We wanted to offer our friends at Uhlsport a big congratulations on having a World Cup goalkeeper in their ranks! Even though Pepe Reina did not start for Spain, he was probably the best back-up goalkeeper at the World Cup and could have started for pretty much any other country. Uhlsport can also be proud of the fact that more goalkeepers at the World Cup were wearing Uhlsport than any other brand with a total of 27 keepers (2nd was Nike with 19). We have tested several Uhlsport soccer cleats, including the Kickschuh Instinkt, which are a great option for any aspiring goalkeepers out there! Check out all things Uhlsport at Soccer.com

Keep up the good work Uhlsport!

If you are a goalkeeper, you are probably pretty familiar with Uhlsport. Over the past few months, we have covered some Uhlsport products including the extremely useful Kickschuh Instinckt soccer cleat, designed for both goalkeepers and outfield players. Well, the German giants have ensured they will be highly prominent at the upcoming World Cup in South Africa. Some of the stars that will be wearing Uhlsport gear include French No.1 Hugo Lloris, Spain’s Pepe Reine and Germany’s Jorg Butt. You can check out the Uhlsport WC Goalkeepers List or head over to Soccer.com to see the full range of Uhlsport goalkeeper gear.

Part of Uhlsports campaign is the slogan “We Take Action”.

I have to admit that reviewing the Uhlsport Kickschuh Instinkt has been one of the more interesting reviews I have done. This is primarily because I have always known Uhlsport to be one of the top companies in goalkeeper apparel, rather than outfield gear like soccer cleats. It was Chivas USA goalkeeper Danny Kennedy that brought the latest Uhlsport releases to my attention, and after contacting them to find out more they were more than willing to send out some pairs for testing. After testing the Kickschuh Instinkt for the past few weeks in a size 9US (5 training sessions and 2 games) I am happy to report that I have been pleasantly surprised with their performance!

Consistency
Ok, so the Uhlsport Kickschuh Instinkt is by no means the best soccer cleat on the market, and it does not have any certain feature that differentiates it from other cleats on the market. But what it has is consistency, and an excellent balance. Lets say you walk into a dealership this week and you have to buy a car before leaving. The salesman walks up to you and says “Hey, would you like to buy this fantastically, awesome, brand new state of the art Toyota Prius that does 50 miles to the gallon and has all the add-ons you want, with the exception of working brakes as there have been slight problems with making sure they work properly……or would you prefer to purchase this slightly more modest looking Honda Civic that does a decent 25 miles to the gallon, is fully functional in all the necessary departments and has breaks?” Which car are you going to choose? As of late, there have been problems/concerns with some Adidas and Nike releases and a lot of people have been wondering what the safe bet is. The Kickschuh Instinkt fits into the bracket of safe cleats that are suitable for all players and offer comfort from day 1.

Breaking In
One of the main reasons I liked these boots was because of the comfort they provide. Uhlsport have been working hard for a long time to perfect creating the best fitting gloves for goalkeepers. This tradition has simply transferred over to the Kickschuh Instinkt. The insole is thick and spongey, while the leather lining matches the contours of your foot snugly. It is not like Uhlsport have created any ingenious formula for comfortable boots, they have simply placed an emphasis on making sure the basics were met. These boots definitely fit medium to wide, so if you are used to a narrow fit, these might not be for you. The supersoft Kangaroo leather provides excellent comfort, a consistent fit and strength of shape.

Technology
As I stated before, there is nothing extraordinary about the Kickschuh Instinkt. This boots are all about being balanced, both in comfort and playability. I was impressed with the K-leather that does offer great feel and touch. Their are some ridges sown into the passing zone of the boot. I’m not sure if these ridges have any benefits, but their are no negatives to having them there. It might aid in control, but it is not noticeable.

Who do they suit?
Obviously, these cleats are very suitable for goalkeepers. The strike zone sits decently wide so they are great for striking the ball. But I also feel like these have great appeal to outfield players. Because they are so well rounded, I would recommend them to all players on the field. Basically, if you are in the market for a boot that performs well these are a great option.

