Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Can you believe we are already moving on to the tenth release in the Vapor series? Welcome in the all-new, sophisticated Nike Vapor X that comes in a familiar Hyper Punch/Volt/Metallic Gold colorway. Delivering high-speed control and lightweight explosiveness, this version is ready to set pitches on fire this summer! As you would expect with a new Vapor release, this version features some unusual updates including an all new upper material and a built in tongue – or you could say it is tongue-less.
Yes, that’s right – this latest Vapor features no tongue. Using a freshly created, ultra-thin, microfiber upper that mimics the touch of a synthetic leather, Nike created a boot that provides a glove like fit thanks to a fully enclosed design.
Currently find the Vapor X listed at Soccer.com.
In order to make the tongue-less design work with lacing, a new lace eyelet pattern has been employed. Rather than a standard “in and out” design, Nike use a double eyelet cut for each directional change. In other words, your lace goes through one eyelet and inside the boot, then a separate eyelet is used to exit the boot.
You can see it in the images above. The thought process on this one is simple – to ensure the upper pulls tight against your foot by making use of the actual upper. Using a wider piece between the laces ensures there is a more uniform stretch across a wider space.
The other important update to this new Vapor release is a micro-texturing right across the upper, which is there to improve touch and offer better grip on the ball. The ever so slightly raised panel design almost has the look of a knitted upper, but it is most definitely a synthetic! Across that, ACC (All Conditions Control) technology provides consistency in wet and dry playing conditions.
Finally, the soleplate has also undergone some upgrades and a traction overhaul. Gone is the two-blade heel design we saw on the Vapor IX, with a more traditional 4-blade configuration reintroduced – as you will see on the below image. Toward the forefoot, a fresh grip-zone inspired by track spikes is used to provide toe-off traction and some added explosive speed. This all sits on a new nylon chassis that moves naturally with the foot by transferring energy directly to each blade for a more responsive level of stability.
Given the recent, high profile, somewhat unexpected release of the Superfly IV, the Nike Vapor X hasn’t received the immediate reaction you would expect for the series. But, I expect that to change as pro players start to wear them on pitch – and that will happen! In fact, don’t be surprised to see more players wearing the Vapor series than Superfly series in the coming weeks. That means that these are the option that are more likely to be chosen by non-pro players.
For those wanting a pair, they are currently available from soccer.com.
What are your thoughts on the new Vapor X and will you be investing in a pair? Let us know what you think in the comments below, or you can always find us on Twitter and Facebook.
