We’re back today with another installment in the new boot reviews; this time we’re checking out the adidas F50 adiZero in High Energy with Electricity. “But Kris, that shoe colorway already came out,” you’re probably saying to yourself, and you’re definitely correct. The difference, ladies and gentleman, is that this edition is the leather edition. Nine times out of ten, I’ll take the leather over synthetic for a shoe. This is one of those nine times.
The colorway will be familiar to most adizero fans out there, but let’s take a moment to make sure everyone is on the same page. Save the white stripes, there are two colors on this boot—a vibrant red-orange and what is basically a highlighter yellow with less luster. The best way I know to describe the layout is that it looks like a boot wearing light armor. The red-orange leather presents a diffuse lustrous look in a relatively toned down fashion while the electric yellow boasts a sharper look with a rubberized material overlay. While the colors are certainly not my speed, I do have a soft spot for the design itself; this is truly a step up from previous adizero soccer shoes. My only gripe with the look of these boots is with the toe. From either side of the forefoot, a wide yellow band begins and moves inward to the toes; as it goes inward, it gradates into the red-orange leather. Instead of this gradation, I think a solid yellow bar with tuned down opacity would have served the boot better. It would have kept up with the hard lines present in all the other aspects. On the other hand, I suppose if that is my only gripe with the boot, then it’s a pretty good looking boot indeed. If you’re like me and love this design but pine for different colors, be sure to look at the slime with silver and black colorway.
Alright, so the one feature adizeros are known for is their weight. It’s almost nonexistent. Probably just behind this is the sprintframe, which is a huge reason for the boot being lightweight. These features are still prominent in the boot, but there are a couple of tweaks that have definitely improved it. First, I want to be sure to point out the new cleats. They’re the same shape, but they now have small divets with teeth on each side. This allows for increased grip on the pitch, and while it may not make a terribly noticeable difference in a single instance, it certainly will over the course of a 90 minute game. Another change comes from the micoach. Basically, the micoach chip tracks your speed, top burst, distance traveled, and other stats, and you can then track these stats by plugging the usb into your computer. This feature probably appeals to higher levels of competition and for those working closely with trainers, but still, it’s a useful tool. It doesn’t take up much space, and you can’t even feel it under your foot. Finally, the toe has thankfully carried over from the blue/slime leather adizeros, so you won’t need to worry about the leather splitting from the sole. The toe has a relatively thick piece of plastic bonded between the two, adding reinforcement.
As always, the adizero is narrower than something like the adidas 11pro, but the length is still true to size. One caveat is that the leather will stretch, allowing a wider foot a little more leeway with the boots. If the Vapor is just a little too snug, then the adizero will be just fine. Expect to pay about $209.99 for a pair, which reflects the micoach inclusion. I wouldn’t be too alarmed at the increase as it’s only $10, so hopefully that doesn’t turn you off completely. The adizeros are one of the greatest lines on the market, and this edition lives up to the history.
Written by: Kris Dyer, soccerprose.com
