When it comes to buying new football equipment, we know that it can be both confusing and expensive. We're delighted that more people are coming to FourFourTwo than ever before looking for advice on what is worth buying.
Both our content and our values have always been driven by the fact that we are first-and-foremost football fans. We know that following football is an increasingly expensive pastime – from tickets and merchandise, to TV subscriptions and boots – so when we recommend a product, we really mean it.
The quality of FFT's reviews and buying guides are based on a rigorous testing process and whether carried out by staff members or freelancers, you can trust the knowledge and expertise of those who wrote them.
FourFourTwo's commitment to you:
• The products we review are tested by good amateurs – we believe that's more useful than the opinions of Premier League pros and online aggregators.
• If we say we've reviewed a product, that means we've used it out on the pitch (grass, artificial, or otherwise) and used it at least a couple of times.
• Manufacturers can't pay for a good review – we tell it how we see it.
How does FourFourTwo rank products?
FourFourTwo reviews have a five-star rating system. We tend not to publish product reviews if it has less than a three-star rating, unless we determine there to be a sufficient editorial reason to do so.
FourFourTwo doesn’t rank products within our buying guides, but we will reference stand out features and link to individual reviews for those who want a deeper dive into how a product performs.
FourFourTwo Star rating guide
5 stars - This stands out from the crowd in looks, feel and performance. No significant weakness holds it back.
4.5 stars - The product has a high level of all-round performance that marks it as an excellent product. May have minimal weaknesses, but we judge them to be largely insiginifcant.
4 stars - Performs to a high standard in multiple areas of consideration but may not excel in certain ones. It is a very good, reliable product, but may not exceed expectations.
3.5 stars - This is not a product that leads its competitors among the categories that we think are important, though it does perform to a good standard overall. The review will reflect shortcomings around the design, how the product looks or performs, or the value on offer.
3 stars - This may do the job to a decent standard but is lacking when compared to competitors in its field, leading to questions over build quality, durability, looks or performance.
Who tests products for FourFourTwo?
Product testing is currently almost entirely handled through our team of staff writers, with reviews penned by Conor Pope, Mark White, Ed McCambridge and Ryan Dabbs – all keen football fans with an interest in playing at various levels of the amateur game, including in the German football pyramid and international futsal.
We also have a small team of non-writing testers, who we look to for opinions on products and help with road-testing to ensure we have been as thorough as possible.
