It has been some time since we have two speed boot releases drop around the same time and put the boots more in direct competition with each other. Both Nike and adidas have always taken different approaches to their speed boots and with the newest generation of the F50 (which adidas have brought back) and the Vapor, we see now more than ever how different the approaches to speed boots have become for both brands. In some ways, both boots seek to appeal to audiences outside the more traditional players who wear speed boots. Nike’s approach is to have a Air Zoom unit that not only is supposed to provide comfort, but also springback. While adidas have worked on their soleplate to make it more suitable for people who do not want an overly grippy ride. But both boots are still very much worth comparing.

The best place to start is the upper. There are two different schools of thought here. Adidas has gone with a more classical (though modernized) synthetic upper, Nike has stuck with the recently popular Gripknit. When comparing the two uppers, it is immediately apparent that the Gripkit upper on the Vapor is softer and more pliable. The Gripknit has been refined to work on a Merucrial and it is, in my opinion, the best upper to ever have been found on a Vapor. Unfortunately, the softer does not have much in the way of lateral support which means that when making sharp cuts and turns, there is a noticeable lack of structure, and it feels as if you need to make use of your foot strength to make up for this.

On the other hand, while the F50 upper is stiffer out of the box, it softens up pretty quickly and becomes really pliable. The main advantage of this is that the midfoot is also stiffer and provides more lateral stability so that the foot and the muscles in the leg do not feel as if they are working hard to make up for anything the boot lacks.

Going back to the Vapor, there is a noticeable lack of lockdown. The upper feels overly wide in parts and the lacing system does not feel well designed for lockdown. Add to this the overly wide heel cup and the boot has an overly sloppy feel on feet. In opposition to this, the F50 has a compression band system built into the tongue which creates a tunnel inside the boot and increases lockdown. The heel is also shaped very well, which further enhances the locked in feeling that the F50 provides.

With the Vapor, the Gripknit provides an excellent feel on the ball and the grippy nature of the material means that in almost every condition the touch on the ball feels assured and confidence-inducing. But this also leads to the bizarre decision to have the swoosh logos located on the part of the boots that you would use to make dribbles and instep passes, which leads to the ball control feeling disconnected. Which is a shame, because outside of that, the touch on the ball is excellent.

The F50’s upper uses a material called Fibertouch to enhance the feel on the ball. It does this to great effect in all sorts of conditions and while the upper is not as grippy as the Vapor, it is still excellent. Fibertouch is also located at the end of the toe, which provides extra durability to the upper. The Fibertouch does not feel overly grippy but has just enough grip to be noticeable and make a difference.

While the Vapor has the softer and grippier upper, the lack of lockdown and poor fit juxtaposes with the F50 which has a tighter fit, much more lockdown and feels a bit more refined. The F50 feels more crafted around the foot whereas the Vapor feels like it was designed for someone with cube feet.

Moving onto the soleplate, the Vapor is definitely designed for more outright speed. It is a far more aggressive soleplate than the F50 and will please a lot of diehard Mercurial fans. Unfortunately, the Air Zoom technology in the boot is a bit of a letdown because it does provide as much springback as someone would want from a speedboot. And in fact, the Air Zoom unit only allows much springback before the unit overly compresses and then there is no stiffness at all. Even worse, this happens in the midfoot as well, leaving the soleplate to feel overly flexible and straining the feet even more.

On the other hand, the F50 is more traditional in the way the soleplate is designed and the Sprintframe 360 has a stiffer forefoot, meaning that it has better springback. The midfoot is also stiffer which provides for more support. Additionally, the stud layout on the F50 soleplate still provides good grip but the addition of rounded studs may make the soleplate less aggressive than the Vapor, it does mean that not only can the studs be used safely on artificial surfaces, but it also means that players who still want a speed boot but are worried about their joints can wear the F50 more confidently than the Vapor.

We also need to talk about stud pressure. One of the huge drawbacks of the Air Zoom unit on the Vapor is that while the midfoot feels comfortable, on the edges of the unit stud pressure is apparent, especially on harder surfaces. When running at speed especially, the Air Zoom unit overly compresses and the stud pressure on the outside of the foot is very obvious. The F50 has no issues of this sort, and the stud pressure is pretty much nonexistent, even on harder surfaces. The F50 soleplate is well designed, balanced, and reacts well to almost every situation. It is a very enjoyable soleplate to play in and almost pushes you to do more.

Another thing that needs to be mentioned is the premium feel of both boots. Both the Vapor and the F50 are among some of the most expensive boots on the market. And while the upper and soleplate of the Vapor feel high end, that’s about it. The laces and the insole feel like they belong on a much cheaper boot and the finishing on the some of the details on the Vapor is very poor. In my mind, it is unacceptable for a boot to feel this cheap considering the price and it is very obvious that Nike is cutting corners with their products. The F50 though, not only feels like you are getting what you paid for, but even comes with a second set of comfort insoles. Not part of the boot feels cheap.

Conclusion

Nike almost always has the upper hand with speed boots and while the Vapor has a lot of promise, it feels like it needed more time to be worked on during the design and also the finishing process. The fit, lack of lockdown, and cheapness of some of the materials feels like Nike are overcharging for what you are buying. On the other adidas have stepped their game up with the F50. It has excellent lockdown, a great fit, premium materials and multipurpose soleplate that is still aggressive enough for a speed boot but at the same time provides a more comfortable ride and is more reactive. If you cannot decide which one to get, buy the F50. If you want the Vapor, skip it and get the F50 instead. It is that easy of a choice for me.

Which do you prefer between the newest F50 and Vapor? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook!

Also, please check out The Football Boot Hour Podcast with me and Boot Wizard Boot Reviews on Boot Wizard’s YouTube channel!

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