Price : ~$25 (depends on store)
Touch
This ball from out of the box has a very grippy finish to it, which helps with trapping and curling the ball, as well as getting more accurate passes. Yet this finish does wear off after a few hours, after that, the ball feels as if it has just the right amount of grip and does over-exaggerate the spin you can get on it. The panels are soft as well right out of the box, but as you use it, they become more flat at the foam on the ball bottoms out making it more flat.
Shooting
Shooting with this ball is just the same as any other, if filled with the right amount of air, it will be rock solid and it well generally fly pretty predictably, unless it gets lopsided, which can happen to balls of this price range. The radar graphics on this ball give it an even more enhanced sense of predictability and can be beneficial to goal keepers.
Water Uptake/Durability
This ball does take up a bit of water, but not a lot. It is nothing to be worried about, even when leaving the ball outside in a storm. I have played with this ball 100+ hours and it still hasn't ripped any of its panels (keep in mind that it was being used in PROPER conditions, no concrete). I've used it on AG fields and my only gripe with it is that it does get very dirty, very fast, so don't be surprised if you see scuffs on its surface.
Overall
The ball is cheap, the synthetic panels feel good but eventually they start to lose their grip and feel a bit more cheap. The durability is great given that it is used on the right surface. The shooting is decent and it is pretty predictable, just be careful of lopsiding and air loss. Make sure you keep the ball pumped to the right pressure constantly and the ball will play dry well. It is a good cheap ball that can last you a while if it used correctly.
Touch : 3/5
Shooting : 3/5
Overall 3/5
Price : 5/5
Overall 3.5/5
You can buy this ball here @ http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&query=Nike+strike&N=0&Product_Id=6501833
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Nike Mercurial Veloce
This being the first takedown of the Mercurial series right below the Vapor, this fairly well priced, slightly "dumbed down" version of the vapor is a very good boot and will offer most of what everyone wants from a light weight football boot.
Fit/Comfort
To begin with, this shoe is very narrow cut, all the way from the heel right to the fore foot. So, wider footed players are better off looking elsewhere.
The narrow cut is very beneficial to the players that can fit into the boot, what this offers is an almost one to one fit with your foot. I say almost for one reason, this shoe fits very similarly to the Vapor with one exception, the toe box is a little more boxy than the Vapor. Its not to say that the shoe fits sloppy, because it doesn't at all, it is just a little awkward to have a very tight fitting shoe all the way through except for the toe box. This is just nit-picking though, so there is nothing to worry about. The upper on the shoe is very high quality, it is the nearly the same Teijin synthetic used on the Vapor, except it is a little bit thicker and has a cloth-like lining on the inside, while this is very comfortable, it does take away from the touch a little bit, and that is something to be expected from a takedown model. Overall, very comfortable shoe, granted that you can fit in it.
Traction/Soleplate
This shoe features the exact same stud pattern used on the vapor, with the exception that the studs are a tiny bit thicker than those found on the top end model. What the Veloce uses is basically a soft ground stud pattern, specialized for firm ground. By that I'm not saying that the shoe has metal studs, but it has basically four studs in fore-foot, and two in the back, which is not many as compared to shoes like the Tiempo or the CTR360 Maestri 3. All the studs are very sharp and penetrate the ground easily which makes for very hard push-offs and tons of stopping power. My only gripe about this shoe is the soleplate, compared to the Vapor, it is very thin and very flimsy in the forefoot, offering about zero stiffness, for some this isn't a problem, but for me, it was. A boot marketed as being made for speed, has to have some sort of stiffness in the forefoot for the push offs, this felt like i was running barefoot with no support in the fore foot, but this problem occurred after about 2-3 months of using them 5-6 hours a day. Realize that this isn't the normal amount of playtime someone would put into a boot, it is way more. I would say that the average competitive player would have to worry about this after about 5-7 months. I would like to remind you again, this is not a major problem, but can be based on the players style. The mid-foot has what appears to a carbon fiber or glass fiber stiffener but i will assure you that it is just plastic with a sticker under it, it does offer some decent stiffness, but just keep in mind that it does not contain and carbon or glass fiber in the soleplate.
