Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Adidas are back with a brand new silo that caters to a new demographic of player. The Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0 is the first boot that caters specifically to the “Engine”, a player that Opta helped Adidas define through extensive research. This is the box-to-box midfielder or the energetic outside back that wants to continually get on the ball.
[See: Adidas Nitrocharge – The Engine – May 16th]
Being that it is a brand new silo, there is a lot of new things going on right through the boot. With that in mind, we have put together a very simplified breakdown of what you can expect from the Nitrocharge if you decide to pick up a pair.
It all starts with price and availability – you can get a pair for $179.99 at WeGotSoccer or $199 at Soccer.com.
HybridTouch Upper – Adidas stick with the same HybridTouch upper we first saw on the Predator LZ. It is their most advanced synthetic to date and it offers players n extremely natural feel on the ball, similar to a natural leather, while maintaining great ship and providing weather proof properties.
EnergySling – This is the yellow band that arches across the forefoot. ENERGYSLING is a rubber like compound that provides stability and energy through lateral movements. In other words, you get more energy rebound as you look to cut and chop.
EnergyPulse – The soleplate of the cleat contains ENERGYPULSE, this is the Zig-Zag layer you can see toward the front of the boot. It has been inspired by spring technology, with high-elastic material at its heart, providing added energy during the toe off phase of sprinting.
Protection Mesh and Pads – From the midfoot and wrapping around the heel is a Protection mesh layer and Protection pads. The material is very similar to what you find on a running shoe and it runs around the most sensitive tackle zones such as the Achilles tendon.
SprintFrame – If there is something that Adidas is confident in, it is their trusted soleplate. They are now using the same traction system through their entire range of boots.
miCoach Technology – Again, you have the option of placing your miCoach chip in the boots to track performance.
Weight – Being that they are a midfielders boot and offer a padded feel, Adidas has checked the boot in at 8.4oz.
“Energy is so important in today’s game. I’m running from box-to-box for the full 90 minutes and am constantly changing directions and sprinting. Wearing a cleat that gives me energy return throughout an entire match gives me a huge advantage.” – Sporting KC midfielder Graham Zusi
In addition to Zusi, MLS stars such as Dax McCarty of the New York Red Bulls, Osvaldo Alonso of Seattle Sounders FC, Juninho of LA Galaxy and Perry Kitchen of DC United will wear Nitrocharge along with international players Dani Alves of FC Barcelona, Daniele De Rossi of A.S. Roma, Ezequiel Lavezzi of Paris Saint Germain and Javi Martinez of FC Bayern Munich.
Everything about these boots seems to sit perfectly in line with what I would expect a defensive midfielder to be wearing. One of the most obvious things about these boots is the fact that Adidas doesn’t take the “lightweight is best” approach, something that is actually quite refreshing and there is definitely a place in the market for a boot like this. Personally, I like the overall design although I expect better colorways to come.
What do you guys think of the Nitrocharge and is it a boot that suits your style?
