When shopping for your cleats or your kid’s cleats this year, you want to get them something that they will think looks “cool,” something that won’t force you to band-aid multiple blisters after it gets worn, something that (especially if your kid’s feet are still growing) will not hurt your budget, and something that will help take the player’s game to the max.
The Predator Absolado fits all of these “needs,” and more. Whether you get the Predator Sharp Blue with Electricity or the White with Black colorway, the cleat looks very sharp. The blue is definitely a flashier choice, but even that colorway isn’t so flashy that it should scare shyer players away. The white with black still has some flashes of color, with the tongue being a light blue and some flashes of electricity throughout the boot.
The Absolado has taken notes from its high end brother, the Adipower, by adding plenty of padding inside the cleat itself so that your foot is comfortable and gives you every advantage to try and avoid those “break-in” blisters. It has a super soft heel liner and plenty of padding on the outside of the cleat to keep players protected from any kicks or stomps that they may encounter on the pitch.
With the Absolado being part of the adidas Predator family, you know that it is going to contain the Predator element on the upper of the cleat. It doesn’t have the raised fins on the side, but it seems to have more control technology placed on the top of the boot. The area of where the Predator element sits for the Adipower has been replaced by a sticky, smooth surface that helps keep a positive touch on the ball which will allow players to have superior control.
This boot definitely fits the bill for a cleat that will not destroy your budget at the local soccer store, coming in at $45.99. With the next level of the Predator family costing nearly double that, it is definitely a fiscally responsible choice for any player or parent. The price definitely doesn’t match the quality of this boot though, with the Absolado being a cleat that will hold up for a long time, and a boot that will allow players to focus on everything but their footwear.
Written by: Andrew McCole, Predator aficionado and kit man, soccerprose.com
