Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
This summer, Nike launches its first shin guard built specifically for speed that will be worn by players at the World Cup this summer in Brazil – the Mercurial FlyLite.
Players such as Neymar recognize the need for a guard and want that protection, but they tell us they want it without sacrifice,” said Martin Lotti. “So we sought to give them just that – our best protection without sacrificing, speed, fit or comfort.
The combination of engineered materials and a new design provides premium protection with a barely-there feel. A specially engineered shock system at the back of the guard combines with an outer shell that work together for optimal impact protection with increased flexibility and breathability.
The Mercurial FlyLite Guard replaces traditional foam backing with a new webbed shock system that, gram for gram, provides more consistent impact absorption hit after hit than foam. The innovative webbed backing utilizes pips, which come into contact with the outer shell to help absorb and disperse impact, protecting the shin while removing excess materials.
We found that the more material you took away, the better the guard protected the shin,” added Lotti. “Reducing material also allowed for unprecedented flexibility, creating a fit that was unlike anything players had experienced.
The FlyLite Guard provides the most anatomical fit to date. In addition to the increased flexibility, allowing for a more customized fit, the pips cover a larger surface area along the shin bone to help distribute force over a greater area and absorb impact. The honeycomb structure also delivers optimal airflow and breathability, while the thin profile offers the ultimate in lightweight strength.
For those that want a pair, Nike.com is the place to head with a July 1st release date.
Serious question to put out to you guys – how important are shin guards to you and would you pay upwards of $100 to get your hands on a pair of these? We want to know – tell us what you think in the comments below, or you can always find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Definitely has a cool factor but sincerely unless you are a pro or semi-pro I see no need for $100 buck shinguards. I have some $15 nike from a few years back that protects and it’s simple and lite. Save on the shinguards and put that extra cash towards some good boots instead.
I agree 100%, but I think I might buy these just because of the cool factor. I have a lot of boots already (some pairs I havn't even used yet) and my shin guards have cracked after years of hard tackles. There is something that intrigues me about the "foam-less" design and the whole idea of the shock pips. Definitely something I never would have thought to employ. Birthday present LOL.
I just ordered these from soccer.com for only 50 bucks so if the price is your only issue go take a look. That’s still pretty pricey for shinguards when you can get so many decent pairs for under $20, but $50 is a lot better than $100.