Wednesday , March 27 2024

Nike Mercurial Vapor V Review

Cristiano Ronaldo, Robinho and Pato, what do these World class players have in common? The Nike Mercurial Vapor V, that’s what! Over the past few seasons, Ronaldo has become the poster boy for Nike, with dazzling performances that saw him win the 2008 World Player of the year award. Each release in the Vapor range, over the past 2 years, has involved Ronaldo, and the Vapor V is no different. With that being said, these cleats obviously hold something special, and I was very excited to get my hands on a pair to review.

I received a pair of the latest color released, in a Black/Voltage Yellow color size 9US. The Black/Voltage Yellow color was debuted by Ronaldo at his unveiling after signing for Spanish Giants Real Madrid!

Breaking In
Nike Vapor V from aboveAfter several weeks of wearing the Vapor V in practice sessions and also 2 games, my Vapor V’s have been well broken in! I got reports from friends, who also wear the Vapor V, that they encountered some blisters after wearing the cleats in a game on day 1. With this in mind, I chose to wear the Vapor V’s for jogging in the first few sessions, to give them an opportunity to mold to my foot.  Thankfully, the first few sessions were comfortable, and I didn’t encounter any blisters or other discomforts. I think one of the benefits to these cleats is how they fit my foot specifically.

Fit and Weight
I have a medium to wide foot, and the Nike Vapor V is a comfy fit. In fact, these cleats fit very similarly to the Adidas adiPURE range. I wore a size 9US and they work out to be a perfect length. If you normally wear a size 9US, order a size 9US. They fit really well. Once you tighten the laces, they really fit snugly right around your foot and have that ‘I want to mold to you feet’ type feel!
The Vapor V weighs in at a super light 8.4oz, which is pretty similar to the Puma V1.10 (8.2oz). Nike use Teijin Microfiber on the upper of the cleat, a synthetic material that is light weight and easily conforms to the shape of your foot. In my opinion, it is hard to notice the weight difference in cleats, and it has not been proven to supply a huge increase in performance, but mentally it helps knowing you have a lighter cleat on your foot.

Covered Lacing System
This is something that I particularly like for two reasons. Appearance wise, I think the cleat is more attractive with the laces hidden. The second thing is that it offers a larger strike zone, without placing a bulky cover over the laces. Nike uses a light compound that is extremely thin! So many companies have worked to create or improve this feature, I feel like Nike has nailed it on the Vapor V. The one thing I didn’t like about the cover is that it makes it difficult to replace laces (see negatives below).

Nike Vapor V Flywire

Technology
The big advancement in this range: Flywire! We took time recently to summarize exactly what Flywire is. If you look at the inside of each cleat, you can see the outline of the wires. In case you are not familiar with what is for, Flywire is designed to minimize weight and maximize support. Its high-strength threads work like cables on a suspension bridge with support engineered precisely where your foot needs it.

Another advancement to this cleat is an additional blade that Nike have added at the front of the cleat. This additional cleat is designed to increase acceleration on the initial push. I have to say that this is something that is noticeable and a welcome addition to any cleat. I noticed it when taking off, your foot seems to gain addition grip on the surface, making it easier to push off.

Negatives
A few negatives about these boots. First off, Nike figure out your shoe laces! Maybe these are designed to just be tied and tucked under the lace cover, but I want long laces to run around my cleats! This is just my own pet peeve I guess, and not something that affects performance in any way. One question I have about these cleats is what are you supposed to doe if the lace tears? It seems like change laces would be pretty impossible if you needed to.

Conclusion
Priced at $220, the Nike Vapor V is one of the more expensive cleats on the market. To be honest, I haven’t been a fan and have kind of avoided the cleat in the past year. But after testing, I have to say I now understand what all the hype is about and why so many people are crazy to get their hands on them (although I still don’t understand what he craze over the Nike Vapor Berry was all about!!) I like the overall design of the Black/Voltage Yellow color, and found the cleat to be comfortable in-game. In terms of positions, I can definitely see fast/tricky players benefiting most from what they have to offer – and that seems to be who Nike is aiming this release towards.

