In my mind, adidas has been the king of the classic kangaroo leather boot. It seems like every year they try something new to bolster their classic lines. This year adidas unveiled a modern and modest take of the classic Copa Mundial with the release of the adidas Gloro. The adidas Gloro isn’t a redesign of the Copa. It does its own thing at an affordable price and may challenge the Mundial in the market.
If you give me the chance for kangaroo leather over synthetic leather in a boot, I (and most players) would prefer it. Synthetic boots have come a long ways since they started to introduce them two decades ago, but nothing can replace the classic feel of a true leather boot. However, if you can mold the two into one, you may just have something of quality.
Adidas wrapped the forefoot of the Gloro with a kangaroo leather upper. It provides a secure feel across the forefoot and a soft reception for the ball on the touch. In the back of the boot, adidas used a lightweight synthetic upper that helps reduce the weight in unneeded areas. I really like the use of two materials in this instance.
There is a large weight gap between the traditional Copa Mundial and the new Gloro. The Copa weighs in at 11 ounces, while the Gloro only tips the scales at 8.4 ounces. If you can take a little bit of the class that comes with a boot like the Copa Mundial and create a lighter weight version with kangaroo leather, I am certainly a big fan.
The Gloro seems to run true to size. If you find that it fits tight in the toes, remember that it is a k-leather boot and it will stretch after a few hours of wear. The mid-foot did not have a problem breaking it in, but my foot is fairly narrow. The heel cup is also lined with a synthetic leather that really helps secure your foot in place.
The Comfort Frame outsole is one of adidas’ widest outsoles, so I feel confident in saying that this boot is going to be a good fit for generally everyone. This was my first experience with adidas’ Comfort Frame outsole. It felt solid during my first few hours of training, but was light on flexibility. After racking in a few miles the stiffness weakened.
The Comfort Frame surprised me more that I thought it would. It is noticeably stable in direction and is comfortable. I tend to spend the majority of my playing in narrower boots. Although this may be a subtle change, it was something that appealed to me. I flashed back to late summer night pick-up games and walking sorely home after spending 3-4 hours on narrow outsoles. The Gloro will be a great boot to have in extended playing sessions.
In 2002 adidas introduced the Predator Mania to us at the World Cup. This was the first boot by adidas to feature the elastic strap tongue. It would quickly become an iconic shoe and is still highly sought-after by shoe collectors and vintage soccer shoe fans. When I first saw the adidas Gloro the first thing that caught my eye was that elastic strap!
Becks in the Predator Mania
The new elastic strap tongue isn’t all about cosmetics. It provides a reliable striking surface as well as keeping the shoestrings in place. I didn’t have any problems with striking the ball with either the tongue stretched over the laces like David Beckham, or simply underneath the carnage of the mid-foot. The elastic strap’s width is fairly thick, but is a still exposed underneath the shoe. There isn’t a perfect solution for keeping the elastic strap protected. However, if you keep the strap underneath the midsole of the shoe and not between the forefoot studs, you are typically better off in the long run.
The only thing I wish I could have done more for you in my review of these boots is a durability test. Unfortunately I only had a couple of weeks and not a few years. Most Copa Mundial traditionalists have only had a few pairs in their life. I cannot say for sure how long these boots could last you, but I do know that when I see an adidas kangaroo leather shoe, I am confident that it will last for a long time.
The adidas Gloro is a boot I could easily recommend for anyone. Whether they are a first time player, a long time player, or even a referee, the Gloro is a great fit for all shapes and sizes while maintaining a reasonable price point.
at 22:43
Would you use these shoes in the same size as the Copa Mundial?
at 18:17
Probably not. He said the Gloro seems to run true to size, whereas most people buy at least a full size smaller for the Copa Mundial.
For instance (and I’m showing my age here and how long I’ve been out of the game), I used to wear a 10 in the Predator Mania. I tried on some Copa’s the other day, and I would probably go with a 9 if I bought them.
You would probably want to go a full size up from what you wear in Copa’s, if the Gloro runs true to size.
at 07:05
I have skinny feat will it fit me
at 05:07
It is important to say that it is a little bit narrow at the end of the boot. I have Square or Roman foot and in the end I have some space, so i put cotton to fit the boot perfectly. It is better to buy the Gloro 16.1 that it is a little bit expensive but is better for this kind of feet.