Happy Friday and a Happy New Year’s eve eve to all of you out in internet land. Hopefully your day is going well, and you’re preparing for a grand entrance into 2012 tomorrow night. Today we’re going to look at the Nike5 Lunar Gato in the new black, chrome yellow, and university gold colorway. Being based out of Missouri, we’d be remiss if we didn’t give a quick note to the Mizzou color scheme with these shoes—it’s certainly doubtful that Nike intended to single the school out for an entire run of these soccer shoes, but we think it’s still pretty cool. With that out of the way, let’s get into these bad boys.
If there’s one adjective to describe these boots, it has to be slick. Whether it’s the luster of the leather at the forefoot combining with the smooth gray lines at the mid-foot, or the combo chrome yellow/university gold sole lining the bottom, these shoes are highly attractive. Some boots have entirely too many focal points; they’re attractive for a minute, but then you can’t help but look away because your eye is simply too busy. These boots have a few focal points, but they’re separate enough to keep your eye coming back for more. Personally, I’m drawn to the classic Swoosh, the sole, and the convergence between natural leather and synthetic leather. You may find other points of attraction, but the take home point is that it’s a calculated design that is properly executed. There’s also a sense that Nike expertly pulled off the combination of classic style with modern look, which is decidedly difficult.
The look of these shoes isn’t all there is to it, either. Without proper construction, a set of shoes is only good for looking at on the shelf; thankfully, the Lunar Gato boots are not in that category. Starting with the stitched toe, we have a solid reinforcement keeping the sole and upper together. Even at the end of the stitched, the adhesive is going to last you for quite some time, even on the stress points at the toe corners. Double stitching around the entire shoe, save along the laces, will keep the upper material from tearing or splitting as well. With the reinforced heel, mesh sock-liner, and lunarlon insole, these puppies are durable and comfortable. Even if you aren’t using them for actual play, you can still wear these indoor soccer shoes around town in style. The shoes are a little wider than their firm ground brethren, but not terribly much. If you have very narrow feet, you may want to check a half size down, but other than that, you should be good. The length is pretty normal as well; size 9s, my usual size, fit my feet perfectly.
The starting price for these shoes is $89.99. I think this is a solid price for them, given the amount of time and use you’ll get out of them. By the time one pair wears out, you’ll have gone through two or three cheaper pairs of shoes. Like I said, these aren’t just for playing; they’re for casual wear as well. If you’re looking for shoes for either situation, I suggest giving the Lunar Gatos a fair chance.
Written by: Kris Dyer, soccerprose.com
