The adidas adiPure 11Pro is different in that it is a modernly styled boot, with some minimal classic touches. The first big change is the leather itself. Unlike the last four versions of the adiPure, the 11Pro is not kangaroo leather, although the SL version is, which is somewhat of a step backwards, especially for a boot that is supposed to be more traditional. That being said, the leather that is there, which is a nicer calf leather, is not bad at all, but keep in mind that you get only segments of the shoe in leather, while other parts are synthetic, similar to how the leather adizero is designed. Does this in term have an affect on the comfort of the boot? The answer is yes and no. The 11Pro does not offer that same “soft all over” feel on your feet, but instead a tight fit in the midfoot, more like a “speed boot” would feel. From right out of the box, you are not going to have to many issues with breaking in the 11Pro, mainly because the leather is already very soft from brand new. They have a wider predetermined shape, so unless you have wider feet, you will not have much of a break-in period, simply because they won’t need to stretch much to be comfortable.
The heel and the inside of the shoe is lined with a super smooth synthetic suede liner, which feels really nice against your foot, and should help in preventing any kind of blisters. I can also appreciate the thicker leather tongue, which seems to be one of very few parts of the adiPure IV that have carried over to the 11Pro. The one issue that I had with the comfort of these shoe was some slight stud pressure from the two studs under the forefoot, located in the “flex zone” of the soleplate. The reason for this is because the soleplate is actually a little bit thinner in that area of the soleplate than the rest of the soleplate, in order to allow for better flexibility. This is an issue that is mainly going to present itself when the 11Pro is being used on turf, mainly because there just isn’t much cushion on turf. Should you play on a softer surface, such as natural grass, the stud pressure is no longer an issue.
The overall fit of the 11Pro is on the wider side. The leather forefoot is wide from right out of the box, and will stretch if need be. What makes the 11Pro so much different from past adiPures is the thin synthetic midfoot. The synthetic midfoot grabs the instep of your foot and hugs much tighter than would a full leather shoe, or would past adiPures for that matter. It gives the shoe a very adizero-esque feel, a shoe that is easily one of the most popular currently on the market. This is why this shoe may disappoint some, because if you are looking for a very traditional, I guess you could say “more relaxed” fit, the 11Pro is not going to be for you. By no means does the 11Pro feel traditional. It fits very well, but does not offer that classic feel, something that the adiPure line was built around. The heel is also fairly low-cut, but I had no issues with slippage. As far as sizing goes, I wore my usual size 9US for review, and the fit was perfect. If you are looking to order a pair, the 11Pro fits true to size.
Weight
The listed weight of the 11Pro is 8.2oz, which is definitely on the lighter side for a shoe that is supposed to be on the traditional side. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t compare the 11Pro to the likes of the Nike Legend IV or the Puma King Finale, simply because the 11Pro strays way too far away from being a traditional boot. Look at the 11Pro as a more solid feeling leather adizero, which is a good thing. Overall, the shoes are going to feel light on your feet, but not by any means are they surprisingly light for the type of shoe that they actually are.
Traction
The stud pattern of the 11Pro certainly takes after that of the adizero studs pattern. The main difference is that instead of having triangular shaped studs, the studs are instead conically shaped. So, what type of effects does this have on the performance of the stud pattern? The answer to that question is that there is very little difference. The one thing that I really noticed was more the feel of the stud pattern, rather than the actual performance, in comparison to the adizero. What I mean by this is that you seem to have a better feeling of the traction beneath your feet. I would credit this to a more flexible soleplate, which you can also credit for some stud pressure, which makes for a more natural feel in terms of traction. Adidas did a good thing in creating a more flexible sole, in that you can feel the studs beneath your feet ever so slightly, so you get a better idea of how much traction that you actually have. The downside to this softer soleplate is that if you are not on the proper surface, which includes turf, you are going to get some stud pressure. This extra feeling that you have due to the soleplate also makes for studs that feel on the long side, so if you are a regular on turf, don’t be surprised when you catch the turf and stumble once and a while.
