Nike Mercurial Veloce

Comfort

The comfort of the Veloce is pretty good but not as great as the top line Vapor IX, which is too be expected since the Veloce is a stepdown model.  The material is soft and very thin but sturdy just like the Vapor.  The soft material molded to my foot within the first 3-4 hours of play time. The fit of the shoe is very narrow compared to other boots. If you have wider feet than average or do not like the feel of a boot wrapping extremely tightly around your foot then I would avoid the Mercurial line. But if you enjoy the barefoot-like feel and enjoy having a great touch and feel on the ball then I would highly recommend the Mercurial line.

The thin sole plate of the boot is completely made of TPU plastic and not made of glass fiber like the Vapor. The sole plate is still very light and responsive but is all plastic. Although the soleplate looks like there is some glass fiber in it, do not be fooled, it is just a graphic or sticker placed on the inside to give the appearance of the carbon fiber. The studs will not dig as deep into the ground and will not be as great for quick movements but are still very good. The only reason the studs are not as thin and as light as the Vapor is because of the thinner TPU plastic soleplate. The boot is very comfortable in the forefoot and heel but very tight within the mid foot and toe box.

Veloce upper

Overall Comfort: 7.0/10

Performance

The performance of the boot is good but it’s not quite great. It is hard to find a boot better right now than the Nike Mercurial Vapor but the Veloce is a very close in being at that performance level, in my opinion. The touch and feel on the ball really does give a good feel and the Teijin synthetic upper helps you get a good feel on the ball. The material is very thin and it gives a barefoot-like sensation.

Veloce soleplate

The TPU plastic sole plate gives a firm feel on the ground and gives the chance to make quick movements. The material on the soleplate will not crack and will be good for the long haul. The lacing system is straight down the middle so when you strike the ball you will feel the ball hit the laces when you strike. Passing is very simple and feels perfect off the foot.

The boot weighs extremely light and helps with speed after experiencing heavier boots such as T90’s and Tiempos in the Nike lineup. The sock liner in the boot is a little bit thicker than the Vapor and I don’t understand why Nike added the thicker liner. It is a little bit too bulky for a thin boot and it made breaking the boot in take just a little bit longer than the Vapor.

Overall Performance: 8.0/10

Bang For Your Buck

The starting price for the Nike Mercurial Veloce is $110 dollars. The price tag is a bit high but honestly, I believe the boot is completely worth it. The feel and performance of the Mercurial is unrivaled by any other boot available on the market today. Although the price tag is a bit high, the Mercurial Veloce is more than worth it. The material is strong and very light and does not tear even after playing in many different conditions.

Overall Bang For Your Buck: 7.5/10

Aesthetics

The look of the Metallic Mach Purple looks great on the boot and the pattern is great when it fades into the total orange. The silo of the shoe is very unique and is a very trendsetting shoe. This gives a very flashy and unique look to the boot that is sure to make any player stand out on the field. The Mercurial line is always a very good-looking boot and the colorway on this one is very cool.

Overall Aesthetic: 8.0/10

Overall

Mercurial Veloce

My personal overall take on the shoe was 8.0/10. The boot was incredible and left me impressed. The size and fit was good but very tight in the heel and the toe box area. However, overall it felt extremely comfortable on my foot. I normally wear a size 11.5 US and the boot ran true to size. The speed control finish (the golf ball like dimpled texture) on the boot gave a unique feel that was unmatched and felt great on the ball when passing and striking. For a take down model this is a very good boot and one that I would recommend if you are looking for that Mercurial feel without paying the full Mercurial Price. I normally play a forward position either striker or right wing so this boot was perfect for me.

4 / 5 stars     
 

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