Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0 – Boot Review

Adidas refer to the Nitrocharge as “The Engine” and they are aimed at box to box midfielders who require relentless energy for the full 90 minutes. The Nitrocharge is a brand new silo from Adidas that was only released in May and uses some interesting technology. My preference in football boots has always been black and leather, with the Nitrocharge being neither I was eager to get them into testing to see what they had to offer.

You can currently find this CL Nitrocharge 1.0 colorway at soccer.com.

First Impressions

My initial reaction of the Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0 was fairly positive, I received these from the kind guys at AdidasUK in the Vivid Red/Running white/Electricity colourway and although they are very eye catching they still have some class about them. The Hybrid touch material is very soft and definitely feels like one of the better synthetics on the market, the mesh used is a great idea in my opinion although in sunlight has a very glittery shine too it and the Energysling is visually the highlight of the boot. They have a very solid and robust feel to them but in no way are they heavy so I was definitely impressed by them.

Fit and comfort

The sizing was slightly confusing as I received the Nitrocharge in a size 9US, which was a size 8.5UK on the size tag where a 9US in other brands is usually a size 8UK. With that said I would say that the fit is more like a size 8UK, so they offered a very good fit. I would strongly suggest going to a sports Shop and trying them on in order to get the correct size, all or most decent sports shops I would imagine stock them in various sizes.

In terms of width I would say the Nitrocharge are an average width boot, the Energysling really hugs your foot tightly but is in no way uncomfortable, overall I was very impressed with the comfort, I took them straight in to a 2 hour training session and I encountered no problems whatsoever so the break in period was as smooth as can be. The mesh material is one the highlights of the boots for me and is extremely comfortable and also offers excellent protection, especially at the heel area. Adidas use a nice suede like material inside the boots and they have a very nice comfortable feeling.

Touch/Striking

The synthetic leather or Hybrid Touch as Adidas refer to it is a nice soft material that gives an excellent feel on the ball, although I will always prefer natural leather and personally feel that no synthetic will offer as good a touch on the ball I was pleasantly surprised as to how well these performed. The forefoot has some raised cushioned pads that do a nice job of helping control the ball and offer some extra protection if you were to get your foot stamped on.

When striking the ball, I found the Energysling gives you a bit of extra “Ping” which was a pleasant surprise.

[Also: Original Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0 Review]

Traction

Adidas have used the Sprintframe 2.0 on the Nitrocharge and the traction offered was very good. The studs are hollow and a triangular shape and do a nice job. In regards to The Energypulse technology I never really noticed a difference whilst playing. The soleplate is very rigid when you bend the boots especially where the energypulse is placed but they don’t feel rigid at all whilst wearing them. The Energysling does a great job of securing your foot in place and you notice a big difference making Sharp lateral movements.

Durability and Maintenance

I have encountered no durability issues to date with the Nitrocharge, you can tell that they are of a good build quality and are very sturdy. Maintenance is a bit of a pain if I am honest, the Hybrid touch and Energysling in no problem as a simple wipe with a cloth cleans them up nicely, but mud gets stuck in the mesh material and if you like keeping your boots nice and clean (which I do) you will find yourself spending a bit of extra time cleaning the mud from the mesh.

[Also: Adidas Nitrocharge 2.0 Review]

Would I buy them?

I always thought I would never consider buying a pair of football boots that were not leather but the Nitrocharge has made me appreciate just how good a pair of synthetic boots can be. The mesh material (although needs some cleaning) really is a great move by Adidas, the comfort and protection it gives really is outstanding. The HybridTouch material does a great job of mimicking the feel of a leather boot and the Energysling also does a fantastic job.

I’m not too sure if the technology actually works, but if you are The Engine for your team then comfort, durability and protection are the most important areas where you want your boots to perform and the Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0 easily delivers. I play Centre Midfield and I highly recommend these for players who play this position. So it’s safe to say I would definitely buy these and feel they are one of the most impressive releases over the past few years.

You can currently find this CL Nitrocharge 1.0 colorway at soccer.com.

What are your thoughts on the Nitrocharge?