Soccer Cleats 101 Soccer Cleats News and Reviews
Earlier this week, Under Armour introduced a special collaboration with Warner Bros to help celebrate the new “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” movie. It is called Alter Ego, and to the soccer world that means comic strip style print placed across both of UA’s key boots; Cluchfit and Speedform. The day that two good guy Superheroes battle it out on the big screen is unique in itself, but the fact Under Armour were the brand to secure the rights for a special edition design like this shows they are a serious market player!
We were treated to a pair of each and wanted to share some of the up close details on each boot. With a limited number of pairs available for retail, true fans of either superhero will be clamoring to secure their very own pair. Here is what you can expect.
Find the entire UA Alter Ego line-up at soccer.com.
UA Speedform Alter Ego “Superman”
Design – It is very easy to see the full detailing on this boot, with Superman himself and some iconic text standing out on the steel silver underlay. You get the block style “Superman” text along with other words like “Pow!” and “Fierce!”. Add in some Red/Blue detailing that matches the caped crusaders outfit and it completes the look.
Performance – I’m a HUGE fan of Speedform and what they have on offer. One of the most interesting aspects of the boot the is articulated toe box, which is essentially a toe contoured mold. It is pretty pliable and sits comfortably right across your forefoot, working in unison with your natural foot shape. In order to make it work, an underlay cage system is used and it forms as part of the aesthetic design of the boot. What is even more impressive about the Speedform is just how comfortable they are. From a memory foam style sole lining with mesh to an extra layer of padding around the heel, your feet just feel at home from the very first wear. Because there is no insole, (the side walls follow as one piece across the insole) the complete fit feels very natural and connected.
UA Clutchfit Alter Ego “Superman”
Design – You need to look a little deeper underneath the transparent rubber touch and control component on the upper to see the comic strip below. The colors are a little different here, with a Black underlay covered in steel silver text. Words like “Dark Knight” and an blast of iconic “Batman” text creates a dynamic appearance. The Superhero himself also makes several appearances across the surface.
Performance – Not a boot that will disappoint, Clutchfit is all about control on the ball. The real benefit of Clutchfit comes with the grip provided across the upper and how it allows for a clean and controlled first touch. This proves especially true as you take balls out of the air. While wearing them recently, there were several occasions where the ball stuck to the surface of the material while taking down long balls. As much as I’d love to place this directly on my skills and ability to take the ball out of the air like Juan Mata, credit most go to the cushioned feel of the material as it really does grip the ball directly on impact.
Alter Ego Clutchfit and Speedform
Both the Batman and Superman comic strip designs are available on Clutchfit and Speedform – so there are two boots that we didn’t feature here. Figuring out which style boot you are is the first step, then you need to figure out which Superhero you want to play like! This line-up is already proving popular with fans, so the special edition designs are not likely to hang around too long.
To see the entire line-up, head over to soccer.com.
