Adidas Predator Absolado LZ Turf Review

For being a low-end soccer shoe, the fit of the adidas Predator Absolado LZ  isn’t too bad. The upper is very soft and flexible, but that’s mainly because the upper being mesh based. The upper feels like a mesh running shoe, with a thin synthetic cover. The tongue is also mesh based, and is on the thicker side. The heel is lined in synthetic suede, very similar to what you will find on the higher end models, and overall, the shoe is pretty comfortable from right out of the box. Keep in mind that the insoles are non-removable. The shoe just feels very padded on your foot, which doesn’t give you that high-end feel, but it is comfortable.

The fit of the shoe is a little bit funny in my opinion. The toe box and forefoot area fit a little on the sloppy side and just feel very boxy. When you pull the laces tight, you’ll notice a slight pick in the mid-foot, which is somewhat unusual. Instead of hugging the entire instep, it hugs only in one spot. The heel also fits very wide, and I did experience some minor issues with heel slippage, but nothing too serious. Also keep in mind that the upper has very little stretch to it, so the way that they fit from brand new is very close to how they will fit after break-in. The sizing of the shoe is true, just like the rest of the line. I wore my usual size 9US for review, and the fit in the length was perfect. So if you’re looking to order a pair of Absolados, I would strongly recommend going for your normal size.

Weight

The Absolado weighs in at 9.8oz, which is about average weight for most turf soccer shoes. Both in hand and on feet, the Absolado feels relatively lightweight, especially for a turf shoe. There aren’t too many options when it comes to turf shoes that weigh less than 10oz, so there isn’t much to complain about here.

Traction

The Absolado LZ features the same generic turf sole and traction pattern that Adidas has been using on their low-end turf models for the last several years. While it may not be the best on the market, it definitely gets the job done when it comes to providing adequate traction of artificial grass/turf playing surfaces. The traction pattern is made up of small rubber blades, all positioned at different angles. Its very difficult to differentiate one generic turf traction pattern from another, but I can tell you that this particular one works pretty well. I never found myself slipping, and I like the flexibility of the sole in the forefoot. For the most part, I don’t really have anything bad to say about the traction that the Absolado LZ provides. Its nothing special, but it works.

Touch

The Predator LZ is the first Predator to stray away from being marketed as a “Power” boot, and is more or less pushing the “Control” elements of the boot. While no shoe is going to improve your control, or any skill based attribute for that matter, if you are looking at the Absolado as a budget version of the high-end Predator LZ, than you may be disappointed. The top end Predator LZ is all about grip on the ball, which is achieved through various rubber strips positioned in the most commonly used parts of the foot. On the Absolado, all of the zones are there visually, but in terms of feel on the ball, have next to no impact when making touches on the ball. Instead of five Lethal Zones, you get one. To go through them quickly, the zone on top of the foot, the first touch zone, as well as the dribble zone, located on the outside of the foot, are pretty much just paint. There are slight indentations in the upper for each strip in the zones, but instead of rubber, all you get is paint, which adds nothing in terms of feel on the ball. The Drive Zone and the Sweet Spot, located on the inside of the forefoot, are present, but are more like the Predator LZ SL rather than the standard Predator LZ. They have texture to them, but add nothing the way of grip, and have no major impact on the feel of the boot. The only zone that remains is the Pass Pad, located on the instep of the shoe. The foam insert is still there, and while I wouldn’t say that the foam is as high quality as the higher-end models, at least it is there, and it does add a nice feel to the shoe.

So, if there aren’t any Lethal Zones, what does the shoe feel like? The answer to that question is, not very good. As described earlier, the upper is mesh-based, giving it an overly padded feel. I found the touch on the ball to be overly padded, where I wasn’t feeling as much of the ball as I would like. Obviously this is a low-end shoe, and it is expected for the Absolado to not feel as good as the higher-end model, but I just was not a fan at all of the upper on this particular boot. There is a difference between a padded upper and an upper that does not allow you to feel the ball.

Shooting

Striking the ball in the Absolado LZ was honestly nothing special either. Like I said, the upper is padded to the point where you don’t feel too much of the ball, so you don’t have a ton of feedback when striking through the ball. The Drive Zone adds nothing to the shoe, and the rest Lethal Zones, or lack there of, have no impact on the feel either. There’s nothing special here to be completely honest.

Durability

I have no doubt that you will get your money’s worth out of the Absolado LZ. As with most takedowns, the materials are not premium quality, but it isn’t always the premium materials that are the most durable. The synthetic upper is sure to withstand all kinds of wear, and you should easily get a season’s worth of play out of them.

The Verdict

I can’t say that the Absolado LZ surprised me in any way. As with most third tier takedown models, you get a pretty generic, dare I say cheap, soccer shoe that is more about looking good rather than actually performing well. I found the upper to very low quality, offering a touch on the ball that is honestly not great. While I realize that the Absolado LZ is more of budget model, I still feel like you can get a much better shoe for the same price. If you were thinking about getting a pair of Absolado LZs, I would strongly recommend looking at all of your options before making a final decision.

 

Comfort/Fit    5 out of 10
Weight             8 out of 10
Traction           8 out of 10
Touch               5 out of 10
Shooting          5 out of 10
Durability        8 out of 10
Final Score     39 out of 60 or 65%