have been explicitly designed to support you during the run-up and, more importantly, the explosive jumping phase.
You have spiked at the front of the shoe and typically have four at the rear. This increases your grip during the jump, as most athletes will take off and strike the floor with that heel first. I’ve been thankful for this plenty of times when jumping in wet conditions.
Conclusion
Here I’ve listed the best high jump spikes I’ve tried myself. Although there are probably many other outstanding high jump spikes out there, I wouldn’t want to comment without trying them first.
You really can’t go wrong with either Nike, Adidas or Puma. There are minimal distinguishing features between all of them.
You’ll be fine using all three of these high jump spikes regardless of what foot you take off on.
If you have narrow feet like myself, I think you would probably be best with the Adidas high jump spikes, as I fit my feet better.
If you have a relatively standard size fitting, and the higher price isn’t a factor, then the best you can buy would be Nike Elite High Jump Spikes.