The Nike Mercurial Vapor VI hit the markets a few weeks back through a huge Nike media campaign. It was Cristiano Ronaldo who was centerpiece in announcing the new range and the initial Violet color that the boot would be released in. Since that time, there has been much speculation about the performance and comfort level of the Vapor VI, with many wondering if it is in fact worth the huge sum that you have to fork out to get a pair. I actually received a pair before their release date, but have taken the past 3 weeks to completely test them out beyond just breaking them in. For testing, I wore a size 9US for several running only sessions, 3-4 training sessions and 3 games.
Breaking In
Straight off the bat, you are going to need a few sessions in these before they are ready for game time! I started off with a few simple jogging/fitness sessions without the ball to get them started. I followed this up by only wearing them in the first half of the initial game that I wore them in. But to be honest, they still needed some additional breaking in. I have heard reports of people blistering pretty easily from wearing the Nike Vapor VI straight out of the box and into a game. Be warned! Fortunately, I haven’t encountered any blistering from them at any stage. My main concern with how these break in is the glass fiber composite sole-plate as it seems to be stiffer than normal sole plates. This will loosen up over time.
Style
Nike has chosen to keep a pretty similar design on the VI to its predecessor the V. There are also some new additions that need to be
noted. First off is the lace cover that is now about a half inch lower, giving you a little more room to tighten your laces (although this is still a problem – see negatives.) You can now get down to around the 4th lace hole. Next up is the use of the Nike signature Swoosh, which on the VI is larger and runs right up around the front of the boot. Another difference is the addition of a see through sole-plate that allows you to clearly see the glass fiber composite underneath. The biggest difference is obviously the color.
Color=Violet
How Nike came about choosing the color has an interesting story behind it. When doing some research for the VI release, Nike spoke to Didier Drogba who stated that when he wore the bright colored version of the V series, other players seemed to pass him the ball more – he felt that his shoes played a role in this. So, Nike researched what colors were more visible on a green soccer pitch and came up with the current Violet design. They felt that Violet stood out more than any other color on a green pitch, giving it the added benefit of allowing other players to notice you more easily thanks to your cleats. Does it work? Unfortunately it does, this information comes from most of my teammates who said that you can’t help but see the cleats when they look up the field. This is especially true when playing games under lights. (I say unfortunately because this means we are in store for more crazy colors in the future. I am a fan of more subtle colors)
Technology
To make it clear, there is no Flywire technology used in the Vapor VI. This has caused huge debate across forums and blogs, and I have had many emails asking if there Flywire used. After the trouble encountered with the V series, and its delayed release, Nike chose to completely eliminate it from the new range. Instead they have gone with using a glass fiber composite chassis to decrease the cleats weight. They have also taken a pretty unique step with the blades, by cutting out a triangular center, again eliminating unnecessary weight. And the final difference is the addition of a special grip area at the forefront of the cleat. These groves are designed to give extra traction on take-off and increase your ability to be dynamic on the first step. It is difficult to tell if this actually helps, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have it there in case it does!
Negatives
I have two specific negatives that I think Nike need to improve on. First is the sole-plate and how stiff it was to break in. I understand that the purpose of the new sole-plate is to eliminate weight, but I would rather the cleat be 1.0oz heavier and a lot more comfortable. It seems like Nike are trying to prove a point with turning weight into the number one priority, but if you ask most professional athletes, it is difficult to differentiate weight differences. the second thing is the lace cover, which again hinders your ability to get to the laces. In fact, it took me a while to actually get these boots on. The insole is designed with an added element of grip, so my sock got three quarters of the way in…and stopped moving! It took me a while to loosen up the laces and get my foot in. But then i had to try tighten the laces again. If the more expensive Superfly II is designed with no lace cover, why should the Vapor VI have a lace cover?
Summary
After all is said and done, I was decently happy with the performance of the Vapor VI. One thing that really impressed me is the fact that they offer a decent amount of protection for a cleat that weighs in at a decently light 8.0oz. And after breaking them in, they do have a pretty impressive comfort level. The color is pretty funky, but it serves its purpose on the field and grows on you, but there will be some slagging involved from your teammates! If you are considering buying a pair, you need to be ready to allow a few weeks for them to break in, time is everything with these boots!
(*boots supplied for review by soccer.com)
[...] Nike Mercurial Vapor VI Review | Soccer Cleats 101 [...]
