Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
It was back in May 2013 when we were introduced to the Nike KOBE 8 MAMBACURIAL, as Nike combined the power of the Mercurial soccer cleat with the basketball style of Kobe Bryant. For those of you that don’t know, Kobe actually grew up in Italy and he is an avid soccer fan.
A few years on and Nike has unleashed a special edition lifestyle version of the shoe, called the MAMBACURIAL M23. The striking Fireberry colorway is taken straight from the Vapor IX soccer boot and applied to the Nike Engineered Mesh upper of the latest Kobe Bryant signature shoe. An over sized white “NIKE” script appears on the medial side of each shoe, and an electric-lime Swoosh shifts across the lateral side. “Mambacurial” is notated on the backside of the tongue, and the upper rests atop a grass graphic and translucent green rubber outsole.
In terms of performance, the midfoot webbing features integrated Flywire technology that helps locks down the foot for lightweight stability. Underfoot, Nike have gone with their tried and trusted Lunarlon midsole for springy, responsive cushioning. And the actual sole is a rubber with innovative traction pattern for quick acceleration and change of direction. On another note, don’t be surprised to see these also labelled as the Kobe 11 EM Mambacurial – depending on the Nike advertising source, the name varies!
Pairs are currently available at soccer.com, with a retail of $159.99.
