Mercurial Vapor Chrome R9 2002 – SG review

(24/10/14)

We’ve been donated a real gem by one of our close friends, one of the best R9 releases in our opinion, the chrome Mercurial from 2002. Something we plan to keep as a collectable.

 

These are another fond memory for us of the 2002 World Cup, along with the Fevernova and Mania. It’s definitely another of our most valued pieces!

The shape and design of these is unparalleled for us and the chrome colourway is beautiful.

Being SG they’re not a pair suited too much to the artificial turf we usually play on through the winter months, but because they’re an unused piece we don’t see any need to break them in.

Around the heel there is some flaking of the material, which is to be expected with their age.

  

The stud pattern on the older Mercurial models is very different from today’s boots. The studs are also much longer, as you can see in the pictures.

Prices of these have gone through the roof, being so sought after and the link to Ronaldo Lima is definitely to blame for that!

The old releases are definitely recommendable in terms of quality in our opinion. We will be uploading an updated Vapor IX review of how they have drastically worn over the last few weeks.

We are looking to continue to add to our collection all the time as you’d expect, but nothing quite beats the older rare releases.

Keep your eyes peeled on our page as we have another well-remembered release on the way.

Instagram

Twitter

Pro Direct LDN – Made to Measure experience

(20/10/14)

Pro Direct LDN entertained Pantofola d’Oro this weekend, who have ‘128 years of footballing heritage and craftsmanship,’ stated by Pro Direct.

TopBins attended the event as guests of Pro Direct due to Liam’s Pantofola illustration once again catching the eye of the PDS team, rewarded with the Made to Measure experience.

In store Pantafola’s boot specialists from Ascoli Piceno, Italy, guided competition winners and customers through the process of Made to Measure.

The LDN store, packed out with memorabilia, with boots from the likes of Zizou and Beckham, was very impressive. The whole top floor was Pantofola featured, with podiums to browse at your leisure with information about the brand.

Downstairs, the store was kitted out with all of the latest boots and some more features of ‘old but gold’ Pantofola products, again impressive.

After meeting up with members of the PDS team and putting a few faces to names, 12elfthman (The 12^th Man), Liam underwent his Made to Measure.

   

The kind gesture of Kim Williams, Pantofola d’Oro CEO, to offer for both of us to have the Made to Measure experience is something we will not forget. I (Lewis) attended the event purely coverage, wasn’t expecting to be involved in the experience and the offer to be part of it was extremely generous.

We are both eagerly awaiting the arrival of our custom boots, for the excitement of the boots, but also for reviewing purposes. Without giving too much away, we both chose the same model but in different colourways and leathers.

The high quality of Pantofola d’Oro boots is unparalleled for us compared to new releases and with older releases available to get a close look and feel of was brilliant.

Pro Direct hosted the event in the highest quality and were very welcoming. We are looking forward to the next one and will be checking back to the store on a regular basis.

Instagram

Twitter

Nike Mercurial Talaria II review

by: TopBins

(15/10/14)

Classic Mercurial’s are some of the most sought after boots in the pre-owned market. Used pairs are usually fairly priced, but as new and unworn their value absolutely rockets up. As a second tier boot, something which neither of us usually buy, these have been impressive.

Mercurial’s have always been one of my preferred boots from a young age and when a pair comes up for a good price its very hard to resist.

Comfort: From the off these Talaria’s have been very comfortable, that may be in part to the previous owner slightly breaking them in. As mentioned in the MV IX review we have always found Mercurial’s to take time to break in. I have not suffered from them rubbing on my feet at all, which is quite lucky considering they were barely used. This is a major plus point for these boots.

Durability: This is a tough area to rate given that the boots are over 10 years old. I’ve used them in a number of sessions now and they’re holding up very well. They did need a partial soleplate re-glue to the chassis as they had slightly come away. This is a problem I’ve found very common down the years with Mercurial, but it has never deterred me from buying. So thus far they’re proving to be a good purchase.

Appearance: The early years of Mercurial are without doubt the best designs for us. The Vapor II are no exclusion to that. The indented lines on either side of the boot are certainly iconic and the simplicity of the overall design makes them very desirable.

