Adidas Predator X Review

The Claims

Refined and perfected with the help of Zinedine Zidane, this boot employs breakthrough elements like Powerspine, Predator and Opti-fit to help you dominated the game with consistent power, swerve and control. Taurus full-grain calf leather for a supreme glove-life fit and durability. Newly engineered and revolutionary Predator technology in the strike zone for control and accuracy. Opti-fit construction for an excellent fit and feel. EVA insole. Powerspine in the inner chassis offers incredible shooting power. External heel counter for support. TPU outsole with traction for grip and comfort.

Comfort/ Fit

The Adidas Predator line has always been a solid shoe and is still one of the most popular shoes amongst pros. When I saw that Adidas had strayed so far away from the classic tongue and flap, I was skeptical. I’m not one to go for a shoe without a stand-alone tongue as they don’t always provide the best fit. Luckily, Adidas have refined their tongue-less design with the Predator X, as it is much better than the one that was used on the Adipure II. It wraps around the entire top of your foot and the laces tie up along the outside of your foot. To my surprise, it allowed me to tighten the shoes pretty well and I actually didn’t mind the lack of tongue. These shoes are also very comfortable right out of the box. The Taurus leather is pretty soft, not quite as good as k-leather, and makes for a very comfortable fit right of the box. This shoe also seems like it would fit almost any width of foot. I have a fairly narrow foot and had no problems wearing this shoe. The shoe would also suit a wide foot as it could open up almost twice as wide due to the unique lacing system. The heel cup is very padded, but a little on the wide side. I wore these shoes for 6 hours straight out of the box and didn’t get any blisters or any real discomfort. The only thing to note is that these shoes fit a half size small. I wore a size 9.5US rather than my usual 9US for a tight fit.

Weight

These shoes are by no means light. They weigh in at 11.2oz which is one of the heavier shoes that you can get. These are marketed as “power” boots, so the weight is technically not the concern. They don’t feel too heavy on your feet, but the extra weight does seem to have an impact when striking the ball. That being said, it would be nice if the shoe was a little lighter, but to be fair it is the same weight as it’s competitor, the Nike Laser III.

Traction

This shoe uses the same stud pattern as the Adipures and the last couple Predators. It is old reliable in terms of stud patterns. It provides great traction and you won’t slip. It is very stable and you never feel off balance. My only complaint is that it does not provide fantastic traction in slightly muddy conditions, as they can be a little slippery when pushing off.

Touch

I really like the touch on these shoes. Adidas made a great choice in making the Predator element not go all the way to the sole plate on the instep of the shoe. You instead get a nice leather touch on the ball when dribbling, rather than touching the ball with a piece of rubber like the Laser III’s. The top of the foot has the perfect amount of padding and makes bringing the ball down with the top of your foot feel effortless. My only complaint with the touch of these shoes is that Adidas did not use k-leather. The Taurus leather is by no means bad, but just doesn’t have that same super soft touch that k-leather provides.

Shooting

I really liked the shooting experience that the Laser III’s provide and Adidas has in my opinion surpassed the Lasers in terms of shooting. It has less padding in the strike zone than the Lasers, but feels phenomenal when you strike the ball right on the Predator element. I really did seem like I was hitting the ball harder than I would in say Adizeros. The Predator element is made of dimpled tacky rubber that seems to make the ball fly of your foot perfectly when striking the ball. The extra weight in the Powerspine of the Predator makes for a super stiff sole-plate, which was my one complaint with the Lasers. Overall, this is the best shooting experience that I have ever had in a soccer shoe.

Durability

I think that the reason Adidas strayed away from a k-leather boot is for durability reasons. The Taurus leather does not seem like it will stretch very much, which will really expand the life-span of your boots. The boot seems extremely well built and any area that could be reinforced has been. These are definitely shoes that you can rely on to last you an entire year if not longer, which is always a good thing.

Protection

The Predator element as well as the rubber panel on the outside will provide a great deal of protection if you were to get stepped on. The large heel cup also provides a great deal of protection from kicks from behind. These are some of the safest  boots that I have ever worn.

The Verdict

I really had high hopes for these boots, and I’m happy to say that they lived up to my expectations. The lack of tongue is not my favorite but it does do a good job of securing your foot. The Taurus leather is nice and soft and will add to the lifetime of your shoes. The shooting experience is, in my opinion, the best option out there.

Comfort/ Fit       9 out of 10

Weight                 6 out of 10

Traction               9 out of 10

Touch                    8 out of 10

Shooting            10 out of 10

Durability            8 out of 10

Protection           9 out of 10

Total Score         59 out of 70 or 84%