It’s never easy asking people to predict how new products will perform in the future but that didn’t stop nearly 2000 of you registering a vote in the latest Footy Boots debate.

Asked which of the latest football boots from adidas, Nike and PUMA would have the biggest impact, both immediately and in the long term, the result was incredibly close with the adidas Predator_X just edging out the Nike CTR360.

In the end, the Predator_X received 48% of the vote, the CTR 45% with the v1.10 from PUMA coming in with 7%.

Short term, it could be argued that in fact, the CTR360 has made the biggest impact what with goals and assists from the likes of Fabregas and Aguero but it should also be remembered that it was released a month before the new adidas model.

Against that, there are still a number of players yet to debut the Predator_X such as Steven Gerrard and possibly a few more who may make the switch from their current boots.

The name most closely linked to such a move is Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema who is rumoured to be swapping over to the latest adidas boot from his trusty adiPure II’s.

Similarly, to be absolutely fair to the v1.10, it is by design a speed boot and therefore will appeal to a niche market, hence it’s lower rating.

In any event, having tested all 3 new boots (Predator_X, CTR360 and v1.10) Footy Boots can report that they all perform in their own unique way and it’s unlikely that anyone will disappointed after purchasing them. As for performance on professional pitches across the world, it could be argued that the jury is still out.

This season’s Champions League is turning out to be one of the best ever. Unfancied teams are beating or holding the big guns, a number of past winners are struggling and some new names have cropped up to give the tournament a much needed breath of fresh air.

So, as the competition starts to hot up, we’re giving you the chance to pick the best XI from all of the current squads.

Based on Matchday Four, Footy Boots editor Andy Kay has complied our fantasy side and to say it’s controversial is putting it mildly.

Players from Rubin Kazan and CSKA are in while plenty of big names such as Lampard, Essien, Rooney, Benzema, Pato, Hulk and Ronaldinho are not.

Do you agree with his selections or has he got it wildly wrong? And if so, what would be your best XI? Let us know by commenting below.

Goalkeeper

Victor Valdes – Barcelona

It can’t have been easy for the Spanish stopper, standing around watching his team mates in temperatures of around -7c. But the mark of a good goalkeeper is being able to pull out all the stops after long periods of inactivity. Valdes more than did this with a number of crucial saves which allowed his side to take a vital point from the game.

Victor Valdes wears Nike Tiempo Air Legend II football boots.

Defenders

Cesar Navas – Rubin Kazam

Like Valdes, Navas was another Spaniard to shine on a freezing cold night in Russia. The Rubin Kazam defender had to be on his game throughout as Barcelona mounted attack after attack. It’s been a good competition so far for Navas who, but for a foot injury, could have been playing with English Championship side Ipswich Town this season! Who said metatarsal injuries were always a bad thing?

Cesar Navas wears adidas adiPure II football boots.

Hilton - Marseille

The Brazilian didn’t have too much to do at the back as FC Zurich were a bit powder-puff but a central defender who scores goals is worth his weight in gold. Hilton did just that as the French team moved to within a point behind AC Milan and Real Madrid.

Hilton wears adidas Predator X football boots.

Ashley Cole - Chelsea

It wasn’t an entirely comfortable night for the Londoners in Spain but Cole put in another solid display at left back. He was blameless for the host’s two goals and did little to damage his reputation as one of the best left backs in the world. The simple fact is that Cole is capable of performing live week in, week out. Unlike his Mrs!

Ashley Cole wears Nike CTR360 football boots.

Dario Dainelli - Fiorentina

The Fiorentina captain was relatively solid at the back but gets the nod (excuse the upcoming pun) because of his incredibly brave header which gave the Viola a 2 – 1 lead which they eventually turned in to a 5 – 2 win. Despite getting a face full of the Debrecen goalkeeper’s fist, Dainelli still managed to guide his header in to the net as the home team went second in Group E, a point behind Lyon but more importantly, 5 in front of third placed Liverpool.

Dario Dainelli wears Bikkembergs Tirosegno football boots.

Midfield

Cesc Fabregas – Arsenal

Is there nothing this man can’t do at the moment? Fabregas is in the form of his life and he prompted his Arsenal side to a convincing 4 – 1 win over AZ Alkmaar at the Emirates Stadium which puts the English team on the brink of qualification. Not only that but he’s scoring goals for fun lately and added a couple more in this game. Just brilliant.

Cesc Fabregas wears Nike CTR360 football boots.

