I have personally been waiting for this latest Nike CTR360 Maestri II release to hit the US market for the past several weeks – and finally they are here! Keeping things simple can sometimes be as effective as releasing wild colorful releases, and in my opinion this latest colorway from Nike really works! It is officially a Dark Shadow/Volt/Metallic/Dark Gray – the Volt detailing giving the release a little extra pop.

Players looking for a more serious look in the touch and control CTR360 range will like these. Although they are not a perfect black match, they offer the darkest colorway we have seen yet in the range, and it really suits the Kanga-lite upper. If I was to choose from the current CTR360 selection, these would be my go-to option.

The CTR360 Maestri are one of the most consistent boots you will currently find on the market. They offer pretty much the complete package for any player who fits the playmaker mold, or any player that aspires to be a playmaker. On field, they offer great performance and work out exactly as you would expect – and better! While dribbling, you are able to keep the ball closer to your feet by using the dampening pods up around the front of the boot. The dampening pods are raised slightly off the boot and are basically padded regions that allow for a softer touch on the ball. The side pass and control pads and the control region serves a valid purpose.

The CTR360 Maestri comes in at $189.99, while there is also the option of picking up a pair of high-value Trequartista’s for $94.99.

When ever Chelsea and Arsenal meet you know it is going to be an exciting game of soccer – and today’s game was no exception. Chelsea won the game 2-0, but if you watched the game you will know that Arsenal bullied the 2nd half with the majority of possession, only to find a resolute Chelsea defense in their way. It leaves the men in blue 4 points clear at the top of the Premier League with 7 games gone in the season. While watching the game, I spotted some players in different cleats that would be worth noting.

I just posted about the Sapphire Blue version of the Nike CTR360 Maestri this weekend, but already they are in action in the Premier League. Michael Essien was just one player to have them on show, and as usual he was impressive throughout the game. He did miss a 1 vs 1 in the last minute of the game, but he will be forgiven seeing as Chelsea won! In recent weeks, Essien has been sporting the Nike T90 Laser III, so it seems like he might be testing the waters for a boot that suits him best. Last weekend, I saw West Brom’s Youssouf Mulumbu also wearing the Saphire Blue version.

Nicolas Anelka continues in his move away from Puma. At one stage Anelka was one of the focal players in Puma advertising campaigns, but he has switched to wearing the Adidas F50 adizero in the Cyan/Pink version. They looked pretty sweet with the Chelsea kit, although Anelka didn’t get on the scoresheet during the game.

As part of the latest Nike round of releases is this Blue Sapphire version of the Nike CTR360 Maestri.I am a fan of the CTR360 Maestri, but I am a little indifferent on this colorway. The shade of blue used is very unusual and I have a feeling that these are a pair you need to see in person to get a good feel for. One thing I do like is how CTR360 has been wrote in blue on black along the heel of the boot. It is probably a release that plays against the more colorful Nike Cherry Superfly that also entered the market in the last few weeks!

I was heavily impressed with the CTR360 Maestri in testing. They offer great touch and control, as well as being one of the most comfortable boots that I have tested. Basically, they are the optimum choice for playmakers, as well as being a great option for every other position on the field! The one area I feel they fall short is in durability, with a lot of players having reservations about the range because of this factor. But it really depends on how long you expect a pair to last and how well you take care of them. i can see the CTR360 lasting a season easy – in the right conditions!

As worn players like Landon Donovan and Cesc Fabregas. They are also available in the regular CTR360 Maestri version.

I reviewed the CTR360 Maestri a few months back, but a second opinion can always be useful when deciding if a boot is right for you or not. Here are Motagalvan’s thoughts on the range:

For this review, I wore a size 9US in the Black/Challenge Red version of the CTR 360 Maestri.

Initial Reaction
Coming from a guy that only wore Adidas boots all his life, I made a transition and gave the Nike CTR360 Maestri a chance. Fortunately for me, the initial pair I wore were already broken in by one of my teammate, who let me borrow his extra pair.  After getting a good feel for them, I was able to get my hands on a new pair. At first the boot is really snug and tight, and I did suffer some slight discomfort.  However, it only took two training sessions to really break them in and mold to my feet. From my experience, this is really good timing as some boots take longer and some boots never really mold or break in to your feet.

