Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
A few weeks back, I took a chance and picked up a fresh pair of the combined soccer/running inspired Nike Free Hypervenom 2 FS that were listed at a ridiculously good price. In the past, I’ve been hesitant about the Hypervenom shoe series in the past – mostly related to fit – and never considered the fact that they might actually be a decent everyday shoe option. What I now know is that was a complete misjudgment on my behalf! This pair comes in Flat Silver/Obsidian, and was originally released this past September.
So, what have they going on that makes them so special?
You open the box for the first time, and the visual appearance is quite dramatic, in a positive way. The graphic style safari print pattern that sits across the Nike Skin upper just looks right. Added to that, Flywire that runs through the asymmetrical lacing system gives them a more futuristic appearance. Of course, this also comes together to offer performance benefits including a more custom fit and lightweight feel.
Then there is the inner sleeve design, something that has caused some issues when trying to slip them on. It is designed to fit extremely tight, so that the shoe hugs your foot securely in place through wear. In order to get my foot in, I had to loosen the laces right to the end and really work my foot in using both tongue and heel pull tabs. At the beginning it took some work and was not an easy process! This continued to be an issue until someone on instagram, njmason, offered me some valuable advice: “Key to getting these on is to loosen the laces at the top and just tuck the ends into the sides without tying them.”
I’ve since started tucking the laces in and it has been a real success. In my case, I’ve been wearing them as an everyday shoe (they have a fashionable look with jeans.) But, for some they will be a running shoe. If that is the case, you are going to need to loosen and tie them each time you wear. It is probably what you do with your current running shoes anyway, plus it shouldn’t be a big deal if you value the overall performance on offer.
It is the sole that makes these a true running shoe options. Nike use their highly reviewed Free 3.0 outsole that gives you natural feeling flexibility and support through running motion. As per the images, there are separate pods that allow for the material to crease in different areas and directions to really adjust to the surface you are running on!
As a soccer style shoe, they definitely can be used on the random occasion you need to jump into a quick short sided game and don’t have other shoes with you, especially when it comes to playing on court. But they are not intended to be an exclusive soccer shoe. Don’t purchase them intending to use them full time playing indoor – it is not their purpose.
Listed for $129.99, there are several pairs available at soccer.com.
