Nike Tiempo Legacy Turf Review

Jim Gauthier March 24, 2014 Blog, Everything Else, Nike 3 Comments

There are a variety of turf options out on the market and a fair amount of leather boots at that. I have had a very wide sample of leather turf boots so I’m immediately wondering if the Legacy will turn out to just be more of the same.

The Legacy now takes the place of the Tiempo Flight as the mid-tier in the Tiempo range. Having tested out both I have to make a solid conclusion that the Legacy is an improvement. Of course nike already has a habit of making exceptional mid-tier boots so I expected nothing but the best. So expectations are already high but seeing as it is another leather turf boot I’m not expecting it to astound me.

First Impression

These would be one of those boots that looks better in person than in images online. I got them in the However the White/ Black/ Treasure blue colorway. The leather starts off feeling softer than it looks which was pleasant, most lower tier leather boots start off just a little bit stiff. It may not be reflective like the Legend version in this colorway but the blue white and black look nice and there is an interesting animal skull design on the insole which will undoubtedly rub off with time. It is a nice touch but nobody but the wearer will see it and even that won’t last long. Over all a tidy package.

The Tech

What we have here is a hypervenom like mesh backing a very nice calf leather upper. This combo is very nice and I really like the ball feel that it gives, I find that it also creates for a very nice fit. The interior has Nike’s Dry-fit tech and the calf leather is supposed to be water proof though this is hard to test playing indoor soccer. It is a pretty minimal tech boot but a mesh interior to a heritage boot creates a sweet package. Very comfortable for the long run. Of course we see the sandpaper textured abrasion resistant area at the toe which is now a staple of nike’s indoor boots. Unlike the FG version which weights in at around 8oz the TF version is closer to 10 0z so weight reducing tech does not do much but on a turf boot I’ve learned not to mind so much.

Fit and Break in

They fit a half size small just like the tiempo flight. They seem to fit a bit on the narrow side of life as when I laced them on I couldn’t tie the laces on the underside of the boot like with some wider fitting boots. So going up a half size is a definite as I am a size 9.5 in most boots and I had to go with a 10 in these.

Break in took only about a few minutes. Turf boots rarely had break in time and the upper is extremely nice. It actually broke in a little faster than some kangaroo leather. However it took several games of course before it formed to my foot.

Performance and Durability

I find that the main area the Legacy stands out is the basic first touch. Also as the whole upper is leather other than the heel and swoosh the boot molds to the foot very well. This translates over to a glove like fit which, as crazy as it sounds, leads to a good feel for the ball when receiving passes. So the Legacy very well captures the spirit of the traditional boot in terms of overall performance. Comfortable, simple, reliable and all that classy jazz. Having said that there isn’t that much that makes them stand out other than comfort and an exceptional touch. I don’t know why people harp on calf leather but it feels fantastic on the Legacy. Comfort is amazing in the case of the Legacy.

Durability may be a bit concerning, I think that the quality of the leather is better suited to natural surface rather than turf as it is starting to separate a bit around the instep of the right boot. It hasn’t gotten any worse after 4 games after it started to separate . Also the rough textured area is starting to peel up a bit but like the instep separation it isn’t getting any worse with wear either. Of course the boot is white and scuffs and turf staining are unavoidable but a little gentle soap and water, leather food and leather whitener and they look pretty much good as new. I think for turf the black version would be better. For now I’ll be keeping tabs on durability and will update if anything happens.

Compared to Others

Compared to the rest of the mid to low tier leather options they do stand out. But they don’t stand out by all that much. It is like a toyota prius among honda fits. It The main area where they stand out is the leather in the mid foot which sets it apart from most leather turf boots available. The snug leather in the mid foot is much better than the sometimes roomy mid foot of most mid and low tier leather turf options. This adds up to better touch and better control. In the end it is at the top of the leather turf pile but The nike Bomba’s are still the king of the turf scene. Next to the Tiempo flight it is much improved, the leather is better the fit is a tad nicer and ball feel is improved as well.

Negatives

The main negatives that come to mind are all around durability. The minor separation at the instep and the barely peeling abrasion resistant area don’t exactly set off alarm bells but there are a few red flags going on. I’ll be keeping an eye on the areas but after four extra games of testing after the initial separations there has been no worsening in conditions.

Over all

Other than the issues with durability this is a very tidy package. You get your up to date tech on the inside with the heritage qualities on the outside. If you are a fan of the flight the Legacy shall exceed expectations. For those looking for higher end leather turf performance this is the current best option but it is at the higher end of the turf boot price range which has been hanging around the $60-$70 range. If they hold up the extra $40-$30 will be worth it. Once again updates will be added if anything comes up.