Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Two weeks after their release, opinions are still mixed on the Adidas Predator X. Some people like the latest version, while others are not so keen. When we reviewed the Predator X, we had a favorable opinion, but that is not to say that this version is for everyone. Changes to the newest version in the Predator range include a new Predator strike zone, a new leather upper called Taurus, and the cleat comes minus a tongue! With all this in mind we want to hear your thoughts! You can either vote on our poll below, leave a comment… or do both!
As an added bonus, if you are leaving a comment we will enter your email address in the running to win a pair of Adidas Predator X cleats that we will be giving away later this month*. All you have to do is tell us what it is you like or don’t like about the Predator X.
[poll id=”2″]
*Leave a comment on any post for the month of November and have your name entered in a chance to win a pair of Adidas Predator X! (US only)
Definitely a boot to have, newest technology all rolled into one boot. PRO: Adidas has reverted back to the classic football boot look (but with all the latest inovations), ditching the gimmicky stuff (or not following the trend to go more outrageous). CON: Can't think of any accept the limite colourway ATM, but this will definitely not be a problem with loads more colour bound to appear in the near future.
A polarising boot in terms of opinion – it looks like all the tech is there (the Powerspine, the Predator elements) but my one issue would be with its design. While it is alright, it seems hideous at first compared to what has been around for the past year or so – that said, you sort of get used to it. I still prefer the white colourway compared to the black as the black seems tackier – but I'm not sure why exactly.
These cleats are a great way to sum up 9 other generations of the greatest boot of all time! I'm just wondering what the Taurus Leather will feel like and if it has any of the benefits genuine leather has? I think it's a great cleat made by Adidas who will really solidify their position as leaders in the soccer/football market, and in my opinion will bring them heads and tails above Nike and other brands! Not really a big fan of the colorways at the moment, but the David Beckham special edition is amazing, and I'm wondering if Adidas made it with the idea he was going on loan to AC Milan. They're a perfect fit for the England kit as well as the AC Milan outfit!
Judging from various sources from the web (I have not worn one myself) the reviews seem to be pretty good for the Predator X. However I think it is lacking somewhat in the looks department.
Performance wise, the reviews are glowing.
My biggest issue is in the looks department as I like the plain black with a little white colorway.
And even at mi adidas, you can't get that as the side panel only comes in white, gray, or blue.
This new predator boot seems to be iffy. Soccercleats 101 gave them a favorable review however others say that this is one of the worst predator boots ever made. I think adidas has everything right in this boot, except color and design. Maybe if they come out with new colorways it would appeal to everyone more.
I think adidas did a good job with advancing the boot. The new predator piece on the forefoot looks like its more effective and a solid upgrade over the swerves. The powerspine also seems to make more sense for added power then a little bit of tungsten moving around in the sole of the shoe. They do look a little different, lot of influence from the pures, but the pures are a good looking cleat. Price is a bit steep, but overall I think its hard to complain too much about these new predators.
I think this is a great boot, it seems to combine the best of the adipure with the predator technology. I was not a big fan of the foldover tongue and was happy to see this disappear. However, I think I will wait until these go on sale before making an actual purchase. However, using calf leather instead of kangaroo leather is a big disappointment
I like the idea of the no tongue and it helps make the boot fit tighter around the foot. They need to work on some of the color schemes though if they think about it they could attract a lot of consumers with different colors. The boot looks very modern and if I had the money I would totally buy a pair, love the white ones. CON would have to be that it doesnt have the kangaroo leather that was so sweet and moldable but everything looks great from all the descriptions and technology that was put into it.
The new preds are quality! class, like them a lot, similar to the vapours in style like but have the usual ping and strike of a pred….best boot on the market now without doubt!
the new preds seem really good a little disappointed in loss of tongue but design overall seems great. i think they need one other colorway though a blue or black and white just one more! Still a top boot though!
I haven't tried the new Predator X, but just from the images, I think the cleat is an upgrade in design from previous versions. I've always thought the old Predators were too busy and rigid in its design. The fact that it doesn't have a tongue, I think is a positive in that it doesn't look as clunky as its predecessors. I'm still not fond of the ridges in the front of the shoe, but I suppose that is one of the desgin features that make the Predator recognizable. Overall, I think the Predator X is sleeker and cleaner and I think Adidas has done a nice job of designing a cleat that is visually pleasing, which I've never found to be the case with older versions.
