adidas Football Boots
Worn by the likes of Messi, Bale, Suarez, Alli and Pogba. You have four adidas boot choices; iconic Predator 20, X Ghosted for speed, Nemeziz for 360 agility and the classic leather Copa, these adidas football boots break down in to 20 or 19+, .1, .2, .3 & 4 dropping in quality, but also cost. We can help you make sense of all the ADIDAS options and get the right pair for you...
What Boots Do adidas make?
The Predator, Nemeziz, X and Copa are the silos making up the current product lineup of adidas football boots. The + boots of each are the top-end models that contain the most premium build and materials that mark their distinctive identities. Despite their differences, the + models are all laceless, with the .1 takedowns being the laced versions. The present Predator 20+ lives up to its iconic reputation with its most aggressive striking element called Demonskin composed of pointed rubber elements that provide the grippiest of ball touch in any modern football boots.
Your adidas Boot Options
Predator Mutator 20
20+ is laceless (Pogba, Alli, Ozil) laces on 20.1 in high and low collars
adidas X Ghosted
X20+ (Son, Hudson-Odoi) & X Ghosted.1 (Salah, Bale) Ghost past defenders, create chaos!
adidas Nemeziz 19
Laceless 19+ (Isco, Firmino) and laced 19.1 (Messi, Lingard) versions
adidas Copa 20
Copa Mundial reimagined for modern times, the only leather adidas boot available, Dybala wears the 20+
Key adidas Players
Lionel Messi
Had his own line of Messi adidas boots, that evolved in to his own version of the Nemeziz with specific changes to suit his game, he prefers the 19.1 laced variant, Messi has had a lot of signature boots celebrating achievements and awards like the Balon D'Or.
Paul Pogba
Had his own signature versions of the ACE Purecontrol and in 2020 has his own Paul Pogbra Season collections for the Predator, including indoor and fashion items as well as football boots.
The Copa 20+ is an expert piece of leather boot engineering with its Fusionskin technology which enables seamless integration of premium K-leather and soft knit. The X 20+ Ghosted is adidas' speed boot and its lightweight profile is due to its X-layskin upper that combines a foamed skeletal frame with a thin translucent film of top layer called Engineered Warp knit. Lastly, the Nemeziz 19+ is the successor of the signature Messi line and is one of the most unique football boots. Not only is the boot laceless, but it also employs a distinct system and material known as the Tension Tape system where the upper is composed of overlapping tensioned bandages, mimicking the effect of athletic tapes wrapped around your foot.
adidas Boot Packs
adidas Boot Lineup
As we work our way through the adidas boot lineup, we get the chance to create reviews on all their new models and as such we present to you our expert reviews, if you have more questions make sure to get in touch and check out our Boot Secrets guide, where we help you choose your next pair!
What is the difference between +, .1, .2, .3 & .4 adidas boots?
In the same manner as computer, smartphone, and car makers may have different variations of the same model of unit, football boot manufacturers also employ a certain levelling system. adidas, for this instance, uses +, .1, .2, .3, and .4 to label their variations of their silos.
+ Elite Laceless
Top level professional adidas boots, laceless so only worn by some pros
.1 Elite with Laces
Quality boots with laces, .1 worn by may pro players who prefer a customisable fit and better lockdown
.2 Pro Level
Offer many of the benefits of more expensive pairs, at a reduced price
.3 Academy Laced & Laceless
Much cheaper option, with less technology, laceless pairs availabe, but foot feels more loose in shoe
.4 Club level & for Kids
A very basic level boot that only looks like the others, more suited to kids & those starting out.
The + represents the full and top version while the .1, .2, .3, and .4 (following the + in terms of hierarchy) are referred to as "takedowns" in the football boot industry. As implied by the word takedown, certain parts/technologies are either replaced with lesser materials/qualities or removed altogether as you go further down the level which usually means that there will be reduced pricing as well. This kind of setup allows the potential buyer to have a choice of going all out on the top line for maximum benefit or to trade off some unwanted features for more value for money, ensuring that the football boot manufacturer will be able to offer options to consumers and cover as much of the market as possible.
