Wednesday 29 December 2010

UMBRO GT PRO SPOT!

Darren Bent who is the endorser of the Umbro GT which I reviewed weeks ago sported the new color way this past weekend...The Black Cat’s striker was in the GT to showcase their new color way as they made their debut. Not a lot of people know about these boots or have taken a chance on these boots but in my opinion i believe these boots are one of the most underrated speed boots on the market in terms of comfort, style, and value. The boots look amazing on the pitch and you can but your dollars that i am picking these boot up!

Footy Guru Review of the Umbro GT Pro:
"Since being taken over by Nike, Umbro have made a splash in the soccer boot market in recent months with boots such as the reinvented Umbro Speciali and the Stealth Pro after being left in the dark for what seemed like decades. However, Umbro have come out with their newest boot, the GT Pro that I have been testing the past four months. In addition, these boots are the lightest that Umbro have ever made at 8.3 oz. and some of the features that they boast are a Teijin Microfiber upper which reduces the overall weight of the boot. Along with the ‘A Frame Cradle’ technology that acts as a support system, similar to Flywire connecting the soleplate up along either side of the boot to the laces, so that you have more support and it brings the boot closer to your foot.
When I first received these boots I was a little skeptical, but after testing them I admit I am now a huge fan. The boots were stylish, easy to break in and extremely effective on the field. With this boot, Umbro have done all of the little things right. The technology, style, comfort and price of this boot make it one of the most under rated speed boots on the market in my opinion. All around, the combination of the light Teijin Microfiber upper, cradle technology, along with the narrow last makes the Umbro GT Pro the ideal lightweight performance product built for speed.
In the end, the GT Pro is a blend of the classic Umbro look injected with Nike’s bold color ways and newest footwear technology. Since being bought by Nike the Umbro releases have improved in style/technology and in my opinion the GT Pro is another building block for the brand. Furthermore, I believe the GT Pro will offer a point of difference in soccer specialty and help Nike Soccer gain edge over Adidas."

Changes in performance/profitability:
Put this boot in soccer specialty stores, throughout North America.
Come out with more bold/flashy color ways to get consumers interested. Would be cool in an England or Ireland color way.
Product placement: Put this boot on more professional players.
Change in upper for different ball feel; kanga-lite or k-leather maybe.
Carbon fiber outsole to decrease weight of boot even more.
Make a hybrid version of the GT Pro and Super Fly. An elite combination of Umbro and Nike Football.




Footy Guru Boot guide/REFRESH



Footy Guru Boot guide/REFRESH

A good pair of cleats, or boots as many people call them, is essential.

A proper fit is important
Snug fit is best w/ no pain or break-in required
Wear around the house w/ game socks prior to use to ensure right fit

Types of boots:

Molded Cleats: basic soccer cleat for play mostly on firm grass suited to play on almost all field types & in all weather conditions

Detachable Cleats: vary in length & are made for use on wet, soggy fields or on well groomed, soft grass fields

Turf Shoes: good training shoes with more cushion with a raised patterns on bottom in place of studs for use on harder outdoor surfaces or artificial turf
Indoor Shoes: low cut, lightweight, flat, and rubbery type bottoms for better traction on indoor courts

Materials:

Uppers are made of either synthetic materials or leather.
Lower priced shoes are made of synthetic materials that are very durable
Higher priced models are typically made from leather that delivers comfort & feel
Higher priced shoes do not necessarily equate increased durability, they deliver the most comfort & feature the best feel for the ball.

Care Instructions
Wipe off all mud
Stuff with newspaper if wet to absorb the water
Apply leather food with a clean cloth working well into damp or dry leather.

Approximate Prices:
$45.00 - Upper Leather
$65.00 - Full-Grain Leather
$89.00 - Kangaroo Leather
Over $100.00 - Special Synthetic &/or Kangaroo

New Nike Boots for 2011

If you are looking for boots to start off 2011 Nike has you covered with news colors of all the boots that i really like. Sometimes less is more and i like how Nike has put some of the upper of the boots with black because i think black goes with everything. Be sure to order these boots at soccer.com or check out Soccer Fanatic that was voted the #1 soccer specialty store in the USA. Both of these sites you can order off line and has tons of sales for boots, gear and apparel.

What do you guys think about the colors or are you tired of the same old Nike boots?