Kaka - Real Madrid

Kaka pulled all the strings as he return to his former club, a sure sign of his commanding display was how quickly his warm reception turned to jeers as Madrid dominated the early proceedings. And it was from Kaka’s shot that Madrid were to take the lead as Benzema knocked in the parry from Dida. Just the kind of performance required by the Spaniards on what could have been a difficult night at the San Siro.

Kaka wears adidas adiPure II football boots.

Milos Krasic - CSKA Moscow

He may also be in the running for worst haircut of the week, but the Serbian international more than showed off his footballing credentials against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Any thoughts that Krasic and his CSKA team mates were going to be overawed were laid to rest as they raced in to a 3 – 1 lead, Krasic scoring one of the goals. Although United pegged them back to 3 – 3, Krasic will have enjoyed his 25th birthday.

Milos Krasic wears PUMA v1.06 football boots.

Yoann Gourcuff - Bordeaux

As boos rang around the Allianz Arena, Bordeaux playmaker Yoann Gourcuff and his team mates walked off the pitch safe in the knowledge that they had booked a place in the last 16 whilst also leaving Bayern Munich four points off send place in Group A. Gourcuff scored his side’s opening goal, could have had another and ran a tight ship in midfield when the German’s looked to get forward. Another good night’s work by the current French player of the year.

Yoann Gourcuff wears adidas adiPure II football boots.

Forwards

Sergio Aguero - Atletico Madrid

You won’t see two better strikes from one player in a game for a long time. The second half substitute rammed home a superb volley to give Atletico Madrid the lead against Chelsea then stepped up to plant a late free kick past the despairing Petr Cech to earn the home team a 2 – 2 draw. That’s what you call making an impact from the bench and the volley was worth the entrance money alone.

Sergio Aguero wears Nike CTR360 football boots.

Didier Drogba - Chelsea

Mind you, Aguero didn’t have it all his own way at the Vicente Calderon Stadium. Didier Drogba marked his return to European action with two goals of his own. The first, a pretty routine header and the second, a fantastic solo effort that perfectly demonstrated his pace and power. Will need to keep it up if Chelsea are to go all the way this year. Much more helpful to his team when standing up as opposed to writhing around on the deck for no apparent reason.

Didier Drogba wears Nike Vapor Superfly football boots.

Steven Gerrard is a man who eats, sleeps and breathes the adidas Predator. Cut him and he’d probably bleed three stripes.

The Liverpool and England star has been a Predator fan since he persuaded his father to cough up for a pair when he was just 14 years of age.

At the time, the price of a pair of Pred’s caused the family some hardship. Not so now. Gerrard is one of the biggest names in world football and has become the quintessential adidas ambassador.

Gerrard just adores the Predator. Indeed, he tends to fall in love with certain boots and it seems that sometimes it’s hard for the adidas hierarchy to get him to move on to the latest model.

But there should be no problem with the Predator_X. As you will see from this latest adidas video, Gerrard looks to be genuinely impressed with the 10th incarnation of the Predator with only injury keeping him away from debuting the boots along with the likes of Berbatov, Raul and Simao.

During the video, Gerrard looks back at some of the older Predator models that he’s worn during his career, describes the Predator_X as “light and comfortable” while admitting that he’s something of a boot traditionalist, which rather points to the fact that he’ll be wearing the Black / White / Red colourway when he’s fit and back in the Liverpool first team.

To watch the Steven Gerrard Predator_X video, click here.

As the adidas Predator_X got its on-pitch debut at the weekend in the two colourways we already knew about, David Beckham got in on the act with a bespoke pair in California.

Playing for LA Galaxy against Chivas USA in the MLS Western Conference play-off semi finals, Beckham turned out in a White / Red pair of the Predator_X football boots as he helped his side to a 2 – 2 draw.

It was an interesting pick by the former England captain as his previous adidas boots have normally included a fold over tongue, which of course, doesn’t appear on the Predator_X.

Additionally, the stud configuration on Beckham’s boot was changed from the norm, plus there seemed to be an element or two that had been kept from his old PowerSwerve footwear.

The general consensus however is that the England man has come up with a real winner on this occasion with the design and the colourway getting a resounding thumbs up from fans around the globe. Indded, they are so stylish, it’s possible he might even get a smile out of Posh!

The new adidas Predator _X made its European debut last night in Matchday Four of the Champions League.