Touch/Shooting
With the thin Teijin synthetic used on this shoe, the touch you get is fantastic! You can pretty much feel every panel on the ball moving against your foot. Something that needs to be mentioned is the speed control finish used on this shoe, it is a golf ball like dimpling that gives you more grip when you need it and less when you don't. The reason it is coined as "Speed" control is because of how players tend to touch the ball at certain speeds. The slower you go, the more control you have, and the less grip you need, but when you are running at full sprint, you tend to have a lot less control of the ball because you are moving very rapidly and concentrating on multiple things, so this being given, you will need a lot more grip when touching the ball. To explain this further, the softer your touch is, the less grip you have, but the harder your touch is, for example when sprinting, the more grip you have. So think of this speed control finish on the upper as sort of an all over control element.
Shooting with the Veloce is just like shooting barefoot, you can feel your foot sinking into the ball when you strike it and it is a very satisfying feeling when you can feel the ball leave your foot at good pace. Passing was a very similar experience, it is just like being bare foot, but keep in mind that this does offer a larger margin for mistakes because of the upper has no give, it is just ball to foot, and if you have a bad touch, it will show.
Durability/Protection
The shoe feels very solid in hand and it feels as if the shoe will last a seasons worth of play, nothing really worries me as far as something going wrong with the shoe. The protection on the other hand is where this boot suffers, it is a very thin and light weight shoe, so don't expect much in the way of protection, unless you wear a very thick pair of socks with the shoe, then maybe you will be protected a little. Keep in mind, if you are going into the market for a light weight shoe, then you are sacrificing on protection, regardless of the model.
Weight : 7.75 Oz in a size 8.5 US (USED)
Overall
The Nike Mercurial Veloce is a very good boot given the price tag of $115 US, it is not too far from the
top end vapor in terms of quality, touch and weight, and it is pretty much half the price. So if you are in the market for a speed boot take down model, don't look any further than this.
Comfort 4/5
Fit 4/5
Touch 5/5
Shooting 4/5
Traction 3/5
Durability 3/5
Protection 2/5
Overall 3.5/5
Fit/Comfort
To begin with, this shoe is very narrow cut, all the way from the heel right to the fore foot. So, wider footed players are better off looking elsewhere.
The narrow cut is very beneficial to the players that can fit into the boot, what this offers is an almost one to one fit with your foot. I say almost for one reason, this shoe fits very similarly to the Vapor with one exception, the toe box is a little more boxy than the Vapor. Its not to say that the shoe fits sloppy, because it doesn't at all, it is just a little awkward to have a very tight fitting shoe all the way through except for the toe box. This is just nit-picking though, so there is nothing to worry about. The upper on the shoe is very high quality, it is the nearly the same Teijin synthetic used on the Vapor, except it is a little bit thicker and has a cloth-like lining on the inside, while this is very comfortable, it does take away from the touch a little bit, and that is something to be expected from a takedown model. Overall, very comfortable shoe, granted that you can fit in it.
Traction/Soleplate
This shoe features the exact same stud pattern used on the vapor, with the exception that the studs are a tiny bit thicker than those found on the top end model. What the Veloce uses is basically a soft ground stud pattern, specialized for firm ground. By that I'm not saying that the shoe has metal studs, but it has basically four studs in fore-foot, and two in the back, which is not many as compared to shoes like the Tiempo or the CTR360 Maestri 3. All the studs are very sharp and penetrate the ground easily which makes for very hard push-offs and tons of stopping power. My only gripe about this shoe is the soleplate, compared to the Vapor, it is very thin and very flimsy in the forefoot, offering about zero stiffness, for some this isn't a problem, but for me, it was. A boot marketed as being made for speed, has to have some sort of stiffness in the forefoot for the push offs, this felt like i was running barefoot with no support in the fore foot, but this problem occurred after about 2-3 months of using them 5-6 hours a day. Realize that this isn't the normal amount of playtime someone would put into a boot, it is way more. I would say that the average competitive player would have to worry about this after about 5-7 months. I would like to remind you again, this is not a major problem, but can be based on the players style. The mid-foot has what appears to a carbon fiber or glass fiber stiffener but i will assure you that it is just plastic with a sticker under it, it does offer some decent stiffness, but just keep in mind that it does not contain and carbon or glass fiber in the soleplate.
