Normally, we are lucky to get a new boot being launched once a month, let alone the feast of two boot updates we were given by adidas a few weeks ago as a part of the new Samba pack! While the F50 adiZero stole the headlines, adidas rather cheekily slipped in the new adiPure 11Pro. The adiPure range has been struggling since the introduction of the 11Pro, with the ditching of K-Leather in favour of Taurus leather being the point many boot fans cannot quite get themselves past. The new 11Pro brings a number of exciting changes to the table, but what has adidas actually done with the boot? The Instep tells you all you need to know about the new 11Pro.
Upper
If I were to ask 10 readers what they thought the issue was with the old adiPure 11Pro, I would probably have a unanimous response regarding the use of Taurus leather instead of the K-Leather adidas have always been using on the adiPure range of boots. We are going to have to get used to Taurus leather, as adidas have once again used it on the new 11Pro. However, while there is no denying that K-Leather is the premium leather material of choice for boot fans, Taurus leather (ie calfskin leather) still does a fantastic job in providing a great fit and great touch for the ball. Granted, it is not K-Leather, but those who love leather will be happy to settle for Taurus leather.
While the old adiPure 11Pro had a 6 stitch lines that ran across the boot, adidas have gone for a criss-cross stitch pattern that is similar to what we see on the Nike Tiempo Legend IV. Adding more stitches to the upper of a leather boot increases the softness and suppleness of the leather, which means that it will provide a better fit and feel for the ball. While adidas have improved the stitching pattern for the boot, they have done away with the Duracoating technology seen on the last adiPure. Duracoating was used around the toe of the boot to ensure the boot does not get too worn out, but perhaps in an attempt to be more natural, it has been abandoned for the new 11Pro.
That is not what excites us most about the upper of the new 11Pro. It is what is underneath the bonnet (or maybe I should be saying upper in this case) that excites me the most. The leather upper is not what it seems, with memory foam used through the upper of the boot. We have seen memory foam make an appearance on the CTR360 Maestri and Mizuno Supersonic Wave boots, and it is all about ensuring a better fit for the user. The use of memory foam means that the forefoot is slightly padded, and the nature of memory foam means it will mould to the foot better than leather to help give a more one-to-one fit for the wearer. You know how some boots mean that the awkward fit of the upper means that you cannot get a true fit for the ball? The use of memory foam attempts to alleviate this issue. Since the memory foam is also a little padded, it will perhaps absorb any shocks from kicking or aid ball control. But hopefully it will not be so padded such that our feel for the ball is lost.
Midsole
The tongue of the adiPure 11Pro is made of thin synthetic material, which also decked out in the bold Samba pattern that appears on the other boots released as a part of the Samba pack. With the tongue being synthetic and the other main kicking areas of the boot being leather, will that not mean kicking the ball will feel different compared to the rest of the boot? Yes it will, which is why adidas have inserted a strip of memory foam running up the tongue which means the thickness of the tongue is virtually the same as the leather, allowing for a consistent, universal touch.
Adidas have also made an alteration to the cut of the boot around the heel. While the adiPure traditionally featured a low cut around the heel and ankle, the cut has now risen in comparison to other models. A higher cut around the ankle allows for more support as the heel is kind of ‘locked in’. It may not be a soccer-related example, but think about construction workers. They were big heavy boots with a high cut because it gives them support for their day to day needs. The lower cut shoes provide for less support through this area, and a pair of flip flops is perhaps an extreme example of shoes with no support through the heel. It is a good call from adidas, and locking the foot down does ultimately mean benefits for the fit of the boot.
Meanwhile, adidas have kept up their use of two different materials for the midsole and upper of the boot. While the boot features Taurus leather through the midfoot and toe of the boot, it stops near the heel of the boot, where a shiny synthetic material replaces the leather. This shiny material, which also has a bold ’11Pro’ branding, brings a sharp modern look to the boot and also reduces the weight of the boot down. It does make sense to do this. Leather is obviously heavier than the synthetic used on the heel, so why make the boot unnecessarily heavy by using leather in areas that will hardly touch the ball?
Outsole
Remember how adidas spruiked miCoach last year to the point where they included it on all of their boots? In a rather strange move, adidas have quietly taken away the miCoach cavity on the new adiPure 11Pro. While the new adiZero was released with the miCoach slot (and the updates to the Nitrocharge and Predator next year also rumoured to keep the miCoach cavity), the adiPure surprisingly misses out. If you wish to attach the miCoach chip using the shoe lace clip, you may do so, but you would not want to do it if you are playing in case the ball hits the chip.
Adidas are regularly knocked for having the universal Sprintframe construction on all of their boots, with some citing it shows a lack of imagination from adidas. So in what was probably a necessary move, the new adiPure 11Pro features a new outsole called Comfortframe. Comfortframe sees the inclusion of more support bars that run across the sole of the boot, which aims to provide more support for the wearer compared to the old Sprintframe outsole. The soleplate is a little softer and less rigid than Sprintframe, and does really show off that ‘comfort’ message that adidas are pushing with the update to the adiPure 11Pro.
As for the studs, there is now one extra stud on the outstep of each boot, which has been achieved by the studs also been shrunk slightly in size. While the configuration is similar to the Traxion configuration of adidas boots past, the studs are also a little rounder. This more conventional stud configuration should mean that grip is maximised, while the extra stud means pressure is more evenly dispersed around the foot which, well I will have to say it again, ensures comfort is maximised.
Conclusion
We like where adidas is going with the adiPure 11Pro. The old 11Pro took a bit of a battering, but with some very logical and clever inclusions, adidas have given us a boot that we think may see the 11Pro head towards the throne of the heritage boot world. The memory foam in the forefoot of the upper certainly excites us, but the Comfortframe outsole is something that deserves attention as well. Nike, now it is your turn with the Tiempo V later this month…
You can grab your adiPure 11Pro from SoccerPro for just $148, or have you got the boots yourself already? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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