When does a boot qualify as a Superlight design?

11.04.2016

Written by Mathias

adidas may still hold the title for the lightest football boot ever made, but when it comes to the general fight for lightweight, PUMA are still ahead. The question is, is the fight worth it?

For a long time now the brands have been fighting to create the lightest football boots. And several brands have staked their claim for top stop - everyone from Nike to adidas, PUMA and even Lotto had a shot. As it stands adidas currently hold the record, with their Limited Edition Crazylight F50 clocking in at 99 grams. However, when you look at the big picture PUMA have been better at creating a match ready lightweight boot.

The Super Light concept is one that both PUMA and adidas use frequently. The latest boot to join the fray is the adidas X 15+ SL. Still, despite the snazzy name, there is still more than 100 gram weight difference between the PUMA evoSPEED SL and the adidas SL-newcomer. In the world of football boots that’s massive…

When the brands create a Superlight football boot, they do it with the aim of creating an illusion of not wearing anything at all. The principle is that the lighter you feel, the faster you feel, and if you feel faster, then you actually get faster - even if it’s only by a millisecond or two.

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The drawback to these SL football boots is that you often have to trade in and compromise on durability. This means that these boots don’t always last as long as regular boots. That being said, these boots aren’t meant to be used for every match, but rather the games, where you need that extra push to be the deciding factor.

For this reason, the brands are slowly moving away from mass producing lightweight boots. These days it’s actually more appropriate to call then speed boots, rather than lightweight boots. Speed is no longer just about the psychological advantage, but also about the more concrete advantages, which today’s materials can bring to the table. Nonetheless, PUMA are still holding onto their evoSPEED SL model and are keeping the lightweight banner flying high. The question is, which do you prefer? Purebred lightweight boots or speed boots?