With the recent release of the adiZERO Prime consumers have been in a buzz regarding how light the boot is and what players are currently wearing the Prime vs adizero F50. Furthermore, adidas is set to also release another color way for this elite boot which retails at $300.00. In addition, rather then talk about the price many consumers are obsessed with how light the boot is which make me wonder if adidas has made a smooth transition into the elite/sl series with its customers.
As a consumer, would you purchase the Prime or the regular adiZERO F50?
With the introduction of elite boots by Nike and now adidas we have seen the price of boots increase. Furthermore, many of us Footy fans wonder why the increase in price, who is buying these boots, and why form an elite series/professional level boot is being available to public.
Adidas SL/Elite version of the adiPURE IV
The first answer to the price increase is the materials used but also with the boots weight is a major factor for consumers/players. Since the rise of the mercurial series boots have been dropping weight to what we now call the speed boot race. Over the years manufacturers/companies have put millions of dollars into testing and development to create the lightest boot on the market. It is called an elite boot because it is the top of the line, materials, weight, and not to mention it is what you see the professionals wearing. In the end, you are ultimately paying for the technology that went to produce the boots.
Furthermore, with these boots set at the prices they are at people keep wondering why make an elite boot, who is buying these boots? Well if you are an elite or serious soccer player in the world you want the best technology and the best boot money can buy. I have tested cheap boots in the past and compared to an elite boot there is no comparing. The comfort, fit, and performance enhance your ability on the field and are far superior then its knock down boot. Furthermore, equipment plays a major role in sports but in soccer specifically the boot you wear says a lot about you and your needs as a player in order to get the job done on the field. I personally believe there is a certain boot for everyone and that certain/perfect boot depends on your foot shape, the level of soccer you play, and position.
In the end, I believe football companies created another series/silo specifically focussing on the athletes needs and wants, that is why it is elite. However, through satisfying their needs companies like Nike and adidas have made a new silo which it geared towards the professionals or players that play at a high level that want the best money can buy. In this, by creating the elite series boots football companies were able to introduce a new silo/series to give consumers more options. The test subject were the elite boots Nike created for the world cup which were very successful and created a demand for elite boots because consumers saw those boots/specs and wanted the best money could buy, they did not care about the price point but rather cared who was wearing it, how much it weighed, and how cool it looked.
In my opinion, players/boots are categorized by four different categories;
Elite level- new market Pro level Club level Intro level
Why do you think consumers are now buying the elite vs the pro level boots? Technology, fit, performance? I am interested in hearing other peoples opinions regarding the elite series of boots. Negatives, positives, etc.
With the release of the adidas F50 Prime soon to hit stores next month along with the news\hype regarding adidas football creating an elite series of boots called the SL series. Footy fans have been searching high and low trying to get a glimpse of what is soon to come. Based off my blog stats over the past week 200 people have searched this site for tags regarding the adiPURe SL. With stats like that I could not ignore those numbers, so I was determined this week to bring some brand new news to the table. Looks like Christmas came early because according to Wegotsoccer the adiPURE SL Will cost $249.99 and is available to preorder for an expected ship date for 4/1/2011. The only thing that it does not say is the weight of the boot which I am dying to find out. However, I was right regarding the upper, release date, and the sprint frame outsole. Check the boot out here, Adidas adiPure IV SL TRX FG.
Tech Specs according to wegotsoccer;
Adidas adiPure IV SL TRX FG PRE-ORDER. EXPECTED SHIP DATE IS 4/1/2011 Price:$249.99 UPPER: The upper material has 100% ultra soft and lightweight K-Leather for comfortable fir and natural ball feel. One touch construction in the vamp of the shoe for softer feel, less water intake & a more breathable, lighter upper. Premium soft lining features anti-slip finishing for best comfort and fit. MIDSOLE: The adipure SL comes with an ergonomically pre-molded, cushioned sockliner and premium lining with X-Static treatment for superb fit and temperature regulation. OUTSOLE: Sprint frame outsole is lightweight and provide stability through geometry. With less layers and removal of a conventional insole board, the outsole has been used to create the entire stability in the shoe. Triangular stud shape offers maximum acceleration, braking and turning.
