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adidas nitrocharge 1.0 next-generation Boot Test & Review

Blake Grice

With the second generation nitrocharge launched, we had one of our boot testers DJMoore98 lace up the boots for us.

DESIGN & COLOURWAY: The design of the nitrocharge is relatively simple yet very effective. This colourway features a solid black forefoot, with the bright green and orange Energysling stretching across the lower part of the midfoot. Then from the midfoot onwards, there is a thick mesh material which has a slow fade from dark green to black which looks very unique. They have 3 stripes on both the lateral and medial sides of the boots and these are in a silver metallic colourway which really stand out against the dark base. Overall I really like the design of the nitrocharge as they are not to fancy or bright but are definitely enough to make you stand out on the pitch.

COMFORT & FIT: The nitrocharge offer a great fit and are very comfortable. The hybrid-touch synthetic upper gives a leather like feel to the boot and is extremely soft and flexible from right out of the box. The Energysling technology really tightens around your foot and locks it into position and the issue of your foot moving inside the boots when playing is completely gone. The inside of the boot, especially around the heel is very padded and gives cushioning between your foot and the ball whilst maintaining a natural feel which feels great. The boots have a suede, comfort sockliner which stops any stud pressure you may get whilst playing, and the suede finish gives the boots that classy feel when you put them on.

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In terms of fit, the nitrocharge have quite a pointy toe box compared to other adidas boots such as the Predator Instinct, therefore I would recommend going true to size, if the boots do feel small then the upper does have the ability to stretch a bit if required. The boots also feature adidas’ very popular Sprintframe soleplate which is quite narrow through the mid-foot area, therefore if you do have wide feet I wouldn’t recommend the nitrocharges.

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TRACTION: In the FG (Firm ground) stud pattern the boots contain 11 moulded studs, 4 at the back of the boot and 7 in the front. This stud pattern performs really well and changing direction at high speeds is not a problem at all, the smaller stud in the centre of the forefoot offers that extra assistance when rotating in these boots to give you the edge over your opponent. Whilst playing in these boots I didn’t experience any slipping and when running and shooting I never felt like I wasn’t sturdy at all.

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PROTECTION: The nitrocharge is advertised for the box to box midfielders who have to make important big tackles throughout the 90 minutes, so protection is needed in these boots. The hybridtouch upper is quite thick and offers good padding to your foot, so if you do get stepped on in the forefoot then it definitely won’t hurt as much as if you were wearing a pair of adiZero F50’s. The Energysling is also made from a really thick, strong rubber and once again if you get stepped on or caught in this region it will definitely stop any cuts and you will barely feel it at all which is great. The midfoot and heel region of the boots are made from a thick mesh material which is extremely strong and reduces impact from other players when making tackles. Running along the heel of the boot are many padded, mesh rectangles which provide extra padding around the heel which is a very delicate part of the foot. With the Sprintframe present the Nirtocharge’s also feature a solid plastic external heel counter for extra stability and protection.

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DURABILITY: In terms of durability these boots will easily last 1 season, and maybe even 2 or 3. They are made extremely well and with the leather-like upper, rips and tears are definitely not an issue. The mesh material is really strong and just feeling the boots you can tell it will take a lot for it to rip. Whilst playing in these boots I experience no signs of wear such as sole-separation which can be a common durability issue in football boots, and once I gave them a clean they looked almost brand new. Wait…cleaning these boots is actually the only problem I had with them, the forefoot is simple and easy to clean, but the mesh material is made from a few layers with holes in the top layer. So dirt easily gets into the holes and can be quite difficult to get out, but luckily on this dark colourway the dirt doesn’t show up too much compared to the infrared colourway which I can imagine can be hard to return to it’s original colour after playing in them.

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ENERGYSLING: These two features are what make the nitrocharge so unique. The Energysling, in locking your foot into position, is said to minimize energy loss and give you maximum energy output when playing in these boots to make your acceleration as quick as it can be. Although the idea is pretty sweet, it’s hard to tell whether this works when playing in these boots. But you definitely feel a great lockdown effect with the presence of the Energysling.

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ENERGYPULSE: The Energypulse, located on the soleplate, is said to store energy when changing direction and once again increase energy output to give you the best possible acceleration. This technology does make the soleplate a lot stiffer, but makes it a lot more responsive giving you the feel of better agility and acceleration. I feel the Energypulse does make a good difference and you always feel like you have a head start when chasing a ball down against an oppenent with the responsiveness of these boots.

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PERFORMANCE: This is the most important aspect of any football boot by far. And I’m happy to say the nitrocharges perform really well. Shooting, passing, dribbling, everything felt awesome in these boots. You get a really clean natural strike of the ball due to the upper having no striking elements or distractions between your foot and the ball, and the hybrid touch upper offers a great and close feel for the ball which is a bonus.

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VERDICT: I am really impressed with the nitrocharge, it seems to cover every aspect of boots really well with basically no downfalls to them. They are a really good, solid pair of boots and would recommend them to any player, no matter what your postition as these boots will suit pretty much every style of play. I’m really happy to add the adidas nitrocharge 1.0 2’s to my boot collection!

Author

Blake Grice

Former Head Writer and Boot Head, Blake supports Manchester United and favours the number 12 shirt. He's a widefooted twenty-five goals a season striker.

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