Despite all the multi-million pound signings that were made before the end of the September transfer window, for Concave, the most significant was a deal that was completed yesterday for no money at all.

Following Danny Webber’s move from Sheffield United to Portsmouth, a deal that was allowed to be completed outside of the transfer window due to Webber’s free-agent status, it now means that Concave will have their first ambassador playing in the English Premier League.

The 27 year old had talks with a number of Championship clubs including Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough but Webber secured his move to the EPL after Pompey boss offered the forward a two-year deal at Fratton Park.

Webber debuted the Concave PT+ at the back end of last season when he came on as a second half substitute for United against Swansea City.

Concave’s success in reaching the highest echelon of English football follows that of another breakthrough brand, Under Armour, who have Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora playing in the Dominate Pro at Fulham.

Jim Grimes, CEO and President of Concave Holdings Inc said:

Having now had the pleasure of working with Danny under the Concave brand, to see this move for him is wonderful. Danny is an extremely talented player who has now hit his stride and fully deserves to play at the EPL level.

We at Concave are extremely excited for Danny, who began wearing our boots last season. Our great hope is that our boots, coupled with his enormous talent and unbelievable work ethic, have helped Danny reach this new plateau in his career.  That would further confirm  that we do indeed have a world class product, as a growing number of professional players are attesting.

Our passion from the outset of this company has been to improve the game. In doing so, our mission is to provide a boot that helps improve the player.

Concave PT+ Football Boots

Following on from the first design, the PT1, the PT+ football boot has the following modifications:

• A fully integrated concave upper element, which comprises one streamlined piece with a slightly lower profile and softer ridgelines than the original design.
• The trademarked Concave upper element has been modified by replacing the TPU with a memory foam-like material that is sufficiently dense to serve its design purpose yet more flexible for improved performance and comfort.
• Weight reduction, achieved primarily through a change of material in the Concave upper element.
• Comfort improvements, particularly to relieve pressure on toe joints.

Fully kitted out in Concave apparel,  it was time to set aside the hype and controversy surrounding the boots technology and take a look at Concave’s newest creation.

Supplied with a pair of seemingly in-style back-to-black football boots, my initial impression of the design was good. The football boots definitely offer a bold, distinct look that distinguishes itself from other football boots on the market. Concave seem to have mixed the futuristic design with a traditional colourway, making for a clean looking boot.

Comfort/Fit

Just as the previous models, these boots have a glove like fit. The insole remains unchanged and is removable featuring a gel insert in the heel. No pressure can be felt from the studs on the foot and the insole provides spring and cushioning to your step making up for its weight. Concave definitely removed a few grams from the new design, a welcome improvement.

Another improvement was the integration of the “sweet spot” into the upper, making for a seamless flow and a much better fit. On the previous model, the PT-1, pressure could be felt on the toes where the “sweet spot” attached to the upper. This problem was resolved as well with the new design relieving any pressure felt from the Concave element on the original model.

Durability 

Having worn the football boots for two weeks and in multiple training sessions and games, they appear to be holding up well. The printed logo has taken a few scratches but the aesthetics are still unscathed, bright, and bold. The only potential problem I can see is the material peeling away from the underside of the “sweetspot”. Besides that, if they are like the original PT-1 you can expect to get a solid 8 months out of the boots before any noticeable wear-and-tear.

Touch

The k-leather was extremely smooth and supple, a huge improvement from the treatment of the Concave PT+ ‘08 model that went unreleased. To be honest its a relief the ‘08 model wasn’t put on the market, as its leather had an unfinished look and feel to it. It was as if the leather hadn’t undergone any special treatments to soften and waterproof it. Concave sorted out that problem though with the ‘09 model as the quality of the leather was exceptional. The material that covers the “sweetspot” extends over the toebox to support the design. I would have preferred an all-over k-leather but the synthetic still offers a good feel for the ball.

Technology

The Concave ’sweet spot’ underwent some reshaping making for a much better fit than the original. The Concave element is shorter and thinner, with less drastic curves, feeling far less bulky. To provide the same power from the ’sweetspot’ the material is far denser with a visible ribbed design. For those who think they’ll hit the ball with the power of Roberto Carlos or Cristiano Ronaldo with the help of these boots alone, I can assure you otherwise. That takes hours of time on the pitch and in the weights room. Despite that you do definitely feel a sting to your shot and get the feeling you can hit a cross field ball like ‘Scholesy’. And for those quick to bash the design by pointing out how the ball will be more likely to shank off the ’sweet spot’ than a regular football boot, that’s not the case. The ’sweetspot’ dually serves its purpose well as the MetaGuard offering unsurpassed protection of the foot.

Room for Improvement

While the tongue still proves difficult to tuck under the Concave element, I think the solution could be found in a lace-less design. The fit is already very snug, so I believe a lace-less design could be another attractive feature for the boot. Shaving off a few more grams from the soleplate and redesigning the heel-counter would also prove a winning move.

