adidas adiPOWER Predator UPDATES

Since many of you footballers have been interested in the release/specs of the soon to be the lightest predator to ever grace the pitch i decided to do an update post which includes some pictures, specs, and information regarding the make up of the adiPOWER Predator.

In addition, with adidas also releasing the adiPURE SL, Predator SL, Prime and adiZERO II i am excited as a consumer because I have so many options/styles when choosing an adidas boot now.

Released Date: June 2011
Price:$200 USD; Reference SoccerPRO

adiPOWER Predator = 8.2 oz

Upper: Powerspine technology in the forefoot creates maximum shooting power by minimizing the energy lost while shooting. Taurus: a newly developed full-grain calf leather for a glove-like fit. Highly abrasion resistant with low water uptake. Silicon rubber PREDATOR technology for maximum swerve and ball control.

Midsole: Internal chassis construction that holds the revolutionary powerspine, providing never-before-seen shooting power.

Outsole: The sprint frame construction uses geometrical learnings and a new stud shape to offer the perfect balance between light weight and stability. A new dual-density, superlight TRAXION FG outsole for optimum grip and stud pressure distribution on firm natural grass pitches.

Inlay: Pre-molded EVA sockliner with additional anti-slip EVA inserts on the backside.

Keys Facts:

Name: Adidas adiPOWER Predator

Release date: June 2011

Price: $200 USD

Weight: 8.2 oz

CTR360 hybrid?

This boot looks like a hybrid with the combinations of the out sole from the vapor I/II and the upper of the CTR360 series. It is probably fake but just imagine the CTR upper/Technology with a different out sole to decrease the weight of the boot or to make a speed silo possibly for wingers or players with a narrow foot.

In the end, this boot looks very unique and just had to peep it for you guys to see what you thought?

adiPURE IV RED & adi Blackout Predator X

Pictures taken from My Studs; soccer blog

adiPURE II

If you are already bored with the current adiPure and Predator X color ways or if they are just not your style then maybe this post will raise your spirits of what is soon to come. As you know sometimes adidas plays it safe and releases the boring colors first and then later comes out with the color that captures your interest. It is not a myth just look back at the first couple releases of the predators and the adiPURE every boot has black and red on it. Just stating the facts...Furthermore, about two weeks ago I posted a picture of the unreleased red adiPURE IV'S and in the first day almost 100 footy fans visited footy guru to check out these boots. Looking back i was surprised by the amount of attention those boots got but then i remembered and looked in my closet at the adiPURE II's which were also released in a FLASHY red color way. So far it is the only red adiPURE in the series and by the amount of attention this boot is getting, I can tell that fans are excited about this release/color way. Maybe red is the new pink? This color way will be released this fall for those of you waning to get your hands on this boot!

IV

IV

As for the Predator X, which in my opinion has been a disappointment will have one more color way before the new adiPOWER Predator is released in June. This boot will be classic and have a lot of fans because the boot is all black. I can remember when having all black boots were stylish, and specifically remember when the PUMA king was all blacked out. I remember playing with kids from all over the nation that summer and seeing those boots everywhere. Not sure, but i think Puma discontinued those boots which was a big mistake! The advice i can give to PUMA, keep it simple stupid, sometimes less is more and old school is better.

X

X

The cash cow for PUMA RIP

BLACK AND YELLOW CTR 360 II

In recent months, Nike released the second coming of the CTR360. The CTR360 was a brand new silo when it was released and was met with instant praise and success by footballers around the world. The debate? Nike claim to have improved what many felt was a perfect boot. The CTR360 II like the original CTR360 is a boot geared towards the midfielders on the pitch. By listening to their athletes and holding various focus groups Nike was able to create a very unique boot, a boot designed to siute a midfielders game. In the end, Nike created the ultimate boot for a midfield player and if you look around the players have taken notice.

The new Nike CTR360 Maestri II has six elements for players looking to purchase a premium boot:

KANGA-LITE UPPER

This material feels like leather, providing great comfort and an excellent fit whatever the weather.

PASS AND RECEIVE PAD

The injected instep pad provides grip-like traction and enhances ball control.

PASS PAD

The pass pad leads to a precise distribution and placement of passes.

RECEIVE PAD

The receive pad improves instep ball control and makes it easier to trap the ball.

DAMPENING PODS

Cushion zones on the lateral forefoot enhance your first touch and ball control.

ASYMMETRICAL LACING

Asymmetrical lacing creates an expanded ball control surface.

Black and yellow, black and yellow, everything Nike does they do it BIG. With this boot Nike did it big! With the third release of the CTR II, Nike will once again use a two tone color on the boot with a combination of black and yellow which looks awesome. In my opinion, the CTR is one of the best boots Nike has ever created in terms of comfort, style, technology and price.

What do you think about the CTR360 silo football fans?

The Jordan of Football Boots; Umbro Akusereita SJ 2s. "WANTED BY FOOTY GURU"

All footballers have that one boot that got away. The boot that looking back was the best boot you had ever layed your eyes on or better yet worn. The boot you wished you would have purchased, the boot you purchased you wished you never worn. I have had many boots that i wished i would have never worn or boots that i regret buying because of the then too expensive price tag.

