With Nike, you have boot choices that are relatively distinct from each other, giving you more room to match the footwear of your choice to your specific ground game. The Phantom GX 2 and the Air Zoom Mercurials (Superfly 10/Vapor 16) differ not just in name, but also in feel and build to make them worthy as stand alone silos. See them side-by-side, learn their respective niche, and, more importantly, let one of boots discover the player that they are going to and enjoy football with…
Phantom GX vs Mercurial Superfly
We can talk about techs and features all day, but it’ll be all for naught if the boot does not fit at all. Too snug and all the life will be sucked out of your foot; too loose and you’ll have a sliding party all day. You’re more than halfway there in extracting the most lockdown and responsiveness if you can have them fit like Cinderella’s shoe.
On that note, the Phantom GX 2 leans on the wider side of the spectrum while the Superfly 10/Vapor 16, as it has traditionally, falls narrow. Granted that the Mercs are at their most accommodating these days, the choice is actually clear as far as fit is concerned. Most will aim to get as close to a one-to-one fit as possible, but others may view the wide-narrow dynamic in terms of how much strapped-in sensation they like to get. Which means that some might go the opposite way and, say, get a Merc for their wide foot or the GX the other way around.
Size-wise, the Phantom GX runs a quarter size long, with the Mercs staying true to length.
The Uppers: Gripknit vs GripKnit/AtomKnit
So the GX and the Mercs do have their respective fitting profiles, despite the fact that they share some similarity with their uppers. Phantom GX’s Gripknit, its headline feature, is Flyknit-based while the Air Zoom Mercurials feature a variation of the said material wherein it is supported by a more structured AtomKnit on the heel. This leads to the former feeling more relaxed and free-flowing, and the latter more structured and responsive. Both are soft and pliable though, and should have minimal break-in time only.
Combining high-tenacity yarns with those coated with melted TPU, Gripknit offers an optimal level of ball tackiness without sacrificing upper flexibility. That balance between grip and comfort gives the Phantom GX a bit of an all-around edge for those who find the adidas Predator excessive. Another cool benefit of the Gripknit is that rain would not be a problem as it is water-repellant.
Both uppers are thin and should give you that sharp, barefoot feel for the ball. But admittedly, there is a creeping sense of plushness with the Gripknit due to its sock-like nature. Another reason for this is that the Flyknit tongue (and collar on the DF model), extends further down to become some sort of an inner liner.
The Soleplates: Cyclone 360 vs Air Zoom
If it’s the upper that is central to the Phantom GX, the tooling is the highlight of the current Mercurials. Featuring the vaunted Zoom Air technology, the present Mercs have one, if not the most unique sensation, with each step feeling as if stepping on a bubble. Saying that it is cushioned or bouncy is a bit oversimplification, but what we can say is that Air Zoom does take the sting out of hard pitches like dry natural grass and even the artificial ones.
The soleplate of the Phantom GX is relatively simple and is on the softer spectrum of the flexibility scale. That’s nice and complementary of the comfort the boot brings, though some might prefer a more responsive tooling. It also does not back out in terms of bite on the pitch, thanks to its bladed stud configuration. That also extends to the Cyclone 360, which is that circular formation of studs on the forefoot to give both aggressive traction and rotation when you pivot.
If it’s just raw speed and traction though, you can’t go wrong with the chevrons of the Mercurials. In addition, the Zoom Air window now has fins that also act like studs, with the purpose of engaging that 3/4-length strobel unit even more. So given the soleplate and studs of both boots…agility: go for GX; pure speed: get the Mercurial.
Phantom Luna vs Vapor
The usual recommendation regarding the Mercurials is to go with the Vapor, as the Superfly only has the DF collar as the additional feature (something not worth the extra pounds if we’re being honest). The same can be said with the Phantom GX, as its DF Luna model follows the same collar/non-collar differentiation.
It must be noted that the Phantom Luna 2 somehow also undermines the concept of the silo when it was introduced as a women-led boot back in Luna 1. Just a side note then to our women players, if you’re Luna 1 is still good, you’re better off sticking with it rather than doing the switch to the latest generation.
Your Phantom GX and Mercurial Football Idols
Not to say that one boot is exclusive to one type of player, but you’ll find the Phantom GX more on midfielders, playmakers or those with technical abilities, and the Mercurials more on forwards, attackers/scorers or pacey players.
Regarding specific football stars, the Phantom GX has the likes of Phil Foden, and Erling Haaland. The Mercurial Superfly will always have the stardom of CR7, though arguably now has a successor in Kylian Mbappe. Vini Jr usually headlines the Vapor.