First off, it was clear that players had continued their preference of using the new boots in the White / Brown / Yellow colourway over the more traditional Black / White / Red by a majority of around 3 to 1.

But that said, it did seem that in total, the Predator_X boots were a little thin on the ground.

At Old Trafford, Wes Brown and Antonio Valencia wore the new boots for Manchester United versus CSKA Moscow as did Simao and Michaell Ballack in the match between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea (though it was the CTR’s and Superfly’s of Aguera and Drogba respectively that stole the show).

As far as we could make out, not one of the 22 starters at the San Siro wore the Predator_X though they did gain representation when Raul came on as a second half substitute for Real Madrid as they drew 1 – 1 with AC Milan. But adidas did get on the score sheet through the adiPure’s of Karim Benzema with Ronaldinho equalising for the home side in his own signature line.

Again, we struggled to see the Predator_X at the beginning of the match between Bayern Munich and Bordeaux though 76th minute sub Jussie wore them when he replaced Wendel whilst elsewhere, they were used by, amongst others, Helio Pinto of Apoel Nicosia, Sascha Riether of Wolfsburg and Hilton of Marseille.

Hilton scored in Marseille’s 6 - 1 demolition of FC Zurich

However, we should see some top adidas players in the new footwear in tonight’s Champions League encounters.

Dirk Kuyt could be a key player for Benitez and Liverpool tonight

In particular at the Stade Gerland in the game between Lyon and Liverpool with Ederson, Cissokho, Bastos, Kuyt and Voronin all having used the Predator_X last weekend.

Hilton image courtesy of uefa.com 

Already left in the wake of the Predator_X’s hype, its predecessor in the Predator series is in danger of becoming quickly forgotten.

But for those who were loyal fans of the 9th edition of the Predator and with some pretty good deals around now, we’ve decided to take a look back at the Predator PowerSwerve and so you can compare it with the newest generation.

Comfort/Fit

Like previous generations, this Predator PowerSwerve Control is among the most comfortable boots I’ve tested. The soft leather and molded foot bed are accommodating and  supportive even after a full practice session, though it must be said there isn’t a great deal of arch support. The multi-density plastics do a good job of balancing support with flexibility in the midfoot area, but I would have preferred k-leather to be have been used instead.

The soleplate is integrated into the k-leather upper extremely well, so there is a tight fit. The heel-counter rises high in the back and sides to lock the foot into the boot extremely well, ensuring your foot never slides in any direction.

Durability

adidas has always been known for the quality of its products and materials, and the Predator PowerSwerve adds no blemish to that reputation. The leather is fairly thin, so it does show signs of wear after a few weeks of testing, but still manages to hold up well. As you would expect, the band holding the tongue in place does fray over time and will eventually tear.

Touch

A noticeable feature that has diminished with each evolution of the Predator is the amount of k-leather used as much of it has been replaced with a synthetic. Such a change in choice of materials would obviously save adidas funds in the production of the boot, but it also sacrificed the footballers’ feel for the ball.

I say this because there isn’t a great deal of k-leather on the instep and outstep of the boot, so the cushion that would have previously been provided isn’t there. The toe box is quite small as well so the boot isn’t particularly suited for dribbling. What k-leather is on the forefoot is largely covered by the iconic Predator tongue.

Features

The rubber Predator element doesn’t provide much aid in producing a swerve effect on the ball, but does provide a nice visual reference to where you should be striking the ball to “Bend it like Beckham”.

As far as the boot being focused on ‘Control’, I fail to see how the design of the vamps helps with that. The tungsten PowerPulse technology doesn’t add any visible power to your strikes, nor does it feel as if it does.

Traction

In my opinion adidas offer the best sole plate available with their Traxion stud placement. Though the soleplate isn’t very flexible, the bladed studs interact well with any surface- hard, soft, or firm ground. You never feel any awkward engagement with the turf.

Conclusion

These boots particularly cater to players who prefer the use of “power” to that of dribbling and skills. The Predator is as good as it gets when it comes to the passing and striking but they aren’t ideal for running with the ball in my opinion.

But make no mistake, these are a quality pair of boots and you can expect to find some good deals on them in the coming months as the Predator_X replaces the PowerSwerve on the feet of global stars Gerrard, Beckham, Ballack, and Raul.

Following its successful launch last week, some of the world’s top players got to try the Predator_X football boot competitively for the first time this weekend.

Here’s a few of the players we spotted wearing the new adidas footwear in Europe and beyond.