Touch/Shooting
With the thin Teijin synthetic used on this shoe, the touch you get is fantastic! You can pretty much feel every panel on the ball moving against your foot. Something that needs to be mentioned is the speed control finish used on this shoe, it is a golf ball like dimpling that gives you more grip when you need it and less when you don't. The reason it is coined as "Speed" control is because of how players tend to touch the ball at certain speeds. The slower you go, the more control you have, and the less grip you need, but when you are running at full sprint, you tend to have a lot less control of the ball because you are moving very rapidly and concentrating on multiple things, so this being given, you will need a lot more grip when touching the ball. To explain this further, the softer your touch is, the less grip you have, but the harder your touch is, for example when sprinting, the more grip you have. So think of this speed control finish on the upper as sort of an all over control element.
Shooting with the Veloce is just like shooting barefoot, you can feel your foot sinking into the ball when you strike it and it is a very satisfying feeling when you can feel the ball leave your foot at good pace. Passing was a very similar experience, it is just like being bare foot, but keep in mind that this does offer a larger margin for mistakes because of the upper has no give, it is just ball to foot, and if you have a bad touch, it will show.
Durability/Protection
The shoe feels very solid in hand and it feels as if the shoe will last a seasons worth of play, nothing really worries me as far as something going wrong with the shoe. The protection on the other hand is where this boot suffers, it is a very thin and light weight shoe, so don't expect much in the way of protection, unless you wear a very thick pair of socks with the shoe, then maybe you will be protected a little. Keep in mind, if you are going into the market for a light weight shoe, then you are sacrificing on protection, regardless of the model.
Weight : 7.75 Oz in a size 8.5 US (USED)
Overall
The Nike Mercurial Veloce is a very good boot given the price tag of $115 US, it is not too far from the
top end vapor in terms of quality, touch and weight, and it is pretty much half the price. So if you are in the market for a speed boot take down model, don't look any further than this.
Comfort 4/5
Fit 4/5
Touch 5/5
Shooting 4/5
Traction 3/5
Durability 3/5
Protection 2/5
Overall 3.5/5
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Predator Absolion LZ 2
With this boot being the "little brother" of the LZ2, Adidas has done a very good job at making this boot very close to it older and more expensive brother.
Price : $120 US
Fit/Comfort
To begin with, this shoe fits a little funky, I am a usual size 8.5 US in almost every shoe, but I went down to an 8 and the fit in the length and width is pretty much perfect. The synthetic used on this shoe isn't as high quality as the Hybrid Touch used on the LZ 2, but never the less, it gets the job done. The upper does not have any stretch to it, so the way it fits from out of the box is the way that it will fit after break in time. The way it fits in the width is decent, the heel is a little shallow, but that problem is non existent when the laces are pulled tight. The mid foot is pretty narrow, and considering I have a very narrow foot, that is a little bit of a problem. But as i said, it is not that much of a problem, all it takes is just a little bit of a lace adjustment and you'll be good to go. Keep in mind, if the shoe doesn't fit we'll at the store, then it will not fit well on the pitch. The fore foot has a very ergonomic fit to it, I felt as if my toes were cradled in the shoe rather then being smashed in there. Overall, the fit is decent, given that you have the foot for it, and remember, always try it on at a if you can.
