From the first time that you slide the adipure IV on your foot, you instantly realize how comfortable the boot really is. This is perhaps one of the first kangaroo leather boots that I have ever worn that required no break-in time whatsoever. The reason for this is credited to a very unique stitching pattern used on the leather that does not allow the boot to stretch very much at all. This gives you a more broken in feel from right out of the box, which is really nice for a kangaroo leather soccer shoe. The boot is definitely on the wider side, similar to the adipowers, and will fit nearly anybody that tries them on. I even found the heel of the boot to fit very wide, although I have a very narrow heel, but even in comparison to other boots on the market, this is certainly one of the wider fitting ones.
What I really like about the adipure IV, as well as the adipure SL, is the very soft and smooth liner that covers the entire inside of the boot. This material makes it nearly impossible to get a blister, as it causes almost no friction with your foot in places that rub on the inside of the boot. I think that this liner may also have something to do with how the boot doesn’t stretch like most kangaroo leather boots. One thing to note about the fit of this boot is the low-cut heel area on the boot. I found this boot, as well as the adipure SL, to have a very low-cut heel, that some people may not like. The low-cut heel area makes for a little more mobility in the ankle area, but some may find there heel slipping out, especially due to the width of the heel. I have a very narrow heel and didn’t find my heel slipping in and out of the boot, and I don’t think that it should be much of a problem, as long as you get the correct size. You also get a nice leather tongue that is a little stiff eliminating any chance of lace bite and I found that it really suited the boot well. As far as sizing goes, I wore my regular size 9US for review and they fit totally true to size. I would recommend ordering your normal size for the best possible fit.
Weight
As far as how much they weigh, they are average weight for a classically styled boot, weighing in at 9.8oz. They are not the lightest boots, but they aren’t heavy either and in comparing them to the Nike Tiempo Legend IV, the adipure is about the same, weighing only 0.2oz more. In my opinion, the 9oz range is perfect for this type of boot, and I really wouldn’t want them to be any lighter.
Traction
The stud pattern that you get with this adipure is the same as all the past adipures, as well as many of the past Predators, and is one of the longest going stud patterns for modern soccer shoes. I guess that you could say that it is the “old reliable” of stud patterns. It uses blades, providing plenty of traction as far as changing direction goes and is very stable on almost all ground surfaces. If you have worn an Adidas shoe in the past, you have probably used this stud pattern. It’s nothing ground breaking, but it works.
Touch
This is an area that I found to be very nice on this particular boot. I find it pretty crazy at how much different a kangaroo leather boot can feel from company to company. The leather used is definitely much thinner in comparison to the Legend IV and provides less of a cushioned feel and more of a soft feel on the ball. You can tell by just touching the leather of the boot that the leather that was used is not the cushioned kind that you would find on a Legend, but is instead a more closer to the foot, feel on the ball. That being said, this boot feels very nice when dribbling the ball, and reminded me very much of thinner synthetic in how it felt. The touch is very unique and is definitely very good. The tongue is a little bit thicker than you may expect and may take some getting used to, but after wearing these boots for a couple of hours, I came to like the extra padding that they provide.
Shooting
As this is a traditional all leather boot, there aren’t any gimmicks offering improved effects on your shot. What I can say that I really liked about this boot when shooting was that slightly thicker tongue. The tongue is not padded like the adipure SL, but is instead a harder piece of leather that creates a very hard spot on the top of the boot, making for a very nice strike zone. The ball just seemed to fly off of the laces on this boot. Other than the tongue, shooting with this boot feels as it would with any other kanagaroo leather shoe, which is definitely not a bad thing.
Durability
Because this shoe does not stretch much at all, this is definitely going to be one of the more durable kangaroo leather boots out on the market. Adidas is known to make very high quality kangaroo leather boots, the Copa Mundial, and these are no different. If you are looking for a boot that will last you an entire season, these will certainly do the trick. One thing to note with the durability of this boot, and any other kangaroo leather boot is that it is very important to apply a leather cream to the boot every once and a while to keep the leather soft.
Protection
As I explained before, this boot is made of a much thinner kangaroo leather than most, so it will not provide as much protection as you might get from most kangaroo leather boots. That being said, this boot will certainly provide more in the way of protection in comparison to a lightweight synthetic boot, like the adizero. The stiff tongue will also provide some really nice protection on the top of the foot, should you get stepped on.
The Verdict
Every kangaroo leather boot offers something different. The adipure IV is a thinner leather boot, with a reliable sole plate and stud pattern as well as a very comfortable fit. If you are in the market for a wider fitting shoe or can’t decide between the Legend IV and the adipure IV, I would advise the following: the Legend IV will be more padded and stretch to fit, were as the adipure IV will provide a thinner touch as well as bladed studs. Any way that you look at it, Adidas has produced a very high quality soccer shoe in the adipure IV, and you really can’t go wrong with the $140 price tag.
| Comfort/Fit | 9 out of 10 |
| Weight | 7 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 10 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 8 out of 10 |
| Protection | 8 out of 10 |
| Durability | 8 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 58 out of 70 or 83% |