Are you excited about these boots, or has the price point already turned you off? Please share your opinions and any other information/regarding the adiPURE SL.
adiZERO Prime: launch date, price, & changes from Footy guru.
Well footy fans, adidas has continued to make a splash in the boot market to start off 2011 with a bang. The adiZERO Prime by the three stripe company from Deutschland has produced the lightest boot to date at 5.2 oz. In addition, the boot which will retail at $300, is expected to hit the shelves February 1st, 2011 featuring both the Warning/Black/White and Black/White/Electricity color ways shown below.
Furthermore, most of you footy fans have been keeping tabs/following the launch and speculation of these boots so i have decided to provide updates/cold hard facts about the Prime to set the myths straight surrounding the adiZero F50 PRIME.
Rather then start of the year with a slow jog adidas decided start off with a sprint. Rather then wait and take punches from Nike, adidas made a bold statement and introduced Footy fans to the lightest boot to date which is called the adiZero Prime which weighs a mind blowing 5.2 oz. Behind the decrease in weight is the change in upper. Unlike the first adiZero model, The Prime features an upper called adiLite, which is a single layer upper that has no foam or lining which provides durability, better ball feel/touch and greatly reduces the overall weight of the boot to a staggering 5.2 oz. Rather then stop there, adidas put Kevlar laces on the boot to decrease the overall weight of the boot even more.
Another thing I thought was interesting are the colors choices adidas chose to launch the boot with. Instead of playing it safe adidas went with bold color ways such as orange and lime green. Not by any means am I hating on the color, I think it's fantastic adidas is no longer playing it safe and believe these boots will look fantastic on the pitch and be a big hit with consumers.
Facts: Name: adiZero F50 Prime Consumer: Elite Category: Speed boot Position: midfield/forward Upper: adiLite Weight: 5.2 oz- Lightest boot on the market. Price: $300 Release date: February 1st, 2011
Concerns/questions regarding the boot? Have adidas fixed the cleat snapping problem that many original adiZero users faced? Do the colored studs represent something/technology on the Prime or are they just for looks? Has adidas fallen into the Nike trap, will consumers pay $300 for these elite boots or will the demand fall due to the big Price tag? How durable are these boots going to be throughout a season?
Based on the facts I have provided, what do you think about the Prime? In term of style, technology, and price can you see this boot being the boot of the year for 2011? The dominance of the original adiZERO took time,but by the end of 2010 the boot was everywhere. Only time will tell Footy fans...
Images of the Prime and adizero II by adidas. These are new color ways of what color the boots might come out as.
Let me know what you think about the boots, and if you have experiences with the current adizero i want to hear about what you like or dislike. From the votes, it looks like the boot of the year on footy guru will be the adizero f50.
Bale testing some boots from adidas... Not sure what they are called. Have heard adizero II and adizero Prime. Will the Prime be the elite version of the f50 series?
First boot spy of the adizero Prime this summer with Messi and other pros putting them to the test during the development process of the boot.
The adiZero Prime by adidas is understood by footy experts around the web to be the next version of the very increasingly popular F50 soccer boot. The word around the boot is that it will turn the football world upside down, and it will be the lightest boot on the market to start 2011. What I am saying is that if adidas is able to come through and deliver this boot and are able to make it even better than the current F50, then Nike and Puma will be left scratching their heads in the speed boot race which seems to be the recent fad in the football boot market.
The questions everyone is asking; How much is the boot going to weigh? Will the upper only be K-leather or will they make a synthetic version of the boot? Is messi already testing the boot?
As you can see, the boots have several different designs that vary from the current adidas F50 adiZero. For example, the adidas F50 adiZero Prime has a shortened but very visible 3-stripe logo that runs transversely down the side of the boot.
Another difference is the tongue color/variation compared to the rest of the boot which you can see from the pictures of the Black/White/Electric Green color way.
Another important difference is that it is rumored that the boot will weigh in at 4.6oz! Keep in mind that the current adidas adiZERO F50 is 5.8 oz. In the end, this boot will out do the Puma V1.10SL and the Nike Vapor Super Fly II in the speed race.
In addition, here are color ways/unreleased pictures of the boots that feature a synthetic upper.As for when they will launch, I have heard they will come out this Winter...