Traction/Soleplate
The stud pattern on the Absolion is exactly the same as what you will find on the regular LZ and LZ 2, it can pretty much be found on all of Adidas' models. I performs well but not perfect, and this is not only with the LZ but with all of Adidas' models. The studs are triangular, which offers a blend of digging as well as maneuverability in the ground. But unfortunately, they are pretty flat and have a large surface area, that does not give the experience of digging into the ground deep like a bladed stud would, nor does it give the great maneuverability that a conical stud will give. It isn't a BAD stud pattern, in fact, it works pretty well, it just isn't what I like personally, some will love it, while others will not. The sole plate on the other hand is very weird, and it has been like that with pretty much all of the Absolion models by Adidas. It is EXTREMELY stiff in the mid foot, don't get me wrong, some rigidity in the mid foot is good for striking through the ball and sprinting, but when the game is played by starting and stopping very frequently, you will notice some discomfort in your mid foot. It's could be a problem with the fit as well, but in my opinion, once the TPU Soleplate was broken in, that issue disappeared completely. The forefoot on the other hand is very flexible from out of the box, so no complaints there.
Touch/Shooting
With the rubber all over this shoe, there is only one word to describe the touch, GRIP. The amount of grip this shoe gives is incredible, and it isn't just a bunch of grip in random spots, like the LZ 1 gave you, keep in mind that the rubber on this shoe is the exact same s what you will find on the top end LZ 2. Everything is much improved over the LZ 1, and it gives you a feeling as if you have an advantage over other players, given that you have the skill. Remember, if you can't curl a ball with a pair of Copas or Mercurials, don't think that it will be any different in these. What the rubber does is enhance the grip for the players who know how to use they're feet effectively. And the 5 zones do exactly what their supposed to do, labeled as the Pass Zone in the instep, the First Touch Zone on the forefoot of the boot, the Drive Zone at the top of the foot, and the Dribble Zone at the exterior of the boot. All of the zones are made of the same exact rubber and all of them enhance the amount of spin or grip that you will get when a ball is leaving your foot, or coming your way, there really is nothing more to it. Shooting in the Absolion is very nice, at first, the upper is a little stiff and it can feel weird when striking simply because the shoe hasn't softened up yet. Once broken in, the upper has a pretty soft feel to it, when the grip of the rubber is added, it gives a very weird feeling that only people who have worn a predator know about. It offers a very solid strike with the rubber and gets more solid when you factor in the stiff Soleplate. Even though it is marketed as a control boot, the Absolion still gives that signature predator shooting sensation.
Durability/Protection
To be honest, I've used this shoe over 50 hours and I had no problems on firm natural grass, don't use them on AG, you'll hurt your boots and yourself. If you use them for what their made for, then you can easily get way more then a seasons play out of them. Also keep in mind, the shoe has a padded tongue And rubber elements all over the place, so expect a very protective boot,
Overall
The Pred Absolion LZ 2 is a very solid contender in the market, it offers everything that a player needs, and is a very solid option for those who want a more durable and a more grippy shoe. Even though it may need a little bit of a break in (2-4 hours), the shoe is comfortable and is very much worth it's $120 price tag.
Rating
Comfort 3/5
Fit 3/5
Touch 4/5
Shooting 4/5
Traction 3/5
Durability 5/5
Protection 5/5
Overall 3.5/5
Price : $120 US
Fit/Comfort
To begin with, this shoe fits a little funky, I am a usual size 8.5 US in almost every shoe, but I went down to an 8 and the fit in the length and width is pretty much perfect. The synthetic used on this shoe isn't as high quality as the Hybrid Touch used on the LZ 2, but never the less, it gets the job done. The upper does not have any stretch to it, so the way it fits from out of the box is the way that it will fit after break in time. The way it fits in the width is decent, the heel is a little shallow, but that problem is non existent when the laces are pulled tight. The mid foot is pretty narrow, and considering I have a very narrow foot, that is a little bit of a problem. But as i said, it is not that much of a problem, all it takes is just a little bit of a lace adjustment and you'll be good to go. Keep in mind, if the shoe doesn't fit we'll at the store, then it will not fit well on the pitch. The fore foot has a very ergonomic fit to it, I felt as if my toes were cradled in the shoe rather then being smashed in there. Overall, the fit is decent, given that you have the foot for it, and remember, always try it on at a if you can.
