Adidas 11Pro “Next Generation” Review

When the latest and greatest in adidas signature comfort silo was recently released, it immediately engaged fans attention as they wondered what the unusual upper textured design was all about. From images, you can clearly see how the upper of the adidas 11Pro features definition throughout, in what many have labelled a honeycomb style. To really understand what they are all about, you need to get them in hand and experience its feel and aging over time. But in most cases, that might not be possible and you need a review to check out before picking up a pair – well, voila.

We’ve had this latest White/Solar Orange colorway in testing for the past few weeks and they have worked out very well, although they are grafted for a specific type of player out there.

For those interested, find the current line-up of 11Pro colorways at soccer.com.

Initial Reaction

Immediately, it is about adidas decision to switch back to a K-leather after employing a Taurus on the past few iterations of the range. It is a statement, and one that will immediately entice new fans to the reliable silo. The upper design is also pretty interesting, with many comparing as a Nike Hypervenom remake (not the case at all!) Definitely the most complex version of adidas signature comfort boot that we have seen to date!

Breaking In and Comfort

Given that they are geared towards providing players with comfort and a perfect fit, it is expected that they won’t cause any issues through the introductory phase. And that is the case. They are easily one of the most conformed boots you will break-in, offering a relaxed fit and plenty of flexibility from first wear. Right out of the box, the leather is lush, with a buttery soft feel. The support system underneath does have a lightly firmer feel, but for good reason as it ensures the upper doesn’t over stretch.

Loving the insole that adidas use on this one – it offers the perfect balance, that all players should have access to. Layered across the footbed is a suede felt like material that grips your sock and gives you a clean locked down feel. Then on the heel region, a memory foam layer is added to reduce impact and vibration as you run. That only helps comfort wise, and it has the ability to give you a little more confidence in your movements.

The outsole, labelled as a “comfort frame”, sits very flat and evenly distributes pressure right across the surface. It is always refreshing to have a solid base that creates an unnoticeable experience. In other words, you play in them without the concern of over stiffness or discomfort in certain areas. Right under the toe joint, the soleplate flexes extremely easily and it is something I thoroughly enjoyed through wear. There are certain areas of testing where you really don’t want to notice anything unique performance wise, and one of those is how the soleplate feels.

Creating a “Perfect Fit”

Ah yes – the real key feature of this release, and it is what creates the visual upper appearance. Many initially created a connection between these and the Hypervenom, focusing on the honeycomb textured upper design as the connection. With the boots in hand, it is obvious that those opinions came from players that had no personal experience with these. Instead, the definition you see is created by an underlay, lattice style support system. With the K-leather upper being so thin and supple, both materials crease into one another and create the visual effect.

In terms of a “Perfect Fit” concept, you can see the direction adidas has taken and it has purpose. In areas, the K-leather is so incredibly soft and flexible. Rather than layer stitching through it, that criss-cross support system is added. As you wear them, the leather softens even more and contours to your foot shape, with the support system doing what it is intended to do – keep the material from stretching out of its natural shape.

How do they Fit?

One of the key elements of this release is the fact they sit on a broad fitting soleplate. It provides the ideal platform for adidas to create a more rounded fit that suits a wider variety of players. Added to the nature of the upper design – which loosens up after a few wears – you get a fit suitable for players in need of a little extra width. In other words, I’d add these as an option suitable for wide fitting players. Length wise, they are true to size. Players with a slim fitting foot might want to be wary. They will be fine starting out, but that upper material becomes very pliable as you wear them, as a result I have some concerns that they might loosen more than you’d anticipate. I’ll be watching out for player feedback in this area, and will update where necessary.

In Game Performance

So, we have talked about the actual construction of the upper and its intended purpose, but how does that play out on pitch. First off, I absolutely love the K-leather upper on this boot and everything it has on offer. It feels very natural and serves an intended purpose. But, it won’t suit every style of player in the same fashion that other boots might. For example, a striker could easily wear these with positive results, but that super soft K-leather upper is not going to reduce impact as you look to strike shots.

For touch and control they are an ideal option. Sitting in the middle of the pitch, you need to be able to swivel, cut and turn quickly without having to worry about looking down to find the ball at your feet. A little bit of skill is going to be the key element there, but the introduction of the right boot can be the key in tight situations. You definitely get a great feel for the ball with the 11Pro, they don’t disappoint. Although they don’t feature any additional technology along the instep, like the Geometra or CTR360 series featured for example, they still make a perfect option for center mids that are on the ball consistently during games.

The final notes here are reserved for the soleplate and traction offered through play. Adidas has gone with triangular shaped studs, designed in the same fashion as what is currently found on the Nitrocharge. What is modified on this edition of an adidas soleplate is that there is one additional stud to work with – key to the pressure distribution and smoother bounce through play. You get firm footing, most notably on FG surfaces. I wore them on AG several times and they did just fine, but they don’t match the quality you get from conical studs that really release from the surface fast. It has to be said though that these are going to be more suitable than blades.

Two-Tone Design

The introductory design came in with a primary Black leather upper, something that caused some shock and caught players by surprise. We are living in a time when brands prefer to go with bright flashy colors in order to grasp attention, so the Black version provided some reverse psychology! The one unique factor of that release is also found on the pair I’ve been testing – that unusual central line design that floats across the upper, creating a split color design. On one side you get the a very clean shade of White, on the other is a bright Solar Orange.

Through the middle, that inch thick Black line,is simply in place as a region that splits the upper in half, where adidas get to add one single line of stitching for added support. From a performance perspective, it is not intended to do much and to answer a question I recently received, no it doesn’t add any definition or control benefits to the upper.

Critics Notes

In all honesty, it is tough to be critical of a boot that offers an advanced level of performance over it predecessor. Adidas has made some wise updates to these and they play to a positive reaction on pitch. My only note is that they won’t suit all styles of players – nor are they intended to. Just make sure to consider that if they should be an option you are adding to your line-up.

You can find this particular colorway currently listed at soccer.com.

The Skinny Summary

Highlight: Featuring a super supple K-leather upper with underlay support system, this is a new type of performance for fans of more simple, traditional style boots.
Category: Heritage, designed for Comfort.
Weight: Check in at 9.3oz.
Would I Buy Them: If I was on the market for a general style boot, with all around performance, they’d definitely be a boot worth considering.
Player Position: Central mids, who place an emphasis on touch on the ball, will really enjoy what they have on offer. The entire backline and keepers can also add them to their list.