Leading the way for the German brand was Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov who cracked in a superb volley to set up the Premier League champions for a 2 – 0 win against Blackburn Rovers. Berbatov, who chose the Black / White / Red colourway was joined in the new boots by United team mates Antonio Valencia, Wes Brown and Anderson, the latter two going for the White / Brown / Yellow model.

Berbatov opens the scoring for Man Utd versus Blackburn Rovers

Another Predator-X winner was Chelsea’s Michael Ballack who wore the white versions in Chelsea’s 4 – 0 drubbing of Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium but Dirk Kuyt and Andriy Voronin weren’t so lucky as Liverpool lost yet again, this time 3 - 1 away to Fulham. Meanwhile, James McFadden will probably want to forget his first game in the adidas football boots as he saw his penalty saved by Shay Given as Birmingham drew at home to Manchester City.

Raul gave the Predator_X an airing during Real Madrid’s win over Getafe while in Italy, Diego of Juventus also chose the new adidas boots though they didn’t bring him much luck as the Italian giants lost 3 – 2 at home to Napoli.

Diego in action for Juve against Napoli

The white versions were certainly the order of the day in Serie A. As well as Diego, other wearers included Cristian Brocchi and Stefano Mauri of Lazio, Philippe Mexes of Roma and Marcio Di Vaio of Bologna.

The French have obvioulsy bought a job-lot of the white boots as well such was their popularity during the match between Lyon at St Etienne. Ederson, Aly Cissokho and Fernadez Michel Bastos all wore them for the former champions while Gonzalo Ruben Bergessio also chose them for St Etienne. Interestingly, the yellow colouring must have caught the eye of the referee as Ederson, Cissokho and Bastos were all booked as was Bergessio!

Yep, they work! Ederson gets stuck in against St Etienne

Further afield, Real Salt Lake’s Tony Beltran went for the White / Brown / Yellow colourway as his side recorded a crucial 1 – 0 win over Columbus Crew in the first leg of their MLS Eastern Conference semi final.

Tony Beltran during RSL’s big win over Columbus Crew

Another MLS player in the new adidas boots was none other than David Beckham. No standard colourway for him though, as you’ll see from our story here.

And the boots also got some international rugby union action too as Australia’s fly half Matt Giteau debuted a pair in the Black / White / Red colourway in the loss to New Zealand in Tokyo.

Who did you spot wearing the Predator_X this weekend? Let us know by commenting below.

Images courtesy of uefa.com and mlsnet.com

The last month has seen three of the biggest names in football boot manufacturing bring out a signature product.

At the end of September, PUMA came up with the first new boot of the current football season with the highly visible, and so we’ve learnt since, very impressive v1.10.

A week later and Nike added to their current collection with a brand new boot, the CTR360. What followed was one of the most impressive debuts ever of a new football boot as CTR ambassador Cesc Fabregas ran the show against Blackburn at the Emirates, setting up four goals and scoring one himself.

And this weekend, following their launch on Monday, the top names in the adidas stable will showcase the new Predator_X in the English Premier League and beyond.

At Footy Boots, we’ve been lucky enough to road test all 3 boots (v1.10, Predator_X, CTR360) and we can assure you that all of them perform.

Sure, there are a couple of design features on each of them that might grate but in the main, they each do what they say on the tin, even if some of us might question a few aesthetic aspects across the range.

So, that leads us on to today’s poll which is this:

Which brand’s new footwear will have the biggest impact on the game in the immediate and long term future?

Of course, it might be too early to tell. adidas haven’t even got their boots seen on a pitch as yet and each boot has been tailored to a different market be it speed, control, power etc. But with such a high source of knowledge, expertise and opinion available to us through Footy Boots readers, it’s a question we’re going to pose anyway!

Make your selection below and then qualify your argument by commenting below.

And ensure you come back to Footy Boots on Monday morning as we’ll be reporting on which players turned out in the new Predator_X and which colourway they chose.

It’s been fascinating to read the comments which have come in since we revealed the first official images of the adidas Predator_X football boot.

It seems they fall in to two categories – there’s the “Oh my God, what have they done to a once great looking boot” contingent and then there are the “hats off to adidas, a brilliant job” supporters.

Of course, most are having to go on looks alone. Even with possession of all the technical data, there’s no substitute for getting a pair of boots on your feet and trying them out for yourself.  That’s exactly what we’ve been doing at Footy Boots for the past couple of weeks – putting the Predator X through its paces.