Traction/Soleplate
The stud pattern on the Absolion is exactly the same as what you will find on the regular LZ and LZ 2, it can pretty much be found on all of Adidas' models. I performs well but not perfect, and this is not only with the LZ but with all of Adidas' models. The studs are triangular, which offers a blend of digging as well as maneuverability in the ground. But unfortunately, they are pretty flat and have a large surface area, that does not give the experience of digging into the ground deep like a bladed stud would, nor does it give the great maneuverability that a conical stud will give. It isn't a BAD stud pattern, in fact, it works pretty well, it just isn't what I like personally, some will love it, while others will not. The sole plate on the other hand is very weird, and it has been like that with pretty much all of the Absolion models by Adidas. It is EXTREMELY stiff in the mid foot, don't get me wrong, some rigidity in the mid foot is good for striking through the ball and sprinting, but when the game is played by starting and stopping very frequently, you will notice some discomfort in your mid foot. It's could be a problem with the fit as well, but in my opinion, once the TPU Soleplate was broken in, that issue disappeared completely. The forefoot on the other hand is very flexible from out of the box, so no complaints there.
Touch/Shooting
With the rubber all over this shoe, there is only one word to describe the touch, GRIP. The amount of grip this shoe gives is incredible, and it isn't just a bunch of grip in random spots, like the LZ 1 gave you, keep in mind that the rubber on this shoe is the exact same s what you will find on the top end LZ 2. Everything is much improved over the LZ 1, and it gives you a feeling as if you have an advantage over other players, given that you have the skill. Remember, if you can't curl a ball with a pair of Copas or Mercurials, don't think that it will be any different in these. What the rubber does is enhance the grip for the players who know how to use they're feet effectively. And the 5 zones do exactly what their supposed to do, labeled as the Pass Zone in the instep, the First Touch Zone on the forefoot of the boot, the Drive Zone at the top of the foot, and the Dribble Zone at the exterior of the boot. All of the zones are made of the same exact rubber and all of them enhance the amount of spin or grip that you will get when a ball is leaving your foot, or coming your way, there really is nothing more to it. Shooting in the Absolion is very nice, at first, the upper is a little stiff and it can feel weird when striking simply because the shoe hasn't softened up yet. Once broken in, the upper has a pretty soft feel to it, when the grip of the rubber is added, it gives a very weird feeling that only people who have worn a predator know about. It offers a very solid strike with the rubber and gets more solid when you factor in the stiff Soleplate. Even though it is marketed as a control boot, the Absolion still gives that signature predator shooting sensation.
Durability/Protection
To be honest, I've used this shoe over 50 hours and I had no problems on firm natural grass, don't use them on AG, you'll hurt your boots and yourself. If you use them for what their made for, then you can easily get way more then a seasons play out of them. Also keep in mind, the shoe has a padded tongue And rubber elements all over the place, so expect a very protective boot,
Overall
The Pred Absolion LZ 2 is a very solid contender in the market, it offers everything that a player needs, and is a very solid option for those who want a more durable and a more grippy shoe. Even though it may need a little bit of a break in (2-4 hours), the shoe is comfortable and is very much worth it's $120 price tag.
Rating
Comfort 3/5
Fit 3/5
Touch 4/5
Shooting 4/5
Traction 3/5
Durability 5/5
Protection 5/5
Overall 3.5/5
Here we go!
With this blog being launched, we can promise a very in depth description of what people want to see, as far as soccer gear goes! Requests will be taken! Just let us know!
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