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Few boot ranges cause as much of a stir as the adidas Predator! When there was a hint that there was a new incarnation on the horizon, football forums around the globe began filling with leaked images of the new Predator adiPower football boots. But rather than settle for grainy second-hand images, we had the boots arrive at SoccerBible HQ for some exclusive photography...
The eleventh incarnation of the adidas Predator has been 17 years in the making, and the new adidas Predator adiPower football boots are arguably the most radical version of them all. With an illustrious history, the adidas Predator continues to set new standards with each release and yet again adidas have raised the bar!
The most iconic football boot in history returns with it's familiar black/white/red colour-scheme, yet with a radical overhaul to meet the growing demands of the modern game. At a time when speed matters, adidas have designed the lightest and most powerful adidas Predator ever. The adidas Predator adiPower tips the scales at just 235g, 25% lighter than the adidas Predator X.
Above all of the changes made to the new Predator adiPower soccer cleats, the introduction of the adidas SprintFrame, which has been a huge hit with the F50 range, is the major evolutionary leap forward for the new Predator. With less upper layers, the revolutionary outsole is 50% lighter than a standard TPU outsole and has been designed to create the entire stability across the boot.
Another adidas innovation which has been successfully implemented in the F50 adizero range, and now finds itself used for the new adiPower, is the wider boot last and redesigned foot-bed. Now featuring a wider fore-foot, sleeker mid-foot and wider heel, the new Predator adiPower last means the studs can be positioned closer to the outside of the sole. This works to give the shoes greater stability whilst improving movement, traction and pressure distribution.
Power merges with lightweight construction to create the lightest and most powerful Predator ever. The SprintFrame out-sole combines with a redesigned Predator PowerSpine, a carry-over from the Predator X, to allow additional energy transfer directly from the foot into the ball by preventing the foot from over bending. The flex grooves in the PowerSpine also ensure comfortable running movements by keeping the element highly flexible in the right direction.
The new adiPower Predator soccer shoes continue to utilise the same Taurus calf leather first introduced in the adidas Predator X. The unique Taurus material combines a natural leather look with high tearing and high abrasion qualities to offer a high-end supreme touch performance leather.
The evolution of the Predator Element continues to develop in the new adiPower Predator football boots. The all new Silicon rubber Predator Element is now split into two separate performance zones. The first zone is the 'Power Zone' which has an aggressive and structured surface, and is integrated into the adidas stripes. The 3D fins give rebound upon ball impact, generating additional striking power from the boot.
The second zone is the 'Swerve Zone', recognisable with a hexagonal pattern. The even and soft surface provides a longer contact time with the ball, resulting in higher friction and ultimately higher swerve.
We're sure there's going to be plenty of reaction to the new adidas Predator adiPower football boots, as the Predator range has been so radically redesigned. It will also be interesting to see the player uptake, but we've already been told to keep an eye out for Maxi Rodriguez, Patrick Vieira, Dimitar Berbatov, Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard who are all expected to wear this traditional colourway.
The new Black/White/Red adidas adiPower Predator football boots will retail worldwide for around £155 GBP / $250 USD / €175 EURO, and are available to pre-order today for a 15th July release.
Now you've had an exclusive close-up look at the new adidas Predator adiPower, let us know what you think. Share your thoughts with the SoccerBible community online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