**Update**

Having spoken with Concave Sports, Footy-Boots has been informed that the tongue on the commercially available product will be a regular tongue. Footy-Boots was supplied with a prototype version, of which the tongue problem had yet to have been fixed.

Conclusion

Concave have followed up their original model released back in 2008 with a much more finished product. They put in a lot of hard work to fix the flaws of the previous boot and it is definitely evident. Though the ’sweetspot’ is a bit awkward at first and takes some time getting used to, it serves its purpose well. The Concave PT+ ‘09 sets the bar for Concave from this point forward and I hope to see the company continue to grow and make such improvements with each new release.

Review by Matt Dawson

Footy Boots would like to thank Concave for supplying us with their product to exclusively test ahead of release. 

We’ve been lucky enough to see some truly exceptional images over the past couple of days thanks to Nike following the release of the new Superfly and Vapor V. Now here’s a chance to see some more.

Concave PT+ Black / White

Concave may not have Nike’s clout in the football boot market but the company sure does punch above its weight, creating headlines and debate in equal measure.

Now Concave has released details of its new line to be introduced this autumn which they insist will give players at all levels the ability to increase their ball striking skills – in the areas of power, accuracy and control – while also protecting against foot injuries.

Whilst opinion remains split on the apperance of the boot (though the new range is a huge improvement on the originals) it’s clear that Concave boots offer an entirely new concept in footwear. Patented technology on the top of the boot gives players 30% better control and 15% more power, according to an accredited university study. Concave is unique in that respect.

Those performance improvements are derived primarily from the most effective ‘sweet spot’ ever introduced — rated at four times larger than traditional football boots.   The benefit is an upper that conforms to the convex shape of the ball – essentially “hugging” the ball.

Concave PT+ sweet spot

Aside from the larger sweet spot – which is the most visible departure from other boot designs – there are additional important features engineered into Concave boots.

Below the concave upper are two technologies built in to help protect the feet, which is welcome news to players of all levels and parents who are outfitting their youngsters.

Concave Shank Balance Stabilizer: (SBS) provides support and reinforcement to the mid-foot area to help control balance between the front and rear of the foot. The SBS protects from an over extension of the middle of the boot – too much flexibility can lead to metatarsal bone damage.

MetaGuard: an extra layer of protection built into the boot. It’s a unique upper design featuring a flexible layer of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers) and reinforced cushioning foam composite offering increased protection against the occurrence of metatarsal injuries by adding a protective layer to the top of the foot.

Safety and protection form a huge part of Concave’s thinking

The product development process and testing have set the stage for the upcoming launch at selected football and specialty athletic stores in the UK, Ireland and North America beginning this autumn.

Tied into the retail launch, the brand will engage in a wide range of grass roots marketing initiatives mostly focused on demonstrating the performance advantages of Concave boots to developing players in their natural playing and learning environments, including football camps, academies, amateur and school leagues, and various types of tournaments.

Other affiliations are being formed with professional players, including at the premier level, who, we are told, are increasingly being drawn to wearing Concave boots.

Through these experiences, Concave say they are compiling a wealth of candid appraisals of the new boots in terms of comfort, performance, style, and any other characteristics players feel are noteworthy.

Concave makes most of its soccer boots available in a variety of outsole configurations, including soft ground, firm ground, hard ground with blades, and a traditional rounded mold.

The Concave family of footwear includes:

PT+ - This premier boot will be available in very limited offerings. All of Concave’s exclusive technologies are available in this boot with kangaroo leather upper.

PT 1 – Offering uncompromising performance, the PT1 is a full grain leather boot designed for top players.  It incorporates the highest quality materials and craftsmanship as well as all of Concave’s unique patented technologies.

PT Midi – Technology and value, the PT Midi is a premium quality boot incorporating all of Concave’s features while delivering high value to serious players.

PT Mini – Concave’s children’s line, with a synthetic micro-fiber upper, features the Concave Sweet Spot and MetaGaurd technology to help improve performance while protecting youth and junior players from injury.

Concave PT Mini in Varsity Blue

PT Dome – The same patented technologies available for the outdoor game are available on an indoor shoe. The PT Dome is suited for indoor play and its unique 3-part sole contributes to maximum comfort and traction control.

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Most of the larger boot brands will often boast that they’ve had the consultation of the biggest names in football in developing their new boots.  The paying public is told why a football boot is made for a particular player or players and, should you buy it, why it will make you play like them.

However, I’m sure I’m not the only one who watches some players and thinks one of two things;

1. That the football boot they’re wearing really is perfect for the player, or

2. That there’s another football boot out there that they really should be playing in.

Starting the list of players in the former category, Theo Walcott is the very definition of the values of the Mercurial Vapor line; a low-profile, sleek unit built with only speed in mind. Both the Vapor and Walcott might not have the best touch and accuracy around but I don’t think that bothers their fans - it’s all about reaching top speed as fast as possible and leaving the opposition wondering what just happened.

