Up Close and Personal with the Nike GS – Green Speed

I’m not one to complain when I get to see a Limited Edition boot up close and in person. So, when this pair of Nike GS arrived at the door this morning I kindly thanked the delivery man and went about tearing the box open! With only 2012 pairs of the $300 boot available, being able to profile them is even more important, especially when there will be a lot of people rushing to buy a pair when they are released for sale at midnight tonight.

If you want to ensure you get your hands on one of the 2012 pairs, make sure to check out our “Where to Buy the Nike GS“ guide!

There is a lot going on with this futuristic boot that is designed to deliver superior performance and lower environmental impact. Reading about these online, they seem to have a lot of great things going and the “concept” aspect only increases their appeal. In person, it gets even better! Check out our take on the boots below, along with detailed images and an exclusive video of the boots.

Opening the Box

You will notice that the package these boots came in is slightly different than the retail version. Since this is an official Nike version, they are in-cased in a futuristic styled wooden box. When you open it, the first thing you notice is an unmistakeable new boot smell, unlike any you have experienced before. It is tough to explain, but it almost has a light coffee infused with leather scent. It is very unusual – matching the entire make-up of the boot pretty well.

Lightweight Construction

No kidding – these things are super lightweight and built in a very fashionable way. They check in at 5.6oz, making them not only one of Nike’s lightest boots to hit the market, but one of the lightest boots of all companies to hit the market.  The upper is about as thin as a single sheet of paper – slight exaggeration there, but it is about as close as you can get to a single sheet. Across the body of the upper, Nike use a rubber like tape that bonds the seems and solidifies the boot.

But the Design is “Built”

Here is the thing about the design of this boot that stands out to me – it looks like an armor-plated machine! It is an odd statement to make for such a lightweight boot, but it just looks so well together and the black midupper region adds a glorified look.

How do they Fit?

So, as you would expect, I took the opportunity to slip on a pair and check out the sizing. They fit just about true to size and in the mold of the CTR360 Maestri III rather than the Vapor VIII. In other words, they have a more rounded forefoot than the streamlined and slightly longer fitting Vapor. If you are ordering a pair, go with true to size.

Soleplate and Stud Configuration

I’m going to steal Nike’s content for this section as it states things better than I ever could:

We radically re-engineered the traction plate spine for explosive speed: coring out a diamond silhouette for optimal flex and agility. Made with 50% Pebax Renu®, derived from 97% castor beans, the most renewable resource we have used.

Anatomically positioned studs maximize speed in multiple directions for optimized responsiveness on the pitch. Constructed with an eco-TPU derived from castor beans-
reducing our impact on the world’s food resource and satisfying only our appetite for innovation with a material 15% lighter than traditional TPU.

Should Nike Release the GS Permanently?

The big debate right now surrounds the Limited Edition nature of this boot. Nike only intends to release 2012 pairs of concept boot, with no future plans for the range. Since their release, a lot of players have been enamored by the release and there are sure to be a lot of disappointed fans come their release tomorrow (aka watch them sell out in a few hours!) Personally, I like the Limited Edition nature of this release and would love to see the likes of Nike and Adidas popping out concept releases now and again. Let us know below what your thoughts are on this topic!

Again, if you want to ensure you get your hands on a pair, check out our “Where to Buy the Nike GS” guide -2012 pairs are going to sell really quickly.