Nike Tiempo Mystic IV Indoor Review
The Tiempo Mystic IV is the only traditionally styled, natural leather shoe on offer from Nike, besides the lower-end Tiempo Natural IV. The top end Legend IV, which is not available as an indoor model, is a fantastic shoe, using premium kangaroo leather, as well as premium synthetics. While the Mystic IV is three tiers from that top end model, the feel is still pretty good, especially considering the Mystic IV costs about half as much as the Legend IV. Out of the box, the natural full-grain leather upper feels pretty soft, but not without need for some break-in time. The central lacing system allows for a very secure fit when you pull the laces tight, and strip of foam running through the center of the tongue eliminates any chance of lace-bite. Unfortunately, the insole is non-removable, but there is still plenty of cushioning from the EVA foam sole, giving the shoe a very comfortable feel.
As far as sizing is concerned, the Mystic IV Indoor seems to fit a little funny. The sizing dilemma is all due to the strip of suede that wraps the forefoot and toe box area. The suede strip is much stiffer than the leather, and does not stretch at all, so the toe box does not have the ability to expand. I wore my usual size 9US for review, and I felt like the toe box was a little cramped. I generally wear my shoes very tight, especially leather shoes, allowing them to stretch to a perfect fit, but this particular shoe just doesn’t seem to stretch, so I would definitely recommend going up half a size if you’re looking to order a pair. As far as the width of the shoe is concerned, the Mystic IV fits moderately wide all the way through. The one thing to take note of is that the shoe is not going to stretch much. Given that you do not have overly wide feet, you shouldn’t have any issues with the fit of the Mystics.
Weight
The Tiempo Mystic IV Indoor weighs in at 9.4oz. When it comes to indoor soccer shoes, it is very difficult to keep the weight down, simply because of the full rubber sole, as well as the extra material that needs to go into the shoe in order to ensure that you will be comfortable when playing on an unforgiving indoor court surface. Even at 9.4oz, this is still about average weight for an indoor soccer shoe. There aren’t too many options when it comes to lightweight indoor soccer shoes, and the ones that are a little lighter don’t provide nearly as much cushioning as these do.
Traction
The Mystic IV indoor uses the same indoor sole and traction pattern that we’ve been seeing for a while now. The simple design features a full gum rubber sole, which allows for some great traction on indoor court playing surfaces. Something that I’m personally a big fan of is the EVA foam cushioning provided by this particular shoe. So many indoor soccer shoes are just way too low profile in my opinion, and while there are plenty of people that like that feeling, I much prefer to have that little bit of extra cushioning from the midsole. I feel like Nike could have implemented a slightly more aggressive traction pattern on the Mystic, but for the most it gets the job done.
Touch
Like I said earlier, the Mystic IV is the only traditionally styled, leather soccer shoe from Nike. The natural, full-grain leather spans the entire forefoot and toe box area of the boot, with the mid-foot of the shoe being synthetic leather. The leather is on the thinner side, but still remains nice and soft, making for a great feel on the ball. The only complaint that I have regarding the touch on the shoe has to be the tongue, which feels just a little bit bulky in my opinion. Otherwise, the touch on the ball is surprisingly good. The synthetic leather through the mid-foot of the shoe does not feel cheap at all, and for what the shoe costs, the touch on the ball is surprisingly good. If you’re looking for a more traditional leather feel, you’ll get it from the Mystic IV.
Shooting
Striking the ball in the Mystic IV is not going to surprise anybody. The simple design makes for a very clean striking surface, and the extra padding through the tongue makes for a more cushioned feel overall. If you’re looking for a more traditional feel when striking the ball, you should feel right at home with the Mystic IV.
Durability
The Mystic IV features a suede wrapped toe, which essentially makes the front of the shoes indestructible. There is also an enlarged rubber lip at the toe box, as well as the entire toe box area of the shoe being stitched to the sole of the boot. If you’re worried about the sole separating from the upper, than don’t, because you should not have any issues at all. The shoe is also not going to stretch very much, ensuring you’ll have a quality fit, even after months of use. One thing to keep in mind is that the shoe does feature a natural leather upper, so some maintenance is required if you want to keep your shoes in optimal condition. Given that the sole is made from gum rubber, you can use these as street soccer shoes if you would like, just know that the soft gum rubber will wear away fairly quickly on concrete. If you’re looking for a pair of indoor shoes to last, you should have no issues getting plenty of wear out of a pair of Mystic IVs.
The Verdict
The Nike Tiempo Mystic IV Indoor is a very nice leather soccer shoe, especially if you aren’t on a large budget. The leather is soft, the fit is pretty good, and the EVA foam sole provides a nice amount of cushioning when running. If you’re a fan of the Tiempo line of shoes, and would like something similar for indoor use, than the Mystic IV is a great option for you.
| Comfort/Fit | 8 out of 10 |
| Weight | 8 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 8 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 8 out of 10 |
| Durability | 9 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 49 out of 60 or 82% |
