RECENT RELEASES
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PUMA POWERCAT 1.2 – BLACK/FLUORESCENT YELLOW/BLUE
Puma have released their newest PowerCat 1.2 football boot colourway – Black/Fluorescent Yellow/Blue which will be debuted on pitch by Marco Reus in the most important match of the year this weekend. Reus, who has been an instrumental figure in the Borussia Dortmund’s successes on the road to the UEFA Champions League final, will wear his new PowerCat colourway for the first time at Wembley.
Marco Reus said, “Reaching the Champions League final is the biggest moment of my career so far and I cannot wait to walk out on this great football stage at the weekend. My first season at Borussia Dortmund with the whole Champions League tournament has been extremely exciting, and going to Wembley is really an absolute highlight for me. My new PUMA boots feature a similar colourway to the iconic BVB colours, I think this is a good sign and hope they will help me perform well in London and bring about a great end to a phenomenal season.”
The PUMA PowerCat 1.2 is designed for players who desire power and accuracy when shooting and passing. Featuring a perfect blend of materials, this boot provides increased kicking power, whilst enabling precision through the newest PUMA technology that improves ball grip (3D PST DUO Technology). The boot delivers a bladed stud configuration for better traction, manoeuvrability and accurate pressure distribution and the external heel counter protects and stabilises the heel.
Finishing touches are the soft, premium K-Leather that enhances fit, comfort and touch and a lightweight microfiber material in the lateral quarter to support of the midfoot, which is essential to keep the weight of the boot to a minimum.
BOOT SPOTTING 18-19 MAY
The final game of the season has come and gone and with it a number of familiar faces as a number of Premier League stars hung up their boots. It was a weekend of saying goodbye to old and when it came to boot spots, saying hello to the new as brand new Adidas boots hit pitches for the first time. For the final time this season – here are our boot spots from the Premier League.
Olivier Giroud – Arsenal – Puma evoSPEED 1.2
Olivier Giroud hasn’t had as big an impact on the Premier League as some Arsenal fans may have hoped. The French striker hasn’t been a failure however and will look to kick on next season – wearing the new Puma evoSPEED 1.2 speed boots.
Andy Carroll – West Ham United – Umbro Speciali 4
Where Andy Carroll will play his football next season is anyone’s guess. What we do know however is that he will start the new season in Umbro boots. Carroll, like fellow Umbro wearer Joe Hart, has been wearing a special pair of white-out Speciali 4 boots for the last few games of the season – a boot we wish Umbro would release worldwide!
Michael Owen – Stoke City – Nike CTR360 Maestri III
Michael Owen is one of the most iconic Umbro wearers ever. The ex-Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle, Manchester United and now Stoke City striker enjoyed a fruitful career with the double diamond but played his last few games for Stoke in a pair of Nike CTR boots.
Jamie Carragher – Liverpool – Adidas Predator LZ
Jamie Carragher has never been one for flashy boots, and with the release of the new Predator LZ II in bright green, perhaps his retirement is for the better. Carragher had the honour of captaining his side in his final – one in which Liverpool also wore their brand new Warrior kits for next season.
Jonathan Howson – Norwich City – Nike CTR360 Maestri III
There was also a winning debut for Norwich City’s new kit, thanks in part to Jonathan Howson. Howson wore the rare White/Crimson/Black CTR360 Meastri III colourway – one which is not very common yet seems to be a favourite among boot fans (including us here at TRW!)
Paul Scholes – Manchester United – Nike T90 Laser IV
Manchester United waved goodbye to two legends this weekend as Sir Alex Ferguson and midfield star Paul Scholes waved goodbye to their fans on more time. Scholes has never been one for the limelight and would’ve enjoyed Fergie stealing the show. The ex-England man is known to like a strong challenge and receiving a yellow card in his final appearance was some how fitting.
Brad Friedel – Tottenham Hotspur – Under Armour
One man who seems to be able to keep on going despite his age (no not Ryan Giggs… Well, yes him too) is Spurs stopper Brad Fredeil. The big American turns 43 next season but has signed a contract extension to keep him at the club for another season. Friedel wore Adidas Predator LZ SL boots at times this season but now seems to have joined Michael Dawson and Benoit Assou-Ekotto wearing Under Armour boots.
Jack Rodwell – Manchester City – Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0
We would like to welcome the Nitrocharge to out boot spot articles. The all new Adidas silo has certainly grabbed the boot world’s attention and got off to a scoring debut in the PL thanks to new recruit Jack Rodwell. The boot is designed for the box-to-box midfielder and Rodwell, when fit, certainly fits the bill. He is the first of what we expect could be a number of players switching from the Predator to the Nitrocharge silo.
