In the space of 3 months, we have been blessed with some massive boot releases. The Superfly IV, Predator Instinct, Puma evoSPEED 1.3….but when another release comes along, we are never going to say no. With the new season on the horizon, adidas have decided that now is the time to unveil a new update to the Nitrocharge 1.0. And bar one or two aspects that look different, it seems adidas have gone into this with the mindset to make something that was already pretty damn good even better. Check out The Instep’s official first time look at the boots.
Last time around, it was the Energysling that certainly caught the eye of anyone checking out the Nitrocharge 1.0 for the first time. And this time around, the story certainly has not changed. The new Energysling has been increased in size to cover more of the midfoot, and a new design to boot. The larger Energysling locks down the foot for greater support when changing direction at high speeds.
It all works by the Energysling providing a stiff resistance against the side of the foot when pushing off the outside of your foot, leading to a greater transfer of energy into those vital first few steps. Clever, hey? The new Energysling also aims to provide a more natural fit with the Energysling spreading out across a larger area of the foot in comparison to the Energysling on the old model.
A discrete alteration that we picked up on our preview into the Nitrocharge 1.0 was the redesigned upper. Adidas have moved to a somewhat smoother upper in comparison to the old Nitrocharge that featured various sections of padded Hybridtouch. The inside of the vamp sees a redesigned protection zone that also features a three-dimensional grip texture to maximise ball control and feel.
The Nitrocharge 1.0 is targeted to the ‘Engine’ player, the player who runs all day and charges through legal (and not so legal) challenges from opponents. So for that, he will need a bit of protection to keep him running right? That is the thinking behind the ‘protection’ ethos that is a driving force behind the Nitrocharge, and the protective mesh from the old Nitrocharge has been replaced by a kevlar reinforced mesh layer (because I guess adidas had to do something with all of that kevlar they bought when they were going to make the Kevlar Nitrocharge…). The result is a more sturdy mesh covering running around the midfoot and the back of the heel.
Running with the protection ideal once more, the pre-moulded protection pads that used to protect the Achilles tendon have now been spread out to stretch as far as the lower ends of the midfoot on either sides of the boot. The outsole has been left untouched by adidas, with the Energypulse system running underneath the boot for maximum energy transfer and the Traxion 2.0 studs for grip in all directions.
Launched in a sleek Black/Metallic Silver/Solar Gold and a Solar Red/Metallic Silver/Core White colourway, the adidas Nitrocharge 1.0 is available today over on SoccerPro for ($179.99). Excited about the boot? Go grab your pair now!