Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Continuing on the line of indoor shoe reviews is the Nike Lunar Gato – and I will admit now that it is going to be difficult to find another shoe to matches the performance offered by this release! There are plenty of different colorway options available when it comes to the Lunar Gato range, with the Metallic Platinum/Electric Green/Solar Red version being one of the more popular. For testing, that is the color I went with in a size 9US.
Find the latest selection of Lunar Gato shoes available at soccer.com.
Breaking In/Comfort
My initial reaction to the Lunar Gato was very positive. They feel really good in every aspect from the padding on the tongue to the flexibility of the sole. For the first few wears, these did feel pretty tight and it took maybe 3-4 wears before they truly felt comfortable. But since that time they have felt terrific and are now an absolutely perfect fit! Order true to size if you are looking to get a pair. The inside of the shoe is adequately padded, allowing for a snug fit when you play without being too bulky. Ultimately, these shoes offer optimum comfort and that leads to better movement and touch in game!
Soleplate and Traction
Loving the sole on the Lunar Gato and the traction/grip that it offers! The honeycomb panels offer plenty of give when you flex the sole and there is just enough of a gap between the panels to increase overall traction. I loved how these felt on the court and always felt comfortable when twisting and turning. Traction is definitely one of the highlights of the boot. The sole is gum rubber and is non-marking.
Performance
One of my initial thoughts about the Lunar Gato centered around how they would actually perform. Everything about the shoe is visually appealing, and they are from one of the larger companies, but would the performance match the package? Well, thankfully they turn out to be a terrific shoe in action. They bend in all the right areas and move as you would expect. The Lunar Gato includes Lunarlite technology, a unique lightweight cushioning that is 30% lighter than regular insole. It reduces weight and gives more spring on impact – probably one thing that plays a role in the high grip and traction of the shoe. It also leaves the Lunar Gato weighing in at a decent 10.4oz. Through testing and after wearing them daily, I can tell you that you will notice the spring they add to your step.
Touch and Control
Nike use a natural leather upper with an unusually positioned rubber toe and medial side panel that aids durability and ball friction. To be honest, the actual design of the rubber area looks like something a kid drew for fun. There really is not any reasoning behind it positioning – except to add a futuristic look to the shoe. It definitely comes in useful when taking your first touch, and to date it has withstood the durability test! When it comes to striking the ball, I loved the feel behind the Lunar Gato. They have just enough cushioning along the strike zone without taking away from touch on the ball.
Critics Notes
Not too many negatives to offer on this one! I found the Lunar Gato performs remarkably well on court, while doubling with ease as a regular everyday shoe. I do have some reservations about the durability of the shoe as they scuff and mark-up pretty easily, but other than that they are a top class indoor shoe that will suit all types of players. Oh, price might be an issue (original price around $93) but I have found some great deals where you can get them for around the $65 mark.
Summary
With two indoor reviews finished (and a dozen in process), I don’t think there will be too many indoor shoes that surpass what the Nike Lunar Gato has to offer. It is obvious that Nike have placed lots of attention to this indoor range in order to capture a piece of the market. One thing that might be of concern is the price – but you are going to pay for quality. Overall, a great indoor shoe that I will be more than willing to take out of the closet for future games!
Find the latest selection of Lunar Gato shoes available at soccer.com.
i have used this champion for fustal they are great. i find that the do fit tight so i used a half size larger than what i use for cleats. I think nike has got a great line going with nike5, the feel is great and the colors are always vibrant.
Bryan, could u share with us where to get the $65 deal? :):) thanks
Great review. You siad that it could also be used for an every day shoe as well? That would be optimum for me because I can't afford new sneakers and new inddor shoes at the moment so something like this would be good. So could I use these as an every day shoe as well? Thanks Bryan.:)
this is just the Nike5 Gato – not the lunar Gato (little differences), but this review says they are great for everyday use as well. id assume its the same for the lunar Gatos too.
http://soccerprose.com/product-reviews/nike-5-gat…
There is also the street gato that you could use for every day wear and playing..
$58 if you're a Goal Club member on soccer.com.
I don't know about using them as an everyday shoe, the honeycomb bottom seems to pick up a lot of dirt and small pebbles just using them in a gym! They are perfect though, my favorite indoor shoe that I have tried out. So the inside "ball friction" panel doesn't do too much? I have the safari version and they are the exact same thing but without that panel. That's the only difference with the safaris.
Would these work for running outside…
Great Review and right on time!
My Nike5 Gatos (not lunar) are in need of replacement and i was thinking about getting these, now i want them more. If they perform anything like the regular gatos i will love them!
