Soft / Muddy Ground Football Boot Options:

Almost all the boots in this range have not changed markedly from last season, there is a NEW boot from Asics. There have been colour changes and some improvement in areas that were shown to be problematic. These areas are improved upper material, torsional stability and durability of the sole unit: (the midsole and outer sole).

Adidas:

1. The + Predator Powerserve TRX and Absolion. Designed with soccer in mind, the main design feature of the predator in the past has been the strips of rubber on the inside top of the forefoot, designed to spin and curve the soccer ball into the goal. The Powerserve boot has done away with the exchangeable different weighted Powerpulse insoles. Instead Adidas has redesigned the insole to use a chamber under the forefoot area filled with Tungsten powder. Adidas notes this technology shift the weight toward to the point of impact, “allowing more powerful shots and increased flexibility”.

2. The + F50 Tunit. This range of boots continues the development of this revolutionary approach of customizing the boot to the player. You can choose from several interchangeable uppers, chassis and stud sets: for Soft, Firm and Hard Ground! Is it a fantastic new development that will allow players to tailor the best combination or just a gimmick? To address durability problems that occurred during last season, there have been updated materials, however I am not sure how this innovative boot would stand up to wearing it for training and games throughout the full season.

3. The ADI PURE TRX . Adidas has in this category returned to the ‘PURE’ traditional lines with the upper made from soft leather and the sole unit and blade placement: the traditional Adidas configuration is still available in the Copa Mundial boots. Mick T’s favotie. This unit provides good torsional stability, however because of the reinforced forefoot blade plate charecteristics, the forefoot flexpoint is poor.

Asics:

The Asics football boots are my favorite because they have design features from consultation with sports medicine health professionals. This has made the boot highly safe, but as far as pure aesthetics is concerned, it is perhaps not quite as attractive as the other brands. Over the past few years Asics has tried to address this to make their boots look more trendy while keeping the basics of the sports medicine principles intact. Asics AFL boots have a 10mm heel raise to offload the Achilles and hamstrings.

1. The Gel lethal 10. This boot has been built up from the original design of about 7 years ago that had a midsole, probably the best moulded cleat design in the competition and has many characteristics of runners. There has been some changes in the sole unit to reduce it’s bulk and weight by the midsole having a lower profile and, to offset any loss of torsional stability, having the thermoplastic midfoot support increased. There has been some improvement in the toe area stitching to lessen the impact on the foot when kicking.

2. The Gel lethal Hybrid. The main feature of this boot is the combination of blades and screw-in stops for improved traction on muddy grounds. The midsole design has been stiffened using their Solyte material which has reduced 50 grams of the boot’s weight. It also comes with 2 choices of removal stops, standard rubber stops and new rubber studs ( for harder grounds) to provide some options for different ground conditions.

3. The Lethal Tigreor ST/IT. This is Asics new boot to compete with the ‘ Performance and Speed’ boots of Nike and Puma. It is built on a racing last with external heel counter. However it is designed with a 10 mm heel lift, which provides protection by reducing the pressure and impact forces on ‘’ the feet, legs and lower body”, but also “ allows the foot to come into action far sooner than traditional flat boots

Nike:

1. The Air Zoom Total 90 Shift & Supreme. This is Nike's premier boot range. It has a wide forefoot and has a New built-in thermoplastic S.P.P.technology for improved “ball control and shooting accuracy”,
( a similar idea to Adidas Predator boots for soccer players).This also incorporates Nike’s E-vent technology to “keep the foot dry”. Nike has also gone back to the moulded stop design rather than blades, believing it has improved the comfort and reduced the pressure under the foot in doing so. It has a marked Asymmetrical lacing system design from it’s soccer heritage. Finally, the boot has a thermoplastic heel counter and support frame, which is claimed to reduce the risk of rolling your ankle.

2. The Mercurial Vapor Aero. These shoes are a highly technologically designed shoe, with the outsole design being based on the Super Fly sprint spike used at the Sydney Olympics. It is claimed to improve and enhance acceleration. The synthetic upper of this boot is designed to act as a second supportive skin that is lightweight, providing comfort. This boot has had improvements in the forefoot flexibility and a carbon fibre reinforcement linking the heel cup and sole giving better torsional stability from last season. Laces are completely hidden by a cover for improved ball handling, however lacing the boot each time it is worn may become a headache!

3. The Tiempo Ronaldinho and Air Legend II. The Ronaldinho is a noted by Nike as “an unique fusion of strength, durability and touch” being made somewhat more robustly than the Air Legend II. It’s cushioning system comes from the insole shock absorption material. The Air Legend II is similar in design with perhaps somewhat more protective features. This is seen in the substantial flexgroove in the forefoot, the glass fibre shank under the midfoot and the Zoom-Air heel unit giving good shock absorption and comfort. Both are also deep wide boots and have a removable insole that makes it a good choice for fitting an orthotic if required. Niether of the boots however have any heel wedging or lift

Puma:

1. The v1.08 This has always been an amazing football boot, but for season 2008 it has been substantially redesigned to make it more robust and functional. It is however probably limited in our TAC Cup competition! It’s ‘design statement’ issued by puma is that this boot has but one aim and that is “to get you to the ball faster” and is designed for the game day’s play only, not for training! The first thing that strikes you is the material used for the upper, this is too make it feel like a sock around the foot. The Carbon fiber composite sole has been changed to separate them into 2 units with the sole having forefoot and rearfoot blade zones and the carbon fibre incorporated into a midsole. The external heel counter unit is still present but is more integrated in a ‘wrap-around’ design. Lastly components are stitched together so not to use glue, which is an environmental push through all Puma’s product range. The materials throughout the whole boot have been improved to make it a far more useable boot with better function. However, the person who wears this boot should preferably have almost ideal biomechanics and little or no history of injuries.

2. The v-Konstruct II Technology. This boot has had several areas upgraded to improve functionally and address problems. Last season’s boot had real issues, as the external heel ‘cradle’ was far stiffer than the sole unit allowing the sole to flex through the midfoot. This has been addressed by making the sole unit stiffer and the external heel cradle more flexible. While this has improved this problem, it still exists on some of the range and if you are interested in wearing this boot, please speak to me before buying, so I can assess your compatibility. These have the Puma shock absorption system in the heel called duoCELL to reduce the shock at heel impact and now does provide some small amount of heel wedging.

3. The King. This boot has returned to a more familiar style leaving the technological advances to be in the above boots. This boot now has a better fitting last shape which may well be more comfortable for the average person, especially those with a more square foot shape, than any previous King boots. The leather upper is designed for comfort and is traditional in shape, however has the Asymmetrical lacing design. The sole has been markly improved in torsion, but especially forefoot flexibility.