Soccer Parents

One of the lightest boots to ever hit the market, the adidas F50 adizero, has seen some of the most appealing colorways in recent memory (of course omitting the dreadful world cup colorway). For my money, it doesn’t often get better than the black/orange or black/green colorways of past adizeros. That said, the electricity/infrared/anodized purple scheme shouldn’t be considered a throwaway; it can hold its own even among the most lauded schemes.

This colorway was released to coincide with the anodized purple/electricity/infrared color scheme, so they’re of course both vying for the hearts of adizero wearers everywhere. Factor in the white leather scheme, and you’ve got quite the competition between adizero boots. While not my favorite of the three, I still believe the electricity and infrared is a solid, appealing option fit for a lot of players out there.
The primary color for these boots is of course the electricity, which is basically a bright yellow-green, leaning more on the yellow side of things. The primary color is then complemented by purple and red accents, or “anodized” purple and “infrared,” respectively. The purple accents are realized through the pattern at the toes, the heel cup, sock liner, tongue and laces; the red accents come in the three stripes, tips of the studs and the smooth yet edgy lines moving from the toes to the mid-foot. The one criticism I’ve heard is that this looks a little like a Joker scheme from Batman. On the one hand, such criticism implies a comic book, cartoonish look to the soccer shoes, but on the other hand, it implies a kind of flair and a kind of unique style. As a speed boot, the adizero is almost required to have a flashy, loud element to them; this specific colorway takes flashy and loud to the limit and announces your feet on the pitch. While not my personal style, I still think these boots look great on the feet and will provide plenty of style for those who strap on a pair.

You can also expect the same design and quality construction out of this boot as you do any other adizero. The upper is made out of synthetic SprintSkin, which is a lot of the reason the adizero weighs in at a whopping 5.8 ounces. The chassis is the same sprintframe with molded traxion cleats strategically placed to provide proper bite in acceleration while keeping you stable and balanced. The boots come with two insole inserts—ultralight and comfort. They provide exactly what their name says, however there is no concern that the ultralight is uncomfortable or that the comfort is heavy. Both inserts provide excellent comfort without being cumbersome. If there’s to be concern in an area, then that concern rests with the tension points at the sides of the foot. These tension points cause the sprintskin upper to fold into a relatively small point, which invites stress and tearing. I should temper that statement by saying tearing has come up, but it isn’t a regular thing. It’s basically the same story as just about anything you buy—a fraction of users have an issue or problem with proper functionality, but the vast majority of users have no hang ups at all.

Despite the last point on tearing, I think you should be able to confidently purchase a pair of these bad boys without worrying about the quality of construction. The boots wouldn’t see update after update unless they were properly made and designed. Soccerpro has them listed for $159.99 right now, which is a deal, especially if you’re in the market for a speed boot.

Written by: Kris Dyer, contributing editor, soccerprose.com

If you’ve read our review of the adult Umbro GT Pro A boots, then you know that we were happy with the improvements but were skeptical as to whether those improvements were enough to win over players. Our opinion of these youth soccer shoes is slightly different, however. As a parent buying cleats, you obviously want the most out of your money because, let’s face it, the kids will grow out of the cleats in a matter of months. Luckily, Umbro stepped up its youth game and delivered a high quality pair of boots at an affordable price.

As you might expect, the youth boot looks almost the same as the adult. Yellow has the lion’s share of the boot’s real estate, with black making a couple appearances. Such appearances are found in the Umbro logo on the outside of the mid-foot as well as in the A-frame arch on both sides of the boot. With the A-frame, the style is 3 thin black lines following the curve of the A-frame. It’s a simple, minimal look that I think a lot of kids will find appealing. It’s a bright shoe that doesn’t slip into the obnoxious realm, and it isn’t stuffed with chaotic details either. Put succinctly, the shoe won’t demand your eye’s attention, but it is nonetheless pleasing and attractive, especially for younger players.

I’m sure that, as a parent, you were extremely concerned about the color, right? Seriously, though, every parent wants to make sure their kid is wearing a pair of sturdy, solid boots, and that’s what you get with the Umbro GT Pro boots. The one piece polyurethane upper, while not as durable as real leather, keeps cost down while also minimizing potential separation points. The tension points created when bending the shoe are also pushed higher up on the shoe than with most boots. Usually, you can find these points right about where the soleplate and upper meet, and, unless they’re properly reinforced, the two elements will split. That isn’t the case with these boots. The tension points are about an inch and a half above the soleplate/upper merger, which of course boosts durability. The insole is soft and relatively thick, so it will both cradle and support your child’s foot without creating blisters or discomfort. The heel cup is pretty protective and resistant, and it actually covers the entire heel before giving way to the tip of the heel cradle. The cradle has to be flexible to adjust for movement, which is why you don’t see the cup extending all the way to the top. Finally, this boot has an excellent soleplate that is made out of high quality plastic. Umbro thought ahead and added a flex point underneath the balls of the feet which allows for a more durable and flexible soleplate. Rounding it all out are the screws at the toes and heel. This ensures that the soleplate will stay fixed to the upper, especially at the toe, where a lot of splitting can occur. On the whole, this boot is properly constructed and should definitely last as long as your kid’s feet can fit into them.

As I said at the beginning, these shoes are quality made at an affordable price, so what is that price? $34.99. In my humble opinion, you’ll pay a middle of the road price for a higher end quality boot that is sure to last until your child grows out of them. Next time you’re out at the soccer shop for new boots make sure you give these boots a look.

Written by: Kris Dyer, contributing editor, soccerprose.com