Ryal Europa: The Review

Italian, hand made, high quality kangaroo leather picked from Tuscan tanneries were some of the features that got me excited about reviewing the Ryal Europa. I’m a big fan of heritage leather football boots and was eager to find out if there was much difference between the standard machine made boots and these hand made beauties, which have had so much detail and attention put in to producing every pair.

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First Impression

As soon as I received the package and proceeded to open it I could tell these were going to be something special, the old school box that barely fits the boots inside and the removable lid gave these an old school presence that impressed me straight away. The boots from straight out of the box were the most impressive I have come across this far, the leather really is of outstanding quality and is soft and supple, the little details like the soleplate stitched to the upper, the lack of in your face branding, the Italian colours stitched on the outside of the boot and the brass lace holes really give these boots a genuine heritage look and feel and I was in awe.

Comfort/Fit

The comfort offered from the Ryal Europa’s is exceptional, the Cambrelle lining inside has a nice warmth to it and the boots feel like they wrap themselves around your feet, these feel more like slippers than football boots, I didn’t want to take them off after I was trying them on.

The fit of the Europa is is true to size length wise, and in regards to width the boots wrap around your feet and the high quality leather forms nicely to the shape of your feet. These are a great option for a wide footed player but would suit all types of foot. After a few wears the leather softens even more and offer one of the best fit and level of comfort I have experienced. The only problem I encountered with these is that during my second game wearing them the insole on my right boot moved slightly, it didn’t cause any pain or discomfort, it was noticeable and more of an annoyance, on further inspection the insole is very thin and doesn’t have the same premium feel as the rest of the boot. In regards to traction the Europa has a classic 12 moulded studs that do their job perfectly.

[Also: Ryal La Storia Review]

Touch/Striking

If you have worn kangaroo leather before you will know that it is second to none with the feeling it offers on the ball. The stitching on the Europa has created little pockets that further enhance the touch on the ball. I have worn many different kangaroo leather boots and the Europa is the best I have experienced in terms of touch. I wouldn’t say that they improve your touch, but the sensation when controlling the ball and passing really is outstanding. Striking the ball is pretty much the same, the kangaroo leather offers a great natural feeling, of course there is no striking gimmick’s on these.

Durability/Maintenance

The build quality is outstanding and I can’t see anyone having durability issues with these as long as you wear them on the correct surface and care for them properly. The kind guys at Ryal included some handmade natural leather cream from a company called Deisa Ebano, the cream is called Aquila Lucido Grasso, and it does an outstanding job of maintaining the softness of the leather. I highly recommend caring for your leather boots correctly, it will maintain their quality and they will last you a great deal longer.

Would I buy them?

The answer to this question you can probably guess is a resounding YES! The leather quality and build quality really are of the highest order. If you like the styling and want to be a bit different from all the sheep wearing Nike and Adidas then I highly recommend buying these. In this day and age, a pair of hand made boots from Italy are rare and the reason being is that companies look to cut production costs and scrimp on quality, Ryal do neither and produce boots of the highest quality.

To find the Europa’s or any of Ryal’s other boots and accessories including the magnificent leather cream, shin pads, and stylish football bags visit the Ryal site.

Would you buy these? Please leave any questions or comments below.