Good afternoon, dear readers. Today’s agenda sees a split from the news trend of the past few days as I take a look at the adidas adiPower Predator boots in the white with Predator sharp blue metallic colorway. White shoes are always an interesting beast because there rarely seems to be a middle ground; either they’re pulled off very well, or they fall completely flat. This boot is one of those rare instances, I think, because it will not fall victim to the inevitable grass stains white shoes incur. Yes, the stains will happen, but the shoe still has plenty of style to push on through the stains. With all of that said, let’s get into these bad boys.

It doesn’t take long for your brain to recognize the pervasive whiteness of these soccer shoes, maybe less than a second. This fact would be worrisome if not for one saving grace—the metallic luster. The diffused look of the luster saves the boot from being ridiculously reflective while still maintaining a suave shine, so spectators can admire the boot without scorching their retina. On either side of the foot is the 3-stripe design in a cool metallic blue kind of color. In fact, the color kind of resembles Crest toothpaste for me, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve always loved the color. Another, and maybe better, way to think of it is a slightly less vibrant sapphire. Anyway, from there you have bright orange (think of highway safety vests) accents at the outer heel with “Predator” stamped into the leather, the back of the heel with the adidas logo, and on the soleplate with the powerspine and diamond cleat. Blue and orange aren’t exactly bold choices as they complement each other, but adidas picked the proper spots. Swap the two colors’ positions, and this is one hard to handle shoe. Even with proper positioning, this shoe would feel incomplete if not for the black strip lining the soleplate and topping the heel up as well as the black tongue and insole. The high contrast makes the border between black and white interesting to the eye, and it’s certainly where my eye keeps coming back for more. Sure, the blue tipped cleats add some pizzazz (yep, I used that word), but the black elements of these boots are what complete it. My verdict on this colorway is that these boots look decent on the shelf and marvelous on the feet. Even after grass stains, these boots will continue to deliver style on your feet.

The boots are still constructed the same way with the same materials and elements, so no worries on that end. The upper is made of Taurus full-grain calfskin and somehow still weighs a little south of 8 ounces; it’s not as light as an adizero, but it’s in the same arena. A flexible yet resilient soleplate ensures that you get your money’s worth in terms of performance and durability; splitting shouldn’t be an issue, and the powerspine gives your shots that extra oomph. As always, the bladed cleat shape with tiny teeth delivers proper traction, even in those damper environments. In terms of protection, the heel cup should aid in staving off major injuries from wayward kicks, while the boot’s lip should lessen blows to your toes. The verdict on this end is that the boot is properly constructed with great stitching, and it’s capable of handling a beating on the pitch. Be confident that these boots will perform with and defend your feet game in and game out.

The adipower boots retail for $199.99 but are $179.99 over at soccerpro.com. They fit more or less true to size, give or take a centimeter or two. As a size 9 wearer, a size 9 adipower is perfect, especially for my wide foot. If you’re in the same boat, go ahead and give these boots a try; just be sure to take care of them, and they’ll last for quite some time.

Written by: Kris Dyer, soccerprose.com