Aaron Ramsey – Arsenal – Adidas Predator LZ II
Rumour was that Ramsey would wear the Nitrocharge this weekend and it would’ve been an understandable move. It seems however that the Welsh star will remain in Predators after he was handed a pair of the brand new Predator LZ II boots.
Fernando Torres – Chelsea – Adidas Predator LZ II
As with the Nitrocharge, the LZ II got off to a scoring debut, this time thanks to Fernando Torres. Torres recently switched from a long standing Nike affiliation to join Adidas and we imagine he could be used extensively to promote the LZ II.
Gareth Bale – Tottenham Hotspur – Adidas AdiZero f50
With Spurs failing to secure Champions League football on the last day, rumours surrounding Gareth Bale will certainly fly around when the transfer window opens. The Welsh star has won almost every PL award around this season and will surely move on if Spurs fail to add quality to their ranks. Bale is a major asset for Adidas, scoring another wonder goal this weekend – giving the new Infrared/White/Black AdiZero a scoring debut.
Robin van Persie – Adidas AdiPower Predator
Robin van Persie in AdiPower Predators is nothing new. We just wonder how Adidas feel knowing that RVP won the PL Golden Boot – in a pair of boots they no longer make. Congratulations to him!, but seriously RVP, please start next season in the LZ II.
David Beckham – PSG – Adidas Predator LZ II
Love him or hate him, David Beckham is a footballing icon and one of the greatest boot men ever. DB has given us some wonderful Predator boots over his career but is final pair is arguably his greatest. Inspired by his beloved country, Great Britain, DB’s special Predator LZ II boots were designed on miAdidas – but we wouldn’t be surprised to see Adidas release a limited edition to celebrate one of the most remarkable careers. (Becks’ boots also happened to perfect match the new PSG kit which the French Champions wore for the first time – and look great we’d say.)
ADIDAS ADIPURE 11PRO – BLACK/WHITE/HI RES RED
With the release of Adidas’ 4th silo, Nitrocharge, it is possible that the AdiPure 11Pro’s profile will decrease even more. Adidas’ heritage silo hasn’t grabbed many headlines recently on their new colourway will not demand your attention like the new AdiZero colourway will. Never one for an over the top colourway, Adidas’ latest Black/White/Hi Res Red AdiPure 11Pro colourway is another classy addition to the silo.
The AdiPure range is known for their comfort, style and touch. The upper is made of the highest quality Taurus leather providing excellent fit, comfort and ball feel. The Leather is also coated with an ultra-thin ‘Duracoating’ which protects the leather in areas of high abrasion.
An anatomically shaped midfoot ‘360’ support saddle adds midfoot stability during lateral movements. An anatomically moulded EVA insole assist movement and improve fit while a soft suede synthetic leather lining provides additional comfort, whilst reducing any foot movement within the boots for a more secure fit.
The AdiPure 11Pro’s SprintFrame features new three part dual cushioning Traxion studs which have an internal anti-shock tubes and high abrasion resistant ground contact layer. A FlexZone in on the forefoot ball area offer greater flexibility and aid linear motion. A split between the 3rd and 4th toes called PlusFlex aids ground adaption and provides a higher energy efficiency during later movements. As with all Adidas football boots now, the soleplate features a cavity for MiCoach technology.
DAVID BECKHAM DESIGNS FINAL PREDATOR
To mark his recent announcement to retire from professional football, David Beckham and adidas have produced a unique pair of boots celebrating his illustrious playing career.
The David Beckham has been the face of the Predator range for most of his career and his last colourway will feature on the latest incarnation, the Predator LZ II.
Beckham’s last pair of boot were customized using www.miadidas.com – the second pair of custom boots Beckham has worn that will not be an official colourway. Beckham has been wearing the synonymous range of adidas footwear since 1996 when he scored his famous goal against Wimbledon from the half way line.
Emboldened by the red, white & blue colours and the union flag of Great Britain, Beckham’s love for his country is the main inspiration for the design.
Every aspect of the boot has David’s personal touch. As with all his boots the love for his family is ever present, featuring the initials of his wife Victoria and the names of his four children: Brooklyn; Romeo; Cruz and Harper. The boot also includes the shirts numbers from David’s playing career: 7, 23 and 32.
Commenting on his boots, David Beckham said: “This is truly a special moment for me and I’m happy that my longest serving partner, adidas was able to work with me to commemorate the moment. What I really wanted to come across was the passion I had playing for my country and the pride that gave me.”
Beckham will wear the specially customised boots for PSG when he takes to the field in his last game ever against Brest this evening.
