The first Vapor
Give me a running shoe I can play soccer in.
Franklin Lakes, NJ (PRWEB) February 26, 2014
Sixteen years ago, the Brazilian superstar Ronaldo signed a shoe deal with Nike. He was asked what sort of soccer cleat he would like to wear. He told them he wanted a running shoe that he could play soccer in. This lead to the first incarnation of the Mercurial Vapor, and was responsible for the vast array of colors and designs seen on the soccer specialty store shoe wall today. So what's best for me?
The first wave of new colors and designs will start rolling out on March 1st.
Since the release of the first Vapor, other manufacturers have fallen in line with their own offering. Most notably, and the Vapor's closest rival, is the Adidas F50, worn by Lionel Messi. So the world's two top players wear the two most innovative shoes. Real Madrid's Ronaldo wearing the Vapor and Messi in the F50. Both lightweight (7 oz's or less) and both very bright and colorful. Nike also signed the Brazilian Neymar to wear its new Hypervenom line, another lightweight shoe, also very colorful and equipped with ball interaction technologies on the upper. Each of these players will have their own personal color, exclusively worn "on field' by them, although they will, of course, be available to the general public.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages of wearing these designs? The average age group of the customer purchasing soccer cleats is between 11 and 20. And it's usually Mom or Dad picking up the tab. The final decision is invariably based on the customers favorite player. A Ronaldo fan would wear Vapors, Neymar Hypervenoms and Messi F50's, but this doesn't mean you're buying the correct shoe for the correct foot. These cleats are certainly lightweight and wearing them certainly gives the feeling of increased straight line speed. The downside of a lightweight shoe is you certainly feel it when the opponent's stud stamps on the top of your foot, raising concerns for the players welfare from a parents prospective. There's also the danger that the shape of the last* of the shoe doesn't match the shape of the foot. But these criteria can often take a back seat to the fact that the buyer wants what their heroes wear and give up on a few practicalities, convincing mom and dad that they're perfectly fine, but with a real risk of blisters in their future.
Nike, Adidas and the other manufacturers offer a choice of styles to give the buyer the opportunity to find the shoe that's right for them. You should be able to get a pair that won't cripple you after three outings. The market is awash with designs, colors and technologies that suit every kind of foot. Nearly all of them available in a myriad of colors. And they're available a several different price points to suit every budget.
Parents often lament the fact that when they played there was a similar choice as offered by Henry Ford's Model T. Any color you like as long as it's black.
The solution is simple. Take a trip to your local soccer specialty store and spend some time with them trying on shoes and finding which one fits correctly. Leather, synthetic or lightweight. Power and swerve technologies or a more traditional vamp. (Don't get me started on blade or round studs!). There is something to suit everyone.
Buying cleats on the internet can be a bit of a risk as you won't have the opportunity to walk around in them before you make your decision. Let the local experts help out.
But remember, with all the colors and technologies available today, the most popular shoe for the last thirty-five years has been the Adidas Copa Mundial. Kangeroo leather, and black and white.
The German National team is the last federation to insist that their players wear Adidas shoes. This means that a German player with a nike contract had to wear Adidas shoes while representing his county. The one shoe that they all picked to wear? The Copa Mundial.
*A last is a mechanical form that has a shape similar to that of a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes.