So, have adidas come up with a winner or have they created the DeLorean of the football boot world? In my view, there’s no doubt – the Predator X is a belter.

Comfort / Fit

Some things just feel right from day one and the Predator X is very much part of that category. I was trying a pair in size 8.5 and whilst the boots were ‘off the shelf’ they felt like they had been made bespoke.

The Predator X is one of the most comfortable boots I’ve tried on in many a long year. To simulate the feeling, imagine your Grandad pulling on his faithful old slippers that he bought for 10 shillings and a coupon out of the Daily Mail circa 1970! I first wore these for practice on a pretty hard surface but encountered no blistering what so ever. That’s still true 3 games in.

From the first time you lace the Predator X up, the innersole moulds itself to the foot which, when aligned with the Thermoform technology, produced an incredibly comfortable fit.

Some Predator purists will doubtless bemoan the lack of a fold over tongue but personally, with the asymmetrical lacing / wrap around collar, I felt the fit was snugger than ever.

Durability

For the Predator_X, adidas have come up with Taurus calf leather which is super soft but also boasts impressive water proof and anti-abrasive qualities. Indeed, it’s so soft that it’s possible that protection levels maybe a little lower than in previous models. Though, having not been stamped on yet I couldn’t say for certain.

As with almost all adidas boots, they are well ‘put together’ and while only time will tell, I’m not expecting them to start falling apart any time soon.

Feel

With the Predator X, adidas were keen to try and get the players foot as close to the ball as possible.

New Opitfit technology achieves that by bringing the upper materials in all areas as close as possible to the top of the foot. It seems to work too. OK, we’re not talking barefoot, beach soccer here but if you feel the need to run at pace with the ball under close control, the Predator X will give you the confidence to do so. Equally, if you’d rather knock the ball off to a team mate, you’ll get a great touch when doing so.

The new kicking zone of the football boot, which is a rugged but lightweight mix of rubber and silicon, is interesting. It looks and feels pretty similar to the material on pimpled table tennis bats and when you strike the ball cleanly on this zone you certainly feel like you’re getting a bit of grip on the ball.

The grip clearly will help enable spin and swerve and, as adidas claims, it does seem to be pretty effective when wet as well as dry. The downside for me is the positioning of the Predator element. If I am striking the ball with my body over the ball, like in a deadball situation, I regularly strike on the zone. However most of the time during open play I’m not making contact with the Predator element, so it gets minimal usage.

Swerve Lab Test

The new PowerSpine is also a welcome addition for me offering an extra level of rigidity.  And, for what it’s worth, I’m not overly sorry to see the back of the PowerPulse element. All that talk of ‘moving Tungsten powder’ brought back too many painful memories of 3rd year chemistry, which I wasn’t that good at (O level, Grade C in case you were wondering).PowerSpine Lab Test What I felt when running and striking in the Predator X was the support the PowerSpine provides. Whilst not being restrictive, it was helping to keep my foot straighter when knocking the ball about and while the increase in power wasn’t overly noticeable, I was pleasantly aware of the extra reinforcement.Conclusion

I can understand some people’s initial concern with the aesthetics of the Predator X. It does have the look of a football boot which draws its inspiration from previous versions rather than standing out as a brand new model. But the more I look at it, the more it grows on me and any concerns you may have will vanish when you get the boots on your feet.

They are supremely comfortable and seem to be true to size. The new technology has purpose and succeeds where it needs to. The mantra of the Predator – power, swerve and control – has been adhered to and you certainly can’t accuse the boots of being gimmicky.

I suppose it could be argued that they could be a touch lighter and at £135 they are not cheap. But then, quality rarely is. And these boots are quality.

The PUMA v1.10 is a boot that knows how to make an entrance. After making it’s bow in a startling yellow colourway exactly a month ago it’s still a point of contention everywhere.

From the Premier League - where Nicolas Anelka has been on blistering form in the v1.10 but Peter Crouch is yet to make the switch from the .08’s; to the Footy Boots community - where comments range from ’sickest cleat ever’ to ‘what were PUMA thinking?.

So which is it? Well, lets put it like this. Every new boot has two major talking points. What it looks like and how it performs. We gave the v1.10 a hard time on the former but fair’s fair. On the latter, this is a serious contender.