    

Weight: Comparing the weight of old boots to newer boots is not really something worth doing, obviously given the advancement in technology. So thinking back to the actual release they definitely have to be considered a lightweight boot.  They by no means feel heavy while playing.

Traction: The soleplate on the early Mercurial’s was very good for traction and using them again I’ve remembered just how sturdy they feel when moving at pace with the ball. The heel of the boot has the best of the traction for me simply due to the blade layout.

Touch: The upper synthetic is very thin, something that Mercurial have featured in pretty much every release. So the points to make on touch are very similar to that of the Vapor IX review. Although not quite as thin as the newer models, there is definitely a slight feeling of the ‘bare-foot’ sensation.

Protection: Again, as mentioned in previous reviews, speed boots aren’t the greatest for protection. The older models of Mercurial do however offer up more protection than the new releases. The Talaria is reinforced with the thicker heel plate, but again there isn’t much in the way of protection on the rest of the boot.

Price: I managed a bargain £15 for these Talaria, with original retail being around the £60 marker (correct me if I’m wrong) they’re a great option quality-wise for a second tier boot. I’ve only used them in one game, as they’ve not been purchased for that reason. Used on occasions in training they’re great for reliving memories from younger years and also for a collector’s piece.

	Lewis
Comfort:	4/5
Durability:	3.5/5
Appearance:	5/5
Weight:	3.5/5
Traction:	3.5/5
Touch:	3.5/5
Protection:	3/5
Price:	4/5
Overall:	30/40 or 75%

Instagram

Twitter

Adidas Fevernova World Cup 2002 ball

by: TopBins

(12/10/14)

Something a little different, as we are choosing not to physically review one of our most valued pieces, the Fevernova!

The Fevernova is one of our fondest memories from childhood; it was the ball to have. 12 years on we managed the unthinkable, a brand new Fifa Approved Fevernova for £20. After continual searching week on week and not wanting to pay in £100+ for a used football, which the bidding market was deciding, we finally struck gold.

The best features about the ball are the four ‘triangle like’ shapes, all with different detailing:

– Adidas
– Official Match Ball 2002 Fifa World Cup
– Fevernova
– Fifa Approved

 

 Each individual panel of the ball features an allover small circles print. The colours compliment each other, which we feel is unique. Beige as a base colour is certainly uncommon and gold adds to any football related product, as seen in so many limited edition boots.

Being from the same era as the Geo (previously reviewed) we own our two favourite footballs.

The boots from the 2002 World Cup also make the Fevernova more memorable, with the likes of the Predator Mania and Mercurial Vapor II only enhancing our fondness of the ball.

 

We still don’t understand how our winning bid was as low as £20 and there isn’t anything else we can mention that the pictures wont.

Instagram

Twitter 

Nike Mercurial Vapor IX Leather review

by: TopBins

(10/10/14)

Lightweight boots are at the forefront of new releases with almost every brand. That applies to the Nike Mercurial more so than most. Constantly locking horns with F50 the Mercurial is always ever so popular.

Having played in Mercurial over a number of years we want to know how they shape up, all will be explained in this review…

Comfort: Mercurial’s have always taken a little time to break in and get right for users. Many try the ‘warm water’ method but in doing so you run the risk of damaging the boot. The Vapor IX has probably been the easiest to break in out of any previous releases (Lewis). Although there is very little padding on the insole, as mentioned with lightweight boots in the Adizero review, there tends to be less rubbing while playing in the IX. The soft upper fits like a glove around the top of the foot and we always find boots to be at their most comfortable with very little give. Nike has been continuously improving comfort of Mercurial since the original Superfly release, which were a nightmare to break in. Overall the IX is probably the most comfortable boot we’ve played in.