Theo Walcott’s Vapor IV

Next is a player that’s been the flagship of his football boot since it’s first incarnation: Wayne Rooney and his Nike Total 90 Lasers. For clarification, I’m not talking about the sleek Air Zoom Total 90’s- famously favoured by Luis Figo - I’m talking about the Lasers; tuned for power and accuracy, a real heavy hitter who’s courted a fair share of controversy; that doesn’t care too much about being the first to the ball, more about taking the rough and tumble and powering the shot to where it needs to to be. All of that could be said of both the player and the boot.

As a player who’s career has had to be reinvented so many times  the perfect match for the Adidas F50’s has to be France and Sunderland’s Djibril Cisse. As Cisse played through his Liverpool career he opted for the first incarnation of the F50. Following his horrific leg break and loan move to Olympic Marseille, Cisse found a his boots, too, were undergoing a revision - now branded as TUNiT’s. Now, both the football boot and the player are notorious for their capabilities for speed, clean strike of the ball and last but not least their outrageously customisable uppers.

Cisse prefers them red, but here’s the latest F50 from Adidas, the Rome

Now for more comparisons, but this time football boots and players who, barring lucrative sponsorship and endorsement deals, would share a special kinship with some of the boots on the market today.

Paul Scholes is, to me, a pair of Umbro Speciali’s. Both are now stalwarts in their respective fields, and whilst certainly might not be to everyone’s taste, command a huge level of respect from their peers. Scholes is a player who has witnessed some of the best talent in football come and go around him and, despite the old addage about old dogs and new tricks, has taken little touches and pieces of play from his peers and added them to his game. Much in the same way that Umbro has seen many ideas from the bigger companies being implemented to their products, and quietly tweaked and refined their forgotten flagship into a classic boot with modern touches, continuing to be some of the best in their class.

The Umbro Speciali

Looking across the Manchester United midfield is the illustrious Cristiano Ronaldo. The ‘Best Ronaldo of All Time‘ has a long standing love of the Nike Mercurial line, which dates back to when they were known by most as the ‘R9’s (a bit fateful given the recent results of a certain poll), so I’m sure I’m going to stir up some controversy by comparing the Portuguese winger to a pair of Concave PT-1’s. Over the last 18 months both have caused massive divide in the football world, moreso than perhaps any other player or boot. Whilst plenty won’t buy into the hype of either, there’s many out there who have no qualms about tipping their hats to someone who’s trying to do something a little different, be it stepovers or hunks of plastic. Coincidently, Concave are launching a new all-white colourway in time for the summer and rumours will inevitably suggest the Cristiano will be doing the same!

Cristiano Ronaldo is actually a Concave boot -surely you can see the resemblance?

Now, simply because I don’t want to the the only Footy Boots writer to not have any say on the Nike Mercurial Superfly, I present Michael Owen - the human Superfly. A hefty investment as the most expensive boot on the marketplace and the best paid player in the Premier League; It would seem both share a risk of potentially ruining themselves after a minimal amount of time on the pitch. Should that risk pay off, however, the opposition will find themselves with a tricky, speedy handful with only one objective in mind.

There’s plenty more comparisons out there and I’d love it if you’d drop a comment with some of your ideas - I honestly never knew the Footy Boots community was so massive until I saw nearly 5,000 votes in the recent Ronaldo poll!

So get involved and have your say on not just this, but all of Andy, Alan, Omar, Matt and James’ articles!

In an exclusive interview with Footy Boots which you can read in full next week, Simon Skirrow, the boss of Nomis, says that the interaction he has and the feedback he receives from amateur players far outweighs the need to spend vast sums of money in securing professional player endorsements.

His approach, like a number of other ‘smaller’ brands may be based on ‘the bottom line’ but it does throw up an interesting point in terms of marketing strategies - what works, what doesn’t, what’s worth paying out the big bucks for and what isn’t.

It also begs the question; can the personally owned football brand make it on the big stage?

With Skirrow, the marketing plan seems to revolve around innovation. Create a product that no-one else can match and let the boots themselves to the talking. Nomis go big on comfort, safety and performance and as you’ll discover in the interview, Skirrow passionately believes that his boots are the best on the market. Add in a sprinkling of technical innovation too such as nomud, Dual Control and most recently, customised digital design as shown on the NXGEN Spark, it’s clear that Nomis are continuing a well trodden and successful path.

Nomis NXGEN Spark

And it’s not as if Skirrow hasn’t experienced the other side of the coin. As a big wig at Adidas and co-creator of the Predator, he’s seen how the big boys work and, probably more to the point these days, he knows just how much that can cost.

Meanwhile, as a newcomer in the market place, it was always unlikely that Concave would sign up masses of pro’s from day one.

Instead, as they explain in their exclusive Footy Boots blog, they went with a limited release of the PT1 which will be followed up this year by the all new kangaroo leather PT+, a mid range of boots and at least 2 new colourways. Plus, a la Skirrow, they’ve kept a keen eye on customer feedback and made some minor adjustments to the existing range as well as sending our replacement boots to any users who had problems.