What i love the most is their comfort and how they look like an actual shoe and not just an indoor shoe, they have a very different casual look.
Hi Bryan,
I really want a pair of these in the safari colourway. I can't find them on any sites. They just look so good for on the street and on the court! Please let me know! Thanks soooo much! Love the site
what does it mean by non marking?
Aside from the topic…is there going to be a leather release on the chrome f50 adizeros?
By far the best indoor shoe I have ever owned. In fact they are so good I feel almost bad about using them. Is what I end up doing is using some Total 90s IC for most things and the Lunar Gatos for futsal only.
I have two pairs of these one for indoor and one to wear around. These are the perfect shoe for anybody! The lunarlite makes it feel like a running shoe with the secure fit and touch of an indoor shoe.
Bryan, you are 100% right. These indoor shoes are so much more comfortable than any others. They're the only ones I can wear without having sore feet after playing on hard surfaces.
Agreed. I have flat feet, and often after indoor matches I get heel pains. but the Lunar Gatos have so much cushioning and the lunarlon technology, that Its actually reduced the pain, sometimes it feels like I could run forever in this shoe.
whoever came up with the idea of putting lunarlon into these shoes deserves a total pay rise. now if only they could incoporate this slightly into their boots too. HMMM…
Most indoors these days look really bulky to me, or not enough protection at all. These look also bulky, so how is the touch and control of these shoes. I'm disappointed with Nike discontinuing the Nike t-7 indoors since I read that thy offered the best touch and comfort combo.
could you review the nike tiempo premiers?
the spring is a thing of beauty especially if you're doing alot of sharp turns and banging the concrete really hard. should be a permanent feature for indoor shoes.
however it took 1-2 sessions to get used to the very mild extra thickness around the toe and forefoot. the plus side is a stronger toe-shot. the other side is that for players who are really twinkle toed it would take some time to get used to – compared to the mercurial indoor version.
The safari colourway are hard to find, maybe u can review the Nike5 street gato? 🙂
Brian,
Have you ever tried the Nike5 Elastico Pro? I was thinking of buying them but i know nothing about them. Would you be able to do a review on them?
Thanks
@Nick,
Honestly, I have had a pair for the past 3-4 months, tested them – just haven't wrote the review yet! The most important thing is that they fit small, so order up a half size – stay tuned and I will try get the review up in the next week or two!
What do you think the best futsal shoes for getting a powerful shot is?
I too am wondering if these would be good as an everyday shoe.
I bought a pair of these after this review. Although the cushioning and shot power are great, my left ankle was hurting pretty bad after the game. I bought size 11, and left pinky was rubbing against the shoe sole as well. These shoes fit well from the start, but those were the issues. When juggling the ball in these, the feet will hurt more, than if using synthetic leather.
Great Shoes. I enjoy them quite a lot, but how long would you say the break- in period is? Although, what is the colorway that you prefer the most?
Ordered my pair, thanks for the review!
How do these fit?
I have a pair of these and they are absolutley amazing. DO you know any outdoor cleats that fit like them?
Because these are specifically designed for indoor, it is difficult to offer up suggestions on boots that fit like them! Great shoe though.
Hey everyone try ebay. I just got a pair of these for $30 total!!!!!!
You may have to compromise on color options though as I did… I'm used to it though since I wear a size 15.
Btw the fact that they come in 15 sells me on them. 🙂
I have a simple question about the stiching on the front of the shoe. I recently bought a pair in Black/Yellow/Lime and the actual stiching on the front of the shoe began to fray and ended up stripping along one link. What should I do?
hey Brian ! can u show me how to fix my problem with mesh heel liner. it always makes my heel slip although i pick up the right size , from adidas super sala 9 (7.5us fits very tight) to Nike lunar gato(8.5us a bit room in the toe box) . i also wear Nike Bomba finale 8.5us (room too but it doesnt slip) . i want to buy a pair of joma top flex but the heels are mesh too……. btw pls recommend the size of joma topflex .
Hey bryan you should review the nike5 bomba id's, for sure they are the best indoor shoe i have ever and will ever use(a bit expensive for indoors though)
I own a pair and these are great shoes esp. for the grip and cushioning/support.
I can't find them online anywhere – does anyone know where I can buy this version?
can you do a review of say a joma top flex or a joma super flex?
There's been two reviews of the Joma Top Flex random. Bryan's here: http://www.soccercleats101.com/2011/03/12/joma-to…
Mine here: http://www.soccercleats101.com/2013/12/10/joma-to…
As for the Superflex, I'm currently working on a review for it, hope to have it done and dusted in the next week!