Durability: On the most part Mercurial have never been the most durable boot I’ve owned (Lewis) and the same applies to the IX. I always find the instep on the boot, where I curl the ball, to split slightly. Now this could be down to my style of play and technique, but it seems to be a problem I have encountered with all of my Mercurial (Lewis). This isn’t a problem that I’ve found too often, when using Vapor so I wouldn’t rate the Mercurial down in this respect (Liam). The soleplate on the IX is the best we’ve used out of the Mercurial’s we have owned. One problem we have found is a small split towards the rear two blades at the rear of the boots and it has happened to both pairs. The soleplate on the Superfly and mid range Vapor VI and VII was riddled with problems and I actually binned a pair which completely snapped where you bend the boot as you run (Lewis) so with that in mind we rate these more durable than previous releases.

Appearance: The IX is a very sleek, attractive boot. The streamlined look made these a ‘must purchase.’ The colourway we chose was the Grey/Lime but I chose to black mine out using the toots-boots kit (Liam), which worked really well and was an improvement on the outlook of the boot for me.

Weight: Coming in at 190g the Mercurial feels very lightweight and better than previous Mercurial releases we have worn.

Traction: Compared to previous models the Vapor IX only has a single blade at the rear of the boot on each side. We found that they were very easy for quick movements and sharp turns and that we rarely struggled to keep balance while running at pace.

Touch: They have a ‘bare-foot’ or ‘sock’ feel where the upper is so thin, almost as if your foot is ‘strapped in’ to the chassis. This meant they were excellent for first touch and running with the ball. They give a great feel and you can tell how much power you need to apply to passes and shots with ease. We are looking forward to trying out the Vapor X as they have a one piece upper as they have removed the tongue, which can surely only further enhance touch sensation.

Protection: This is where Mercurial have always been flawed for me (Lewis), as every pair I have had down the years has resulted in heavy bruising on my feet from the lightest of challenges. This is to be expected with a lightweight boot as we mentioned previously in the Adizero review. They do again have the heel protection but not as substantial as the Adizero, so overall expect to feel the force of just about every challenge in these boots. That said they are highly recommendable for training in as in most sessions you’ll rarely encounter the high physical nature of a game.

Price: We got these together from a Nike outlet store, so a bargain price of £60. The retail price was £160. If we had paid the full amount we’d have been very disappointed with the overall longevity of the boot just because of wear and tear being very fast in games. On the most part Mercurial Vapor is one of the more expensive models of boot on the market although they offer ‘take down models’ including the Veloce and Victory models.

	Liam	Lewis
Comfort:	4.5/5	5/5
Durability:	2.5/5	3/5
Appearance:	4/5	3.5/5
Weight:	5/5	5/5
Traction:	5/5	5/5
Touch:	4.5/5	5/5
Protection:	3/5	2.5/5
Price:	4/5	3.5/5
Overall:	32.5/40 or 81.25%	32.5/40 or 81.25%

 Instagram

 Twitter

Warrior Skreamer Pro review

by: TopBins

(09/09/14)

Warrior are taking the football marketplace by storm. Their boots have been becoming more and more popular with players like Vincent Kompany and Marouane Fellaini sporting them.

 

We noticed Liverpool FC using a Warrior football in pre season and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. In this review we will explain our findings…

 

Appearance: On first glance the ball appears to be very eye catching with a unique design. The tribal like print is enhanced with a green outline and the Warrior logo really stood out with a bold black/green colourway. The finish on the exterior of the ball is teijn microfibre; while it mainly feels glossy to touch there are a number of matt light grey triangles on each panel. In total the ball has 16 panels and the valve is concealed within one of the Warrior logos.

 Weight: Compared to some of our other Fifa Approved models it feels slightly heavier to hold, which after the initial inflation gave the impression it would be a heavy lifting ball. With the first few touches of testing the ball it was the complete opposite. The ball floated really easily and didn’t require much to find a distant target.

Durability: The ball has been used for a few sessions and there have been no issues. None of the detailing has faded and no cracks have appeared. This is however only on a fine grass surface, you must be aware of the effects of using high quality footballs (and boots) on 3G and artificial surfaces because of staining.

Passing: Starting out with short passing the Skreamer felt as most Fifa approved footballs do, easy and zipping along the surface. It wasn’t until we tried some longer passing that we found out its capabilities. As mentioned above the ball required very little to find a distant target, which is an important feature as it puts less pressure/strain on joints and muscles. It was very easy to direct and didn’t change its path much mid flight thus making receiving the pass feel simple.