I am looking for an advice. I want to get them, but the turf ones (victory). Can you tell me anything about the synthetic leather they are made of? I have heard many negative reviews on old V and IV ones that the paint got washed out even after first game.
Cheers and I am looking forward to f50i review. =)
Hi Bryan,
I want to buy these cleats but I would like to know if the lace cover tears fast because I've heard some negatives about it.
Thanks in advance.
Anton,
I encountered no problems with the lace cover, and in my opinion the only way they will rip is if someone catches their cleat/blade along it..but even at that it would have to be a pretty hard connection!
What is your opinion about the stud design? they changed it from last year's vapor stud placement and I wanted to know if it affects the support or performance at all.
thanks-
Greg
Greg,
Stud design works well. I liked the fact that they are cut a little lower so you are closer to the ground on turns. But overall, there is not a huge difference in feel or performance. If anything, I think the change is more to do with Nike trying something new.
Hey Bryan,great review.I think im gonna get myself a pair of Mercurial Glides.I have a question though.Since its my first boots,how do you know that your cleats really fits?do you have any guides on how to choose your cleat size?If able,can you make a review about that?
I have a few friends who have all had problems with the lace cover tearing. After a couple of months they were covering up their pretty cleats in tape:(
Hey Mark,
It is recommended to go for a half size smaller than your sneaker size. This means you get a tighter fit, and for the most part that is what you want! I will put together a post this week on what to look for when selecting a cleat!
Keep an eye out for it!
Thanks Bryan!!you're really helpful!!
[...] Nani and Theo Walcott have been sporting their own personalized Nike Mercurial Superfly II and Vapor VI’s in the past few weeks. I am using the images to illustrate a [...]
Hey Bryan,did you see the recent Man United vs Man City match?It looked like Nani was wearing his old mercurial vapors V…Is there any problem with the new vapours that made Nani go back to the old ones?
No problem necessarily, players reportedly prefer the V range…one reason I would think is because the VI range is so difficult to break in!
Just to be careful,i'll get the old mercurial steams instead of the glides.At least i'll get to save a few dollars…haha
my mate said he got these in his normal size of 9.5 like his mercurial vapour 5 but were a little too big are these bigger than the previous version?
Hi, your website is great! You discussed some of the negatives of the Superfly II such as the lace cover. However, you bought the second grade version. The first grade version does not have a lace cover and does have flywire. It is also somewhat lighter with even lower density studs which extend and refract on different turfs. However, is it worth the price? They cost a whopping 275 pounds on prodirectsoccer.
Edwin,
This review is for the Nike Vapor VI, not the Superfly! I think you might have mis-read some parts as I don't refer to the Superfly as having a lace cover.
Check out the Superfly review here.
Oh, yeah sorry. I realized that the Superfly 2 and the vapor 6 are different just now after browsing through. I also want to ask if the adidas F50 or the vapors are better. By the way, do you play football professionally?
[...] In In similar fashion to the Vapor VI, the Superfly II took quite a while to break in. In fact, the Superfly II was actually tougher as [...]
[...] a bunch of guys wearing purple shoes help or hurt the stereotype that soccer is for wimps? The Nike Mercurial Vapor are purple and [...]
Edwin, i have played football at a very high level for a while and have tried both. I personally prefer f50's because the give a cleaner touch and do not require a break in. They are also a much more comfortable cleat and feel like a leather even though their synthetic. I do not even notice the weight difference between the two because of the anitomical fir adidas has with the f 50. There is absolutely 0 negative space with the f50's since they basically wrap around your whole foot. They are truley amazing cleats, and as a result of the zero space they feel very light! If you wear a size 10 sneaker, get a 9 f50
Regards!
Are they wider than the superfly II?
is this cleat good for medium to wide footed people?
2 questions,
what advantages, if any, do the vapor VI's have over the F50 adizeros?
and kinda related to edwin's comment, i seem to remember you saying that you were working on a F50i tunit review. is that still in progress?
thanks in advance.
Stephen,
Advantages would be the lace cover and for some people the fit! Also, you could argue that the Vapor VI is a little more durable (because it has more material.)
The F50i tunit review is almost finished also, stay tuned for that!
please can someone tell me if their ARE MADE IN CHINA OR ITALTY, OR BOSNIA! THANK YOU
I got these boots yesterday and had a 1+1/2h of training (includes running, shooting and passing) but i have a game on this sunday, and im not used to them yet. What should i do for my game? should i where my new ones or wait to they have broken in and use my old ones in the meantime… WHAT SHOULD I DO!???
