The Wonders of the Revolutionary No Lace Cleat

Adidas Laceless Ace 2016 Cleats

When I look at how far soccer cleats have come, it is absolutely mind blowing to me.  They originally were called boots because they looked obviously like boots.  When you look at some of the first pairs it's hard to imagine how people played in them, let alone could pass with those clunky things.  Nowadays cleats seem to be getting lighter and lighter every year.  Players want to have an edge and move quicker.  They want to be able to feel the ball so they can accurately distribute a pass or take a shot on goal.   

When I was in high school, one thing that would always be exciting for both my club and school team would be seeing what new cleats designs would drop every fall.  We wanted to see the new specs and take a loot at what was being done to the cleats to help out players.   There was always a big issue with players and not liking the placement of laces on a cleat, which is funny because you'd always hear your coach yell whenever you muffed a hit  "strike it with the laces through!" I personally never thought the laces got in my way of affected my shot buy many players I’ve talked to have complained that they think laces can affect a shot I remember seeing how Adidas first added a sort of tongue that wrapped of your laces so that when you struck a ball, the laces wouldn't affect your hit.  Then they tried moving laces a bit to the outside of your cleat so that when you struck it, again it wouldn't be effective. 

 Fast forward to 2016, and you now have the revolutionary cleat that has everyone talking the "Adidas Pure Control 16 Laceless" cleats.  That's right, cleats that do not have laces that will bother you.  At first I thought this seemed so strange especially seeing the design.  I wondered how they would fit and stay on a person if they didn't have laces.  After trying them out recently I can truly say that they are game changers and will change football.  First, they totally stuck to my feet.  The material was a sort of stretchy tight fit material that molded to my foot.  I couldn't believe that a cleat without laces could feel so gelled to my feet.  The no laces factor is also a game changer because you didn't have to worry about how you were going to strike the ball, because design is clean across the top where obviously laces would be.  This new revolutionary design has already started making appearances in the game in leagues all around the world by big soccer stars.  I find it truly remarkable how far cleats have come, and what this new era of laceless cleats will lead too.  

Do you buy into the laceless cleats, or do you fancy sticking with what you know with laces?

Email me at barabajava@gmail.com, and let me know if you're all in for these laceless cleats or if sticking to cleats with laces is the way to go.  I'll post the result on the blog next Friday 4/22/16 to see where everyone stands, so be sure to keep an eye out! 

The Secret of Picking the Perfect Adidas Cleat for You

You come across a lot of hard decisions in the game.  Decisions you have a good time to think about, and decision you have to make in almost a split second.  Do you make that easy drop pass to your defender or do you try switch the field with that short window of opportunity when you are being pressured?  Are you going to go for goal on the free kick, or is there some trickery you and your teammates are up on the set piece?  Then there are the question arise that you may not think about.  Do I wear tap on my wrist as good luck because I did very well with it last game?  Are we doing our pre game routine today, or trying something new after that last loss?  Finally there is the one question I'm sure every soccer player goes through, wether it be someone new to the game, or a regular.  What cleats should I get?  Yes, the age old question that literally stumps a soccer player for whatever reason because it is truly a big decision.  It's a huge decision and there are so many factors that play into it from color, to style, to feel.  I still remember taking a good month before the season to figure out what I wanted to wear.  It takes a while, and someone new to the game may not even know where to begin. However,  there are some great steps that I learned on my own while getting my first pair of Adidas cleats, and it makes the process so much easier.  Let's take a look:

1.) Figure out your primary position

 I didn't think about this right away when I was selecting my first pair.  I right away went for the cooling looking style, however cleats are built in many ways as well as have different purposes.  Forwards or Strikers will have much lighter and sleek cleats to help them keep pace and a clean touch on the ball as well.  Midfielders will also have a bit of a light cleats, but with more cushion for that precision passing they need.  Defenders cleats look a bit more cushioned and thicker.  Not to say that they are huge but when comparing what a defender would wear to a forward, you can see the difference.  If you know what position you are going to play, you can narrow the field down by a lot.