Comfort/Fit

After the ankle destroying endurance tests that were synonymous with wearing the v1.06 and v1.08 for the first time, I was wary of giving the v1.10 a run-out on a Sunday match with the boots only arriving on the Saturday. But wear them I did, and I was massively impressed. PUMA have finally started to get the fit right on their premier product.

For starters, whilst it doesn’t look like much of a change on first glance, the toe area has been reduced dramatically. Rather than the ‘too-roomy’ front end of the v1.08, the v1.10 has slimmed this area, down making a much welcome nod to the toe of the v1.06.

The heel has also had a revamp; PUMA’s ‘uni’ system seems to be following the trend that many boots have started taking- providing a snug fit that reduces friction by reducing the movement of the heel itself.

Durability

PUMA have taken some big gambles from a design standpoint on the v1.10. Whereas Nike and Lotto have favoured single-piece construction recently; PUMA have gone for a radical approach, with multiple components interacting to make the boot what it is.

Firstly, the v1.10 is one of the few boots to feature 2 materials in its upper. The toes and lace cover are made from a lightweight synthetic material (that bears very little similarity to leather, despite the product description claiming it to be synthetic leather). The closest comparison I can think of is the earliest model of the adidas F50 TUNiT, with a frictionless feel and thick cut to cover the laces.

The positioning of the new synthetic works surprisingly well with the other material in the upper, the v1 series trademark micro-fibre canvas. Whilst the canvas has always been tough to rip from contact with studs and blades, I’ve always had an issue with the material rubbing away against a firm surface (like dry ground or an artificial pitch) especially on the toe area, where I drag it along the ground when stopping, turning and striking. So having the firmer synthetic material in the way completely removes this issue.

Despite these marked improvements I can’t help but feel there’s a little bit too much going on the v1.10 for its own good.

The 2 uppers, heel counter, sole plate, rubber ‘seams’ and huge plastic PUMA stripe are all held in place by a Herculean amount of stitching. Looking at the boot there are double and triple-seams running all over the place! This in truth probably means they’re going to be able to take a lot of grief - a bit like covering a jigsaw in duct tape - but compared to the elegance of boots like the Zhero Gravity Tre and Mercurial Vapor you’ve got to wonder if there was a better solution.

Feel

Once again, PUMA’s latest is proving a divisive boot, with a multitude of contrasts all over the upper.

Thankfully I think PUMA have struck a decent balance. The micro-fibre canvas is a lot more cushioned and giving than the laminate synthetic, making a it a great choice to line the instep. This area hugs the arches of your feet nicely giving you a great area to receive passes and control the ball mid bounce – and despite it not being a priority it’s also a pretty good area to distribute from.

The most noticeable change from the v1 series previous incarnations is the inclusion of a lace cover, which is pretty much as expected. The surface on the front of the boot is absolutely huge when compared to some other boots, and there’s a slight curve that hugs the top of your foot for a nice clean striking area. Similarly,  the reduced width in the toe area gives a feeling of being much closer to the ball when skimming passes with the outside of the foot.

One complaint is the near-frictionless nature of that part of the upper. As the F50 line grew from the first TUNiT to the F50.9, adidas toiled away at improving the grip of the upper – and I think PUMA could have learnt from this. It would’ve been nice to see a more adhesive coating on the upper in the style of Nomis’ WetControl to help with controlling balls coming in from high, as the triangle pattern on this model isn’t quite up to scratch.

One indesputable factor on the PUMA v1.10 is the FG sole plate. Once again the carbon fibre shank makes a welcome return - as does the nearly unchanged stud configuration. Thankfully the rear blades have been shortened a little, which gives a more even feel when stood on flat ground.

Conclusion

The v1.10 is a boot designed with the fleet-footed attacker in mind. Others need not apply.

Normally I’d like to recommend boots for certain positions and types of player, but the v1.10 is very specialized to the sorts of winger and striker that looks burn the defender and get it past the keeper.

The good news for fans of the v1 series is there’s plenty to love here. There’s a mass of features ticking away under the skin of these boots that all work well - and PUMA have done a great job of refining the fit for this year’s model.

And for everyone else, if you can look past some (very) perplexing design decisions there’s a boot with a lot to offer. It’s like having some of the classy features of a new BMW and putting them in the chassis of a Ford Focus. A bright yellow one. Covered in stitching.

However, you might want to look it at like going to see Amy Winehouse in concert. Get past the look and you’ll love the performance.

It’s here. One of the most keenly anticipated new football boots for a very long time, the adidas Predator_X.