To illustrate, we will be discussing the +, .1, .2, .3, and .4 of the Predator 20 and Nemeziz 19 silos. The upper of the + models are made of sockfit technology and the sports taping-inspired 360 Bandage system respectively. These technologies are essentially intended to provide ergonomic fit and complement the laceless systems. They are also available in the .1s though the .1s feature laces. But as you go further down the takedowns, what is only available is the Controlskin and the laced and laceless Mesh forefoot for the Predator 19.2 and 19.3, and the agility mesh, textile agility mesh, and agility touch skin for the Nemeziz 19.2, 19.3, and 19.4.
adidas Children's Boots
adidas has made all of their football boot styles available for kids; including the top-end laceless + models, when shopping for children and their growing feet you may decide to go with a cheaper boot, like a .3 which can come as laceless or with laces, which is great as no laces can be popular with the kids, but it does lock their foot into the boot less well, unless you have a very snug fit, not ideal for growing feet. All the adidas laced .1 versions can in child's sizes which is great for a customisable fit.
Only the leather Copa for Kids misses a laceless version (for the Copa, Fusionskin is still applied, though circular knit is used as a substitute for the Primeknit used on the adult boots), while the Predator, X, and Nemeziz have both the laced and the laceless models. Tech-wise, the kids boots represent the distinct features of their respective mother silos with slight adjustments to make them better suited for our young wearers. The Demonskinned Predator's upper is made of softer knit and the collar's height resembles that of the .1 even in the laceless + to make the Predator kid-friendly. For the same child-oriented purpose, the foam inside the X-layskin upper has been adjusted in width, shape, and size, though the upper in general is similar in construction with the adult's version by showcasing the same foam-engineered warp knit combination. The height and shape of the Nemeziz' Torsion system soleplate have been scaled down to lessen possible stud pressure for young players, the soleplate of the Kids Nemeziz, as with all the adidas kids boots soleplates are FG/AG.
How To Find Your adidas Football Boots...
In terms of solepate, all the Predators have triangular studs but the + has the advantage of Nylon ControlFrame and Boost technologies. The .1 still has the ControlFrame but the .2 and .3 only have the Nylon and TPU respectively. On the other hand, the Nemeziz 19+ and 19.1 are the same with Split sole Torsion system. The Nemeziz 19.2 contains the TPU/Nylon while the Nemeziz 19.3 and 19.4 have TPU only. All have semi-conical studs except for the Nemeziz 19.4 which has triangular studs. It goes without saying then that the soleplate configurations adapted on the takedowns affect the silos traction and speed performance thus also altering the surface types the boots can be suited on. These quality differences explain why adidas football boots are different prices with the Predators costing, in descending order; £230, £180, £130, and £85 each for the laced and laceless 19.3, while the Nemeziz cost £230, £180, £110, and £85 for the 19.3 and 19.4.
Retired adidas Old Boots
If there is a hall of fame in the football boot industry, no doubt adidas would have a lot of entries on the list, below are some of their iconic boot they don't make any more.
Ace 16+ Purecontrol
The first adidas laceless boot, the ACE 16+ Purecontrol had a successful launch headlined by Mesut Ozil in 2016 and started the recent craze of laceless football boots. It featured a compression knit to deliver the boot's lockdown on your foot and a supportive internal knit cage on the top of the midfoot to act as a reinforcement.
F50 adiZero
No one can also forget about the F50 speed boots that came after the customizable Tunit boots. The F50 line of football boots set records as its models became lighter and lighter over time, the F50 adiZero IV was one of the most successful F50s and was made of Hybrid Touch-Speedfoil combination for its upper.
adipure 11pro
The 11Pro was a variation of the classic adiPure line and was known for its use of calf Taurus leather upper mixed with synthetics to make it the lightest adiPure ever. Very popular with professionals, Toni Kroos continued to wear them years after they finished.
Nitrocharge 1.0
In 2013, adidas added fourth silo with its short lived Nitrocharge model, whereas other boots were focused on speed or power, the Nitrocharge paid attention to energy return and player stamina with a rubber zone called 'Energysling.'
Founded in Germany in 1948, adidas have grown to be the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe. Adolf "Adi" Dassler created the company recognised by the three parallel bars, known as the Three Stripes. Dominating World Cup final boot lineups and the Copa Mundial brought adidas to global football prominence.
Groundbreaking laceless cleats, pleasing to the eye designs or a shock to see like the Glitch with exchangable uppers, adidas keep pushing boundaries for boots whilst trying to maintain comfort and performance on pitch. Which pair is right for you, we can help you make that choice or find a limited release, we are here to help you.