Concave PT+

They also had to endure a pretty rough ride from the boot ‘experts’ who questioned, and to some extent still are questioning, the fundamental technology of the Concave boot with its enlarged sweet spot.

However, as can be seen from the new range, Concave are sticking to their guns and are still happy with their 4 pillars of performance; improved accuracy, power, protection and control.

How these two brands will fare in 2009 and beyond is of course anyone’s guess, but in a world where mass volume is understandably king, where celebrity endorsements create a seemingly unquestioning following and where large wedges of cash can sometimes be used to paper over the cracks, it’s refreshing that Nomis and Concave are out there fighting.

Read Simon Skirrow’s exclusive 2 part Footy Boots interview next week.

Hello Friends and Fellow Footballers…

We’ve responded to hundreds of email enquiries from folks eager to hear what’s next with Concave.  Here’s a quick glimpse.

Following its limited introduction in the UK last August, the revolutionary Concave football boot became another of those legendary “overnight” successes that have been years in the making.

By limited introduction we mean one model boot (PT 1), in one colourway (black, red, silver), through one exclusive retailer (JJB Sports).

It was kind of like a premier gourmet chef staging a private sampling to showcase his most delectable culinary creation.   But the limited rollout did herald the dawn of what many believe will be a new era for football – with higher performance standards universally and who-knows-how-many fewer metatarsal cripplings.

Concave Sports 2009

Now there’s plenty new to look forward to in ’09.  First, in the spring, a transition period from the single PT 1 calf leather model:

• Introduction of the PT + kangaroo leather model

• Addition of mid-range and entry level models

• Addition of round moulded cleat outsole (to complement screw-in studs and blades)

• New colourways, including black & white combinations

These football boots will be stocked by an expanding number of retail outlets in the UK, Ireland and North America, elsewhere as mentioned below, and also in several online stores.

Later in the year, around the end of summer, Concave will release a full range of boots,  adding indoor flats and junior and kids sizes (10-5) to the adult line-up.  Some key features of the newer line will include:

• A fully integrated concave upper element, which comprises one streamlined piece with a slightly lower profile and softer ridgelines than the original design

• The trademarked Concave upper element has been modified by replacing the TPU with a memory foam-like material that is sufficiently dense to serve its design purpose yet more flexible for improved performance and comfort

• Weight reduction, achieved primarily through a change of material in the Concave upper element

• Comfort improvements, particularly to relieve pressure on toe joints

One thing that does not and will not change is the boot’s functionality.  Extreme care is taken to maintain the integrity of the “four pillars” of Concave performance:  improved accuracy, power, protection and control derived from a sweet spot that is four times larger than standard football boots.

There was, however, one pesky design feature that had to be corrected.  It didn’t reveal itself during extensive wear tests but shortly after rollout we learned that the plastic eyelets in the lacing system were occasionally snapping off.  The few customers who experienced this failure received replacement boots.  Plus the eyelets have been converted to standard lace holes, thus eliminating the problem.

Meanwhile, Concave is moving ahead aggressively to expand its market presence so the boots will be more readily obtainable in line with demand.  In addition to expanding the  distribution within the UK and North America, distributors are currently establishing channels in Germany, Austria, several Eastern European countries, Greece, the Middle East, South Africa and Australia.

Don’t be shy about visiting us at www.concave.com, we’ll be working hard to keep it lively and informative.

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The entries are in, the lines are closed, the judges have consulted and we have a winner.

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been asking you to come up with your best Xmas card greetings for a player or manager of your choice with a pair of Concave PT1 football boots, signed by Kenny Dalglish, the prize for the winner.

Entries poured in from around the globe some funny, some harsh and some just plain insulting! And after a hard session of judging, it came down to a short list of two.

Our runner up is James Aylward who came up with this gem:

Dear Didier Drogba

Thanks so much for the early Christmas present of 10p. It was a novel idea getting it to me during the Burnley match, however it didn’t pay off as I have had to get reconstructive surgery to correct the damage done. Next time, please send it through the post rather than through the air. On a lighter note, I contributed the 10p towards this greetings card to let you know.

Merry Christmas!

James

But our winner was this seasonal effort from Elliot Newman who wrote:

Dear Sir Alex

Rudolph is not feeling well so I was hoping we could use your red nose to guide my sleigh tonight.

Do let me know when you can.

Regards

Santa

Congratulations Elliot, a brand new, signed pair of Concaves will be with you soon.

Whilst you are doubtless looking forward to receiving your Christmas presents, including the obligatory socks and scarf combo from Auntie (insert name here), here’s something that will really brighten up your Festive period.

We’re giving you a chance to win a fabulous Christmas present for yourself or a friend – a pair of Concave PT-1 football boots, signed by Liverpool and Celtic legend and Concave ambassador Kenny Dalglish.

