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Nike Tiempo Legend 10

Dean Ariola

The Tiempo Legend is Nike’s longest-serving boot, besting out the more popular Mercurials in terms of lifespan. Now on its 10th generation, it has gone a long way in terms of tech, fit, and weight.

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In early 2023, for sustainability reasons, Nike announced that it will discontinue the use of K-leather, prompting everyone to think about how it will affect the brand’s longest heritage silo. Safe to say that with the Legend 10, Nike has pushed the Tiempo out of its comfort zone and into new yet uncharted territories. The challenge now is: Can the Tiempo still retain its distinctness as a Nike silo despite not being a full leather boot anymore?

Nike Tiempo Legend 10 FG

Elite – top-level Tiempo 10 that has the best execution of build and material to meet the silo’s conceptual objectives; the boot with the exact features and benefits experienced by top-flight footballers wearing the Tiempo Legend

 

 

 

Pro – next takedown Tiempo at almost half the price of the Elite; arguably is a bit more padded on the liner. You can enjoy that synthetic leather make in small-sided games as the Pro is available in Indoor and Turf versions. The Indoor has the React cushioning technology that the brand also boasts in their other indoor boots.

 

 

 

Academy – Still dominates the world of takedown boots in terms of the closeness of the fit and feel to the Elite parent model. You’ll also be able to get this boot with an SG soleplate, which Nike has now outfitted with their Anti-clog technology, thereby increasing its value-for-money even more if you need a pair for those wet, muddy pitches.

 

 

 

The Big Change in the Tiempo Legend 10

So with K-leather out of the equation, what does that make of the Nike Tiempo Legend now, specifically the Tiempo Legend 10. Well, that means the boot is now synthetic! But it’s not like the synthetic found in modern speed boots. It is that type of synthetic that mimics the features and benefits of actual leather. If this sounds familiar to you, you might be remembering the Kangalite upper that was introduced by the CTR Maestri 360, or, most recently, the Puma proprietary K-BETTER that now comprised the brand’s iconic King silo (also making the switch to synthetic after making a name for itself as a leather boot).

In the Nike boot’s case, that synthetic leather is called Flytouch Plus. For obvious reasons, Nike markets Flytouch as being soft and being on-par, if not better, than K-leather in terms of objective performance. But does it really reach the heights of a premium K-leather?

 

Tiempo 10 Elite Review

Nine Things You’ll Want to Know:

  1. Now with a synthetic leather Flytouch Plus upper
  2. Directly competes with the synthetic leather K-BETTER upper of the Puma King Ultimate
  3. For pure leather options, consider the likes of adidas Copa Pure and the Morelias from Mizuno
  4. Costs over £210
  5. Legend 10 first Tiempo to be synthetic leather but not the first Nike boot per se to do so (simply follows the precedent set by the Kangalite of the CTR Maestri)
  6. Takedowns also take the switch to synthetics

Our Tiempo Expert Review


Tiempo Legend 10 Elite

Nike Legend 10, uses Flytouch which has a padded feel & out of the box softness that will work for many players, but for the purists they just aren't leather any more and that is a problem for many

Product SKU: DZ3176

Product Brand: Nike

Editor's Rating:
3.8

✔️ Pros
  • Cutout on the heel plus Flyknit helps get a comfortable wrap on that part of the foot in addition to possibly preventing blisters
  • Flytouch plus a nice synthetic material-a bit padded and out-of-the-box softness is top-notch
  • Central lacing makes it easy to adjust and achieved the level of lockdown desired
  • Speed boot-light
  • Comes now with a bit more ball grip
  • Best synthetic leather material to come out from the Swoosh brand
  • Well-balanced stud configuration can work on synthetic pitches without too much cling and stud pressure feedback
  • Soleplate flexibility profile jives well with the upper pliability
❌ Cons
  • Might have dead spaces for narrow feet
  • Still does not have that plush sensation and adaptive fit of a true leather
  • Automatically disqualifies itself from leather purists
  • At less than half the price with almost the same features, the Pro takedown offers significant value-for-money
  • Ball grip level seems to change from one colourway to another
  • Not the most protective of football boots
 

The introduction of the Tiempo Legend 10 will give athletes all over the world access to the Tiempo they know and love, but with better fit, comfort and touch on the ball, thanks to the new FlyTouch Plus material innovation.