They look cool.
Visually not as clean a design as the Powerswerves but technically they look solid. I've used Predators for years and I like the panelized swerve zone, I think it gives you much better boot to ball contact and I wouldn't worry about the Taurus leather – my favorite Predators were the Predator II's which had buffalo leather, soft and more durable than k-leather. I will definately get a pair once my Climacool Powerswerves give up the ghost.
Pros:
I like that the predator zone was changed, the previous shoes been too gimmicky for me. plus you paid more for the equivalent of sand to be put in your shoe. Also I have had bad experiences with k- leather before and great experiences with calf leather so I don't mind the change.
Con:
Weight, no doubt about it in my mind. when they took out the ounce of tungsten I thought it would make the shoes lighter (around 10 OZ) but again they are the same weight @ 11.2 (which is why I went with vapors before these came out).
overall they look like a great shoe and will definitely try them out next season before i buy new shoes.
I'm still ambivalent about the predator X. The design of the cleat is starting to grow on me, as I was pretty repulsed by it at first, but now its more aesthetically pleasing to me. Also, I think the Powerspine seems a better alternative to the previous Tungsten element–I thought that that was pretty gimmicky. I'm not sure what I make of the Taurus leather. Kangaroo leather seems more supple and better quality.
Dame they look sick this is my first time i ever seen those shoes the colorer is nice i like that colorer . plus the design look sick i like the Predator name in the front of the shoes thats nice.
Now that i saw them i want then nice shoes .
Dame they look sick this is my first time i ever seen those shoes the colorer is nice i like that colorer . plus the design look sick i like the Predator name in the front of the shoes thats nice.
Now that i saw them i want then nice shoes . my email is [email protected]
NICE shoes.The beckhams are nice
i like this cleat. it seems more durable then the past predator(predator powerswerve which tended to to separate down at the toes. not only that but these look good without the tongue which at times just got in the way and after the strap ripped you were forced to figure out a way to keep it down and not flopping all over the place. when i first saw these they didn't seem nice but after taking a good look at them they seemed really good. although this color scheme isn't loud like other cleats its still very noticeable with the yellow highlights and the silver stripe on the heel counter. over all i think this is a good design and will be a big shoe in 2010. i think I'm going to pick a pair up since I've tried nike and puma out now i just need to try adidas
These cleats seem to have all the right things going. I just hope they fit me the last predators felt weird with the tongue. It felt like there was way to much stuff on the boot I like this simpler design
think it's too expensive for calf leather, $200?! if those feel better than lotto zhero mitto definitely worth to buy.
why to compare to mitto , becoz the material are quite a lot similar. but the weight is particularly diffrent, i mean mitto weigh 7oz and x weigh 11oz. not to forget the tongue design similar to adipures which IMO uncomfortable. although i only tried it in a shoe store, fink powerswerves feels better than this.
last but not least has anyone testing the durability of these?
I like the Beckham shoes that he wore against Chivas USA the design was sick but I hate the player now he such a dirty player. I like the new color of the predators now because the classic look doesnt fit the style of the shoe!
I think I like this design, though I would like to see it in person first. Unfortunately, thereis only one store in my town that sells high end soccer cleats and they are so low volume that they rarely get these things as soon as they come out.
I think the one thing I would change would be to make the Predator zone larger (extend it farther down the toe).
I like it, will be getting one soon.
When these came out it made me glad that I had recently purchased a third pair of powerswerves instead. The technology on these may be great, but the cosmetic design overall is terrible. I don't like the black, white, or the DB colorway (looks like a little kid's boot). Once they come out with some new color combos I may change my mind…we'll see.
I've been a predator guy since the predator II's were out. The lack of a tongue takes away from what has always been a staple of the line. Not my cup of tea, but I'm sure it is comfortable, light, and provides great touch. I will more than likely stick with my pair of power swerves until the new colourways come out next spring.
An red or blue leather might look good. Also, what about a white leather with black trim. Could take some of the Space-Age look away from the boot with a simple color scheme.
I like them, but will wait to buy them.
i love em best boots ive had the spine helps alot loads of control just got yesterday great buy highly recamend them.
i think they are very good looking cleats. i never liked the tongue on the old ones but i would like for there to be a place to tuck the laces under so they don't fly around. all around great looking cleat!
