Better Leather

ASICS has been seemingly going from strength to strength over the past few years. The regular X Fly line has been trading blows with other boots of a similar style and the X Fly Pro has presented itself as a great leather speed boot option. The one drawback of the boot has always been that the leather was stiffer than most other boots at its price point and while they were pretty good after breaking in, it has always been somewhat of a weak spot on the Pro series. With the release of the X Fly Pro 2, ASICS have updated the leather to be much more premium and it is definitely to the benefit of the boots overall.

Fit and Feel

And so it goes that that the noticeable thing when pulling the ASICS X Fly Pro 2 out of the box, is that new upgraded leather. It is softer than the previous generation while also offering a more plush fit. In hand they feel almost luxurious, making it one of the nicest leathers on any ASICS boot and even better than the leather found on the X Fly 5. There is also more leather on this model versus the original version.

On feet for the first time, the boot feels really good, and the leather is very soft and supple. There is a noticeable difference between the two generations and the leather feels like it will (and does) break in quicker. The one thing to note is that the newer leather does cause the boot to fit a bit tighter out of the box versus the previous model, but more on that when we get to sizing.

As for the rest of the X Fly Pro 2, it is very much the same boot as the original, but this is definitely not a bad thing as the overall fit of the boot is excellent, with there being plenty of adjustability so that the boot will fit most foot types with relative ease. The lacing system is fairly deep, which means even towards the toes there is a decent amount of adjustability.

The heel construction is the same as the previous generation which is a good thing as overall it is really good. There are some pressure points when first running around in the boots, but they quickly go away. The heel has great cushioning, and the lockdown is good as well.

Speaking of lockdown, it is overall really good. The laces do an excellent job of keeping the foot locked in place and there is even an extra lace hole to allow for a runner’s knot. The heel lockdown is also really good, and it is impressive how good the lockdown is.

As far as sizing goes, being an ASICS boot, I went with my normal half size down. Because of the new leather, the boots are slightly tighter than the previous model but not tight enough to go true to size.

Touch

Things are also a little bit different in the new ASICS X Fly Pro 2 when it comes to touch. Naturally, the softer leather means the touch on the ball is slightly different and it feels more barefoot. The leather being softer really enhances the touch and there is a certain confidence that a boot with a soft leather upper always gives when controlling or manipulating the ball.

There is also a difference with the midfoot. ASICS have added these dashes of raised material across the midfoot to provide better control in adverse conditions. They are not super grippy, but there is just a little bit extra to the grip when controlling the ball.

Dribbling is also a much better experience because of the softer leather upper and the mostly uniform shape means there is a nice, simple touch with the ball that has nothing to overcomplicate it.

Shooting and Crossing

Of course, the newer, softer leather forefoot in the X Fly Pro 2 makes a difference when hammering the ball. There is a more natural feeling when shooting. It does not provide a pingy sensation, but it is slightly cushioned and allows for an almost leather like sock feeling. This does mean that different techniques when shooting the ball are more down to the wearer rather than the boot. But since the boot has such an excellent fit, it means that there is a certain confidence when going to strike the ball.

An unsung hero when it comes to shooting and crossing is the soleplate, which does an excellent job of anchoring the foot to the ground without making it feel like you are stuck in the ground. Yes, the soleplate has not changed versus the previous model, but it is still worth mentioning.

Grip

As previously mentioned, the soleplate has not changed versus the previous model. But it really did not need to change. The grip is excellent on multiple surfaces, there is a good amount of spring back and the studs allow for plenty of rotational movement without sacrificing overall grip. It still stands as one of my favourite soleplates on the market and given how much has time has passed since the previous model released, I feel that is really saying something.

Another great thing about the soleplate on the ASICS DS Light X Fly Pro 2 is that there really is no stud pressure. Part of this is down to the nicely-padded insole, but the overall design of the studs themselves means that they provide a very comfortable ride.

Conclusion

While the ASICS has not really overhauled the X Fly Pro series, they really did not need to. The addition of the softer leather means that the series’ one weak point has been addressed. ASICS did a good job of fixing the things on the boot that needed to be changed and were smart enough to leave the rest of the boot alone. This is for the best and because of this, the X Fly Pro 2 is one of my favourite leather speed boots on the market and a darkhorse contender for boot of the year.

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