Once again, like I mentioned above, I have always been an Adidas guy. After testing the CTR360 Maestri, my opinion is that the boot sizing is fairly close to those of any Adidas boots I have ever worn.

Design
I think that the design on the boot is very clever. The CTR360 Maestri gives the player an amazing feel for the ball while controlling and passing. And they look good also. One of the complaints I have and I know people on my team that wear the boot have is the stitching. The boot rips pretty easily over time on the side, especially playing on turf. I think instead of gluing the shoe they should stitch it and or make the plastic sit higher along the front of the boot.

Who do they suit?
In my opinion if a player is looking for comfort over style they should definitely give the CTR 360 a chance. Overall, I think the CTR360 is suited for every kind of player. It will be especially effective for players who care about there touch and feel on the ball better, those who are fast and flashy would have trouble with these boots in wet conditions as they can feel heavy.

Summary
All in all, I believe that the CTR360 Maestri are one of the best boots out right now on the market. They are extremely comfortable and give you an amazing touch on the ball. I have worn Predators, adiPures, Copas and in my opinion this shoe ranks amongst them if not better!

If you have any thoughts or questions for Motagalvan leave them below in the comment section. Get your hands on a pair of Nike CTR360 Maestri FG in White/Cyber/Black.

I am very aware that having two reviews to compare a boot on is often better than having one. With that in mind, I have recruited current professional soccer player Alfonso Motagalvan to give his opinions on certain new releases and boots that he will be testing out over the next few months.

Alfonso has been a part of teams that have won the NCAA National Championship (UCSB 2006) and the PDL Championship (Ventura County Fusion 2009). He also scored the winning goal in the 2009 PDL championship game. Currently, he plies his trade professionally with the Rochester Rhinos.

What do you typically look for in a boot?
When looking for a new boot the first thing I look for is comfort because if it feels right then I feel more confident, allowing me to perform at the top of my game.  If a cleat doesn’t feel right then I end up paying more attention to the boot instead of the game.  The next thing I look for is touch because if you have a clean first touch you are able to do much more with the ball.

First review for Alfonso will be the Nike CTR360 Maestri, which he is currently wearing (stay tuned). If you want to find out more about Alfonso check out this video.

The Nike CTR360 Maestri is a boot targeted towards a very specific part of the market – the Playmaker. We watched Cesc Fabregas debuting the boot in total style last October when he bagged 1 goal and 4 assists in Arsenal’s EPL game with Blackburn, setting the tone for the entire range. Add to that the positive performances put in by several World Cup stars that were wearing them in South Africa and there is even more credibility in what they have on offer. I have to admit, I now regret the fact that I did not bring you a review of these sooner as they are simply a great boot! I put in some extra sessions to get a quick turn around on this review, wearing them in 3 training sessions and 2 games. But as it turns out, it was more than enough time to formulate a thorough evaluation. For testing, I wore a size 9US in the Team Red/Metallic Gold color.

Focusing on the Playmaker
Nike created an extremely calculated advertising campaign that has played a huge role in the success if these boots. There was definitely a void in the market, with no boots focused on the midfield Maestro, or the Playmaker, before Nike released the CTR360 Maestri. Cesc Fabregas and Landon Donovan have been key figures in emphasizing the player these boots were designed for. And then Spain’s Andres Iniesta really added the icing to the cake by scoring the winning goal in the world cup wearing, you guessed it, the CTR360 Maestri! Oh and Fabregas got the assist. Ultimately, they fit the mold of what a Playmaker needs; something with great comfort and exceptional control that gives the Maestro confidence to create opportunities all over the field.

Breaking In
Right out of the box, these were and are some of the most comfortable boots I have worn. From the first training session, I could tell that they were ready to use in a game. So, without having to think about it, I wore them in a game! The results were all positive, I encountered no blisters or discomfort and felt confident wearing them. They fit amazingly well, and true to size. One of the best things about them is the feel of the Kanga-Lite leather on the inside, especially around the heel area. The leather is super soft, with a very similar feel to the Adidas adiPure III even though it is actually a synthetic leather.

