Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
We snoozed a little on this pair, as Lotto has already moved on to their next generation of laceless boot. But, we still wanted to do a quick up-close feature on the Lotto Solista 100 III Gravity for those interested in finding out what they are all about.
If you didn’t know, Lotto were the very first brand to introduce laceless soccer boots to the market, way back in 2006. But, they have never really nailed down overall performance and a truly as-one fit with their boots. Where the Solista 100 takes a step forward is in the collar design, with Lotto taking some much needed inspiration from the likes of Nike and adidas, using a more adaptive knit materials rather than tough, unpredictable rubber.
I’ll start by saying that this is a great little package that is presented really well by Lotto. Inside the box and along with the actual boots you will find a much needed shoe horn, a signature black boot bag, and some nifty posters highlighting lotto’s long laceless journey. All together, it is much more than you will find in a box of elite level boots from other big brands.
The Lotto Solista 100 is built to be streamlined and agile and from the first time you see them in person you can tell what they are all about. Lotto has plenty of experience working on laceless designs, they have modified and tweaked the design numerous times since the original. And I can say with confidence that these are easy the best they have created. Using a knit collar is a game changer, providing players with a much more responsive fit around the ankle and a much more comfortable level of performance.
Even the upper design has been significantly upgraded, lotto use a one-piece 3D knit that features a textured embossing through the forefoot, enhance grip and control on the ball. When everything is factored in, they are a surprisingly durable boot that stills offers a very responsive feel and fit.
I will note that out of the box, they do feature a very snug fit. The first thing you will need to do is use the included shoe horn to squeeze your foot in. Don’t leave the shoe horn at home in the box, because you will need it the first few times you go to put the boots on. The upper needs to have a lockdown fit in order to ensure you are not falling out of them during play. So, expect a little adjustment phase as you allow the materials to gently stretch to your foot shape. Needless to say, this is even more true if you have a wider foot shape, don’t rush the process. I have a medium to wide fit and found that after a few wears they felt comfortable, a lot more comfortable than the first time I put them on! They lasted all of 15 minutes on their debut out of the box. After that, I wore them around at home, letting the materials loosen to my fit, before taking them out on pitch again.
Undefoot, you get all the tried and trusted Lotto tech that you expect. And it performs just as consistently as on previous models. Punto Flex Technology enhances the flexibility and reactivity through the forefoot area. Lotto has placed 6 EVO-studs (semi-circle with a little chunk taken out) in strategic areas to improve traction, acceleration, braking and sudden direction. Added to that are 5 conical studs to improve stability, flexibility, easier multidirectional moves and take off from ground.
And finally, the most unique aspect of the Lotto Stadio is that they are the most affordable laceless boot on the market, dropping in under $200. That isn’t cheap, but it certainly is a price tag that is more attainable, and there are likely to be more players who can entertain that price. Our pair – pictured in Blue Azure – are now sold out, with Lotto already releasing the next generation model at the same price point. It also doesn’t seem like there have been many updates outside of the actual visual design.
Find the latest version of laceless Lotto available at SOCCER.com.