Shooting: From the off shooting with this ball felt exciting. The ball was absolutely perfect for striking hard and it was easy to manipulate the shape without the need for the ‘knuckle’ technique. Hitting the ball dead or moving was much the same which was also impressive as we find on the most part easier to strike the ball whilst shifting it a couple of yards before hand. The Skreamer was probably the pick of our current collection for shooting and for this reason we would strongly recommend it.

Price: We purchased the ball for a minimal £25.00, reduced from RRP of £70.00. Considering most standard issue footballs are now around £10-£15 it is a no brainer of a purchase and that price was a steal.

	Liam	Lewis
Appearance	4.5/5	4/5
Weight	4/5	4/5
Durability	4/5	4/5
Passing	4/5	4.5/5
Shooting	4.5/5	5/5
Price	5/5	5/5
Overall	26/30 or 87.00%	26.5/30 or 88.3%

Instagram

Twitter 

Adidas F50 Adizero review

by: TopBins

(05/09/14)

 

 

(Above: Adizero F50 blackout)

The original Adizero, released 2010, took the market by storm. They out-trumped the Superfly I by becoming the lightest boot available. At 165g they are little more than just a pair of socks with a soleplate. The low weight boot, sported by players like Lionel Messi has been improving ever since and remains very popular.

 

The original Adizero excited users and in this review we will explain to you why…

 

Comfort: Lightweight/Speed boots generally speaking aren’t designed for anything but to give an advantage in pace. That in mind they tend not to be too comfy. The minimalistic insole contains next to no padding, giving a hard sensation. However, because the synthetic is so thin they took no time at all to break in and proved to become more comfortable with more use.

 

Durability: As with most of the first releases of the lightweight option the synthetic proved not to be the too reliable. However we cannot recall players having to leave the field due to the boot splitting in heavy contact compared to the Superfly I and to this date neither of ours have splits or tears. The detailing on the coloured boots tended to fade quickly, I noticed that with my pair (Lewis) but with the solid colour editions, such as Liam’s blackout, the boot still looks similar today as when first purchased. Having a pair of boots four years old still wearable for games gives them a decent enough durability.

 

Appearance: We were impressed with the overall outlook of the boot, hence why we purchased them shortly after release. The sprintframe looks very slick and it they’re most streamlined boots we’ve used to date.

(Below: Tango ’12 and Adizero)

 

Weight: As mentioned above the weight of the boot is one of the lightest ever, 165g cannot be felt at all on foot. Adidas had really ‘gone to town’ in making the effort to cut away as much excess/unnecessary weight as possible and they succeeded. After the Superlight then Superfly releases from Nike, Adidas needed to improve on the back of the Tunit series. Leaving behind the interchangeable soleplate F50 became far lighter and Adizero was much superior to previous models in terms of weight.

 

Traction: The soleplate layout on the FG versions, which we have, is generally quite reliable for grip. In wetter pitches when the surface begins to tear up they lost traction too much (Lewis), although we have used them all year round without too many problems in previous years.

 

Touch: The sensation Adizero give on foot is very impressive. Due to the synthetic being so thin you really get a good feel for the ball and the overall shape of the boot makes them very easy to control the ball. They’re excellent for dribbling with the ball at high pace and easy to strike a dead-ball because you’re pretty much using a bare foot to connect.

 

Protection: They offer very little protection on the most part, but that is to be expected with such a thin boot. The Adizero does however have a thicker heel, probably where any of the weight comes from, which offers some protection in challenges. But you have to expect bruised feet and possible injuries when using boots of any lightweight style in heavy impact games.

 

Price: The initial release price for these was £120, which compared to top range prices today sounds cheap, but that was relatively standard for their release. The only boot on the market of a substantially higher price were Superfly I, rolling in at £225. So overall the price seems reasonable. Considering that we both have them available to wear now makes them a good purchase in terms of cost per year.

