We've seen Blue, White, Gold and even Pink Predator LZ boots since adidas released their innovative Lethal Zones back in April, which has left traditional Predator fans feeling somewhat sceptical about the 12th generation Pred, but we reckon adidas might just have come up trumps with this more subtle Black/Lime/Metallic Champions League colourway...
Hardcore Predator players will be forgiven for taking their time to come to terms with the dramatic overhaul of the Pred, but this slick new colourway creates a boot that will stand out for all the right reasons. Combining cutting edge technology with a mean looking paint job, this a boot that comes straight out of adidas' top draw.
The adidas Predator LZ is the most technologically advanced and unique looking Predator to ever be released. Designed with five distinctive 'lethal zones' to deliver performance. The sharpest of boot-spotters would have already sneaked an on-pitch preview courtesy of Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool captain makes no secret of his passion for black boots so it was no surprise to see him back in black Preds at the first chance.
The new Predator LZ is the 2012/13 Champions League edition and you can expect to see leading Predator players such as Kaka and Xavi wearing the Black/Lime/Metallic colourway when Europe's elite kick off the group stage later this month. Who knows, it might even be enough to tempt Robin van Persie out of his beloved adiPowers.
Featuring five zones of technology for ball control, touch, accuracy and power, the new Predator Lethal Zones weighs in at an impressive 225 grams, making this boot a contender in the speed, control and power categories.
The five lethal zones have been designed to master all aspects of the game, as we've seen through the adidas tease campaign, which has highlighted the various zones. The first of the zones to discuss is 'Drive', the zone raised and a thicker 3-D shape on the inside vamp of the boot, which follows the natural shape of the instep to create a rebound effect for greater distance and power.
The 'Sweet Spot' zone has a smaller surface area and has raised ribs on the medial side of the boot, with the purpose of generating greater spin and pace. 'First Touch' zone sits on the forefoot area of the boots, and has recessed Predator SL rubber, which acts as a cushioning platform on the synthetic upper to give immediate ball contact.
The 'Pass' zone is on the instep of the boots, with memory foam on the medial side of the boot to ensure consistency of passing, along with a 3-D sticky print with large surface area to increase ball contact time for more precise passing. The 'Dribble' zone is a continuation of the SL rubber from the forefoot, to provide optimum grip on the ball for controlled dribbling.
The new Black/Lime/Metallic adidas Predator UCL football boots will be available from Sept 15. You can order your boots for around £150 GBP / €210 EURO / $200 USD or alternatively you can purchase the bundle including the miCoach Speed Cell for £200 GBP / €245 EURO / $270 USD.
Let us know what you think of the new Black/Lime/Metallic adidas Predator LZ UCL football boots. Share your thoughts online, on Twitter and on Facebook.