Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
It is a boot you will be seeing a whole lot of at the Women’s World Cup in France over the next few weeks, the Nike Mercurial Vapor “Victory Pack.” Released to market in celebration of the tournament, Nike has for the first time added a unique unisex label to all the boots included in the unique pack. There are also some extra special touches to each boot that you might not have noticed. Here, we take the Vapor and examine them up close, taking a look at some of the more intricate design elements.
Like for example, a hand-sketched wing pattern with sharp geometric angles through the heel, metaphorically intended for “multi-faceted players.” You actually can’t see the pattern under direct sunlight, but when you take the Armory Blue hue colorway into shade, the design really stands out. Per the images below! This design is inspired by the prismatic light that passes through the glass and iron pyramid of the Louvre Museum in Paris (home of the iconic Nike sculpture). The Hyper Crimson accents bring a joyful edge around the Swoosh outline, which creates a copper fleck that flashes when the boot moves through the light.
Check out the entire Nike Victory Pack at soccer.com.
A small tab on the tongue of each boot features the classic Nike Futura logo and the words “THE GODDESS OF VICTORY.” Underfoot, the design is also pretty rad, with a shimmer effect that changes the color depending on where you look at it. The iridescent soleplate material diffuses light, giving it a light purple and sky blue effect from different angles. It is a bold (if still subtle) effect that sets a statement without having any bearing on performance.
Around the ankle, you get a low cut Flyknit collar. It provides a classic feel that doesn’t take much to adjust to. Then you get the bonus of a slightly constrictive fit that comes compliments of a Flyknit material. It keeps you locked in place without fear of discomfort like you might experience from more rigid materials.
Again, note that this is a unisex releases, with the sizing on the box listed in both men’s and women’s sizes. That is another key piece of development that helps elevate the women’s game to the level it deserves!
When it comes to size, and compared to previous Mercurial releases, this boot is a lot more accommodating and provides some additional width to suit a wider audience. In saying that, they are still a Mercurial geared toward speed, so the silhouette is intended to be sleek and aerodynamic. I have a medium/wide fit, and they felt just “OK.” Through the forefoot, I had the right amount of space for them not to impact performance, but I can’t say with confidence that the same would be true for a wide fitting player. If you have the chance to try them on, I’d definitely recommend doing so before buying. In other words, as a market option (compared to other boots) they do fit pretty snug.
Find the Vapor XII “Victory Pack” available at soccer.com.
