In 2023, Crazyfast took on the mantle for the adidas X speed boot line. As always, everyone’s wondering whether the change from the previous Speedportal was for the better or worst. Football Boots UK deep dived into X Crazyfast to see the good, the bad and the ugly, in order for us to know if it’s worth it or if we are better off somewhere else.
X Crazyfast Official Launch – 1 Silo, 3 Elite Options
Heading into the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and way before the start of the 2023/24 season, the stripes brand finally rolled out the adidas X Crazyfast speed boots. Turns out, the Crazylight+ SE launched earlier was not yet the full story, as the official launch of the silo revealed not just one (and not even just two) but three elite models for us to choose from! This makes the X Crazyfast similar to the Predator lineup, which also has three top-tier iterations depending on the preferences of the wearer…
Just look at the above images and you can already point out what’s similar and what’s not. But allow us to help you out and break it down for you 🙂
So the X Crazyfast boasts a minimalistic Aeropacity Speedskin upper (aptly called Aeropacity Speedskin+ for the Crazyfast+ model), which is comprised of a meshed textile-based synthetic for the primary material, overlaid then with a thin PU film and backed by a soft microfibre lining called Aerocage (Aerocage+ for Crazyfast+). Focusing on the + version, we can see that the result of this composition is an upper that lightweight and does have a second-skin sensation on the top of your foot. The cutouts on the Aerocage allows the the said liner to provide that structural stability for the boot without sacrificing the pliability of the Aeropacity material.
Moving on to the .1s, we can already observe that the changes include a tighter mesh weave, increased amount of PU overlay, and smaller cutouts for the Aerocage underlay. Whereas the + have that free, minimalist sensation with regard to the hug of the upper across the top of your foot, expect the .1’s version of the Aero upper to have a little bit more structured sensation and a relatively more solid, dense feel when the material hangs over your foot.
Whereas the change of the Aeropacity (and subsequently the Aerocage) from the + to the .1s is a case of a little bit of this and a little bit of that, the tongue is an entirely different ball game. Crazylight+ already introduced to us the Crazyfast+’s regular U-throat, standard tongue construction supporting the lacing system, a refreshing sight considering that recent years have brought us speed boots that only sported one-piece uppers. However, adidas decided to stay the course and keep up with the trend by releasing the .1 variants. Regardless if you go for the laceless .1 or the laced one, you get a Primeknit-based collar and tongue that seamlessly form a connection to the Aeropacity upper (kind of like the Fusionskin technology of the Copa boots).
From this perspective, it’s easy to note that the + focuses more on objective performance by giving you the best mechanism to adjust the fit and lockdown. Because of it containing the Primeknit material, the .1 leans more on giving you that sock-like comfort across the arch of your foot. On that note, the .1 laced arguably gives you the best of both worlds-adjustability from the laces and knitted comfort courtesy of Primeknit.
Ever since the birth of the X Ghosted in 2020, the Speedframe took on the mantle of one, if not the best soleplate out there in terms of energy return and responsiveness. And a lot of that had something to do with the Carbitex (carbon fibre) inserts. Fast-forward to today, we now have a new insert material called Aeroplate that aims to give that familiar snappy, propulsive technology while also contributing to the shedding of weight, however little it may be. Indeed Aeroplate does help the X Crazyfast to shave off a bit more mass and maintain that spring back effect in every step, though admittedly Aeroplate is a step lower than Carbitex on the latter’s regard.
Traction-wise, the Speedframe is on-par of its competition in giving that bite off the ground courtesy of those edged triangular studs. If we nitpick about it, then the Nike Air Zoom Mercurial’s Tri-star studs arguably have that sharper, more incisive feel, but overall the difference is minimal and you certainly can’t have any complains about the Speedframe’s studs and their ground penetration.
Want to hear more boot expert opinion about the X Crazyfast lineup? Let’s listen to what Jay Mike of Unisport has to say!
X Crazyfast.1 was able to address the excess heel padding of the Speedportal; heel fit is now much improved
Feels more solid on-feet than the Crazyfast+ because of the dual film overlay instead of just one
That said, Crazyfast.1 feels more plasticky out of the box and needs a bit more of break-in time than usual
Fit and lockdown would always be better with the Crazyfast+, and to a certain extent the laced Crazyfast.1, as the laceless model is always a hit-or-miss depending on your foot shape
Generally narrow-fitting
New Aeroplate insert in the Speedframe still does a job in giving you a snappy, responsive sensation especially when you push off and change direction
Runs a bit longer in terms of length; still go true-to-size
Raised toe box might split opinion, but at least gives you that sensation of being always ready and on your toes
Additional volume on the toe box needs some time to getting used to
Touch on the ball is raw and direct, with some natural grip texturing from the mono mesh
Price difference between Crazyfast.1 laced and Crazyfast.1 laceless might not make sense, especially given that the latter is pricier than the former despite the added lockdown benefit of the laces
Price difference between the Crazyfast+ and Crazyfast.1, however, is worth to take on if you have the budget, as the + model is simply the best execution of the X Crazyfast line
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X Crazylight+ Special Edition Crazyfast Debut – A Review
adidas dropped the X Crazylight+ as a special edition boot meant to pay tribute to the 2014 F50 adiZero Crazylight. But for all intents and purposes, it was already a debut of the X Crazyfast+ as the tech and features of the boot were the same with the official launch model of the Speedportal successor.
