Tuff Toe Tutorial: Hot Spot! Who Needs A Tuff Toe Hot Spot!?
You probably already know if you need to apply a Hot Spot, if you don’t then just look at your old cleats. Did you wear out the side of your cleats, right over the toe knuckle, in addition to the standard wear on the toe of the shoe?
If you play baseball, softball, or do any other activity that requires you to drag the sides of your feet, you should consider applying a Tuff Toe Hot Spot to make your shoes and pitching cleats last longer.
What You’ll Need To apply a Tuff Toe Hot Spot to your cleats; the Tuff Toe Pro or make it easier on yourself and get the Tuff Gun Combo Pack.
This includes everything you need to repair and protect your cleats: – 1 Applicator – 1 80 grit sandpaper – 1 Popsicle stick – 1 Cartridge of Tuff Toe Pro – 2 tips.
Apply a Standard Tuff Toe Pro Before the Hot Spot
When you’re ready to reinforce your cleat, do the standard toe application first and let the material firm up for about 5 – 10 minutes before moving on to the hot spot.
Step 1: Mark The Spot w/ a Marker or Pen
Once the toe has set, use a marker to outline the area of your cleat that needs to be protected.
Step 2: Prep, Clean, Sand
Just like any other application of Tuff Toe, you will need to sand the area you outlined, being careful to avoid sanding over seams, or else they will fray. If possible, it is also advised to leave a gap between the standard toe treatment and the hot spot so your cleat will still be able to flex.
Step 3: Equalize Cartridge And Tip
Tuff Toe is a two-part application that needs to mix together at the time of application. If the parts are not equal, the application will fail. To ensure equalization, load the cartridge into the applicator without the tip and squeeze the trigger until both parts are extracting equally. Then put the tip back on and squeeze a 1 to a 2-inch line to test to make sure it’s coming out alright.
Step 4: Apply Once your Hot Spot has been Prepped.
Hold the shoe flat on its side and apply a dot of Tuff Toe about the size of your thumb or a quarter. Start in the middle of the area you have marked off and let it run out toward the edges. Be careful not to apply it very thickly or your cleat won’t be able to flex and will be uncomfortable to wear. Just a thin layer will do. Continue to hold it flat on its side while you smooth out the dot with a popsicle stick.
Step 5: Rotate And Cure.
Once the hot spot is the size and shape you want it, rotate the shoe slowly for one to two minutes so that the Tuff Toe doesn’t drip down the side or dry unevenly. Let it cure for 24 hours before wearing. And you’re done!
Side Note:
All Tuff Toe Certified Application Pros go through the same training that we put our internal applicators through before they are allowed to apply Tuff Toe to NCAA or MLB pitcher cleats or other footwear. And when you have a certified Tuff Toe pro treat your cleats, you’ll have the product and application guaranteed for the usable life of your boots. If you decide to send your cleats in instead of the DIY process, be sure to mark the area that needs the hot spot with a marker so our Pros know exactly where to reinforce.
Bonus Options:
Another Tuff Toe application option is the extended toe pattern, which offers more protection, but causes the cleat to be stiffer and needs more frequent touch-ups. Read more about selecting the right Tuff Toe application for your needs Yet another option for getting your baseball cleats or softball cleats repaired is to bring them to a certified Tuff Toe Application Pro.
Extra Mixing Tips
Also, the mixing tips are not reusable because the Tuff Toe cures in them after a while.
But once you have the applicator, you’ll probably want to use it again for touch-ups and other cleat repairs, as well as non-shoe related repairs.
If you’ve got any questions, hit us up on our live chat, on Facebook Messenger, Instagram or send them to team@tufftoe.com