Some great comments coming in! It is super interesting to hear everyone's take…it seems a lot of you don't like that the tongue is missing…after testing, this is something that I enjoy about the Pred X….it leaves a much cleaner strike zone.
Keep the comments flowing…all of the above email addresses have been entered in the chance to win a brand new pair of Pred X*, we will have more info on this in the coming week so check back!
(*open to US residents only)
They just look good! Haven't worn em yet, but if I need a new pair soon, I'm trying these first.
Yeah they look pretty nice, but I think I will stick with Nike as their releases look a lot better. Will there be any other colors released, if there is then I might check them out
glad to see the tongue gone. always been a predator guy and in my opinion the tongue has been useless! its intent was to cover the laces but the laces were made so long that they just came out from underneath anyways. just adds extra weight and interferes with striking. overall the "x" seems like a much cleaner, simpler boot. and REMEMBER, they always have limited options when the boot is released. by spring i expect 5 or more options. will be buying them soon.
BTW, all of you concerned with cosmetic appeal, get over it. the pitch is not a fashion show. a boot is for performance and this one performs. copa are probably the best boot of all time and theyre simple black and white. besides i move so quick no one even sees what my boots look like =)
– hoping for an all black colorway. simple with a professional look.
Can't decide between these and the v1.10's..Think I'm leaning toward the pumas but if it weren't for that I would get these. Kind a like the powerswerves a little better tho.
What I really like about this predator is the leather material it seems as they are more durable than the last ones one thing I also liked was the removal of the tounge it looks more unique. I really like this boot and hopefully I win them since ive dreamt of having boots like these but havent had a chance since I cant afford them.
They look like great boots, and an upgrade on the predator technology. Too bad there not lighter since they removed the tungsten
Hey all hopefully this comment will help anyone tossing up between boots. Ok so these boots in the comfort department are awsome. They have a tight sock like fit and mould to your foot, huge plus when a boot fits like that!! Power wise the spine is nice however it does only add 7% more power (if I'm not mistaken) so it's not much for something that weighs the boots down. However it does help but you can actually feel the stiffness of the powerspine when you run as your foot stays quite straight because of it. With the calf leather…hugeeeee let down. Unfortunatly this is what drew me away from them! The leather is very soft so does provide a good soft first touch, however the leather it to soft!! You can scratch the boot with just your fingernail…so imagine what a good SG stud would do! I haven't heard any issues with ripping of the leather but after time I'd imagine some would arrise.
Overall a good quality boot, just wish they stuck to k-leather!!
Hope this helps anyone!!!
Bynum,
Great addition to the review! Thanks for sharing your experience, and I do agree with you in regards to the K-leather. I have noticed some of the white coming off the cleat!
I play wide mid, center mid and center back and have had so many different typs of boots its amazing I've had adidas copas which gave out to way to soon. I had Adidas F-50.8 in leather and microfiber but they killed the arches of my foot! Adidas telstars which i just didnt really like. Nike vapor IV which were comfortable but the blisters were terrable and they blew out after not even a full season, but for my new highschool season last fall i wore the adidas clima cool silver and gold predators. I absolutly loved the preds they feel great there comfortable no blisters the touch and shots are awesome along with excelent control. I want to get the preds again especially the new predator X (from miadidas.com) The preds are the best boot i have worn so far! I would recommend the adidas predator to anyone even strikers.
I bought an Adidas predator it's been the best cleats I've had in years, lightweight, and cures to the dimensions of my foot, I recommend this pegs for mid fielders, the predator x seems to be just as good but the spikes underneath might be a light to high for some players. It may cause a slight imbalance for fast runners, but other than that two thumbs up.
