Mizuno Wave Ignitus

There are very few boots that carry the intrigue of the Wave Ignitus line from Mizuno. With the crazy shooting elements that have been present since its inception, the amazingly unique stud-pattern, and the oft-maligned Mukaiten panel, the Wave Ignitus is a prize for any collector, player, or (for those of us too poor for the first option and too mediocre for the second) a reviewer. Now that Mizuno have made the jump to the United States, the boot still carries an air of mystery, but its new-found availability has everyone super excited. Luckily, Mizuno found us worthy to test out one of the last remaining “power” boots, and we have jumped in eagerly.

Although it took some convincing for me to move past the massively impressive Morelia Neo, the Wave Ignitus III nearly forces you to wear it out of sheer curiosity. The boot we received is in the non-Honda colorway from Brazil and it comes with a boot bag. A gorgeous looking boot, the Ignitus is known more for its impressive strike elements than its appearance (especially as the Wave Ignitus III has been released in very LOUD/contrasting colors so far). The “Tatekaiten” section feels amazingly aggressive in your hands, while the “Mukaiten” (no-spin) panel seems to have been dialed back on this release.

Despite being covered in fins, rubber, and a brand-new synthetic, the boot has broken-in fairly quickly. The synthetic is a bit stiff on the first few wears, but a few hours with the boot has it feeling quite comfortable. While the synthetic is stiff, the area under the shooting element feels like NERF-style foam and it seems that the move away from kangaroo leather might have been dictated by how aggressive the elements on the Ignitus happen to be. A locked in feel from the heel and the soleplate having some decent flexibility from out of the box ends up giving you some impressive comfort for a boot that packs this much a punch.

Mizuno Wave Ignitus soleplate

In the first few wears, I was terrified of the elements providing too much grip. This has not been the case, although an odd finish on the synthetic can sometimes see the ball “stick” a little more than you would like it to. However, this has started to wear off and dribbling with the Ignitus has certainly improved. While my “knuckling” technique has never been perfect (it happens when your surgically repaired ankle is the size of a cannon ball), the striking elements still feel more like a guideline on a boot than something that adds spin/power. While the Ignitus has some extremely aggressive elements, I doubt it added anything special to my shots.

I am truly looking forward to the remainder of my time with the Ignitus and a review should be up in the next week or so. Until that time, know that these boots have made a fantastic first impression and I expect the remainder of the testing to only make me fall farther in love with them. (Sizing note: true to size/not the widest boot on the market)

 

Tags: , , , ,