We’ve tested the football boot and you can read our test of the adidas Predator X here - Predator X review

adidas has been producing the Predator for the past 17 years and with this version, the tenth in the series, they have created what they describe as “the most powerful football boot in the world.”

At its heart is the ability to maximise power, swerve and control. To achieve that this time round, adidas has created some bespoke technology for the football boot with the help of one of the greatest players ever to grace the game, Zinedine Zidane.

Speaking about the Predator_X, the former world player of the year said:

Having worn Predators throughout my career, I’ve always been amazed with the continued product development and what each new version of the boot bought to my game.

With Predator_X, I’ve been working with adidas to help lend my football experience to their product knowledge to truly deliver the next step in boot technology.

As well as using Zidane’s unique know-how and insight, adidas has put the football boot through extensive testing via some of their big name ambassadors so you can expect the likes of Steven Gerrard (if fit), Karim Benzema (changing from his adiPure II’s) and Michael Ballack to wear the football boot this coming weekend for it’s on pitch debut.

Predator X Technology:

Power

A brand new ‘Powerspine’ has been inspired by the revolutionary ‘fingersave’ technology that now exists within adidas goalkeeper gloves. Positioned in the inner sole of the boot, the ‘Powerspine’ minimises the energy lost when players strike a football through a reduction in the “kicking flex” in the forefoot area.

This additional energy is transferred into the ball and away from the fragile ligaments and bones that exist at the top of the foot.

Through vigorous testing the Predator_X is proven to have on average 7% more kicking power than the most recent Predator football boot.

Swerve

The ability for players to swerve the ball has always been the stand-out technical innovation of the Predator football boot and a new material has been used on the Predator_X to further enhance this.

Positioned on the kicking zone of the boot, the Predator element is a mix of rubber and silicon meaning it is lightweight but impactful.

The positioning of the Predator element has been slightly altered to maximise the swerve players are able to achieve. These changes result in an increase in swerve and a proven consistency no matter what the weather conditions.

Control 

To enhance control, it is the belief of adidas that the space between a player’s foot and the top of the boot must be minimal. Optifit technology brings the upper materials in all areas as close as possible to the top of the foot.

Thermoform technology has been incorporated on the side of the boot which acts as memory foam to enable a perfect fit time and time again.

The football boot is constructed from Taurus leather which combines a weather and abrasion proof material with lightweight features. The inclusion of the medial split and mono-tongue provide stability and support.

Launching alongside the football boot is a full range of Predator X clothing and accessories.

Read the Footy Boots test of the adidas Predator X - Predator X review

Retail sale: 14th November

Lead Colourway: Black / Red / White

Secondary colourway: White / Yellow / Brown

Price: £135

When you are looking to bring out a new version of the world’s best selling football boot, it probably helps to have some serious input from someone who’s been there, done it and got several T-shirts in to the bargain.

That was exactly the criteria employed by adidas when designing the Predator_X as they called upon the three time World Player of the Year, World Cup and European championship winner Zinedine Zidane to assist in the process.

Zidane achieved his greatest moments as described above when wearing adidas Predator boots so the former French international was keen to add his know how and experience to the adidas team as they developed the Predator_X.

Indeed, Zidane seems to have a passionate interest in not only the new boots but the entire range of adidas boots which stood him in such good stead throughout his career.

You can see him test the Predator_X in this new video as well as look back at some of the highlights of his playing days.

 

 

Before we revealed the first official images of the Predator X, we shared these images which show two of the brands iconic players putting the new Predator_X through its paces.

It’s no secret that adidas are putting great store by the Predator X, the tenth version of the Predator line which has been in production since 1992.

So who better to test the new football boot ahead of their launch than England star Steven Gerrard and Real Madrid legend Raul.

The Predator X will be given it’s on pitch debut over the weekend of 31st October / 1st November after which the football boots will go on retail sale on 14th November, but you can pre order the Boots here - Pre-Order.

There are two initial colourways - the Predator classic Black / White / Red and the White / Brown . Yellow.

adidas has recreated every official Fifa World Cup ball since 1970 to celebrate the forthcoming 2010 Fifa World Cup.

This special package contains all 10 of those legendary match balls - 1970-2006.

Each comes with its own ring stand commemorating the year in which it was used. Also included in the package will be a ring for your official 2010 adidas Fifa World Cup ball.

Each regulation size ball is constructed just as the original was made - with the exact materials and manufacturing technique. This means each ball in the collection is identical to the original for that given year.