Today we break away from boot reviews, folks, as an influx of balls has reached our docks. With that in mind, we’re going to look at the adidas Euro 2012 Glider in slime with dark indigo. As the name suggests, the ball is modeled after the Euro 2012 ball but is obviously of lesser quality and is a fraction of the cost. If you’re in the market for a ball that can be used in practice or for pick-up games, then you’ve found a viable option with this soccer ball.

Everyone has had Runts candy before, right? Or at the very least, you’ve seen the candy> Good. The pervasive color on the Glider is a green akin to the lime Runts, albeit a shade or two lighter. Meanwhile, the accents are a little darker than the newly (relatively) introduced blue raspberry Runts (note: the blue raspberries are the worst). It certainly isn’t an electrifying ball with its low contrast and toned down colors, but I still think it’s appealing in that understated, in the background kind of way. It’s the kind of appealing you see and think, “Not bad. Not bad at all.” Here’s the one kicker, though: it’s green. Even though the green is lighter than grass, I can still see where it might present problems. With that said, this ball would be great for those practices that happen on a public field with patches of thin grass and plenty of brown dirt.

As I said earlier, this ball is more of a practice/pick-up kind of ball rather than a game ball. This is reflected in the stitching, which looks a tiny bit looser than its more expensive counterpart. The paneling is more or less the same on each ball, but the Glider’s panels are a bit more flexible and lack the texture found on the Tango match ball. At the same time, you have to take the $14.99 price tag into account. If you’re in need of a ball, get a couple of friends to pitch in a few bucks and voila, game on. The ball gets the job done when you’re in a quick pinch, and it’s extremely affordable. If you’re in that situation or a similar one, then be sure to look at the Glider in any of the current colorways.

Written by: Kris Dyer, soccerprose.com

Hello again, folks! Hopefully you’ve had time to grab a drink and snack after reading Eric’s review; I’m going to keep up the boot trend by taking a look at the Puma King Indoor IT boots in the classic black and white colorway. Are the soccer shoes flashy? Nope. Are they built to take abuse and perform night in and night out? Absolutely.

We won’t spend too much time on the look of the shoe because, as I said, it’s classic. The upper is all black with the signature Puma swoosh in white on both sides of the boot, with an additional white and black puma logo stamped into the heel. Add in the (almost) trademark white flipped tongue with Puma King on it, and you round out the boot’s style. It’s simple and doesn’t mess with tradition; why take a heritage boot and add bells and whistles? The Puma King is one of the most recognizable boots on the market, regardless of playing surface, and I’m glad Puma kept it traditional. The look is maybe about 30% of these boots’ value in my opinion, with the other 70% coming from the construction.

The upper is made with 100% leather. This of course means a softer feel on the ball with a higher comfort ceiling once broken in. The upper is a bit stiff at first owing to the high profile of the shoe, but don’t let that scare you away from the shoe—it will break in after a couple of weeks. Moving down, you’ve got a stalwart of a sole which is thicker at the heel, presumably to absorb some of the shock of the harder indoor surfaces. Everyone knows how painful an awkward landing can feel on your heel, so good on Puma for making the heel more protected. You can’t feel it through the intertubes, but trust me the sole is firm and durable. Basically, it creates a solid barrier between you and the playing surface without sacrificing touch. My main (and really only) gripe with the shoes is the insole. The texture just feels a bit rough still, and I think it’s something Puma could tackle without scrapping the boot’s traditional look. It may just be my personal taste, but the insole could use something a bit more flexible. All-in-all, though, the boot is sturdy, built to take a beating, and provides solid touch on the ball.

As with most Puma shoes, these boots run a little small. I’d suggest going up a half size from normal, but as always, it’s best to find a way to try a pair on in person. A pair will run you about $90, so you’ll want to make sure the boots fit properly. I don’t think the shoe will win over new customers necessarily, but fans of the indoor Kings will not be disappointed.

Written by: Kris Dyer, soccerprose.com

Wayne Rooney has had a solid campaign thus far for Manchester United in the Premiership. He has netted 13 times while providing three assists in 20 games. Some people may say it’s his natural talent that has brought him so much success, but I would argue it’s the cleats on his feet. The Nike Total 90 Lasers have been Rooney’s cleats of choice for many years now The last model of the Total 90 left a little to be desired, but the new version is a force to be reckon with. These totally revamped cleats should be catching the eye of players everywhere..

Style

The colorway I have in front of me looks smart. It consists of red, gray and white which go together very well. Generally, the Total90 series feature synthetic cleats, however, these shoes feature a kanga-lite upper just like the CTR series. Kanga-lite was developed to give you the touch of kangaroo leather while decreasing water uptake and increasing comfort. It also features a textured instep in order to give swerve on your shots and crosses as well as increased control. The lacing is also off-center to provide you with a cleaner striking surface. The studs are bladed in order to give excellent traction on all surfaces.

Feel

After the last version of the Total90, I began to lose faith in Nike’s striker boots. Thankfully, they have completely revamped this version and it is not as bulky and uncomfortable as the old ones; it is actually quite the opposite. These are some of the most comfortable cleats I have worn in some time. As soon as you slip this cleat on your foot, it feels like a glove. They have also taken quite a bit of weight off so they do not feel like you are wearing a brick on each foot during a game. The molded EVA sockliner is very soft on your ankles and shouldn’t cause blisters.

Overall

If you wore the old Total90 and didn’t like them, do not hold that against this version. This pair of cleats is hardly recognizable compared to the last version. They are lighter, more comfortable, and not as bulky. I wasn’t a fan of the old Total90’s, but I love these. You can definitely tell that Nike paid attention to what fans had to say and changed things accordingly. So if you are looking for a new pair of cleats, check these out, and don’t let preconceived notions hold you back from trying out a great pair strikers cleats.

Written By: Eric Stoyanov, Contributing Writer, soccerprose.com