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The Predator line and its variations from Adidas has been one of my favorites on the market for about the last eight years or so. My opinion hasn’t changed with the Adidas Predator X, David Beckham edition, shoe. I love the fact that Adidas has maintained a full calf grain leather shoe for the Beckham’s because I know it’s going to be a durable and lasting boot. It’s not going to tear or rip like a synthetic shoe, and it’s going to expand and contract to fit my foot, which has always been high on the priority list for me.
Furthermore, the double stitching provides even more durability, so I’m not going to have to purchase several pairs of shoes to get through a season. As with many other Adidas soccer shoes, Traxion technology is in full force, providing excellent grip and comfort on any firm, natural surfaces. Sure, the touch on the ball may not be as great compared to synthetics, but I think the plethora of other features far outweigh the negligible difference in touch. While wearing the shoes, I felt I had superb touch with perfect fit around my foot. It felt like a glove. With that said, the shoes don’t necessarily slip on and slip off, but that’s a good thing.
You don’t play the game in sandals (at least competitively…), so why should your boots fit like sandals? The lacing and striking surface, to me, are also outstanding. The off centered laces take up a minimal amount of space, leaving a huge striking surface, and the tongue…what tongue? Adidas has developed a tongue that slides into the inside of the shoe, so they’ve minimized the chances for an awkward kick from a pesky wayward tongue. Oh and there’s that little thing called the Powerspine.
I know it seems gimmicky, but I definitely felt the support in the balls of my feet. I think it will definitely serve its purpose, which is to provide strength in shots and crosses by reducing the amount the foot bends during contact. The other feature I’m big on is the amazing heel support. Everybody who has ever played the game knows how painful a kick to the heel is, and the Predator X shoes pretty much wipe that worry away. Alright, one last note and I swear I’ll get to the style of the boot. The cleat pattern remains the same as other Predator models, with minimal cleats in the middle of the foot, save the couple adding support on the Powerspine, and with angled cleats running around the sides of the foot. The cleats are angled in a logical manner to provide proper stability and traction while reducing friction on natural surfaces.
In short, you won’t have problems getting up to top speed and making cuts with these shoes.
Okay, time for me to tell you how cool this shoe looks. The instep design has a sweet red flame design that I think trumps the star design of the Champions League Predators. I also like the white and red color scheme. It’s a little flashy, but it’s still classy. What I think makes the shoe, though, is stripe pattern and the heel design. On the inside of the foot, the classic 3-stripe design has been modified to look as if it’s coming out from under the foot with a kind of ribbed pattern to it. The outside of the foot has a modified 3-stripe pattern that looks super sleek and has a nice gray border that has “thermoform” stamped into it.
Pretty slick.
Man, I just can’t get over the design of the heel. It just looks super sturdy. The grooves in the casing show you how thick it is, and “Predator” is stamped on the outside of the heel on a silver band. It definitely looks like it means business.
Overall, The Predator X David Beckham’s are a highly protective, comfortable modern looking shoe that doesn’t sacrifice much in the way of touch, feel or speed. They’re a little pricey at $169.99 right now, but hey, they’re worth every penny in my opinion. You can spend just as much on another shoe that will last half as long and provide half the protection for your feet. Well done, Adidas.
Written by: Kristopher Dyer from soccerpro.com