PRE-ORDER ITEM (Estimated Ship Date: 1/1/2011)



PRE-ORDER ITEM (Estimated Ship Date: 1/1/2011)



PRE-ORDER ITEM (Estimated Ship Date: 1/1/2011)


PRE-ORDER ITEM (Estimated Ship Date: 1/1/2011)


PRE-ORDER ITEM (Estimated Ship Date: 2/1/2011)

Monday 27 December 2010

Footy GURU 2010

The year of 2010 Footy GURU style

Summary of 2010:
Taking a look back at 2010 we saw the birth of the light weight boot race between adidas, Nike, and surprisingly Puma. In the soccer market this year we have seen the major companies change the price, color, and weight of their football boots in order to sell boots and separate themselves from the competition.

Most disappointing boot of 2010: Adidas predator x.
The predator has always been adidas go to boot. But this year the boot lacked technology, flair, and the hype that we footy fans come to associate with the release of the next predator. Rather then create a power boot or a boot that can change your game the predator x lacked that mind blowing technology to change your shot. I have always thought of the boot as a power boot but in 2010 I feel like the adidas development team focused on decreasing the weight rather then making/keeping it the game changer it has always been. In my opinion, adidas took a step backwards with this boot and it showed on the pitch with the low numbers of players wearing the boot and the low sales/reviews that it received in the soccer specialty community.



Ideas of 2010: World cup 2010- Nike introduces the Nike Elite Series.
With adidas holding on to the sponsorship of the world cup Nike had to do something special to make a splash at the tournament and be remembered. Nike did just that and they did it with ambush marketing on the field by creating a vibrant new line of boots called the WC Elite Series. With the elite series Nike was able to redesign a series of boots that were 15% lighter then it's predecessors by changing the upper and outsole of Vapor, Super Fly, Total 90, Ctr 360, and the Tiempo. Not only were the boots lighter but visually the boots were so different then any other boot on the pitch which made them stand out on the tele and from the stands. In the end, with the distinctive high vise upper you could clearly tell the Nike athletes from the other brands, which was genius by Nike. Why was it genius? Nike was able to make an elite series brand of boots that were visually pleasing and the exact boots the athletes on the pitch were wearing. In addition, it seemed like every elite Nike endorsed player sported the boots, and after looking back all I can remember are those orange boots racing around the pitch. They were every where!

Furthermore, Nikes write the future; unless if you lived in a cave this summer there is no way you could of missed the infamous commercials that Nike put together to showcase their athletes, boots, and creativity. The commercial was amazing and selected scenes showed Rooney homeless, CR7 nutmegging Homer Simpson, and Ronaldinho who was a no show do his patented snake move; in all the commercial captured what could be and pulled the motif that if you were a footballer it was your job to write the future on the pitch and make the play that would change the outcome of the game. In the end, the commercial was brilliant and made myself along with billions of others to remember Nike Football, and to always WRITE THE FUTURE.




Technology of 2010: Nike introduces Kangaroo Lite and Concave Sports introduces the Concave component/ sweet spot boots.
In terms of technology in the boot market I believe 2010 saw little or no improvement in this category. We saw many different colors and light weight boots but no technology that could improve a players performance besides that from Concave.
The predator was a flop, Nike had the color obsession, and Puma went the lightest but lacked exposure and credibility. Nike, however introduced the football market to it's new kanga lite technology; an upper that combined kangaroo leather and synthetic to decrease the overall weight of the boot especially in wet conditions. Kanga lite upper offers the soft touch of a k leather boot but does not hold water due to it's unique makeup of synthetic/k leather upper. This is an amazing technology especially when you play in a wet environment like England where the pitches are covered in water and it rains for days.

The second technology that was interesting/new was the introduction of the new Concave boots into the football market. The boot is designed to increase the power and accuracy of your shots which is done by a patented design called the Concave Component that uniquely cups the ball and increases the velocity/accuracy of your shots. Before, testing these boots I thought it was just another market gimmick, but after testing these boots I soon understood and realized that it was not just another gimmick but a new technology that really improved my shots and long range passes.



Best Boot of 2010: adidas aidZERO F50
By far the F50 is the 2010 boot of the year on Footy Guru. Unlike adidas boots of the past adidas adapted to the synthetic demands of the market and produced one of the lightest boots on the market. Furthermore, not only was the boot lighter then it's competitors but it was priced right which I think is what swayed mercurial followers to switch to the F50 due to the Vapors high price and inability to innovate and improve the boot. Another aspect that I think adidas did right with the boot were the color ways of the boot were no longer safe they were extreme and just what the younger demographic wanted. In the end, the number of pro footy players who switched to the boot this season, the numbers of the poll speak for themselves on this blog, and after coaching youth soccer this fall and seeing the popularity of the boots on the pitch; there is no doubt that the adiZERO is the boot of the year for 2010. Congrats adidas!