ADIDAS ADIZERO F50 – INFRARED/WHITE/BLACK
With a host of new boots being unveiled by Adidas it is possible that their new 7th AdiZero f50 colourway may go a little unnoticed. Landing in a eye-catching Infrared/White/Black colourway makes that a little unlikely however. The colourway has been launched ahead a big splash Adidas hope to make in the Champions League Final but we expect to see them on pitches this weekend already.
The new adizero f50 features Adidas’ famous Sprintskin – a 1.5mm thick synthetic layer that allows the boot to be lightweight (165g) whilst maintaining a natural feeling between boot and ball. Sprintweb is the 3D printed texture on the surface of the boot that allows for exceptional ball control at speed and also provides the supple but stable construction. The final layer of boot construction is the Sprintframe, a strong but lightweight lower section that offers players a perfectly balanced boot.
As with the previous AdiZero – and now all Adidas football boots – the next-generation adizero f50 features a miCoach Speedcell cavity in the soleplate enabling performance metrics to be tracked, analysed and compared against the best players in the world or with friends via social media networks. The new Infrared/White/Black colourway will be available in both a synthetic upper and leather upper.
ADIDAS NITROCHARGE COMMERCIAL BEHIND THE SCENES
With any successful football product launch comes a creative viral film and with the release of the all new Nitrocharge, Adidas have created arguably one of the craziest adverts yet. Set in Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium, the film features three of Adidas’ biggest names and the faces of the new Nitrocharge silo.
The boot designed for the box-to-box player – one Adidas have dubbed ‘The Engine’ so it was no surprise that the athletes called upon to star in the film were Barcelona’s Dani Alves, Bayern Munich’s Javi Martinez and Roma’s Daneile De Rossi – three of adidas’ headline Nitrocharge recruits and the epitome of ‘The Engine’.
Adidas spent three days on set within Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic stadium, shooting a blockbuster commercial for a boot that had been in the making for over two years. Canadian film director Tristan Patterson directed what is one of adidas’ most exciting campaigns in recent years and is one of their biggest-scale video productions ever.
Tristan Patterson said; “Adidas have identified a new type of player called the engine. It’s a player that exhibits raw energy, is relentless and doesn’t stop on the field. The film is a portrait of these players. The players were in Barcelona and we chose the Olympic Stadium because it has a track around it so we’re able to shoot things at speed on the track. I think the biggest challenges of shooting with players is that you have a limited window to shoot with them and you don’t get to prepare with them before they show up. You’ve got to think on your feet and maximise your time and get as much footage as you can. So just making sure you make every minute you’re shooting count. ”
The Nitrocharge football boots feature some brand new technologies from Adidas with the two most distinctive elements being the Energysling – a high-elasticity rubber band designed to support side-cut and turn movements and the Energypulse – the spring geometry inspired area in the outsole provides high energy output during toe-off phase.
If you haven’t yet seen the explosive Nitrocharge commercial – and it is worth watching! – from Adidas, here it is:
ADIDAS NITROCHARGE PRODUCT MANAGER INTERVIEW
Adidas have unveiled their brand new boot silo to sit next to the Predator, adiPure and adiZero ranges. With the launch of the new boots, built for ‘the engine’ of the team, product manager Michael Meinhold gives us a look behind the boots.
What was the inspiration behind the design of Nitrocharge?
Nitrocharge was designed with a specific player in mind, The Engine. This is a player that is involved with all aspects of the game, a player who operates at high intensity and is relentless on-pitch.
What sort of player does this boot best suit?
As mentioned, this is designed for The Engine. We see this player as something of an unsung hero. He is always running, getting stuck in and pulling strings for his team. This kind of role isn’t limited to one position; it is more of an ethos with which certain individuals play the game. Take Dani Alves and Javi Martinez, for example. Both play different positions but share qualities such as high intensity performances, tough tackling, large distances covered and both find themselves as regular parts of their respective teams build-up play when goals are scored.
One of the first things you notice on the boot is the ENERGYSLING across the toe, can you tell us more about this?
The ENERGYSLING is a technology that supports and secures the foot when the player makes sharp turning movements such as sidecuts. This essentially helps to prevent the loss of energy normally experienced when making these movements.
How does this boot compare to the other adidas silos already on the market such as the Predator, the f50 and the adiPure?
Each of these different boots are designed to support the needs of different player types. Predator is for the Technical Wizard, he is all about ball control. Our Speed Demon is F50, it’s about lightweight and speed and last, but not least 11Pro focuses on comfort and softness. Nitrocharge is designed for a different type of player, as I said, it’s for someone who features in every facet of play, getting involved in as much as possible.
