Although the race for a lightweight boot is now being contested by all the major brands, Adidas were the first company to manufacture a sub-6 oz. boot that is readily available to the public.  They are also one of the few companies that have attempting to further their lightweight options by providing a leather boot while still keeping the listed weight close to 6 oz.  With the most experience and with the release of the newest version, it makes sense that Adidas should have the best leather speed boot available, right?  Well, let’s take a look and see if they put their experience in the field to good use.

The Look– With the newest leather F50, Adidas have shifted from just having the toe-box made from leather into a boot that is made predominantly from leather.  Although pictures tend to make the boot look bulky, it is still a very minimalistic boot that gives off a “lightweight” vibe.  Every colorway that has been released will appeal to a large audience but some of the brighter colorways may have a few detractors.  The only thing I have wrong with “the look” is that the three Adidas stripes have been sewn into the upper instead of being printed on.

The Touch– As with every adiZero, the touch is fantastic.  If you are looking for a barefoot feel, the adiZero will always provide that.  The biggest upside with the leather upper in comparison to the synthetic is that slight bit of cushioning that you will get when you are receiving passes or when you are shooting from distance.  That being said, the leather version still provides very little protection and it will not prevent you from feeling the full force of a challenge.  The boot is also narrow enough for you to strike those outside-of-the-foot shots with authority, adding more to the leather being slightly better than the synthetic.

adidas_f50_blue_purple

The Feel– The comfort of the leather adidas F50 is where the boot truly shines.  A much quicker break-in than its synthetic counterpart and a fit that still allows it to feel like you are always light on your feet.  The inside of the boot seems to be lined with a suede-like material that adds to the comfort, but it does soak up moisture and these boots will need some extra time to “air-out” after a long session.  On top of the great comfort, the boot really seems like it will last for a long time (which is tough to do with such a lightweight boot).

The Verdict– Although the adiZero has lost some ground against its competitors, it still has released a great boot that has improved on the last release of the F50.  If you are looking for a leather boot that still will have the barefoot feel of a really light boot, then the leather F50 is definitely worth looking into.  Go check them out over on SoccerPro.com and see what all the fuss is about!

3.5 / 5 stars     
 

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