Touch
For me, not using a full leather upper kind of disappointed me. If you have ever worn an adiPure before, or any full leather shoe for that matter, than you know that soft touch on the ball that you get no matter what part of the foot you touch the ball with. It is that feeling of softness and consistency that makes leather such a great material to use on a soccer shoe. The 11Pro is so different from the past adiPures not only because it isn’t kangaroo leather, but because the entire midfoot section of the boot is a thin synthetic. The front section of the shoe is calf leather, and is a little thicker than I expected it to be. That being said, the leather has a nice amount of cushion to it and feels very soft when making touches on the ball. What bothered me about the 11Pro was the inconsistency of the upper. There is a harsh transition from a nicely padded leather at the front of the boot, to a very thin synthetic in the midfoot. While this isn’t exactly an issue, since what I have described is pretty much a leather adizero, it just means that you no longer get that option of a traditional feeling shoe from Adidas, unless you go for the Copa Mundial. The instep of the shoe is one of the most common places of the foot where you will be touching the ball, so to make that part of the shoe synthetic rather than leather, somewhat defeats the purpose of picking a shoe that is supposed to have a traditional feel. So, is the touch bad on the 11Pro? The simple answer is no, but it isn’t going to offer that same feel as the past adiPures or any of the other “heritage” boots on the market.
Shooting
Shooting with the 11Pro is not going to surprise you. It has virtually the same tongue as the adiPure IV, which offers a stiffer, padded feeling, something that works really well when shooting the ball. The sole offers some good stiffness through the midfoot as well. One thing worth noting is that there is a lower cut on the heel, so you are not going to get the same solid lock in the ankle, which is exactly how the majority of speed boots are designed, as well as past adiPures. Shooting in the 11Pro is probably what you would expect, and if you wore the adipure IV, the 11Pro is going to feel similar.
Protection
When wearing the 11Pro, you certainly don’t feel like you’re out there running around barefoot, and the amount of protection that they will provide is surprisingly good. The leather at the front of the shoe is nicely padded and the tongue will also provide some good protection from solid impacts. Even with the thin synthetic in the midfoot, the 11Pro feels relatively safe, and like I said earlier, is a good alternative to the leather adizero is you are looking for a little more of a solid boot.
Durability
Nothing worries me as far as durability goes with the 11Pro. Sure the quality of materials is clearly not as good as the past versions of adiPures, but what is there comes together very nicely to make for a solid feeling boot. One thing that I liked was the change in finishes on the leather right at the tip of the toe, a common place for a soccer shoe to separate from the sole. There is a sand paper-like finish on the toe, that will not only help in protecting the leather, it will also allow for a better bond between the upper and the sole. The synthetic midfoot will also make for a shoe that will never over-stretch, which is a problem with some leather shoes. Will the 11Pro last you a full season? I will confidently say yes, but in saying yes, I would not recommend the 11Pro to be used regularly on turf, for durability reasons, as well as the reasons that I mentioned earlier in the review. Also keep in mind that the front of the 11Pro is made from a natural leather, and does require proper maintenance in order to get the most time out of them.
The Verdict
Do I like the 11Pro? The answer is easily yes, but was it what I expected? The answer is clearly no. Adidas has really gone and dramatically changed the adiPure line from a traditional styled line of boots, to a more modern, almost adizero-like boot. I feel that they really tried to create a more traditionally styled adizero, and although I do feel like they were successful in doing that, they may have let down a lot of people who really like that traditional feel that the adiPure line was built around. If you are one of those people who is looking for a traditional feel, the 11Pro is not for you. But if you are one of those people that has always worn the traditional boots and have always wanted to go for something along the lines of a lightweight “speed boot”, than the 11Pro is that middle ground. The 11Pro certainly is a unique boot, but don’t let it deceive you.
| Comfort/Fit | 8 out of 10 |
| Weight | 8 out of 10 |
| Traction | 8 out of 10 |
| Touch | 9 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 8 out of 10 |
| Protection | 8 out of 10 |
| Durability | 8 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 57 out of 70 or 81% |