What are the other new technical innovations to feature on Nitrocharge?
There are various different innovations that feature on the new boot. The ENERGYPULSE that features on the sole plate, for example. This is inspired by the geometry of a spring and helps the player by providing maximum energy in the toe off phase when accelerating. This is one of a number of features on the boot which also provides fantastic protection to the foot as well as a soft touch to the ball.
Is there a plan for Nitrocharge to become an established part of the adidas range of football boots?
Absolutely, the Nitrocharge is here to stay. The boot and the type of player it has been designed for are both major focuses for adidas and this is just the beginning of the Nitrocharge story.
What does the future look like in general for adidas football boots?
We have some fantastic innovations coming up across all of our boot ranges as well as with our products in general. We are passionate about remaining at the cutting edge of football and this clear from our different boots, our various items of kit and our miCoach offering, to name just a few.
ADIDAS UNVEIL NITROCHARGE SILO
adidas today unveiled Nitrocharge, a brand new energy-retaining football boot designed for the next generation of footballer that follows the legacy and successes of the existing iconic predator, adipure & f50 ranges. Alongside the release of the new boot adidas has also launched an advert that unveils the footwear and highlights the sort of player it has been designed to be worn by.
The 60-second-long television campaign launched this evening (Thursday 16th May) and will be screened throughout the world during key football matches over the next few weeks including the forthcoming UEFA Champions League Final in London.
The visually striking Nitrocharge is an evolution of adidas’ rich history in creating footwear to suit specific player types. Nitrocharge has energy retention at its heart and has been designed specifically for ‘The Engine’ player, a player type that has been researched and uncovered thanks to a recently formed partnership between adidas and Opta.
‘The Engine is first on the team sheet; always running, tackling and powering his team; he is relentless in his pursuit of chances from box-to-box for the full 90 minutes. This player is epitomised in the Nitrocharge adverts with high octane action, fast-paced effort and a no-nonsense attitude in order to outline the sort of player this boot has been designed for.
The Nitrocharge boot realises a range of new technologies that when combined will define the way ‘Engines’ play the beautiful game. These technologies include innovations such as the ENERGYSLING and ENERGYPULSE.
The forefoot benefits from the ENERGYSLING which supports the sidecut and turn movements to sharpen reactions on the pitch.
The ENERGYPULSE is inspired by spring technology and by providing premium energy during the toe-off phase when sprinting enables players to get off the mark quicker.
The boot also features a Protection mesh layer around the foot and Protection pads around the most sensitive tackle zones such as the Achilles tendon also feature in the boot. Finally the boot follows the full range of adidas boots by being compatible with the adidas miCoach SPEED_CELL.
The new Nitrocharge boot is available for purchase from June 2013 in Blue Beauty F10/Rrunning White/Eelectricity and will be worn on-pitch by ‘Engine’ players Daniele De Rossi (A.S. Roma), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint Germain) and UEFA Champions League Finalist Javi Martinez (FC Bayern Munich).
PUMA LAUNCHES NEW EVOSPEED 1.2
PUMAtoday introduces the new evoSPEED 1.2 FG, the latest performance boot that helps players maximise their speed on the pitch. For the first time ever, the boot features the PUMA brand name on the inner side of the boot instead of the formstripe – the brand’s iconic trademark. This weekend, the new black and fluorescent yellow boot makes its on pitch debut with Sergio Agüero, Radamel Falcao, Olivier Giroud and many more PUMA players.
The new evoSPEED 1.2 FG is designed to enable players reach top speed quickly without sacrificing stability or comfort. This is made possible through the use of light materials in combination with an internal midfoot support cage (EverFit cage) that maintains a good fit during all points of sprinting. The outsole is reconfigured with smaller conical studs that give the player a better grip on the ground and enhances manoeuvrability on the pitch. For optimal comfort, a minimised tongue and heel have been added, reducing pressure on the Achilles tendon whilst the sock liner distributes the foot’s pressure evenly.
Inspired by the shape of muscles, tendons and the smooth curves of a race car, the new boot features subtle black glossy graphics that round off the look of the more visible yellow prints. Finishing touches are the transparent dotted print on the vamp for better grip in wet conditions, and small details in fluorescent blue that complement the striking look.
Sergio Agüero commented after testing the finished boot, “I am always excited to wear a new boot. After the v1.11 and the first evoSPEED, this is the third SPEED boot that I have worn and it is definitely the best. PUMA’s boots are constantly improving and the innovations they create help me to perform better when I play. I appreciate the fact that they incorporate my feedback when they develop new boots and I am delighted with this latest result.”
