Predator Freak.3 Review
Pogba, Koke, and Mario Hermoso play the passing game with the help of the dynamic Predator Freak football boots. They obviously are a bit pricey, so adidas has offered us the affordable .3 option. We'll take a deep dive into its features and how it stacks up against other football boots at its price range.
Things About the Predator Freak.3 You'll Want to Know:
- To maintain the essence of the latest Predator, the Freak.3 has 3D-printed texturing called the Demonscale, patterned after the Demonskin rubber spikes, to add some amount of ball grip
- Has 3 variants: laceless, laced collared, and laced low
- Replaces Primeknit upper with a coated textile mesh material
- Soleplate is a single layer of plastic designed with the looks of the Controlframe; filled in with angular, almost tear drop-shaped studs that are marginally shorter than the studs on the +
- Overall, lockdown is left wanting most especially because of the issues on the heel
- Laced costs £75 while the Laceless is priced at £85
Adult Predator Freak.3:
Laceless FG
Laceless technology now available in a cheaper option
Laced FG
Brings the familiar laced lockdown
Laced FG Low Cut
Perfect for those who prefer the traditional lacing and low cut setup
Laceless SG
Metal studs combine with a few moulded ones; also available in laced collared
Laced MG
short, windmill-shaped studs; the same stud configuration for the + AG model; also available in laced low
Laceless IN
Grippy rubber outsole that is also available in both laced versions
Laceless TF
Lugged rubber outsole that is also available in both laced versions
Kids Predator Freak.3:
Expert Predator Freak.3 Reviews:
Below are video reviews of the Predator Freak.3 Laced and Laceless models by Boot Wizard and SR4U respectively. They provide straight answers and honest opinions, making them one of the most trusted sources of anything about football boots.
Boot Wizard on the Laced Predator Freak.3:
- Just not good enough
- Demonscale is just nothing but a graphic print
- Lining might be better than some Nike Pro boots; not cheap or tent-like and has decent amount of padding in between the liner and the upper
- Upper padding causes a distant ball sensation; may be remedied if you go with the laced version rather than the laceless which just has a lot of room around the foot
- Mesh tongue is flaccid; could have been better with a regular tongue construction
- Thin tongue may cause lace bites; number of lace crossovers not enough and may place unnecessary pressure on the lace holes
- Upper is reasonably soft
- Single layer of plastic gradually becomes flexible towards the toe; simply ok for the price; MG offers more value for money since the FG does not offer any significant traction advantage
- Weight should not be a priority when buying the Academy Freak as it is not one of the lightest
- There are better boots in the market; worst .3 adidas boot
- Fits is not ideal; lockdown is poor; Heel liner feels slick and the counter feels shallow
- X Ghosted.3 feels a lot better; not a boot that can be confidently recommended
SR4U on the Laceless Predator Freak.3:
- Visually appealing
- Upper has decent flexibility and softness, typical of what you'll find on boots at this price point
- Demonscale graphic print has minimal texturing and does not grip the ball in any way
- Better to get the Freak.2
- Laceless tongue more premium than the 20.3 in terms of visuals and feel, but still far away from the + model
- Boot does not feel secure on feet because of the shallow depth of the heel counter and overall shape around the heel; have more boots at this price range that offer better fit and comfort in terms of heel lockdown
- Soleplate the same as the .2, not overly stiff like other takedown soleplates
- Pretty average in terms of weight among Academy boots
- Heel feels like coming out of the boot as soon as you bend your foot-main reason why boot is not recommendable
- A bit wider on the midfoot; true to size
- You can get more from other Academy boots for almost the same price
Your Predator Freak.3 Questions Answered
What are the changes applied from the + going to the .3 level?
The .3 uses a less premium textile mesh coated with silicone compared to the Primeknit material of the top-end model. The soleplate is also made to be a single plastic piece, designed with the looks of the Controlframe's split stud build. Also the grip element is changed from the Demonskin rubber spikes to Demonscale graphic print.
How does the Demonscale differ from the Demonskin?
The Demonskin are actual rubber spikes potruding out of the toe box. They are now replaced with a minimally textured print in the Demonscale.
How does the .3 feel on feet and which among the laced and laceless .3s is better?
The.3 feels good on feet because the upper is soft and the soleplate has a decent flex. However, the main downside of the .3 is the lockdown, primarily because of the shallow heel counter, and the flaccid tongue material on the laced version. If it is simply a choice between the laced and the lacess, the laced would be slightly a better choice, though both .3 do not compare relatively well to other academy boots.
