Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Boot Review – Total90




Introduced in 2007, Nike launched the Total90 football (soccer) cleat that drastically changed how cleat manufacturers have designed and enhanced football footwear.

The first obvious difference between the classic leather boot and the “new and improved” Nike Total90 is the concentric rubber rings (shot-shield) on the top of the cleat. Being the main feature, this material is claimed to improve accuracy, swerve and power when striking a ball. The cleat also boasts an “e-Vent” membrane over the supposed “tongue” of the boot – increasing breathability, while blocking absorption.

Numerous Nike-endorsed players – such as Carles Puyol, Diego, Fabio Cannavaro, Wayne Rooney, Rafael Márquez and Fernando Torres – all had the privilege of testing the Total90 cleat at some point throughout its six generations of revisions. The latest version – the Total90 Laser II – features a refined “sweet spot” and reduces the area of exposed laces.

I had the pleasure of testing a pair of Total90 cleats myself. Sadly, I couldn’t afford the nearly $200 pair of Total90 Laser II, but my $85 pair of Total90 Strike held up perfectly for two full years. My touch was impeccably better, comfort and breathability were perfect, and in two years, I never had a blister – that says a lot for a cleat, especially for the cheaper version.

Stud Rating: 5 out of 5 Studs

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