-Collin Eder, Sr. Director, Nike Football Footwear

Boot Rankings, Best For…

 

Unisport TL10 Review:

  • Out-of-the-box it feels stupidly soft
  • The way it helps adaptive fit is impressive
  • Fits well at least
  • Lockdown sufficient
  • Not Legend 8 soft but easiest break-in period for a Tiempo; a comfortable boot
  • No pressure points
  • Length-wise, true-to-size
  • Touch is stickier than usual
  • 4 annoying things: dead space around the collar and toe box, no extra deep lace hole option to improve lockdown, still not as good as leather, getting stuck at times because of the ball grip
Halt’s Boots TL10 Review:

  • Can play on grass and turf ; traction is neutral, not that aggressive
  • Don’t write this boot off
  • Good move in making conical studs completely rounded
  • Really like the heel construction
  • Can appeal to widefeet
  • True-to-size lengthwise
  • Comfortable, touch is great
  • Puffer jacket like liner on the forefoot did a good job maintaining that padded sensation
  • Does not feel like a traditional Tiempo anymore
 
 

 

Previous TIEMPO LEGEND 9

Elite Review Tiempo Legend 9 vs 8 Your Tiempo Questions Answered Older Tiempos   

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Nike’s Tiempo Legend 9 was their last leather boot. Replacing the Legend 8, it doubled down on touch and shaving off weight. Read on to learn about the changes and how these affected the performance of Tiempo players.

Nike Tiempo Legend 9 FG

Elite – Used to be worn by elite defenders like Virgil Van Dijk and Antonio Rudiger; appeals to traditional players 

Academy – Commanded consensus from boot experts in being the best in value-for-money proposition; cheaper build did not significantly lessen the leather boot experience

 

Your Tiempo Questions Answered:

  • Is the Nike Tiempo Legend good for wide feet?

Yes, it does suit that wider foot. The shape in itself has enough width already, but add in the natural stretch from the leather and you are talking about a boot that molds well to bigger foot types. 

  • Who wears the Tiempo Legend?

Aside from Van Dijk and Rudiger, top shot stoppers Alisson and Thibaut Courtois and midfield general Jordan Henderson all wear the Tiempo. Hey, even Ronaldinho wears one in his exhibition matches. 

  • Is the Tiempo Legend a good boot?

Absolutely. The material itself is one of the finest to wear and feel for a pair of football boots, not to mention the leaps and bounds Nike took to modernise it and make the silo relevant to this date. 

Tiempo 9 Elite Review

Nine Things You’ll Want to Know:

  1. Lightest Tiempo to date
  2. No longer has the Legend 8’s Quadfit mesh, bringing the foot closer to the K-leather upper
  3. Brings out some CTR Maestri 360 vibes courtesy of the memory foam pods for a cushioned ball touch
  4. Joins the likes of the adidas Copa Sense and Mizuno Rebula Cup in incorporating touch pods
  5. K-leather not as soft as the previous Tiempo, but heel shape helps improve lockdown
  6. Tongue still comprised of Flyknit but is not as elastic and premium as that of the Legend 8′ Flyknit
  7. Hyperstability soleplate restructured with a central spine and with blades replacing the chevron studs
  8. Sole is lighter but a bit stiffer for more responsiveness
  9. True-to-size and retains the usual Tiempo width

Our Tiempo Expert Review

✔️ Pros

  • The most affordable among top-end leather boots in the market
  • Heel shape improved to add lockdown without being too abrasive or restrictive
  • A comfortable, lightweight pair for a leathered boot
  • K-leather experience is rich, plush, and pliable

❌ Cons

  • Memory foam pods, though looking similar to that of CTR360, is less control-element like and more cushioned-feeling
  • Meshed tongue not as premium as Flyknit
  • Some may experience forefoot stud pressure; minimal but still unexpected
 

The Tiempo Legend 9, with its full-fledged K-leather build, faces less competition from the minimal leather amount of the Copa Sense from adidas and the stiffer King Platinum 21 from Puma. It also has a better value proposition relative to Mizuno boots, which have a bit more leather quality but cost way way more.

Boot Rankings, Best For…
 

Jay Mike of Unisport said:

  • K-leather is soft and plush but not as much as the Legend 8
  • Absence of the Quadfit mesh makes the boot feel closer and tighter; heel shape also aids lockdown
  • Width and true to size fit similar to previous Tiempos
  • Upper is soft enough to feel comfortable from the get go
  • Feels definitely lighter for a Tiempo
  • May look like the CTR boots, but touch is more cushioned as opposed to the hard control-like touch of the Maestri 360; foam pods feel more squishy than that of the Copa Sense
  • A bit Mercurialised on the restructured soleplate because of the added responsiveness
  • Mesh tongue not as premium as the Flyknit tongue of the Legend 8
  • Has a bit of stud pressure on the forefoot

Allthatboots said:

  • K-leather upper a bit stiffer and thinner than that of the Legend 8
  • Upper feeling and silhouette more similar to Legend 7
  • Foam pods thinner than expected
  • Mesh tongue great for breathability but not as elastic as that from the predecessors
  • Base material of non-leather parts made out of textile
  • Heel shape narrowed for better fit and lockdown
  • Legend 9 is lighter and sharper while Legend 8 is thick and cozy

Get Your Pair Here

Tiempo Legend 9 vs 8

SR4U on the Legend 9/Legend 8 comparison:

