The adidas F50 adiZero synthetic version of this shoe is in my opinion, better than the leather version. The synthetic material of the upper is very thin, thinner than vapors, but it doesn’t at all feel cheap. It’s thin but doesn’t feel too thin. It has a nice slightly cushioned feel that feels really good when touching the ball. They are also super light at only 5.8oz, but they don’t seem to lack in support and stiffness. The synthetic version also has a variation on Nike’s flywire technology on the inside of the sides of the boots, that is supposed to add support, but doesn’t do much of anything in my opinion. These unfortunately do not wrap around your fit as well as the leather version does, but is in no means a bad fitting shoe. I wore a size 9US in these shoe and they fit snug, so go for your normal size.
Weight
This is the whole reason to get these shoes. They are incredibly light and make it feel as if there is literally nothing on your feet. This sense of lightness, mental or not, does make you feel like you are a little bit quicker, which is entirely possible considering the weight of these shoes. They’re so light that I found myself swinging my leg too hard upon striking the ball the first couple times. The lightness is really something else, but in a good way.
Traction
The stud configuration on these is different. The studs are pretty widely dispersed triangular shaped studs that are unusually tall. They do a good job of grip while running forward, but because of how tall they are, I found myself not slipping, but having a hard time changing direction at high speeds. But as long as the fields you are playing on are not rock hard, you should find these shoes to grip quite well. The stud configuration also does a good job of keeping mud from sticking to the bottom of your shoes.
Touch
This is really what separates the synthetic version the Adizero from the leather version. Most people will automatically go for the leather version because leather is usually a preferred material to a synthetic. This made the assumption that the synthetic version is no good. The truth is, the synthetic version, for me, is a lot better. I much rater preferred the synthetics as they seemed to have a more even touch throughout the whole boot. It’s the same material all the way through, so you don’t get that cut off in material like you do in the leather version of the Adizeros. Adidas would not have made a synthetic version if it was no good.
Shooting
Shooting with these shoes is actually pretty good. I like the feeling that you can get more power with a shorter swing of the leg due to having less weight. They give you the confidence to attempt the quick shot while the ball is in tight on your body which is a good thing. The lightness also seems to give you the ability to move your ankle a little bit quicker, allowing you to adjust your foot more quickly to make that deceiving in-close shot to slide it past the keeper. This in close accuracy feeling is great if you’re a quicker player. I did also feel that I did lose a little bit of distance when striking the ball down field.
Durability
These shoes did seem to hold up pretty well actually. I anticipated them falling apart pretty quickly because of their weight but they did hold up pretty well. Although I had no issues with durability, one of my teammates did have a stud fall off after only a couple weeks of use. That’s not to say that these are not durable, but perhaps there is a chance of factory defects in the shoe that are covered by Adidas warranty. I do have to say that the synthetic version did seem like it would hold up better in the long run then the leather version.
The Verdict
These are super light and make you feel like you are moving faster. The synthetic version, for me, is the way to go if you’re going to get the Adizeros. I liked how these felt on my feet, and apart from some minor comfort issues and lack of protection, these are definitely a great release from Adidas.
| Comfort/Fit | 8 out of 10 |
| Weight | 10 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 9 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 9 out of 10 |
| Protection | 6 out of 10 |
| Durability | 7 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 57 out of 70 or 81% |