Concave boots have certainly created a ton of interest since they were exclusively revealed by Footy Boots and subsequently launched in the UK market earlier this year. Opinion, and there’s been a whole heap of it, has been divided between lovers of the boot and others who say that the new design offers little and will never catch on.

So why not find out for yourself?

Entering our competition couldn’t be easier.

We are looking for you to come up with the funniest Christmas card greeting to the professional player or manager of your choice. Extra marks will be considered for originality, creativity, comedic content and possibly, insulting (but cleanish) banter.

For example, something along the lines of:

Dear Joe Kinnear

Wishing you a merry f*****g Xmas and a f*****g happy f*****g new year.

F*****g Best Wishes

All the boys in the NUFC press box.

The player or manager concerned can be plying his trade in any league, though it’s probably not going to be worth your while going for the left back at some obscure side in Ukraine as we’ll have probably never heard of him.

The Footy Boots judging panel has already been assembled and can’t wait to start reading through your entries.

Just use the ‘comment’ facility below to submit your greeting which must be with us before 5pm UK time on 19th December 2008. We’ll publish the winning entry as well as sending the author a brand new pair of Concave’s.

Good Luck.

Remember - a football boot is for a season, not just for Xmas.

Nike Mercurial Vapor IV

Probably considered ‘the Daddy’ of boots right now, Nike celebrated 10 years of the Mercurial this year and topped it off with the release of the pink Berry.

It’s hard to ignore a football boot which seems to garner such a positive reaction from fans and also from players, who at the top end, include the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba and Theo Walcott.

For sure, it’s going to cost you a few quid, the RRP is just shy of £120, but most fans seem to agree that it’s a price worth paying. A bit like having you in-laws over for a week provided they babysit one night so you can get out for a beer. Get these football boots for £119.99 here.

Adidas Predator PowerSwerve

Another of the big boys and much loved by Steven Gerrard and Michael Ballack. Looks the part as it includes some bang up to date technology with classic styling. May have been replaced by the F50.8 and F50.9 in terms of Adidas hype but still retains a very strong position in the hearts of Adidas traditionalists.

However not great with regards to depreciation as Mick Hucknall found out recently when he offloaded a signed pair of David Beckham’s Predators for a massive loss. RRP is £129.99 order here.

Puma V1.08

Not surprisingly for Puma, their main focus at present is the new v-Konstrukt III which was launched a couple of weeks back. However, it is the v1.08 which makes it in to the Footy Boots Christmas stocking. Nicolas Anelka can’t stop scoring in them and David Bentley is a man reborn in them under Harry Redknapp.

Plus, he did use them to belt in his 40 yarder against Arsenal in that astonishing 4 – 4 north London derby. Always seems to provide players with a decent fit and built for speed merchants. You can get them for £120 this Xmas. Go for the Black/White/Olympian Blue colourway. Even if you’re as talented as eunuch at an orgy, you’ll at least look like you know what goes where, so to speak. Order here.

Lotto Zhero Leggenda Due

Bit of a left field choice this one but outside of the ‘major’ brands, this is a Footy Boots winner. Lotto hit lucky when they signed up Glenn Johnson to wear these. He’s been in great form for Portsmouth of late and turned in a top performance against Germany in Berlin last week to really give Lotto some English based prominence. In signing the deal, Lotto also agreed to support Johnson’s Kent based soccer school.

The Zhero Leggenda Due features Lotto’s Twist’ngo technology (something that John Sergeant managed to achieve last week). A good comfort football boot this one and mid-range in terms of price. The Footy Boots price is £89.99, order here.

Reebok Valde

Footy Boots has been longing for Reebok to enter the market with a serious contender and while the jury may still be out, they’ve at least made huge strides with the Valde Pro. It’s colourful to say the least but it’s real selling point is the technology. Reebok have concentrated on power generation with the creation of a ‘Power Unit’ which allows only one way flexing and stretch, decreasing energy loss on the strike.

Kangaroo leather helps with comfort and fit. Available from the 8th December, these come in at £99.99 leaving you just enough out of £100 to treat the Mrs.

But what about…….

Yes, there are loads of football boots we could have included.

You can’t go far wrong with the Adidas adiPURE and if they’re good enough for Maradona then they should be for you.

Big brand haters amongst you will surely be keen on the Nomis Glove all the way from Oz and for the really outlandish, there’s always the Tirosegno from Dirk Bikkembergs.

The Nike Total 90 Laser II’s are much loved by the likes of Rooney, Keane and Torres and but for Nike being already in the list with the MV IV’s, would have made the top 5 as would have the Tiempo Air legend II’s as worn by Fabregas and Tevez.

And we ought to make a special mention for the truly revolutionary Concave’s, which probably caused more conversation and argument than any other football boot released in 2008.

Fancy another boot this Chritmas, check the boot room here.

Concave invited Footy Boots behind the scenes to watch the filming of their new grassroots video. With a chance to see the Concave football boots in a natural environment, we took them up on their offer.

Concave chose a local football team to feature in their video, a club called Riseley Sports, who play in the Bedfordshire Premier League, UK.

