The Nike5 Lunar Gato line of futsal shoes has been one of, if not the, best-selling futsal shoe in the shop since the line came out. These boots fly off the shelves, colorway after colorway, and for good reason. Nike has been able to blend the lustrous look with the bright colors in wonderful fashion while also creating an extremely comfortable shoe. With the release of the Cherry and Black-gum colorway, I’m afraid they may have missed the mark this time. That said, the shoe is still appealing for its comfort and build, and I’m sure there’s an audience for the color.
Right, so let’s start with the colorway and why it just isn’t for me. Basically, Nike has taken the voltage cherry color of previous soccer shoes and made it pinker, despite calling it “cherry.” I’ve never encountered a cherry with this coloring. This pink color, which is akin to the kind of pink you’d find on Lisa Frank merchandise, is pervasive with the boot, and the only other color comes from the black Nike Swoosh on either side and the black NIKE on the heel. The mesh panels on either side of the boot are a tiny tint lighter pink, which does give the boot a little extra character. I really wish Nike would have added some kind of accent color to the boot because as it is now, the shoe is just boring. The color doesn’t pop out at you, and there’s nothing to really draw your eye to it. Even if the boot wasn’t pink and was instead an analogous tint of, say, blue or green, I’d still find it unappealing. Here’s the one caveat with the boot: because it straddles that line of bright and unorthodox color, I believe there is a specific audience for this boot. It’s the same idea as the voltage cherry Vapor boots. People either love them or hate them, and there is no in between.
As previously stated, I do believe this boot has appeal, which rests in the comfort and structure. It’s the same construction as previous renditions, so those of you who have owned or tried a pair know what that entails. For those who haven’t, here are the redeeming qualities of the boot: The upper is made with leather, which is still superior to synthetics and creates a much more comfortable feel after some wear. The insole of the boot, combined with the sock liner, cradles your foot like a Swedish memory pillow. It isn’t so flexible that your foot sinks to the soleplate, but it also isn’t so rigid that you develop blisters. It’s a perfect medium. The toe is also a highlight of the boot; it has a sandpaper kind of texture for increased friction on the ball, and it’s also stitched into the sole, which means splitting won’t be an issue. As a whole, the shoe is just sturdily built. The stitching and material combine to deliver a shoe that won’t give out within the first few months, and, at worst, will be relegated to the shoe you mow the lawn in for the next several years.
Just as the other lunar gatos, these shoes will run you $84.99, which isn’t bad if this colorway is your thing. If it isn’t, then I highly suggest checking out the white and yellow colorway, which was released fairly recently. The shoes will last as a playing shoe for quite some time, and after their playing days are over, they’ll be great for chores or situations where you don’t want to ruin your clean pair of shoes.
Written by: Kris Dyer, contributing editor, soccerprose.com