Well one of the boots that i have yet to see in person but am dearly in love with is a boot called the Umbro Akusereita SJ 2s. The boot is for some reason only sold in Japan and in my opinion i believe it is the Jordan of Football boots because like Brand Jordan does with its sneakers, Umbro have replicated this philosophy by combining three of Umbro's most successful boots into a hybrid boot which is bread and butter. Call me old school but I have always been a fan of Umbro products, there is just something about that diamond inside a diamond that gets me every time. At the moment, like i stated a couple weeks ago my favorite boot at the moment is the UMBRO GT PRO, which I am wearing right now. In terms of style, price, comfort, and durability there is no better boot on the market.

What makes the Umbro Akusereita SJ 2s so unique? 

It is a boot specifically designed for the far east market. Unlike North America or other parts of the world, the far east is a unique market and due to its large size boot companies design/cater different boots to fit the need/wants of that particular demographic which is often times based on price, technology and what environment/playing surfaces these markets are playing on. That being said, what is popular in the USA or Europe might not be as popular in the far east because it is a totally different market.

• Features the soft k-leather upper of the Speciali

• The Heel Counter of the Stealth Pro

• The A-Frame/technology of the GT PRO

In the end, what do you think about the this boot and the idea of taking several different boots/technologies and combining them into a hybrid boot? Would love to see Nike do this with the Vapor series and adidas use this thinking with the next Predator.

History of the Adidas F50

A look back at the history of the Adidas F50...

Withe the release of the Prime upon us, I thought it would be sweet to take a trip down memory lane to see where the F50 series has come from and the evolution of the boot.

The adidas F50 range was first released right before EURO 2004, and those of you who are Christano Ronaldo fans it was this tournament where he made a name for himself, aka I became a fan of today’s Real Madrid show pony I must admit. Furthermore, the line which was out of adidas character was released in order to compete with Nike Mercurial Vapor series which was released in 2002 which took inspiration from the Mclaren F1, which at the time, set the record for the fastest production car in the world, meaning it was designed boot for speed but also for everyday use. In addition, the name F50 which stands for Football 50 gives meaning to the year 1954 when the West German National Team won the world cup where some of the players wore a revolutionary exchangeable studs aka screw in’s for those of you that are lost, the boot is called the “WORLD CUP”. With this prolific moment swimming around in the heads of adidas footwear developers, they decided to replicate this technology 50 years later by producing a boot that was like any other boot on the market.

As a result, the original F50 was created and sported technology no other companies had ever seen or thought of. Personally, this boot brings back memories because I actually played my first ever college match in these exact boots/model which was a dream come true for me. As I stood there for the national anthem looking at the fans, I realized that all the sacrifices I had made to get to that point was all worth it. These boots sported and started the trend of completely hiding the laces which provided a bigger surface area for better ball-to-foot contact; a trend that’s prevalent in boots like the Puma v1.10 and Concave PT +.

First College Game VS BGSU

Then in 2005 adidas came out with the next model which was called the F5O+. Which footy fans will remember sported an upper similar to that of a spider man design that was very eye catching, and was worn in the one of my favorite movies GOAL. The lacing system was designed to be more user friendly, and the TPU cage was supposed to improve stability and durability of the mesh. Not recognizing they had an amazing boot adidas decided to push the limits farther by creating a boot for all conditions.

It was in 2006 when adidas football introduced the +F50.6 which was an interchangeable boot which was unlike any other boot on the market. Players would be able to now build their own boot with options of different uppers, outsole, and sock liners depending on what surfaces they were playing on which was very unique. However, having loved the original F50 series I decided to give the next generation a try and the first day I lost two studs. In the end, it was a great idea but the boot lacked execution which resulted in players looking for a new boot. The interchangeable system also made the boot very stiff and heavy which turned a lot of players away from the boot they once loved.

In 2008, the +F50.8 TUNIT was released for EUR0 2008. The most distinctive feature on this boot was the translucent heel and sole which was designed to improves the fit and stability of the boot as well as making it more lightweight than previous generations.

The F50.9 TUNIT was released on 1 November 2008.This boot featured a seamless lace cover similar to the original model which was supposed to provide optimal fit and a cleaner kicking surface. In addition, it also featured an engineered lightweight microfiber synthetic AdiGrip upper and synthetic lining which decreased the weight of the boot and made for an interesting look on the pitch.

Going with the same theme, adidas stuck with the interchangeable boots in 2009 but added a twist to the boots upper, of the boot called the +F50i. The boot featured Sprint Skin, an upper that was very thin that allowed adidas to decrease the overall weight of the boot while also aiding/enhancing a player’s touch on the ball with a new synthetic upper. And just in case you are wondering why the F50i sounds familiar, it is the boot Messi wore in the 2009 Champions League Final. It is that same boot that he kissed after he scored the goal that showed the haters all over the world that the little Argentine was for real.

Then in 2010 and after 5 models of the F50 series, adidas discontinued the interchangeable system and produced their first ever speed boot called the F50 adiZERO which weighed a staggering 5.8 oz. It was at this point where adidas put other boot company on their heels. It was easily the 2010 boot of the year…

The rest is history, bring on the Prime; which will be the lightest boot ever which is launching February 1^st 2011.

Footy Guru boot spy: week two

 With the release date upon us, players around the world are starting to debut the new adizero. The boots look fantastic on the pitch and like in 2010, players are continuing to stick with this boot. I am surprised Nani has stuck with these boots and not gone back to his Nike boots, i would imagine he had a big contract with Nike. Any body know if he is now sponsored by adidas or if he is independant? Would be a great pickup for adidas and would like to see adidas be more creative with their marketing campaigns/commercials.

Here are some pictures of players sporting the boots. The boot are expected to hit stores next month 2/1/2011.