As the dark winter months close in, more and more players will venture onto the synthetic pitches to continue playing the game they love. In the past we would have just grabbed a pair of moulded firm ground football boots to wear, but in recent years Nike have been creating specialist footwear to perform on 3G and astroturf pitches, and the most recent creation is the Nike Bomba Finale football trainers.
At first glance, with the off-centre lacing and the distinctive ShotShield, the Nike Bomba Finale soccer shoes are definitely reminiscent of the Total 90 Laser III football boots, yet they also incorporate technology borrowed from the Nike CTR360 Maestri football boots!
The most striking feature of the Nike5 Bomba trainers is the Solar Red/Black ShotShield and pass pad. The pass pad is inspired by the CTR360's, and is focused on the instep for a great first touch, dampening the ball and also making passing more accurate. Whilst the ShotShield covers the striking zone, and is shaped near the lacing system to keep the ball down when shooting.
The main upper material is Nike's revolutionary Kanga-Lite water resistant synthetic leather, used throughout the CTR360 Maestri series and for the Tiempo Elite football boots. This synthetic material mimics the supreme ball feel and touch of kangaroo leather whilst maintaining its performance in all conditions. The Kanga-Lite upper of the Nike Bomba Finale football trainers also offers a great fit, complimented by an
Ortholite sockliner for comfort and cushioning.
To further enhance performance and durability of the Nike5 Bomba Finale soccer shoes, there are rubber re-grinds featured on the medial, toe and heel areas. Which reinforce the areas that receive the most wear and tear throughout the course of a fives, sixes or sevens season.
Comfort aside, the sole-unit is the most important feature on a football trainer, as traction and grip on the synthetic surfaces is key for quick turns, reaction and skill, and also injury prevention. The sole-unit of the Bomba Finale football trainers feature dual-density forefoot studs which are large and rounded to grip the ball better, combined with sharper and stronger heel studs to lock down the planted foot for better stablity.
The specialist performance of the Nike5 Bomba Finale football trainers does come at a price though, as these soccer shoes are expected to retail for around £75 GBP.
That said, if for a season we're prepared to pay double this amount for a pair of football boots, then for a specialist trainer this price can be expected. Perhaps they're for the more serious player, but there's no denying the Bomba Finale's offer the pinnacle in performance footwear for synthetic surfaces.