Kim,
The best thing to do is hold off, if you don't feel comfortable in them they won't help your game. It is important to always make sure your boots are broken in to avoid blisters because blisters mean you will hurt in any boots you wear!
Hey Bryan I was wondering what you think are better, the nike mercurial vapor vi or the f50 adizero, I play mid and wing and in both positions I take a lot of long shots and crosses. What's better for shooting, curve, comfort ect.
Thanks
[...] goalkeeper who sat the 2nd and 3rd game of the tournament after conceding a soft goal. Soccercleats101 mentioned how these light weight boots surprisingly offer decent protection. Faouzi Chaouchi, [...]
Bryan,
I am looking into getting a pair of these, but I have heard a variety of comments about the sizing. I wear an 11.5 in predators and total 90's but some people are saying I should order a half size down. I noticed you didn't say anything about this in your review, so I was wondering if you have any comments on this topic.
Jesse,
Best bet is to compare reviews for both, that way you will see my opinion side by side for both.
Julien,
I would say order true to size! I wore a size 9 for testing (I am a size 9) and they fit perfectly!
Well Bryan,
Just wondering about the weight differences between the vapors and t90's. Did you really feel it? Also did you really find much of a difference between the striking and in particular long passing in both these boots?
Thanks from Ireland!
Hey Aiden,
It is very difficult to tell there is a difference between both when on your feet. Striking wise, the T90 offers a lot more because of the nature of the design and technology while the Vapors are a little more simplistic and more for a playmaker.
I wear a size 9.5 should i stick with a 9.5 on these or go up to 10
?
Yes, horrible designed / engineered on the "lace cover", just recently purchased the World Cup version, now returning them just because of that.
Run about .5 / half size wide. Order .5 / half size down for snug fit, guys & girls.
Hey Bryan, thanks for the review! It really helped me pick my new boot! I just have one question, how do you or what would you do to clean these boots?
Logan,
They do tend to scuff…I just took a wet cloth to get the marks off, and then set them out to air dry. That is about all you will need to do!
Hey Bryan,
I was wondering are these boots any good on turf and wet grass because i usually play on wet grass or on hard turf ?
Hey Bryan,
I am looking to get these but I am just wondering how they fare on artificial turf. Are they durable? Thank You!
Hey Bryan,
I went for a half size smaller in Merc 6's than I usually wear in K leather cleats.
I played and trained about 8 times and am still getting blisters in the upper heal.
Noticed that the Merc 5 had much more padding in the heal compared to the 6's.
Would a half size bigger have helped any?
Thank you,
Brian.
Jeet and C.Ronaldo,
I wore them on artificial and they worked well. You are likely to see less durability on the surface, but they will still perform as needed.
Brian,
I always say having your boots a little bigger is better, I am personally not a fan of blisters! Go a half size up next time for sure.
Hey Brian, are these made in China or Italy? and do all Vapors VI have the "twist-stud"? because I want to get these, but Im not sure if they are actual Mercurial Vapors:
http://articulo.mercadolibre.com.mx/MLM-49859332-…
Apparently those don't have the twist stud, and are made in China.
Thanks in advance!
Edgar,
Not sure where those particular ones are made, but they are the Vapor VI. It is only the Superfly that has the twist stud, the Vapor VI does not have this technology.
Sorry, I meant the ones you have. Are those made in China or Italy?
Best regards, Edgar.
hey bryan another question… I have the nike ctr360 in size 9 1/2 currently and they are a very snug fit. I went in to the store and tried these on in size 10 and they are a huge difference. You think ordering a half size down in these are necessary? THANKS!!
Hey Brian great reveiw but I've been reading reviews saying to order half size down, i recently owned the talaria v in a 10 and had a little bit of toe space, what size should I order???
Kaka,
Go for the same size as the Talaria. They fit pretty similar as the Vapor VI.
Hi bryan, are these good for medium to wide fit?
hey brian,
i had a pair of vapor vi and the sole plate started to come off from the boot in the midsection after a month on a normal grass feild. I got them in an 8.5 and they stretched a bit and fit my feet perfectly but i was wondering if my feet were too wide that they caused the soleplate to seperate? Is the lace cover supposed to lay flat to my foot?? and if i got a size up would i get more blisters??