What size of Predator Freak.3 should I choose?
Go for your normal boots size as this fit true to size. Width is relatively constant from rear to front and will accomodate even players with slightly wide foot shape.
How much does the Predator Freak.3 costs?
The laced costs £75 with laces and £85 for laceless ones.
Can you get a Predator Freak.3 for Kids?
adidas do have Kid-specific makes for the Predator Freak.3 available in Laceless and Laced Collared only.
Does the Freak.3 have other soleplate versions for muddy pitches, 3G Turf, or Futsal courts?
Yes, the Freak.3, aside from the FG/MG variation, also has the SG, TF, and IN models.
Read more lower tier adidas boot reviews here of their other cheaper models:
Predator 20.3 Review
Things About the Predator 20.3 You'll Want to Know:
- To maintain the essence of the latest Predator, the 20.3 has diamond-shaped, 3D-printed texturing called the Demonscale to add some amount of ball grip
- Available only in collared version for the laceless variant; laced model has collared and low cut models
- Upper is a textile mesh with a silicone coating; collar and tongue composed of a soft textile material
- Soleplate is a single layer of plastic designed with the looks of the 20+'s Control Frame split stud plate; filled in with angular, almost tear-drop shaped studs
- Has a synthetic suede heel liner and a cheap insole foam
- Laced costs £75 while the Laceless is priced at £85
Adult Predator 20.3:
Laceless FG
Laceless technology now available in a cheaper option
Laced FG
Brings the familiar laced lockdown
Laced FG Low Cut
Perfect for those who prefer the traditional lacing and low cut setup
Laced MG Low Cut
short, windmill-shaped studs increased in number for adaptability in both natural and artifical grass
Laced SG
Metal studs combine with a few moulded ones; available only in collared models
Kids Predator 20.3:
Expert Predator 20.3 Reviews:
Below are video reviews of the Predator 20.3 Laced and Laceless models by Josh of SR4U. SR4U provides straight answers and honest opinions, making it one of the most trusted sources of anything about football boots.
SR4U on the Laced Predator 20.3:
- Demonscale adds just some slight amount of grip
- Seamless one-piece upper construction is an improvement relative to previous takedown models with one-piece uppers
- Does not find the soft collar good-looking but says feels premium on fit
- Feels pretty comfortable on feet because of the internal suede liner and softness and flexibility of the textile mesh upper
- Soleplate has decent flexibility
- Width is consistent from rear to front; true-to-size length wise
- Overall, an ok football boot, nothing exceptional but nothing terrible
SR4U on the Laceless Predator 20.3:
- Hot garbage and worst value for money compared to other football boots
- Recommends the Laced 20.3 for more secured lockdown plus the cheaper price, or spend a bit more and go for the 20.2 that still has a few qualities of the higher models retained like the scaled-down Demonskin grip elements
- Shape has a high arch and materials are soft, causing too much space for the foot to move around inside the boot, or lacking lockdown for those who managed to fill the space
- Collar opening lacks enough stretch and causes difficulties when trying to wear the boots
- Not a good representation of a laceless boot could be
Your Predator 20.3 Questions Answered
What are the changes applied from the 20+ going to the 20.3 level?
The 20.3 uses a less premium textile mesh coated with silicone compared to the Primeknit material of the top-end model. The soleplate is also made to be a single plastic piece, designed with the looks of the ControlFrame's split stud build. Also the grip element is changed from the Demonskin to Demonscale.
How does the Demonscale differ from the Demonskin?
The Demonskin are actual rubber spikes potruding out of the toe box. They are now replaced with a bit sticky 3D print shaped into micro diamonds in the Demonscale.
How does the 20.3 feel on feet and which among the laced and laceless 20.3s is better?
The 20.3 feels good on feet because the upper is soft and the soleplate has a decent flex. Comfort can be maximized by going for the laced version for lockdown, making it better then than the 20.3 laceless. Because of the lack of lockdown on the laceless, injury risks are present.
What size of Predator 20.3 should I choose?
Go for your normal boots size as these fit true to size. Width is relatively constant from rear to front and will accomodate even players with slightly wide foot shape.
How much does the Predator 20.3 costs?
The laced costs £75 with laces and £85 for laceless ones.
Can you get a Predator 20.3 for Kids?
adidas do have Kid-specific makes for the Predator 20.3 available in FG-specific and MG soleplates.
Does the 20.3 have other soleplate versions for muddy pitches, 3G or Turf?
Yes, the Academy, aside from the FG/MG variation, also has the SG and TF models.