Pele Sports JNR Collection – Options For Younger Players

Finding the right pair of boots for younger players can sometimes be challenging and confusing for parents. There are plenty of options to choose from, ranging from the top brands to more recent, emerging companies. Pele Sports is a company who are in the midst of making a name for themselves with some energetic and advanced releases. Their youth range, in particular, has been receiving plenty of praise for their performance benefits. Add to that the recent advertising campaign they ran and you can see they are focused on improving the game for younger players (see “KIDS Guide” below).

We decided to do something a little different, and requested several pairs directly from Pele Sports to put through testing with some younger players here in LA. The goal is to see if younger players would see significant differences between the Pele Sports ranges and boots that are more of an automatic “go-to” for parents, like Nike and Adidas for example.

I reached out to several players and offered them the opportunity to test out a pair as long as they gave their honest opinion in review. In order to ensure the review was as accurate as possible, negative comments were strongly encouraged where the players felt necessary. Below is feedback we received on the 3 Junior ranges tested; the Trinity 3E FG, the 1962 FG and the Septembro IN. Hopefully it serves as a valuable guide for parents who want more insight or information about the Pele Sports Jnr range!

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Rocio, a 10 year-old forward tested out the 1962 JNR in the Pearlized White/Varsity Royal, size 4.5US. Having previously sported Adidas cleats, Rocio thought that the Pele cleats were different in both style and comfort. She said, “I think they feel different from other cleats I’ve worn because of the leather…they look great and feel comfortable when I’m playing.” Although this was her first time wearing a Pele boot, her experience was so positive that she plans on continuing to purchase this brand in the future. She said, “I will buy Pele because it had its own style and because it is very different from other cleats I’ve worn.”

SC101 NOTES: This colorway is very crisp and is probably my favorite in the 1962 range. Unfortunately, it is currently sold out, but you can get them in a similar White/Red for $79.99 at Soccer.com.

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Andrew, an 11 year-old midfielder tested out the 1962 JNR in Amazon/White/Black, size 4US. Having previously sported Nike, Andrew agreed with Rocio in that their style and comfort was superior to his previous boot, with an added performance rating. He said, “The cleats I wore before were too ruff and hard but these were smooth.” He noted that he would continue to buy Pele because of how they improved his game. “They felt light and made me run faster so I made a goal.”

SC101 NOTES: In person, this colorway looks a lot better than it does in pictures. I think having the opportunity to feel and evaluate the leather first hand makes a difference. The Amazon Green version of the 1962 is currently available for $79.19 on Amazon.com.

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Josias, an 11 year-old defender tested out the Trinity 3E in Black/Neon Yellow, size 5.5US. Having also previously worn Nike, Josias was equally impressed by the design and comfort of the Pele brand. “I like the color mixtures because they look cool…they just feel more comfortable that other boots,” he said. He had never heard of Pele Sports before but noted that “If I had known about them, I would have worn them. But I had never thought of buying them before!” He also plans on continuing to buy from Pele.

SC101 NOTES: Although you don’t get the amazing tri-pod stud configuration seen on the mens version of the Trinity, you are still getting a very advanced boot with the junior. The Black/Neon Yellow version of the Trinity is currently available for a fantastic deal at WeGotSoccer – $40.49.

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Jair, an 11-year old soccer fanatic from Los Angeles also tested out the 1962 JNR in Black/Yellow, size 5US. His review was positive overall; however, he noted that they took time to break-in. “They looked good and had good grip, “ he said, “but they were kind of narrow and not very comfortable at first.” When I asked him if he could see any professional players wearing this type of boot he responded “Yes, definitely. They look cool and would look good on any soccer player.”

SC101 NOTES: For those that want a more traditional look, this initial release has it to offer and more. It is a Black/Yellow colorway and is currently available for $79.99 at Soccer.com.

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Jordan, a 12-year old outside midfielder tested the Setembro Futsal shoe in Running White/Green Lemonade, size 6.5US. At first, he didn’t quiet feel like they were an indoor soccer shoe and it took time to adjust to them, “I normally wear Nike shoes and when I wore these outside they didn’t feel like Nike shoes. The toe area seems a little odd.” He noted that the design was cool and they were easy to wash/keep clean. His overall summary was pretty positive, “I liked them in the end and was happy to get to test them. Some of my friends told me they liked them a lot so I will be getting another pair next time.”

SC101 NOTES: I actually tend to agree with Jordan’s initial thoughts on the shoe, and I found they take a few wears to break-in. But the positive thing is they double as a very clean everyday shoe. The JNR Running White colorway is tough to find, but as an alternative I recommend this Green/White colorway that is available for $44.99 at WeGotSoccer.