Nike5 Lunar Gato Review
The Nike5 Lunar Gato delivers lightweight comfort, cushioning and stability in one heck of a good-looking package. Natural leather forefoot with rubber toe and medial side panel for durability and ball friction. LunarLite technology for the next level cushioning. LunarLite is Nike’s newest game changer. It’s 30% lighter than standard Phylon, which reduces weight and creates springy cushioning. LunarLite absorbs the force of impact and distributes throughout evenly. Gum rubber for non-marking traction, flexibility and control.
Comfort/Fit
The Lunar Gato is one of the most comfortable indoor shoes around. Nike really kept things simple in terms of design and really seemed to have concentrated on making a boot that could be worn from right out of the box. The upper is a very soft natural leather in the front of the boot, that is very pliable and quickly molds to your foot, while the back half of the boot is a synthetic material with mesh inserts, that ensure a tight fit. The heel is lined in swede, and the soft mesh tongue is just thick enough to allow for optimal comfort. The LunarLite sole is also very nice, and as Nike claims, it actually does provide better cushioning then what you would normally get from most indoor soccer shoes. You’ll notice that the sole through the heel and midfoot is ever so slightly thicker than most indoor soccer shoes, and it really does make a difference in terms of comfort. The problem that I feel that most indoor soccer shoes suffer from is that the sole is much too thin for running, to the point where you can feel direct impact on the balls of your feet. I did not have this problem in the Lunar Gato, as they seem to feel much more like a running shoe, which is a major plus. As far as fit goes, this shoe will fit nearly anybody. Nike have designed the shoe too fit very snug from brand new, allowing the shoe to form to the foot, which it does very quickly. I have a regular to narrow width foot and these fit great, but they also have plenty of room for a much wider foot. I feel like the central lacing system also helps in getting the most secure fit possible. I wore my usual size 9US for review and the fit was perfect. If you are looking to order these shoes, they fit very true to size, so order your normal size.
Weight
This shoe weighs in at a very average 10.4 ounces for an indoor soccer shoe. To be honest, I would have guessed that they were lighter, simply because of how well they fit. These shoes will certainly not weigh you down.
Traction
The gum rubber that was used on this shoe is the tackiest that I have seen on an indoor soccer shoe. Just feeling the rubber with your finger, you can feel how much grip that they provide. Even when you walk, you can hear that sticky sound every time your foot leaves the ground. If you are looking for the best grip possible on an indoor surface, the Lunar Gato is what you are looking for. You won’t be sliding at all in these boots. One thing to note is that I would not wear these for use on the street, simply because the rubber will wear away very quickly.
Touch
The touch that the Lunar Gato provides is one of the best that I have ever had on an indoor soccer shoe. The natural leather upper is very high quality and is nice and soft. The leather is on the thinner side, but I feel that it suits the boot and the indoor style. One thing the really bothers me about many indoor soccer shoes is the use of a mesh tongue, which this boot has. What makes this tongue different is that it is only mesh at the top half of the tongue. The bottom half is covered in leather, making for a much firmer touch where you want it, instead of feeling the over cushion of a fully mesh tongue. I have to say that most indoor soccer shoes seem to provide a much cheaper feeling touch than what you can get from many outdoor soccer shoes, but I didn’t have that feeling with these indoors. The touch truly is great.
Shooting
This shoe offers not gimmicks as far shooting goes, but no indoor soccer shoe does, to be honest. If anything, I would say that this boot really reminded of the Legend series, as far as shooting goes. They provide slight padding, which is great for shooting. This shoe was never intended as a shooting boot, but it will still perform well up to par.
Durability
This is a very well made and high quality soccer shoe. You can feel that all of the materials used are not cheap at all and it all comes together very nicely, to make for a very solid feeling boot. These are shoes that will last you a very long time and are definitely a pair that you can rely on.
The Verdict
The Lunar Gato is a classically styled soccer shoe that incorporates some subtle technological advancements that makes for a fantastic pair of indoor soccer shoes. They offer a great fit, are super comfortable, have a quality leather upper and are built to last. For me, this is a shoe that does nearly everything right, and is well worth the price of admission. If you’re looking for a pair top quality indoor soccer shoes, the Lunar Gato is one of the best options available.
| Comfort/Fit | 10 out of 10 |
| Weight | 7 out of 10 |
| Traction | 10 out of 10 |
| Touch | 9 out of 10 |
| Shooting | 8 out of 10 |
| Durability | 10 out of 10 |
| FINAL SCORE | 54 out of 60 or 90% |