ima big fans of predators coz they fit to my wide foot. but these… they gave me huge pain right in the middle of ma foot. it was on the join part of the upper. so after few trainings it definitely won’t stretched..now am moving to adipure 3
I played college soccer and used Adidas Copa Mundial throughout my career. I still play 3 times per week at a competitive level. I discovered Adidas Predators about 4 years ago and have been an avid fan ever since. No other boot gave me the comfort (I have a wide foot), and the power when passing, crossing, or shooting the ball. However, I always found these boots did not last long. They keep tearing alongside the insole or at the bottom where the laces begin. At $220 per boot, this is no joke. The last ones I bought, got the tongue lace ripped and the tongue was flapping everywhere (not the greatest touch after that) so I was really excited about this boot with no tongue and the latest advances in technology. I bought the white and yellow type and on my first day I got blisters. Blisters on a Predator boot?? This was unthinkable as to me this has been the most comfortable boot ever, it always fit like a glove to my wide feet (The Predator Power swerve, that is) I have worn the Predator X 3 more times after that and still don’t find the “glove” fit of before. They leather burns me at the top of my foot (I had blisters there too) and my feet never feel in place in these boots. I usually wear size 8.5 in the old Preds and bought same size for the X. Maybe I need to buy size 8? (They just don’t fit tight) I believe Adidas should have kept the Kangaroo leather in the new Preds. This calf leather is not as supple and does not conform to your foot. I had to buy Adipures III’s and with the Kangaroo leather they molded to my feet after 2 games. They fit just perfect and no blisters. The adipures are light but I miss the technology and power (the ease when crossing or when making long passes) of the Predators. Everybody keeps saying they fit awesome but in my case this is not happening at all. Has anybody else experienced the same issues as I? I really wanted to love the boot. Don’t care about the looks, just the performance.
Thank you.
The predator boots are by far my favorite soccer boot out there and the predator x looks the best of all of the predators. I love the boots however I DO NOT wear white outdoor boots. Because I do not wear white boots for out door I looked at the other color choices and found that every color was too bright for my liking. Than I saw the black and red boots and was in heaven, I knew that I HAD to get them. As I looked at the magazine further I saw that there were hard ground and fairground boots however the firm ground boots were what I needed and as I went to order them I was greatly troubled that they did not have them in black and red. Because of this I was very frustrated and couldn’t bear to look at the magazine any more.
Overall they appear to be a great boot. I've worn predators for as long as i can remember, and really do not want to change from them. The issue I have issue is not with the boots themselves, but the opinion that the PowerSwerve are still the best predators that have been released.
I would have liked adidas to keep the fold over tongue because 1) i do think it looks better and 2) ive generally found that you get better ankle movement in the PowerSwerve. I do realise that when the elastic to hold in in place wears out or breaks, they arent exactly the most convenient things in the world.
Adidas is largely a victim of their own successes as so much is expected each time a new boot is released. As such, to improve on the PowerServe would have been an amazing achievement – one which i dont think they pulled off.
A good boot nonetheless
Aha! Wow! Just got meself a pair. Quality like never before! great quality stuff from adidas here! Ths ball control and shot-aid are amazing
I have a feeling that Adidas engineers will introduce the new Predator with the Tungsten powder. They have done it before, you guys see the pattern? They may possibly update or improve the "tongue" perspective. Then we will spend another $200.00 + for the new pair.
are they more durable than the predator power swerve?
i have these cleats, and for some reason they were the worst purchase I have ever made, I just played terrible with these cleats, and they are also pretty heavy. It may vary from different ppl but I had been a long time predator fan but now im all for the vapors..just a personal opinion
I got my daughter a pair of the Women's Pred X FG (silver/brick) in July 2010. She had gone through two pairs of Powerswerves in the previous two years. The PS are great boots and she liked them, never had foot issues/problems, etc. She prefers the Pred X over the PS due to the slightly wider toe box. She doesn't really notice any weight difference (but they are slightly heavier) and the Pred X offer good protection.
The studs do seem to wear a bit faster than the PS (No, she doesn't walk on concrete with them – big NO-NO) but not a major issue.
Don't laugh, but a little girl can be tough on boots, and the Pred X have held up quite well in all sorts of weather. We clean them after every practice/game and condition them periodically (Clelsea LF). The Pred element hasn't delaminated, and other than the silver color wearing away around the toes as expected, they are fine.
Some folks laugh because I spend +-$100 on boots (shop smart!) for a kid every season or so. I tell them that we get only one pair of feet, so why not treat them the best we can?
Leon,
Well said, I completely agree – it is all well worth it, especially when you see kids enjoying the game so much!
I PREFER THIS CLEAT INSTEAD OF THE ADIPOWER PREDATOR….
Can't say I have liked them anywhere near as much as older models. I cannot stand the snap-in studs, as I feel they don't bite enough, and I think it's been some getting used to not having a folder tongue on a Pred boot.
I do like the contact patch as it seemed bigger than ever on a red boot, and I feel the soleplate is one of the better ones adidas has given us over the years. 6.5/10 for me.