We arrived on location to be welcomed with grey sky and drizzle, typical!

True to their word, Concave had not arranged any special conditions, this video was being filmed on a village playing field and the players were a selection of lads from Riseley’s squad.

The film crew were well prepared by the time we arrived as they wanted to record the lads turning up at the playing field, which they duly did.

The players had a quick knock up in their existing gear before their coach handed out the new Concave football boots. It was obvious that the players had not seen them before and they were all interested in the unique upper component.

Once the lads had the football boots on, it seemed like they wanted to take some anger out on the ball. Many of the players were smacking the ball as hard as they could, something the Concave boys explained always happens when a player first gets in a Concave. Once they settled down and stopped trying to send the football into Orbit, the players started to enjoy themselves, at the goalkeepers expense.

Concave wanted the lads to test the Power and Accuracy of the football boots. Remember, Concave independent tests say that accuracy is improved by 30% and power by 15%.

For the lads to feel the power of the football boots, footballs were placed at various lengths away from the goal and the players shot at goal repeatedly. They were raining shots at the goal and we could only feel sorry for the keeper who was trying to keep the ball out of the net.

For the accuracy test, Concave attached an accuracy net to the top right hand corner of the goal. From a distance around 5 yards outside of the penalty area, the players were asked to hit the ball into the net. We were surprised by the results.

To see how the Riseley Sports players got on, watch the video…..

Visit the Concave website

For those wanting to get an insiders view on the new Concave Football Boots, look no further…..

Adam Henry is one of the lucky few to get his hands on a pair of the eagerly awaited Concave football boots. We caught up with Adam to get an in-depth review of his findings.

Initial Thoughts

The presentation of the football boots was good. The glue attaching the box together could have been stronger as, when the boots arrived; the box had fallen apart (which may have been down to a rough delivery). Also, the booklet and the shoe bag were nice touches.

When I tried on the football boots I was very pleased at the snug and comfortable fit. I walked around my house with the football boots unlaced and my only fear was that, due to the lining, I would develop blisters. My fear went away once I had laced them up and found the football boots to be very supportive. The lacing system makes the fit snug throughout the forefoot and I found the insole to be very springy which adds to the boots’ comfort. I hardly noticed the stud pressure from the blades which is a positive sign.

The only negatives that I could find with the Concave football boots are as follows:

1 The insole makes a “squeaking” sound when the wearer walks around (it rubs against the lining material) which could irritate some.

2 The tongue is hard to put underneath the lace-cover.

All-in-all, the football boot feels stable, comfortable, durable and protective. I find them to be attractive and the materials used are of good quality. The synthetic has a matte finish, which is different to any synthetic football boot that I’ve worn before, which hopefully suggests that the football won’t skid from the football boot as much in wet weather.

The leather isn’t too soft and doesn’t feel as if it will mould as well as the Kangaroo leather that brands like Nike and Adidas use but I think that the quality of the synthetic makes up for it. As the football boot is not fully leather, I don’t think that the quality of the leather is a big problem.

I was very shocked with the protection features of this football boot. The middle of the football boot feels extremely stable and the MetaGuard is amazing. To test the MetaGuard I stepped on my own foot and I couldn’t feel a thing, very impressive.  (more…)

The all new Concave football boots will be on the shelves for sale in the UK on 22nd August. The planned launch, which was to have taken place this week, has been pushed back so that Concave representatives can complete training for JJB sales staff. JJB has the exclusive store rights to Concave in the UK.

So, with a few extra days to play with and with all of the recent hype and interest in the football boot market revolving around the debut of the Concave football boots, us Geeks here at the Footy-Boots lab decided to give them a run out ourselves.

Aesthetics- 8/10

We now know Concave have a competent design team with an artistic side that created a unique look for the brand. The logo embodies what the brand is about through the concave surface with the football. The eye-catching, yet not too flashy, Black/Red/Silver colour combination will surely turn some heads on and off the football pitch. With some new colourways soon to be released, you can expect a breath of fresh air from Concave.

Value- 9/10

The football boot market these days is filled with over the top priced boots from a range of brands. The Concave PT-1’s retail price is £99.99 and could seem a bit steep, but when compared to the top of the line football boots from some other brands, the boots seem to be well priced for their quality.

Comfort- 9/10

The Concave PT-1’s are very snug and comfortable. The innovative new lacing system is fastened to the Concave sweetspot along with elastic that keeps the upper snug to your foot. The insole is removable and features a gel insert in the heel. During the stint of time we tested the football boots, no pressure was felt from the studs on the foot and the insole provided spring and cushioning. The football boots aren’t heavy, weighing about as much as the Nike Air Legend II’s.