  • Concept: Legend 8 focused more on the added technology; Legend 9 more simplified
  • Touch: Leather touch on the 8 minimised by the internal layers; more pronounced on the Legend 9 because of the more streamlined upper, even amplified a bit because of the memory foam
  • Stud Patterns: Despite some slight adjustments, both tooling looks and feel similar underfoot
  • Weight: Legend 9 only 9 grams lighter from the Legend 8, not much of a difference
  • Fit and Comfort: Simplified leather upper with a traditional feel for the Legend 9; Legend 8 has a lot things going on internally; Legend 9 has a slightly more rounded shape, while the 8 somehow tapers off towards the forefoot; true-to-size for both
  • Objective performance-wise, Legend 8 has a slight advantage; Proper tiempo leather experience goes to the Legend 9

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Previous Tiempos

The Tiempo Legend was first released in 1984, accumulating a lot of variety and models as it continues to be one of the main offerings from Nike. Whilst the first-ever Nike Tiempo witnessed by the public was at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, it wasn’t until 2006 football boot fans saw the emergence of their Tiempo Legend I. Headlined by Ronaldinho, The Tiempo Legend was all about luxurious touch and feel. Let’s take a look at some of the previous models over the past few years.

Tiempo Legend IX

In 2021, Nike gave us the ninth generation of the Tiempo, and it was a homecoming of some sort considering the technological changes the silo had gone through over the past years. Gone were the Quadfit mesh and Flyknit layers that somehow affected the leather feel of the Tiempo Legend 8. With the Legend 9, the Tiempo was able to maximise that premium K-leather sensation by simply removing the barriers between the upper and the foot. This Tiempo generation still showed some modern technical feature when it incorporated memory foam pods in key contact areas to further dampen ball touch. 

Some memorable releases for the Tiempo Legend 9 were the ‘Deep Space Purple’ colourway from the 2022 World Cup ‘Generation’ Pack and the Made in Italy Montebelluna. The special Montebelluna drop, however, contained a luxurious alegria leather instead of the usual K-leather.

Tiempo Legend VIII

The Tiempo Legend 8 was launched in June 2019 and featured a streamlined layering of K-leather, Quadfit Mesh, and Flyknit. The Legend VIII removed the foam ridges, getting its textured touch instead from the heat-pressed diamond quilt patterns on the K-leather itself. The four-way stretch Quadfit evolved the containment functions of the VII’s Fit Mesh.

The Flyknit around the midfoot no longer had the Flywire cables, opting for a more snug, supportive fit instead. The Tiempo VIII was the second boot to feature the Hyperstability soleplate. The Under the Radar Tiempo was the launched model of the 8th generation. The Tiempo 8 also had notable colourways like the limited Dazzle Camo, the Future DNA based on the launch colour scheme of the Tiempo IV, and the 2020 Tech Craft based on the ’94 Nike Tiempo Premier black which had a black and yellow-orange colourway.

Tiempo Legend VII

The Tiempo Legend 7, released in June 2017 as part of the yellow-and-black themed Lock In Let Loose Pack, provided another redesign that would also inform the build of its successor. The K-leather sat on top of foam skeletons, forming a ridged pattern texture necessary for ball control. A Fit Mesh inner liner, connected to the biteline, tightened up upon pressure and provided most of the foot containment, preventing the K-leather from overstretching.

The Tiempo VII was also the generation that applied Flyknit around the midfoot. The Flyknit on this boot was housing Flywire cables that supported midfoot lockdown. The Hyperstability plate was first introduced to the Tiempo and contained a mixture of conicals, blades, and chevrons for multidirectional traction.

Tiempo Legend VI

The release of Nike’s Liquid Chrome Pack in November 2015 included the Tiempo Legend VI. The 6th generation of the iconic silo replaced the stitchings on the leather upper with an internal vacuum-pressed cushioned cage, resulting in the Tiempo VI retaining the touch attributes but without compromising the leather. Without the perforations from stitchings, the boot had a more seamless construction and more pliable upper. The removal of the quilting also aided in reducing water uptake.

Tiempo Legend V

With the Tiempo Legend 5 in December 2013, Nike introduced Hypershield technology into the leather silo, coating the upper with the All Conditions Control (ACC) coating and reinforcing it with a hydrophobic mesh layer. With Hypershield, the Tiempo Legend V significantly reduced water absorption and consistently provided the same ball touch regardless of weather conditions. Inputs from Carlos Tevez, Gerard Pique, and Ronaldhino help create the Tiempo Legend V. The boot debuted with a Desert Sand/Atomic Orange/Black colourway.

Tiempo Legend IV

In June 2011, Nike introduced the Elite Tiempo Legend IV; it had a Kangalite midfoot reinforced by Flywire cables and removes the classic Tiempo tongue. A stitched premium K-leather comprised the forefoot with an inner carbon fibre chassis running the full length of the sole. The Tiempo Legend 4 debuted with a Black/White/Total Orange colourway, a colour scheme that the Future DNA Tiempo Legend VIII would remake in 2020.

 

Author

Dean Ariola

Dean has worked Chief writer at the Black & Orange team since 2020, he has an indepth knowledge of all the soccer shoes from the big brands, you have him to thank for all the updates to our Boot Secrets guide and he is first on the scene with all the new releases for you!

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