Nike Total90 Laser Elite Firm Ground Review

The Nike Total90 Laser Elites are considered Nike`s ultra-premium version of the Total90 Laser and you would expect this shoe to be much improved in comfort and fit. I wouldn`t say that the fit is better, but simply different from the standard Lasers. The Elites are a narrower, less bulky feeling shoe, that for me, with a narrow foot, was much better for me in terms of fit. The shoe fits very much like a Vapor, due to the carbon fibre sole plate that was originally created for the Vapor line. The heel is also much narrower. If you have to narrow a foot for the regular Laser III, than these will surely fit you. The Elites also are only available with the synthetic upper material that I had not yet tried. The upper is soft and very leather-like, as it wraps around your foot very nicely when you pull the laces tight. It is not as nice as the k-leather upper, but it will be dramatically better in the long run as it won`t over stretch. The carbon fibre sole plate also attributes to the comfort of the shoe, as it eliminates all stud pressure. The break-in time is minimal as it took only about 20 minutes of jogging until I was completely comfortable in these shoes. As far as sizing goes, I found myself wearing a size 9.5US as opposed to my usual 9US. Please note that I do wear my shoes very tight.

Weight

This is one of the main reasons to go for the Elite line of Lasers. The regular Lasers, with the k-leather upper, weighs in at 11.7oz, where as the Elites weigh in at a significantly less 8.2oz. This is an incredible amount of weight to be dropped from the regular version, and it really is noticeable. This boot is now light enough to go in the speed category as it is the same weight as the Vapor VII. They feel great on your feet and it`s really nice that you can have a light weight boot that still has a good amount of protection.

Traction

The stud pattern on this shoe remains the same in terms of the pattern, but changes slightly in the length of the studs. On the regular Laser stud pattern, you get the front studs and the heel studs at the same length, making for a shoe that feels unstable at times when making quick changes of direction. What was changed on the Elites is that the front studs are slightly shorter then the back studs. This slight difference made the world of difference for me. This stud pattern felt so much more stable than the regular pattern. I never found myself slipping, and had the confidence to cut in at high speeds without worrying about slipping.

Touch

The synthtic upper is nice and soft, and I honestly preffered having the synthetic upper rather than k-leather, on this particular shoe. The main concern that I had with these shoes was how the entirely rubber instep was going to feel on the ball, which was surprisingly quite good. I am normally not a fan of rubber elements on shoes but these are for sure the exception. I never found myself having too much grip on the ball and tripping up. This is due to the small fins that stick of the side of the boot that almost act as a release from the boot upon making contact with the ball. They almost seem to cushion the ball and than push it away slightly. This made for a great experience while receiving hard passes. The other great part of the all rubber instep is the amount of grip that you get on the ball in wet weather. They lose very little grip on the ball in the wet, which helps that little bit extra in slick conditions. The overall feel of the boot is very cushioned and everything that comes in contact with your foot seems to settle nicely. This mostly rubber shoe also makes for a very protective shoe as you be out of the game after getting stepped on.

Shooting

I was excited to try this shoe out for the shooting alone. They have those big robber pods placed right on the strike zone that just feel really good when striking the ball. They provide a perfect amount of padding for shooting. The shoes seem to give a feeling of a little more pop off your shots if you know what I mean. The small fins on the instep of the boot also provide some noticeable differences in bending the ball. I’m not saying that they will allow you to bend the ball that much better, but they do seems to ease the process. These shoes were made for striking the ball with power, and Nike gets it totally right with these shoes.

Durability

This is another area where the synthetic upper beats out the leather. The synthetic does not ver stretch and the bond between the upper and the sole plate is much stronger on with the synthetic material. Other than that, I wouldn`t say that the Elite Laser would be any more durable than the regular Laser III`s.

Protection

These shoes provide a really nice amount of protection. Should you get stepped on, the rubber elements over the top of your foot will dramatically reduce the pain you will feel. This is the lightest protective shoe on the market.

The Verdict

I really enjoyed wearing these shoes. The sole plate and the less bulky feeling alone make this a dramatic improvement over the regular Laser III`s. The rubber elements really feel fantastic when striking the ball and the reduced weight is unbelievable. Is it worth the extra money for this shoe over the regular Lasers? The answer is yes.

Comfort/Fit	9 out of 10
Weight	9 out of 10
Traction	8 out of 10
Touch	8 out of 10
Shooting	10 out of 10
Protection	8 out of 10
Durability	8 out of 10
FINAL SCORE	60 out of 70 or 86%