(boots supplied for review by soccer.com)

About Bryan Byrne

The mastermind behind the revolution that is SoccerCleats101. Bryan started this website back in 2008 and has been testing boots on a daily basis ever since. Check out our About Page for more details on Bryan and the website.

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25 comments

  1. WHat are your thoughts on sg studs?

  2. Hey Ryan,great review!Have you tried on the mercurial steams?if youved tried them,how do they compare to the vapors?

  3. i really would like to know if anybody has found a way to change the laces because i have the nike mercurial steam v fg white/black/pink ones with the lace cover and i would like to change my laces to my special breast cancer laces to support i know not all of it would show but i would still love to put it on and have my support but i can not find a way to re lace them can somebody please tell me if they know how to relace them. thank you Bradley

  4. Hey Bradley,

    That is a tough one, I have not found a way to change the lases unfortunately. It seems to be one negatives about the boot!

  5. I was wondering how theses shoes fit as an all around boot. I play Defense and Mid and was wondering if the shoes work well for playmaking. I am having a tough time deciding on these or the Puma powercats. Do these shoes work well for turning?

  6. Thomas,

    These are a great option for playmakers. I would rate these ahead of the powercats imply because they are more comfortable to wear.

  7. Hey Bryan,

    Do you know how these compare to the Vapor III's? Those were my all time favorite cleats, but I only got them because I found them for half off. I've now found the Vapor V's for $69.99, but was wondering if I should order the same size I had in the Vapor III's.

    Paul

  8. Hey Paul,

    They are actually pretty comparable less the new technology and shape. But in terms of size I really can't give any good advice! For the most part, Nike have stayed consistent so it is probably a very similar fit.

  9. Hey Bryan,

    If you have a friend with really great chopstick skills, that might be the answer to your re-lacing woes!

  10. Paul: you should get the vapor Vs a half size down. for example, if you had 10 on your vapor IIIs then you get the vapor Vs in 9.5 🙂

    best shoe ever btw!

  11. PLEASE HELP !

    Brian ,

    I recently bought some vapor v yellow SG and im not allowed to wear them in the high school season i was wondering if theres plastic studs i can buy for them or something , or do the adidas studs will work ? or anybody that will like to buy or trade im size 10 US ://

  12. Azael,

    I assume your highschool field is turf? Your best bet is to look for turf cleats that are specifically designed for the surface (they also work out to be cheaper)

  13. which would you recommend? these or mercurial mericle?

  14. Do you know that some Vapor's 5 are making in Bosnia? I have one.

  15. Hi,

    I was just wondering how durable these boots are?
    Also, do you think it would be appropriate to wear them as a keeper?

  16. terrible cleats the vapor v. vapor vi fg violet, elite (sliver and orange), and cherry are my personal favs. what do you think Bryan. by the way ur reviews are smoking awesome keep it up. mmkay

  17. do you no when the vapor 7s will come out????

  18. Hello,

    may i ask why did you rate the boots' durabilty 7? And how to you clean them? Also which you recommend for a wing back? these or the adizeros? i do not really go for comfort. Thanks, hope you replt as soon as possible as i really need it.

  19. John,

    The front lace cover has a tendency to rip easily. Keeping them clean is pretty easy, just use a damp warm cloth to get dirt off then leave them to airdry. They are a good choice for wing-backs as they are lightweight.

    To be honest, comfort should be your number 1 concern!

  20. why was durability 7 not a 9 like the f50 adizeros?

  21. hey Bryan there are reports that the mercurial vapor v has creases/wrinkles after using for some time. did it happen with your boots?

  22. Hello!
    Can I ask some question… ? Because I have a wide foot and I'm not sure whether to buy or not the new adidas f10 … A month ago I tried the new mercurial victory 2 and they don't fit me well, after the 2nd day I started to feel pain in my foot… So now I'm thinking of buying f10, so are they good for people with wide foot ?

  23. i have one of it.. in orion blue color's.. and it's the most comfortable boots that i ever have

  24. I never realized that these had a good bit of Carbon fiber under the insole inside the shoe. I felt like the Vapor 5's were the best vapors made so far, seeing the quality that Nike put in them. Sad to see less and less cleats made from Italy nowadays. I've had mine for 3 years and aside from a few cosmetic problems, everything is still like new!

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