 

	Liam	Lewis
Comfort:	3/5	3.5/5
Durability:	4/5	4/5
Appearance:	5/5	4.5/5
Weight:	5/5	5/5
Traction:	4/5	3.5/5
Touch:	4/5	5/5
Protection:	2.5/5	3/5
Price:	4/5	4/5
Overall:	31.5/40 or 78.75%	32.5/40 or 81.25%

Instagram 

Twitter 

Adidas World Cup review

by: TopBins

(02/09/14)

(Above: World Cup, side profile)

Made in GERMANY, immediately bringing reliability to mind, the Adidas World Cup is an indisputable pair of football boots. The classic look has elegantly circulated pitches at every level for over 20 years. The everlasting stable design has locked horns with new releases each year and arguably come out on top every time. This longevity has earned them the right to be renowned as ‘Heritage.’

 

Consisting of World Cup, Copa Mundial and Kaiser 5 the Adidas Heritage collection has consistently blown users away and in this review we will explain to you why…

 

Comfort: The well-padded, supple K-Leather provides a secure feeling, the catalyst being a sturdy soleplate. The thickness of the tongue is soft on the foot all the way to the toes and can be worn in a variety of ways. The World Cup is designed to fit feet of all shapes and sizes. This is due to the supple leather being able to stretch for a wider foot but not expanding for those with thinner feet. Once broken in the boot tends to retain its shape to suit you. Having thinner feet we often opt for the lightweight options like the Mercurial or Adizero series but find the World Cup to be a boot of great comfort and fit.

 

Durability: As mentioned the age of the boots cannot be doubted. They tend not to tear easily in comparison with newer boots. We have used the Heritage collection for a number of seasons in years gone by and cannot fault them. Taking care of leather boots is a must in our opinion; you will find a longer lifespan in them if they’re well kept and leather protected. Liam has managed to make one pair stretch over the course of three seasons, including training on a variety of surfaces and all weather conditions.

 

Appearance: Not much can be said that hasn’t already been mentioned, the iconic black and white colour-way is easily recognisable and gives an impression of superiority.

Weight: The World Cup will never be the lightest boot on the market, but that by no means makes it a bulky boot. Weighing in at no more 330g they are not to be undermined. Too many people consider weight to be the most important factor of a boot; we don’t share that opinion. Playing in Adizero and various Mercurial releases, yes it’s a pleasing feeling to be lightweight but by no means gives an advantage; remember it’s the ability of the player that matters!

 

Traction: The six-stud layout has been unchanged for a reason; it works. The rear studs are slightly longer than the front four, giving stability. The soleplate pattern provides the best traction of a SG boot I have used (Lewis). Not trying to wow the market, the World Cup oozes simplicity and quality.

 

(Above: Soleplate layout)

Touch: The supple K-Leather has to be one of the softest available; the feeling of the ball against the boot is unchanged with every angle. The fold over tongue is less common each year but we don’t consider it to be a problem. The variety of ways to wear as mentioned solves the ‘issue’ of the tongue. Our favourite method is to tuck the tongue in, which is great for first touch as it gives a double layer. The tongue really doesn’t interfere with your touch, as it is so soft. The World Cup is one of the best possible boots for touch on the market so there are no wonders why they’re so popular.

Protection: In comparison to lightweight and thin synthetic boots the World Cup gives a feeling of safety. The value of protection cannot be ignored, the World Cup provides an extra feeling sturdiness in comparison with modern boots and although not impenetrable goes some way to helping deal with impact.

Price: Easily purchasable for under £100 new the World Cup is a fantastic option. Compared to new ‘revolutionary’ boots they’re affordable for most age groups. We have picked pairs up in near new condition on eBay down the years as a training boot for under £50, so be sure to exhaust all your options!

	Liam	Lewis
Comfort:	4/5	4/5
Durability:	5/5	4.5/5
Appearance:	4.5/5	4.5/5
Weight:	3.5/5	4/5
Traction:	4/5	4/5
Touch:	4/5	4.5/5
Protection:	5/5	4.5/5
Price:	4.5/5	5/5
Overall:	34.5/40 or 86.25%	35/40 or 87.5%

Instagram

Twitter