The Adidas adipower Predator is an entirely different shoe in comparison to its predecessor, the Pred X, as it seems to follow Adidas’ new lightweight revolution. The soleplate has been completely revamped and is loosely based on the incredibly successful adizero soleplate. The upper is still made of the same Taurus calf leather as the previous Preds and is still nice and soft. The inside of the heel is lined with a super smooth suede-like material that is just really comfortable and makes the break-in effortless. There is also a somewhat dimpled pattern on the heel lining but I don’t think that it really has any effect on the comfort of the shoe. As for the fit, these shoes run fairly wide and will definitely fit any foot type. I wore a size 9US for review but did find that the leather did stretch a fair amount. If you like your shoes to fit really tightly, I would recommend going down a half size, otherwise just order your normal size. My only complaint in terms of comfort would have to be the tongue. It is made of a very thin, almost cheap feeing material that by no means is bad, but I would have like to see maybe a little thicker more padded tongue to improve the fit.
Weight
This is what makes this version of the Predators so exciting, they are light. They weigh in at 7.8 ounces, which isn’t as light as an adizero, but for the type of boot that you get, is really impressive. I held this shoe in one hand and a Nike Superfly in the other, and found the Pred to feel lighter, not by much, but lighter. The weight reduction is definitely due to the new sole plate, and thankfully, the lack of weight does not take away from the support and feel that you get from a Predator. I would say that they are pretty much the perfect weight, and I would want them any lighter.
Traction
Although the adipowers sport an entirely different soleplate, Adidas did not mess around too much with their proven and trusted TRX firm ground stud pattern. The adipower still features the same blades around the outside edges of the boot, with some minor tweaks. Instead of two small blades in the mid-foot area, there is now one single square adizero-like stud. I didn’t find much of a difference in terms of traction because of this, but I did notice some minor changes that improved the stability from the last Predator. The heel studs are not as long as they were on the Predator X, and because the sole plate is thinner, you feel closer to the ground, providing a more stable feeling when running. I would definitely say that I felt more confident in make quick changes of direction in this Predator rather than the last version.
Touch
As with the Predator X, the adipower is made of very soft Taurus leather that feels really nice when making touches on the ball. I also really like having the predator element out of the and positioned more on the top of the foot, this way you get the touch of a full leather shoe without having to touch the ball with rubber when you are dribbling, like you would on a pair of Nike Laser III’s. I complained about the material of the instep on the Predator X, as it was a cheap, almost vinyl-like material that was just really cheap and seemed out of place. Adidas have changed that and replaced it with a leather instep, but instead moved this cheap material to the outside of the boot to be used for the three Adidas stripes. Although it has less of an impact on the outside, I still feel like it doesn’t belong on a high-end boot like the Predator.
Shooting
The Predator element has been changed once again, promising more power and swerve when striking the ball. Although I don’t really like how big companies market boots to have certain benefits, there is technology that goes into modern soccer shoes that “in theory” should have benefits. In reality, this is my favorite Predator element so far, not because of its shape, but because of its abrasiveness. The Pred element is made of a very soft rubber material that does seem to grip the ball when you strike it. Although it does not add any power to your shot, and no boot will, I do feel like you can get a little more spin on the ball when going for a more finesse shot. Another thing that I really like from the Predator line is the Powerspine technology. This is the small part that bumps out on the bottom of the soleplate. The whole reason for it being there is to provide stiffness in the boot when striking the ball. The whole idea is that the Powerspine doesn’t allow the boot to flex backwards when you strike the ball, but still allows the boot to flex forward when running. The Powerspine really does do a good job of keeping the boot solid and stiff after several months of use.
Durability
The durability on this shoe would be really no different from any leather shoe. Adidas usually does a good job with bonding the leather to the soleplate, so I wouldn’t worry about tearing or separation. The shoe feels really well built and will definitely last an entire season.
Protection
Because the predator element is positioned right on top of the foot, it will provide some good protection should you get stepped on. I would say that this is the lightest shoe that you can get that still has some decent protection.
The Verdict
I had really high expectations for this shoe and was really pleased with the final product. Adidas have really come up with something revolutionary in how light that they can make a boot, without sacrificing support, soft leather and solid comfort. This is really a boot that I would consider if you are in the market for a new pair. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
| Comfort/Fit | 9 out of 10 |
| Weight | 10 out of 10 |
| Traction | 9 out of 10 |
| Touch | 8 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 10 out of 10 |
| Protection | 8 out of 10 |
| Durability | 6 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 60 out of 70 or 86% |
