Adidas Adizero f30 Messi Edition – Boot Review

The adidas f30 and I go way back, it happens to be the first boot I got that wasn’t a lower tier release. The f30 has come a long way since its first installment back in 2004 with the first f50 (its been ten years, woah) and it has been through 12 different updates up to this point. My personal favorite has been the f30i with the last installment of the tunit series. Since then none of the f30 updates have done me right, none of them fit right or had an appealing make up of materials, but with the release of the much changed f50 samba I think it is time I return to adidas’ mid-tier speed boot

There is finally enough improvement in the boot to justify picking up a pair after suffering through four rounds of absolutely no change to the f30 formula. Between the 2010 edition and now we have seen 3 different versions of the same old f30 make up with virtually identical uppers and soleplates. The last update was a good showing from adidas as they added a leather version, but with this one they did a bit of an overhaul. It still has the bulk of the f30 but with all new upper and soleplate. I was interested to see where the review would lead me so I was eager to get the ball rolling.

First Impressions

The Messi colorways haven’t been so great as of late, even the messi battle pack adizero looks god awful, but this is the one good looking boot among the rabble. Visually I absolutely love these boots. They are sleek and have the right amount of color with a very appealing pattern. I have gotten some pretty good response from team mates who aren’t so much on the boot scene and have yet to see the design and they all quite like it. Adidas have finally done a good thing and have employed a softer synthetic, Hybridtouch is used in the upper. It has been quite successful with every other boot it has been used in and it has found its way into the f30 which makes me quite happy as it is a very decent material. It feels like it should have a decent break in period and should give me minor issues. The soleplate though is a bit different as it is stiff, I expect it to be a bit of work. The studs seem great however.

Fit and Break in

Fit was a bit snug at the toe and along the mid foot, I got the usual 9.5 as that is the size that I’ve been in all past incarnations of the f50/f30 so going up a half size could be suggested for those who are on the cusp of being a size 10 in past with the Silo. But it isn’t to the point where they are unwearable or uncomfortable per say and the upper does have stretch to it. However the collar is a bit loose at the back of the heel. There was a bit of sliding going on there which was annoying but truesox and double socking did the trick and after break in I was able to tighten them up a bit. I would not steer anyone who has wider feet toward them though.

Break in with the upper took only an hour or less, I really love this hybrid touch stuff. It responds quite well to movement. I wish the. It was annoying to break in due to how the micoach cavity interferes with the bend of the soleplate in the midfoot. So things cramped up a bit. I actually resorted to leaving it in my car on a really hot day and went about bending  the soleplate by hand until it started to flex well ( I don’t suggest this tactic unless you are desperate), I would have to do this before each game or use. I would have at least given it a Five wear break in period mainly do to the micoach cavity. However the mid point of the soleplate still stays pretty stiff.

Performance and Durability

Once I got past the immeasurably uncomfortable soleplate issues performance was quite decent. The stud set up is pretty effective on both natural ground and I felt very comfortable on turf, so it is one of the few fg cleats I would say can safely used on turf. No issues on any front with turning and cutting, also absolutely nothing on the snag front, smooth sailing here. The upper has alot of cushion as we are used to seeing in past f30s, that and the sole plate means there is still some bulk. However unlike past versions the upper is super soft and has a very nice flex to it. So having said that touch was decent but not profound, the minor raised texture would have only helped minimally. But striking shots in the felt very nice, and getting stepped on also felt “nice”. So everything you would expect from a run of the mill mid-tier boot.

I would expect at least a season  and a half out of these. Using them on turf left no real scuffs or any real marks to the upper so cosmetically they hold up. There is also very little in the way of wear. Even the creasing from use is minimal. I expect more than one season in the long run but due to my irritations wearing them I haven’t been as rigorous as usual testing durability. I strongly suspect no foreseeable issues however.

Compared to Nike Veloce

Hands down, if you are looking for an edge, the Nike Veloce is the easy choice. The only circumstances I would choose the f30 is if I’m looking for a boot I can use on fg or turf. Or if I am looking for a bit of protection. But bottom line is, Nike has trumped adidas on all other fronts in the mid-tier game for their staple speed boot.

Critics Notes

I would have liked this boot if the soleplate wasn’t such a pain, literally. Every time I put them to use I honestly expected to have a bad time. I’m pretty sure the fault lies in the micoach cavity interfering with the flex of the boot. The fact that I had to flex them before every use was an obvious sign that there were some major issues. I also really didn’t like the slipping a the heel, it was obnoxious. It didn’t blister me or cause pain so it wasn’t a huge issue. Other than these glaring issues the boot was fine.

Final Summary

Two steps forward and two steps back for adidas here. Their mid-tier version of their iconic speed boot has been lagging behind the competition for quite some time, and frankly, it still is. I would gladly go for Mid-tier evospeed or Mercurial any day of the week over these. Its not that they are too bulky it is that between the sole plate being a pain and the inconsistent fit. Maybe after 10 wears or so it would be suffer able but as someone who has access to other boots I couldn’t bring to put them through that many wears. Maybe if my heel was a bit bigger I wouldn’t have had the same fit problems. But in the end adidas needs to get their formula for the mid-tier speed boot right. This round is a good sign as the upper has vastly improved but at the same time their integration of the micoach cavity greatly detracted from the overall enjoyment of the boot. I would choose the F10 over these.

Jim’s Ratings

Comfort: 40%
Performance: 70%
Tech: 70%
Value: 74%

Total Score: 63%