Negatives
The on big negative I had was with the tongue. The tongue is cut off at the opening of the cleat and fits real well, this is not where I had an issue. The lining off the tongue inside the cleat, down along the top of the foot an be a little uncomfortable. Each time I put the cleats on I had to make sure they were lined up just right so as not to overlap. Also, they don’t really offer that everyday, typical soccer cleat vibe that you expect and it can be off-putting. They are an ideal option for goalkeepers, but will find limited success with outfield players in my opinion.

Summary
Before I received these from Uhlsport, I wasn’t expecting too much. As I said before, I only knew of Uhlsport as a goalkeeper specific company. But after testing these, I am mildly impressed with the strides they have made in introducing soccer cleats to the market. You are not getting a top of the range cleat, but you are getting quality and a cleat that is designed around comfort. If you are interested in getting a pair, you can find them right now on the Uhlsport website.

*Boots supplied for review by Uhlsport USA

• Additional Forefoot claws: Instead of just having a normal stud design, Uhlsport have added additional forefoot claws that are designed to provide improved lateral grip. This is essential for goalkeepers who need to move from side to side quickly, especially when saving shots! There are 8 claws in total that run right around the front of the cleat. (seen in the images)

• Raised Heel: The heel of each cleat has been raised by 4mm. This is to allow sufficient weight towards the forefront of the cleat, allowing a goalkeeper enhanced agility and spring. One of the first rules you learn as a goalkeeper is to stay on your toes!

I recently spoke to Chivas USA Goalkeeper Danny Kennedy, who spent some time testing the Torkralle for Uhlsport. His reaction to the cleat was positive, specifically with the raised heel, which he says is more likely to keep you on the balls of your feet, while also giving you an extra 4mm of height (what goalkeeper doesn’t want to be a little taller?). Danny will be wearing Uhlsport gloves and cleats this season in MLS. Former German goalkeeper Robert Enke worked with Uhlsport through the development of the cleat. He was due to wear them at this summers World Cup in South Africa before his untimely death. Arsenal goalkeeper Lucasz Fabianski has been wearing them in recent Champions League action.

I also spoke with former Georgetown standout goalkeeper Jade Higgins (who runs a goalkeeping website called Shutout Central), to get her perspective on the new Torkralle. When I asked her about the benefits these offer Goalkeepers her opinion is similar to that of Kennedy, “I like the extra blades that outline the sole of the cleat.  When goalkeepers dive, they put a lot of their weight on their toes.  The extra blades provide better grip, but don’t make you feel ‘stuck’ in the ground.  I’m surprised more companies haven’t tried developing a specialized goalkeeper cleat.” And this is something I tend to agree with. Coaching goalkeepers from a young age can be challenging, and there are several critical skills that need to be learned in order for them to have growth in the position.

In my opinion, the Torkralle are probably a great companion for any young goalkeeper. They almost give an unfair advantage as they can be used to train muscle memory. The key component of learning a new movement is doing it over and over again, basically training your mind to control your movements. For example, keepers need to be on the balls of their feet at all times. Jade told me about some training techniques one of her goalkeeping coaches used. He would make his goalkeepers put their heels on tennis balls when practicing basic handling, so their weight would be forward, and that is something the Torkralle are designed to offer without using tennis balls.  Worth noting is the fact that Uhlsport have patented their technology to ensure they are the only ones that can reproduce the design – now that shows how serious they are about these cleats!

I have had an opportunity to try on the Torkralle but as an outfield player, I am not a huge fan. They are definitely designed for one player on the pitch, and one player alone…the goalkeeper! Looking at them, they seem to look bulky and full, yet they weigh in at a pretty nice 10oz, this is lighter than the Predator X and Total90 Laser III.

As an example, take a look at the below images of the Kickschuh Instinkt(left) and Kickschuh Performance(right). In my opinion, these are some decent looking boots, and to be honest, they look a lot better than some other cleats currently on the market. Performance wise I can’t comment, but as we speak I am in the process of getting my hands on a few pairs for testing. Reviews to follow! In the meantime, I recommend checking out the full range on the Uhlsport USA website. Let us know what you think in the poll below, or alternatively leave us a comment!

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