FOOTBALL BOOTS OF THE DECADE: 10 – 6

As we prepare to enter a new decade, we’ve been looking back at our favourite boots from 2000 to 2009.

We’ll let you know about our top 5 on Friday (but feel free to leave us a comment below if you’d like to guess which boots are on that list) but before that, this is what Kyle and team came up with for the products which we placed from 10 down to 6.' 

Just to remind you of the ground rules – we were only able to select a total of 4 boots from our ‘top’ manufacturer and 3 from all the others and only 1 pair of boots per range.

Click here to see 20 – 16 and here for 15 down to 11.

Concave PT+

I know what you might be thinking but just hang on a tick. Concave are an inspiration to any company starting out. Diving headfirst into one of the most competitive industries world, Concave have stuck by both their famous ‘four pillars of performance’ (improved accuracy, power, protection and control) and by their unorthodox design.

The PT+ put everything right that the original PT1 had wrong with it (not least the sweet spot rubbing the top of your toes) and offered up a leather upper to boot. Slowly but surely acquiring some names behind the product (John O’Shea for instance) we at Footy Boots would suggest that Concave may well have more than one boot on next decade’s list.

Nike CTR360 Maestri

Nike were scoffed at when the rumours were they were introducing another boot to their line-up. But 3 months down the line and CTR360 has more new adopters than any new line of boots since the original Predator – and with good reason.

As we experienced first-hand in our review, the Maestri is one of the most comfortable boots Nike have ever produced, and the technical aspects of the boot are outstanding.

Diadora LX K Pro

When you’re looking for the best boots, sometimes it’s as easy as looking for the best players; and they don’t come much better than Francesco Totti.

AS Roma’s finest has pretty much stuck by Diadora just as he’s stuck by his club and has had his pick of their flagship boots. For me it was a choice of the sleek, flash Maximus released in 2006, or the more recent released classic styling of the LX K Pro. Just looking at the LX K Pro was enough to swing my vote though, classic soft K-Leather, elasticated tongue and solid heel counter – all without looked dated and frumpy like so many other boots from smaller companies do. It’s easy to see why Diadora are continuing to produce these into the new decade.

Reebok Integrity

The 2007 Reebok Integrity is an often overlooked boot. Released around the time that Reebok’s silo of boots was exploding (over the next 18 months Reebok would release the Instante, two Sprintfits and the Valde Pro) the Integrity was a true footballer’s boot.

Free of gimmicks or unnecessary flash the Integrity boasted the softest grade K-Leather, rock solid heel counter and elasticated lace cover – the Integrity can give the Tiempo Legend and Speciali a run for their money in the modern classic category.

adidas adiPure

It was a tough call on which of adidas’ modern-classic boots to choose; the adiPure I or II. Eventually settling on the original adiPure, I can’t believe I even considered the second.

On a personal level, I loved the fit – the more ‘standard’ lacing system was exactly what a boot with the word ‘pure’ in it’s name should be about. Even the little touches on the boot, like the bronze badges on the cuff not only avoided feeling gimmicky, but miraculously added to the retro appeal.

So that’s our 10 to 6. make sure you check back in to Footy Boots on New Years Day for the top 5 football boots of the decade.