Pele Sports Galileo – The Review

At this point it has become very common to see companies reducing the weight of their cleats drastically, and now we are starting to see this weight change impact economic and mid-tier options. Nike has even managed to reduce the weight of their mid-tier vapor ,the Veloce, to 7.8 oz and the economic version, the Victory IV, to 8.4 oz. However they are still not the lightest take down boots we have on the market. That title belongs to the Pele Sports Galileo which weighs in at a pretty incredible 7.3 oz.

I got the Pele Sports Galileo in a size 9.5 in the Chili Pepper/ Persimmon Orange/ Fiery Red colorway. I put them through 6 training sessions and 5 games for testing and I’m continuing to wear them, so it is safe to say that I found testing enjoyable. It was a very nice change from testing out the Victory IV which was pretty nasty throughout testing. I’m already familiar with the performance properties given by Pele Sports tripod stud configuration so parts of this review will mirror the Trinity review.

Impression

Pele sports have ditch the conservative colorways with the Galileo. With a colorway name of Chili Pepper/ Persimmon Orange/ Fiery Red these boots are definitely spicy! I’m not regularly into the louder more in-your-face colorways but this particular color combo has struck my fancy. I also like the embossed lines running through out the upper as it adds a pretty awesome ripple effect in addition to highlighting kicking zones on the boot. As far as quality goes the upper is very flexible starting off, testing it after the Victory IV definitely gives a sharp contrast. A few of the heritage boot enthusiasts I play with liked the feel of the boots which caught a few of them by surprise, a few even wanted to pick up a pair. It was nice to see that they shortened the laces a bit and I didn’t need to go about replacing them like I did with the Trinity. There are other colorway options that are much less obtrusive.

The Tech

For the mid-tier version of the Trinity Pele sports have focused on making the boot durable. They have whipped up a very durable microfiber upper that they have dubbed Renaissance microfiber and they gave it a Ripstop lining which helps to boot maintain its shape by reducing stretch and increasing stability. They haven’t skimped tech wise as they have included their award winning tripod stud configuration that we see on the Trinity 3E. Overall the Galileo is a pretty impressive package.

The Fit

Something to take note of with the Galileo is that they don’t fit like most Pele Sports cleats. While the 1962, Trinity and their lifestyle wear fit a half size big the Galileo is more true to size. It still feels like it fits a bit on the longer side of life but not enough to warrant going down half a size like with the rest of Pele sports footwear. It also runs a bit wide and is pretty roomy in the forefoot. In the end I suggest using the shoefitr app when making online purchases.

Compared to the Trinity

If you have any experience with the Trinity you can immediately tell that the Galileo is a very well made take down of the top tier Trinity. This is only apparent in the upper though. Since the stud configuration is the same you get the most important benefits that come with the Trinity. While the Symbio skin upper of the Trinity is designed more for ball feel and manipulation the Renaissance upper is more geared toward durability though the ball feel is still there, just not nearly as advanced. I would like to say the Galileo is like Pele Sports decided to take the Trinity and make it into a tank of a speed boot.

Break in and Comfort

Just like the Trinity I took them straight into a game with no real break in time. The sole plate does feel stiff starting off but that doesn’t impact performance, it bends with the foot from the word “Go”. The upper does soften up with use which is nice though it is already nice and flexible. No complaints or issues when it came to the break in period. The only thing I have to say is that the studs might take a bit of adjusting to. I know the first time I put on the Trinity I was a bit iffy stability wise as I didn’t think that the tripod configuration would give me a solid base. However there were no instances where I didn’t feel like I got the necessary stability.

Comfort wise I do have a few issues but they aren’t nearly as annoying as the problems I had with the Victory IV. For starters since there was a bit of extra room in the forefoot width wise which made my feel like they were swimming a bit, I like a more secure feeling in my forefoot so this was a bit off putting. Like the Trinity the Galileo also has a very thin insole so I ended up switching it out again just like I did with the Trinity. This also help to reduce the “swimming” feeling of the roomy forefoot.

Performance and Durability

The major contributor to the performance of the Galileo lies in the stud configuration. The upper doesn’t really contribute much to performance as it is pretty basic. In essence I felt like it was their to attach the sole plate to the foot which is the bare requirement for any upper. I did find that I didn’t feel like my forefoot was completely secure and starting off I was a bit iffy about making cuts but that was just a personal thing that I got over. Making cuts turned out to be fine. However the extra room did feel like it gave a cushioning effect on the ball. Touch was pretty good and ball feel wasn’t lacking but it didn’t really feel like the upper did much. It is pretty slick so there wasn’t much friction between the upper and ball to aide in ball control but the stud configuration takes care of that in its own way. As I said in the Trinity review.

The stud configuration and out sole are designed to sync with the foot and how it flexes and moves while in motion, the yellow studs (in the case of the Galileo they are red) mark where the foot flexes and makes contact with the ground and have a  they  have a different density than the rest of the studs and out sole. The special yellow (Red) studs are made to effectively dissipate impact while running. Injury prevention is a big thing with Pele sports and the configuration is also geared toward preventing the ankle from rolling.  The three studs in the heel are very unique, the tripod configuration give a very stable base  and help stimulate muscles, reduce muscle fatigue, and train muscles to react faster. In lab testing the trinity were proven faster than other ultra light boots. But one of the neatest benefits is that it makes you closer to the ball.

Being closer to the ball makes it easier to control it which in turn makes the stud configuration act like a control element in a way. I have found that my experience with the Tripod out sole (tested and used three boots with the 3E configuration) support the claims of Pele Sports, it truly is the most advanced configuration on the market. Speed and ball control drills are pretty fun with the Galileo on my feet. I don’t like using them on turf even though they perform perfectly fine on it. I don’t want to shorten the life of the studs.

Durability is where the upper starts to shine. I don’t feel like I’ll have any issues with it as it feels solid. Compared to most synthetics it may not seem like it is ultra durable but after running it through testing I can tell that the upper is designed to last. With the original Trinity release Pele Sports ran into some major durability issues, both my pairs have separating uppers, and they countered with a re-release to correct for it. The Trinity durability issues have been solved and is not even a concern with the Galileo. I feel like they could last a season or two and I’ll be using them pretty regularly, I expect that it will be the studs that go first but not for a good long while. If anything comes up I’ll give an update but I don’t expect anything to happen.

Critics Notes

A few things to note. For starters the roomy forefoot may not be a negative for some people but for me it was, I didn’t feel as secure but not to the point where I lost confidence in the cleats ability to perform. It was something that I got over in the end but it was kind of a negative starting off. The upper did leave a bit to be desired but it definitely isn’t the worst upper I’ve come across by far but it could use some improvement. I kind of like it more than the adiZero sprint skin.

Bryan’s Thoughts

Although the color is slightly out of my realm, the performance of the Galileo is very much on my radar. I’ve worn them and enjoyed the experience of futuristic technology in a mid-tier release. I’m referring, of course, to the tri-stud heel design. For me, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the Nike Miracle, but there is a lot about this boot that makes them well worth checking out.

Overall

Pele Sports have put together a pretty decent boot. The Galileo is a great option for those interested in getting the benefits of the Trinity tripod configuration without the $200 price tag. The stud configuration does make a noticeable difference in how I play. I can even tell that I have more control over the ball when going through my dribbling drills. These boots are also meant to last for the long haul so I’m not afraid to use them. They can sure take a beating. Overall they are well worth the investment.

Jim’s Ratings

Comfort: 70%
Performance: 78%
Technology Efficiency: 85%
Value: 78%

Total Score: 78%

The Pele Sports Galileo retails for $109.99 on soccer.com