Jay Mike of Unisport had these to say about the adidas X Crazylight+ speed boot…
Here’s a bullet point of Jay Mike’s view:
very thin, super second-skin-like feel when you put the boots on your foot; X Speedflow.1 but way thinner
soft and malleable, follows the foot shape really closely
doesn’t take too long to breakdown
hit a spot with the heel liner, feels way better in material and amount compared to the previous X
think of adidas X 99grams; very barefoot but in a structurally reassuring way
medium-wide but true-to-size length sizing profile; standard tongue construction really helps provide more adjustability for the laces and cater wide foot shapes
super direct, barefoot touch on the ball
aeroplate just the same as Speedportal Speedframe; not as snappy as first generation Carbitex Speedframe bu still responsive
Annoying things: not a protective boot, tongue tends to slide, lockdown is affected by a few pockets of spaces especially on the midfoot and heel suede liner feels unfinished
Doubles down on being a speed boot-lightweight, thin and responsive
Trying Out and Testing the X Crazyfast Speed Boots
First, it’s important to know the profile of yours truly when it comes to boot testing. With that out of the way, and in addition to the fit and feel testing phase, I zeroed in on the outsole experience of the Speedframe. From sprints to jumps, I tried to use the Speedframe as a spring board whenever I can. I also checked on the variety of the X Crazyfast Elite models to see if the type of closure system affects the responsiveness and snapback that you get from to soleplate. We still have some Speedportals left, so I used that in the testing sessions to determine where the changes are made as far as the Crazyfast is concerned.
X Crazyfast.1 Prada – A Surprise, Limited-Edition Teaser to the Speedportal Successor
adidas surprised a lot of boot enthusiasts when it released the joint collection with Prada. The surprise was not so much about the collaboration itself, but more so on what the pack dropped and what it included instead. We’re talking about the X speed line and the fact that the adidas and Prada decided to go for the Speedportal replacement, the X Crazyfast.
It obviously didn’t have yet the final makeup of the Crazyfast as the Prada model went for a different construction. Still, the boot served as a nice teaser on what to expect from it once it became the official headliner for the adidas X football boot.
First of, let’s get the difference out of the way. The X Crazyfast.1 Prada was a luxury makeover of the said speed boot, and as such it was an iteration of the silo in a premium leather make. Perhaps taking a page from the modern Copa playbook, the X Prada suited up with its own Fusionskin upper, which combined the leather forefoot with a meshed microfibre midfoot. The heel was comprised of a leather lining.
Perhaps the point that we gleaned on this release was that it maintained the silhouette expected from a speed boot. There’s no reason to expect then that the actual Crazyfast would suddenly have a wider shape, and it would have been a step back for the silo if it did so. Another thing was that despite the material used, Prada allowed its adidas X to remain thin and lightweight, hallmarks of the likes of the Nike Mercurial and Puma Ultra.
We could probably say that the composition of the midfoot was the one that most probably related to the real Crazyfast. We expected that with the absence of leather and the microfibre cutout backing, the mesh (or something similar) would form majority of the upper, and that the cutout liner would be based on something even thinner. Doing so will help the Crazyfast provide that second-skin feel in conjunction with the snug-fitting narrow shape.
As far as the Speedframe was concerned, it looked like the Speedportal’s outsole (with its own cutouts and midfoot ridges) carried over to the Crazyfast. It was not far-fetched to think that it brought over that aggressive snapback, though there had been some noticeable dip on that front as the Crazyfast also dropped the Carbitex inserts in favour of a new material for its Aeroplate outsole.
Previous adidas X Speed Boots
The adidas X silo may had began in 2015 with the X 15.1, but much of what it has right now with the Crazyfast are rooted to the X Ghosted that was released in 2020. We look back at these old Xs and see which had introduced the features that appear or at least form the basis of the X Crazyfast.
X Speedportal (2022)
Moving on to 2022, the Speedportal changed the upper of the X once again to Speedskin. It was comprised of Primknit that had technical setups, going dense and loose in strategic areas to balance pliability and structural integrity. It still had the Speedframe with minor changes on the soleplate form. The Carbitex inserts, on the other hand, were removed midway through the Speedportal’s lifespan.
X Speedflow (2021)
The Speedflow in 2021 utilised a minimally filmed Primeknit upper that was further backed by a TPU-based Agilitycage. The said liner had cutouts to further reduce weight. The change in the upper improved on the comfort and fitting issues of the Ghosted, which others might had thought of as too syntheticky. Carbitex Speedframe remained unchanged.
X Ghosted (2020)
With the X Ghosted, Carbitex Speedframe was born. The outsole had that aggressive snapback that produced that speed-boosting sensation when you run. The responsive outsole was partnered with a vacuum-fitting Mirageskin synthetic upper which was light, thin and translucent. It was a return to the adiZero days, if you will.
Dean has worked as Chief writer for FootballBoots since 2020, he has an in depth 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!