Performance- 9/10

To test the function of the Concave football boots in a training situation, we performed many of the same tests that Perry Groves performed for us in his series of football boot tests. Running, juggling, dribbling, passing, shooting, and volleying were what we focused on. The lace-cover is great to wear, does exactly as intended and protects very well. When the ball is struck purely with these football boots on, you won’t find a more accurate and powerful shot produced by any other boot. Despite all of the questioning about whether the Concave element would inhibit a players dribbling and juggling ability, our testing showed quite the contrary. The area at the top of the football boot near the toe and directly to the sides provided sufficient room for the two skills. The Concave lace cover did not hamper the ability to hit the ball with the instep or outstep in order to produce spin on the ball either.

Durability- 10/10

For a newcomer in the football boot market, Concave seem to have it down when it comes to quality manufacturing. From our initial inspection, it was evident that the football boots were assembled well with all of the proper techniques. We have yet to see the boots after a long period of use, but expect that they will hold up well.

Technology- 10/10

Here at Footy-Boots, we don’t believe you could find a boot on the market with as much effort put into the technological side of the boots. The Research & Development department at Concave’s headquarters must have had their hands full designing the Concave sweetspot. With all of the tests scores showing high statistics, the Concave sweetspot might yet make a fool of some of some other brands gimmicks claiming to increase power and accuracy with its realistic and simple approach to the matter. The sweetspot provided exactly the technology that we were promised. That is, unparalleled protection of the metatarsal from the MetaGuard and a much bigger strikezone, to many keepers dismay. The Shank Balance Stabiliser provides support and reinforcement to the mid-foot area to help control balance between the front and rear of the foot.

Overall- 9.15 / 10

Overall the Concave PT-1 checked all of the boxes necessary to be ranked as a fantastic boot. With the right exposure and marketing, we see no reason why the Concave PT-1 won’t be competing against the big boys in next years Football Boots Awards.

Recommended For

These boots may not be exactly what you flamboyant tricksters are looking for, but for you strikers wanting that extra edge to your shot, playmakers wanting that extra bit of accuracy, or defenders in need of more protection you may want to consider Concave next time you are buying your boots. According to Concave’s Official Website there’s no doubt goalkeepers should be most worried about Concave technology. After all, their jobs have gotten a lot harder, now they’ll be facing faster, more accurate shots on goal. However there is good news. Concave boots provide additional distance (up to 10% extra) on your current goal kick with increased precision. In addition to that, the boots were worn by goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos of the A-League side, Melbourne Victory as official tester and guinea pig for the past two years.

Room For Improvement

With Concave being the new boy on the block in the football boot market, it looks like they’re in with a chance. This product didn’t come without any hard work mind you, it has been eight years in the making. Despite all of the research put into the boot, there are still some minor flaws as expected with every pair of football boots, no matter what the brand name. Us Geeks felt that the Concave sweetspot could have been moulded a little bit shorter in length and that a little weight taken off here and there wouldn’t hurt. We are anticipating great things from Concave now and in the future. We expect to see Concave gunning with the big boys.

Pre-Order

Click HERE to sign up to pre-order the Concave PT-1’s released August 22, 2008.

Price: £99
Availability: August 22, 2008
Colour: Black/Red/Silver
Sizes: 6-12

Visit the Concave website

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Due to launch in the UK in just a few days time, the new Concave football boots have been causing quite a stir. We thought we’d catch up with the guys behind the scenes and get some answers to the most asked questions we’ve seen.

It’s very unusual for a new football boot to create some much discussion before it has been released, but there is something about the Concave football boots that seems to have struck a chord with those in the know. With limited information around about the football boot in advance of the release (the Concave football boot launches on August 1), we thought we’d send our roving reporter out to visit Concave’s ‘tech department’ and see what they have to say. Armed with the most asked questions in our email and comments box, off we ran… well cantered.

Footy Boots - So what’s so different about these Concave boots compared to other football boots?

Concave - Concave football boots have a unique concave shaped element along the natural ridge line of the instep of the foot (where the laces normally are).  This concave shape made of a patented 3 density TPU compound (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) acts to cup the ball, providing a shaped platform which gives greater interface for kicking the ball, which leads to greater accuracy, power and control of a ball. The concave element also provides greater protection for the metatarsal bones in the foot.

Concave boots are designed to enable more accuracy, control and power on a far more consistent basis than with a regular football boot. This means better results on the pitch.

Footy Boots - Tell us more about this now ‘infamous’ Concave sweet spot?

Concave - Most mis-kicks or inaccurate kicks occur when the ball does not strike the “sweet spot” of a football boot. The “sweet spot” on a Concave boot is approximately four times larger than that on a standard football boot, which allows for a far greater chance of accuracy, power and control; and reduced chance of a mis-kick.

The concept is similar to that of tennis racquets with oversized heads which provide a greater “sweet spot” surface area for optimum contact with the ball.

Footy Boots - Has this actually been tested though?

Concave - Yes. In a series of tests, Concave football boots were found to improve accuracy by up to 40 per cent, and increase speed and power by between 10 and 15 per cent. Testing has proven that the design and material used in the football boot can significantly increase the performance of the traditional football boot in the critical areas of velocity, power and control.