Footy Guru visitors/followers!-
I just want to thank you for checking out the site and giving me your comments. Footy is my motivation and your visits and comments are my success. I put together this blog to show footy fans like myself the latest football products and to share my ideas and reviews with consumers to aid you in your next purchase. So thanks footy fans for supporting Footy Guru. Any advice or if you would like to see any updates to improve the site please let me know.

Sunday 26 December 2010

Nike Tiempo IV Preview




The boot that has lacked technology and change over the years has been the Tiempo series, which is weird because Nike Soccer has always been one to push the limits of technology and the color of their boots. However, the Tiempos have not had a face lift in terms of technology until now. The Tiempo IV will feature fly wire and also receive a face lift to make it look more like a stream line elite speed boot.


Until now like the Vapor series, Nike has only changed the outsole and color of the Tiempo series. The new Tiempo IV with the combination of a kanga lite upper along with fly wire on the inside and outside of the boot will drastically be changed. In my opinion, Nike should have kept the Tiempos series the same and called this boot another name and introduce another style to their boot line.

In the end, with the combination of technology and if Nike decides to go all out and put a carbon fiber outsole on this boot I am betting it will retail at over $300 which will be a bust in the market because adidas has found the perfect price for boots at around $150 for the adiZERO which has been a big hit.
What do you think about the boot?

Saturday 25 December 2010

Adipure sl



Here is a sneak peak of the adiPURE sl that will make way to stores in 2011. This boot has all the aspects of the current adiPURE IV; with the k leather upper, old school feel. However, the outsole of the sl version is made up of the a different outsole to decrease the overall weight of the boot. The outsole adidas uses is the outsole from the famous adiZERO which has been a big hit with amatuear and professional players.




I am excited to see and feel these boots... What do you think footy fans?

Monday 20 December 2010

CTR II 2011 NEW COLOR


The Nike CTR 360 Maestri II (Blue/White/Black)color way will be released February 2011.

What do you think about this color and the boot?

NIKE SUPERFLY II- BLACK/ORANGE




Footy Guru Review of the SuperFLY II:

Review:

"Ideal if your an elite-level soccer player looking fo the ultimate performance boot. Nike SENSE forefoot studs, Flywire, and carbon fiber outsole are the key performance technologies that deliver dynamic speed, traction and performance on the field. In the end, this product is built for SPEED!"

Specs:
•Next-generation Nike Flywire technology in a streamlined upper for a lightweight, stronger, more dynamic fit
•Anatomically correct, contoured speed last mirrors the shape of the foot for an enhanced fit and feel
•Lightweight perforated sockliner for superior low profile cushioning and support while reducing cleat pressure for comfort
•Super-strong, super lightweight glass fiber composite plate at outsole that reacts to need for speed
•Strategically configured blades for superior footing and quick cuts in any direction
•Toe-off traction for bursts of speed
•Pressure-activated Adaptive Technology at forefoot for superior grip and acceleration on a variety of fields
•Firm-ground cleats (FG) for use on short-grass fields that may be slightly wet, but rarely muddy

"For me, its all about first-step acceleration, but twisting and turning around a defender is also important," said Real Madrid striker, 2008 FIFA World Player of the Year and Portugese star Cristiano Ronaldo. "The Mercurail Vapor SuperFly II helps me do both, so I can beat my opponent and create scoring opportunities."

SOLD YET?
It is that time of year again, and like adidas Nike is set to release new color ways for the new year. ABOVE, is the SUPERFLY II in an orange and black color way that is set to be released at the beginning of the new year 1/1/11. I can not remember that last time Nike released a black boot besides the Legend III, however i do not mind it and i think black goes with everything.

What do you think about the boots/ color?

12/18-19 Boot spy

This weekend was a hit with some of the top players using some of the top of the line boots on the pitch. Check out what players are wearing what boots...


Saturday 18 December 2010

adiPURE IV &adiZERO II Unseen colors

For some reason, Japan gets boots and different colors that the rest of the world does not get until about six months later. In addition, these adiPURES have a HG hard sole because of the playing surfaces in Asia. In the end, I would love to see these boots/ color ways make it to the states. However, we have seen a trend when adidas releases boots, they always release the safest color first and as the year goes on they produce the eye catching boots. I must say, in the past year the adidas color ways for boots have improved alot! Im excited for 2011...




Also check out these adiZERO'S, new colors that i have never seen before. I am also excited to put this shoe to the test!