evoPOWER side view

For the last three/four years in the boot world, companies have been making a huge change in the types of products they put on the market.  For Nike, they currently have a heritage boot with their Tiempo, a control boot in the CTR360, and, essentially, two speed boots in the Venom and Mercurial.  Adidas have the 11Pro for heritage, the Predator is now a control boot, the F50 for speed boot enthusiasts and the Nitro charge seems to have been built with protection in mind more than being the “engine.”  However, Puma have just released a boot that even has “power” in the name and we here at the Instep are wondering if the power boot is finally coming back!

Puma may have brought a fantastic array of characters under their wing for the evoPOWER, but we are definitely more interested in the boot than the players that are wearing it.  With the evoPOWER, Puma have said that the boot is built to help increase power and accuracy via the Accufoam that Puma have placed all over the striking surface of the POWER.  Time will only tell how the boot feels on feet as it has a February release date, but the simple label of the inserts as “foam” has me thinking that Puma might have pulled a fast one on everyone.

evoPOWER Accufoam

Why is that?

Well, the footballing masses are still housing a hole in their hearts for a power boot.  Thousands still complain about the Predator’s move towards control and others still wish that Nike would have continued releasing the T90.  So, Puma have given this group a boot that is actually named after the type of boot that they want: POWER.  Although Puma may be seen as the outside brand in the “big three,” some of the aforementioned “power”-hungry group would certainly give this new boot a chance.

BUT!

But, the foam inserts has a similar sound to it.  The last two of the “big three” have also put foam inserts into the uppers of a few of their boots.  Which boots?  Their control boots.  The CTR360 I and II had foam inserted into the upper and the original LZ also had foam used as a control element.  Perhaps Puma have created a boot that actually sits a little closer to the control side of things than the name suggests.  Just for an interesting addition to the argument, guess what type of boot Balotelli and Fabregas (the two biggest faces of this boot) wore previously? Control boots!

Balotelli in evoPOWER

So, have Puma pulled a marketing and production masterstroke by naming a boot to have people believe it is a “power” boot but actually building it like a “control” boot?  Possibly.  Time will certainly tell how well the boot does on the open market, but the double-edged way that people will choose this boot bodes well for it.  Especially if the various online reviewers and boot nerds push the boot farther into the “control” category, the evoPOWER will do very well…VERY well.

 

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