The best value for money option.

ASICS has been tearing up the boot market in Japan over the past few years with the brand putting out excellent update after excellent update. They have been so good that the X Fly 5 took top spot in my boot of the year list for last year, with the X Fly Pro taking third spot and being my personal favourite boot from last year. And this trend continues with the DS Light Pro, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Fit and Feel

One of the most notable changes versus the previous model of the regular DS Light is the upgraded kangaroo leather on the upper. It is obviously not as nice as some higher end kangaroo leather boots in ASICS’ line up, but it still premium feeling and very soft to the touch.

Another thing that is noticeable is the very lovely faux heel suede liner that feels like it belongs on a much more expensive boot. But given that they’re found on a boot that’s priced around 16k yen (around 100 EUR, 105 USD) means that you feel like you are getting great value for money.

Flipping the boot over, ASICS have continued to use their GEL tech on the heel, and it is also improved from the previous model. It is a nice touch that helps cushion the heel and provide a good bit of comfort in the boot.

Getting the boots on feet for the first time reinforces the idea that you are getting a premium level boot for a less than mid tier price. It is very comfortable and because of the fairly deep lacing system means that the boot will fit a good majority of foot types. With that being said, ASICS has a narrow model and a wide model available for people with different shaped feet.

The lockdown also feels pretty good with a well cushioned heel and a good lacing set up making sure that there is little to no slippage in the boot when playing. On the other hand, there is no cushioning underneath the tongue so there is some lace pressure.

We must go back to the heel again because it is excellent and very comfortable. It not only fits well, but also does a great job of wrapping the heel in comfort. The GEL technology on the bottom of the heel means that the DS Light Pro has one of the best heels on the market.

The midfoot is made of a soft synthetic that does a good job of holding the foot in place. It is because of this, and the kangaroo leather forefoot, means that the boot breaks in pretty quickly and they can be used in a game almost immediately because it only takes about a few hours for them to feel ready to go.

As far as the sizing goes, I went with my usual size in ASICS which a half size down from normal and the fit is perfect. So, if you are going to order a pair, go a half size down.

Touch

One of the positives of using such a nice kangaroo leather means that the touch on the ball is really good. It is not super thin and has some cushioning to the upper but at the same time it does not feel overly cushioned, and the touch is in line with what one would expect from a kangaroo leather boot.

The synthetic midfoot has a surprisingly good feel for the ball as well and there is an ever so slight stickiness to the upper than allows the ball to be trapped easily with this area of the foot. Aside from that there is not a lot going on with the upper and there is a good uniform fit around the boot so there are no surprises with the feel of the ball. Just a solid all-around performer.

Passing and Shooting

This goes with passing and shooting the ball as well. There is no added tech to “improve” the performance of the boot. It is all down to you and your own skill. But on the other hand, it is nice that there is nothing on the DS Light Pro that gets in the way of what you are trying to do. With all that being said, the boot is a solid performer and passing feels nice and natural.

The same goes for shooting as well, it is just a solid performing boot and shooting feels nice and provides good feedback without feeling like there is too much cushioning. As with a few other boots, the DS Light Pro does a great job with keeping the foot anchored to the ground when hitting the ball with power. It is satisfying in the way that it does not try to overcomplicate things when it comes to performance.

Grip

As mentioned previously, the big draw of the soleplate is the GEL technology on the heel and the shape of the soleplate itself is designed in a way to put you more up on your toes when pushing off for movement. There is also almost no stud pressure, and the studs perform well on multiple surfaces without any issues.

However, it can be said that the studs do feel slightly long on artificial surfaces and while there have been no issues, it does make sense to go for the AG model of the DS Light Pro over the FG model, especially if the surfaces you normally play on have shorter synthetic grass or a harder surface overall. I do appreciate that there is the AG model available, but this is something I felt that ASICS could improve upon when it comes to the stud length.

Conclusion

The ASICS DS Light Pro is the go to option for budget boots. It is a solid performer, made with excellent materials and it really feels like ASICS put a lot of work into the boot to make sure that anyone who buys a pair can feel that their money was well spent. The kangaroo leather on the boot is again more premium than one would expect for this price point and the clever use of ASICS’ GEL tech as well as quality of life things like a properly cushioned and faux suede lined heel means that the DS Light Pro is top of its price point in terms of value for money.

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