Comfort and Performance
I was surprised with the absolute comfort you get from this boot. From looking at them, I didn’t expect much but what I encountered completely changed my mind! And, as with all great boots, comfort allows you to become a little more confident in your game. Distributing the ball works especially well as there are control pods along the strike zone. Overall performance was also pretty impressive and the boot felt like it was molded to my foot as I moved while on or off the ball. A problem that I have encountered with other boots from Nike is how your feet feel when you try to stop sharply. I didn’t get the same feeling from these. Everything about this category equals positive.

Technology
The upper of the CTR360 is created using a revolutionary Kanga-Lite synthetic leather that inhibits the properties of natural Kangaroo leather without the added weight. Another advancement lies in the strike zone, where Nike have placed innovative control pods that are made of a dampening foam, designed to enhance ball control and optimal passing pace. Finally, they have been created with unique cleat geometry and off center lacing, aligned towards the toe unlike other cleats that veer to the outside of the cleat allowing for a larger strike zone.

Negatives
One negative – the leather tends to scuff very easily. I can’t comment on the long term durability of the boot, but from my experience I have a feeling that you are not going to get a long life out of these. This, of course, is not completely accurate as I have only had them 2 weeks and have no evidence that they necessarily “fall apart”. But from my experience and from what I have seen from similar designs, you will need to spend some time cleaning them after each use to keep them looking good and in tip-top condition, especially if you wear them on an artificial surface. I will follow up on this over the coming weeks.

Summary
After testing, I can tell you that the CTR360 is my preferred choice of the Nike family. In fact, they are now sitting pretty close to the top of all boots I have tested. If you are looking for durability, I don’t think these will be the best option. But they certainly have several fantastic attributes like comfort and total control. In terms of who they suit, I have to say they fit the bill of pretty much any player on the field. I have seen many defenders and forwards wearing them, but ultimately they are most suited to the midfield maestro – the Playmaker! If that is you, then I am confident that they will compliment your game.

Also of note, I have the Adidas F50i TUNIT review ready to post for tomorrow and after a final test of the Concave PT+ Classic will have that review on Monday/Tuesday. For those of you interested in the Adidas adizero SG, that review will be up by next weekend! If you are not already, make sure to follow our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter or give us a shout-out wherever you get a chance!

PS. Thanks for all the positive comments/emails over the past few weeks. I always appreciate your guys feedback and will try to fulfill your requests for reviews wherever possible!

I am really not sure what to think about this colorway. I do like that Nike have chosen to go with a primary black upper, but the baby blue mash at the back is a little less pleasing on the eye. It sort of makes the boot look similar to the Cool Mint color found on the Nike Superfly II. Since I first saw them, they have grown on me so maybe I will become a fan. In terms of the elite range, these are completely different to the orange version seen on pitches at the World Cup. I might need to see these in action before I can make a proper assessment!

With players like Landon Donovan and Cesc Fabregas wearing the CTR360, you might be able to depict that they are extremely suitable for playmakers. Donovan’s last minute winning goal versus Algeria earlier this week has already increased the market value of the CTR360! In terms of value, I think the regular CTR360 Maestri is a better option than the Elite version. You are losing out in terms of weight, but the regular version offers superb quality for money!

In terms of performance the CTR360 Maestri has a lot to offer:

• Upper created using a revolutionary Kanga-Lite synthetic leather that inhibits the properties of natural Kangaroo leather without the added weight.
• The strike zone has Innovative control pods that are made of a dampening foam, designed to enhance ball control and optimal passing pace.
• Unique cleat geometry with off center lacing, alligned towards the toe unlike other cleats that veer to the outside of the cleat.
• Weigh in at a very average 9.8oz, pretty decent for a cleat of this design.

Also Check Out:
Nike CTR360 Maestri Released!
Nike Tiempo 94: Commemorating US Soccer History