Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII – Bright Mango/Dark Metallic Grey

You’ve got boot releases, and then you’ve got big boot releases. Today’s boot unveiling almost certainly falls within the later category. The name of the boot revealed today carries a lot of weight in the football boot world, and after months of expectation, Soccer Reviews becomes the first site on the planet to officially unveil this year’s biggest speed boot release, the Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII.
Months prior to the unveiling of the Vapor VIII, it was clear that this was going to be one of Nike’s boldest moves yet with the Mercurial. While the difference between the Mercurial Vapor Superfly II and III was little more than a new lick of paint, Nike have overhauled a speed boot that was falling behind adidas’ adiZero and arguably the Puma V1.11, which has become one of this season’s most surprising releases.
The new Vapor VIII has ditched many of the features seen on the Superfly III. First up, Nike have rolled out a brand new material onto the new Mercurial Vapor VIII. The boot has been crafted with a new soft, supple extra-thin teijin microfibre synthetic leather that is designed to adjust to the shape of the foot and it wraps around your foot like a second skin. Throw in the new contoured speed last that has been designed to deliver a superior fit and the two combine together to give the wearer maximum support and aid ball control at high speeds.
The snug fit is going to be one of the main draw cards of the new Mercurial Vapor VIII. This is all designed to lock the wearer’s foot into the boot and create instant acceleration. A lightweight perforated sockliner with textile top clothe also mirrors the natural foot shape and creates low profile cushioning. This is also enhanced by an interior heel that has an abundance of cushioning, while a clear coating prevents the foot from slipping.
But if it’s one thing that we’re very excited about the new Vapor is the new soleplate. Leaked images of the boot have indicated that Nike have moved away from the controversial SenseStud and towards something that is a little more stock standard. The boot features direct inject TPU studs that deliver superior acceleration, which is also aided by the two layers of glass fibre composite, which is another move from the carbon fibre soleplate on the current Superfly model. The twin heel studs is also another change from Nike, and if it works, could be somewhat of a revolutionary addition to the Vapor VIII. It is meant to ensure optimal penetration and stability.
The Mercurial Vapor VIII is also the first Nike boot to feature a new SG stud configuration. While nearly every SG boot on the market is made purely of metal studs, the new Vapor VIII has a combination of FG and SG studs, which is something many professionals around the world have been doing to their SG boots for quite some time now. This will be known as the Pro range of boots and it will be rolled out onto Nike’s other silos (CTR, T90 and Tiempo) in time for EURO 2012. It brings the professional experience to the average footballer, and it’s something we can’t wait to test out!
The new Mercurial Vapor VIII has been kept in the shadows for quite some time now, yet professionals around the world have been secretly disguising their Vapor VIIIs as Superfly IIIs. Now it’s ready for you to wear them. The boots are expected to go on retail for £150 and will be on presale from the 19th of March, with a full release scheduled for the 1st of April. Ronaldo will, of course, be the headline athlete for the range. But we will also see an increased role for Neymar in Nike’s advertising campaign of the Mercurial, so perhaps Nike is expecting a big year from the South American!
Nothing creates quite an impact as a Mercurial launch, and this has certainly been one of the most talked about boot releases of the past few years. Has it hit the spot for you? Or is it another own goal by Nike? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.