2.)Field type

Are you going to be playing on a turf field or grass field?  This is kind of a hard decision to make because some player will wear firm ground cleats on turf and some actually wear turf shoes on firm ground even though they aren't for those.  The difference between firm ground and turf is that firm ground shoes are a bit heavier because they have to dig into the dirt and grass you are playing on so they are built a bit tougher and heavier.  Turf shoes are built lighter because on turf you don't really sink into the ground and they don't need to have that heavy grip.  I honestly wouldn't advise using either for the opposite type of field just because there are negative affects like slipping a lot with a turf shoe on firm ground or twisting your ankle with a heavier cleat on turf.  It's always important to know which field you'll be on.


3.)Do your reviews

You want to always review the cleats you are looking at.  Find out if they fit comfortably and if they are staying in good shape and not wearing.  A good review can really help you feel more comfortable about making that purchase and give you an idea of what you are getting.

4.)Aesthetics
This is probably what you want to look at last after you figure out what you need.  You obviously want to look good because as the saying goes, "Look good, feel good, play good."  Yes, Aesthetics are a very important part of your decision but you want to be looking sharp and it's never a bad thing to get credit and praise for how away your new boots look.

5.)Figure out which Adidas cleat to purchase

The final step is obviously picking out the Adidas cleat you want.  You are going to want a reliable cleat that is comfortable and gets good reviews, so that battle is already won when you visit Adidas' website.  All you have to do is just put all the steps I've provided to the test and you should be on your way to making a great decision for your new pair of cleats.

Try the link below and visit the Adidas soccer cleat main page, and put my steps to the test to see what cleat you pick out.  You may not be able to resist your new pick!

http://www.adidas.com/us/soccer-cleats?cm_mmca1=us&ipd=0&cm_mmc=AdieSEM_google-_-soccer-shoes-b-exact-_-shoes-cleats-x-general-_-adidas%20soccer%20cleats&cm_mmca2=e&gclid=CjwKEAjw_7y4BRDykp3Hjqyt_y0SJACome3Tf4H4Lz9z0kReKImioMibAmkptRN0OpxzGnmtb8hOkRoClWnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Why the Opposition can't Seem to Score Against Adidas

I remember getting my first pair of cleats like it was yesterday.  Not the most enjoyable experience of my life considering that my mom didn't want to spend a decent amount on a sport that I wasn't sure of.  To make that long and painful story short, I got some pretty cheap cleats for my first day of tryouts in high school and needless to say I detested them.  I won't say the brand but they were clunky, big, and just all around not comfortable on my feet.  However, when my mom saw how serious I was as the season went on we both decided it was time to get an upgrade.  I had always been an Adidas enthusiast when it came to shows at a young age because the only shoes I would ever wear are Adidas Sambas, you know, the one shoe literally ever single grade schooler had.  The all black shoe with the three white stripes Adidas is well known for.  I've had a pair since I can remember and still do.  The point is that I really liked Adidas shoes from an early age, so I decided to stick with them when I purchased my first pair of soccer cleats.

The quality of your cleat really does matter in the game, because it helps so much to feel comfortable and to have something that you know won't wear out within a season.  My first pair of Adidas got me through my sophomore year all the way through my junior season, and probably would've made it through senior year had I not wanted a fresh new look.  That was the quality and comfort that I got from just one pair of Adidas cleats.  ONE!  I remember my teammates I had literally going through three cleats in a season (no I'm not kidding) three Nike Mercurial cleats in a season because the bottoms would pop off or the thin layers would tear.  I've had my latest pair of Adidas now since my senior year of high school and I'm a junior in college.  That says a lot about how much a brand cares about you.

Why can't any other brand touch Adidas?  Why does Adidas have such a big presence in the game compared to say Nike or Puma.  It's because they actually care.  It's because they understand that the game of soccer is more than just a game to people, and to provide the lovers of the game with such a masterful piece of footwear is truly a show of class and care.  Why can't the opposition score against Adidas?  It's because they aren't in the same league.