Specifically, machine testing and human testing undertaken by Australia’s largest technology consulting firm, Invetech Pty Ltd. and Monash University’s Rehab-Tech Department, found that accuracy improved by up to 40 per cent, while speed and power increased by between 10 and 15 per cent due predominantly to the four times larger sweet spot.

Footy Boots - We’ve had questions about concerns with kicking with the side of the foot, what do you make of that?

Concave - Well, independent player testing demonstrated that the integration of the concave element into the boot instep allows for flexibility of kicking on and off the concave element.

Footy Boots - Well it’s good to hear that they have been tested. Back to the kicking and the Concave element as this is interesting. What if I kick a ball on a part of the football boot other than the Concave element?

Concave - If the ball strikes the sweet spot of the concave element, it will travel with greater accuracy and power by utilising the design of the football boot. However if the intention is to kick with another part of the boot the user will not notice any difference from another pair of football boots.

Footy Boots - Does the unique external design of the football boot affect the overall comfort of Concave boots?

Concave - Great care has been taken to select the finest materials for construction and adding ergonomically correct cushioning in the heel and areas of the forefoot and above the stud configurations. In addition to the revolutionary design of the top of the football boot, the outsole, the foot bed, and the sockliner have each been crafted by an industry leading football  footwear designer to work in concert with the top of the shoe to provide a complete state-of-the-art football boot which provides exceptional comfort and performance, but of course like with all new football boots, the Concave boots need to be broken in.

Footy Boots - Do you have any evidence to back Concave’s claims that their football boots can actually improve performance?

Concave - Yes.

Footy Boots - And finally, a national crisis happens every time England prepare for a major tournament, its know as ‘the metatarsal injury’ does the Concave football boot offer the same foot protection as other leading brands?

Concave - For sure. Concave’s upper design, specifically the concave element, offers increased protection against the occurrence of metatarsal impact injuries, as the concave element provides an additional layer, a patented 3 density TPU compound, (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) with lightweight foam which covers the entire metatarsal area and better absorbs shock from striking the ball.

Click here to read more about Concave Football Boots

Visit the Concave website

Last week, we ran a story about the soon to be launched Concave football boot. Boy, did it cause a storm. We had comments coming out of our ears while industry message boards were full of little else in the days after we posted the story.

At the time, a lot of what was written was speculation and conjecture, based on just a couple of images that had found their way on to the Web.

But now, Concave has gone public and, as the saying goes, they are putting their money (and it looks like they’ve spent big on this) where their mouth is.

Looking at the blurb, it’s clear that Concave has concentrated on 3 particular aspects – power, accuracy and protection, three aspects which are pretty important to footballers.

Concave Football Boots

Upper

Having been furnished with a pair of the Concave football boots at Footy Boots HQ, we were keen to take a first hand look at the technology advances that Concave boasts.

The Concave football boot’s most revolutionary feature is the convex shape of the upper, which of course matches that of a football and has been developed to ‘cup’ the ball on contact.

This component on the upper also increases the surface area of the sweet spot, which Concave state is up to four times bigger than usual.

The football boot upper, part leather, part synthetic, has an interesting lace system too. The laces are covered by the Concave component, but they only use two eyes. When we tried the football boots we were pleased to find that this construction was most effective and the football boot felt snug and secure on the foot.

Something we regularly comment on at Footy Boots is the football boot protection, or lack of it, to the metatarsal. Concave have considered this infamous injury in their design and the upper contains an aptly named ‘MetaGuard’. The ‘MetaGuard’ is a flexible layer of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) and reinforced cushioning foam composite. We couldn’t feel the ‘MetaGuard’ when the football boot was on, but its good to know its there.

Soft Ground Soleplate

7 screw in studs, with a configuration to even pressure across the sole and a single blade in the forefoot mid section.

On the sole, the boot is equipped with a balance stabiliser. In the middle of the sole, this stabiliser helps balance the front and rear of the foot, an area that again can cause metatarsal injury, the stabiliser prevents too much flexibility here.

Summary

We’ll be trying the Concave football boots out in match and training situations, but we did give the football boots a quick run out. In the brief knock up we were impressed by the football boot comfort and support. However, what stood out is that we felt like we’d been on mild steroids when kicking in power situations. More on that when we fully test the Concave football boots.

We liked the look of the football boots, a stylish colourway, and we were very impressed with how the football boot looks to be made. As always we pulled and squeezed and bent the boot and there was no signs of weakness - again we’ll find out more on the quality when we test them with more exertion.

Concave are looking for ambassadors, presumably in the Premier League (and no, the Carlton Cole football boots you may have seen were just a mock up – he hasn’t signed with them to our knowledge), but to add some credibility to the project, they have contracted the former Scotland and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish.

We’ve lined up a Q&A with the Concave ‘techies’ and hope to tie up with Kenny Dalglish shortly to get a legend’s take on the football boots.

Price: £99
Availability: August 22, 2008
Colour: Black/Red/Silver
Sizes: 6-12

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