Even better

Adidas put the boot world on notice when it released Predator with a fold over tongue towards the end of 2023. Over the following year adidas put out a whole range (too many, in fact) of colourways to suit just about every taste. Add in the beloved Roteiro and Beckham Pred releases and it seemed like adidas had satisfied everyone’s appetite for the Predator to the point that some of us were questioning whether adidas could better the Pred 24. After all, the boot got a ton of high praise and was loved by many people. Surely, it would be difficult for adidas to do better. But then they released the new adidas Predator Elite FT 25.

Fit and Feel

The new adidas Predator Elite FT is one of those boots you need to get in hand to truly understand why it is an upgrade versus the previous generation. The first thing that is noticeable when you pull the boots out of the box is how soft the upper is. The upper on the Pred 24 was no slouch but when compared to the newest model, it is really obvious that adidas put the work in to improve the boot.

This new Hybridtouch upper is not only a softer and better improvement versus the previous generation, but it is arguably one of the best examples of a synthetic upper that adi has done, save for the Messi F50 Hybridtouch upper. But even then, there are people who will prefer the upper of the new Preds over the F50.

Another advantage of this new upper is that the Predator 25 takes even less time to break in, with only a short hour-ish session needed before the boots feel ready to go. At the same time, the upper also still feels like it can take tackles without causing damage to the upper. In difficult conditions as well, the upper still performs, and while the areas outside of the Strikeskin are not grippy per se, there is still an ever-so-slight amount of matte grip on the Hybridtouch.

The softer upper also means that the Predator 25 feels more pliable and adjustable for different foot shapes. There is a slight increase in the amount of volume in the toebox but the midfoot also feels like it can accommodate various foot types. This is helped by the fact that the Predator still maintains a surprisingly deep and central lacing system that allows for a lot of adjustability.

Lockdown is similar to the previous generation. Naturally, with the FT model you sacrifice a bit of lockdown to accommodate the tongue and overall look, but it is still good enough. It will not be better than the non FT model but it is good enough to where you do not feel your foot coming out of the boot even when doing hard cuts or sprints.

The only real issue with the overall fit is still the heel. It is fine enough, but it still could be much better. When adidas first “leaked” the boots through Arsenal’s IG page, it showed player models that had a thicker and more cushioned heel. I would argue that that particular heel would be better than the one we got on the mass-market model. Again, the heel is fine, but it could have been better and considering how much better the new upper is, it would have been nice to see the heel get some improvements as well. That being said, the heel has good enough lockdown, but it does feel a bit bare, especially when compared to other models in this category on the market.

Slight aside, I was a bit disappointed that the Predator branding on the band came apart quickly. Surely adidas could have just embroidered it into the band like on the Pred 24. After all, these boots are quite expensive and the other details on the boot are so good that just printing the branding on the band seems like an oversight.

As for sizing, I did what I normally do with adidas and went half a size down from my usual size. This was a mistake. I strongly recommend that you go true to size with the Predator. It is still snug enough but will provide the best fit this way.

Touch

As you would expect, the touch on the ball is excellent. It is a Predator, and it lives up to the legacy of the series. The newer Hybridtouch upper provides a nice feel on the ball when dribbling and the midfoot is softer and thinner than the previous generation, so you get an even better and closer feel for the ball.

While the material is not going to be as thin or as soft as a speed boot, the Predator does provide a more natural feeling on the ball. What this means is that there is not much to get in the way of the foot and the ball, and you could almost – almost – be mistaken for thinking that the material has the touch on the ball that you would expect from a more leather like synthetic.

Passing and Shooting

Ok, but what everyone wants to know about is the redone Strikeskin. It is less aggressive when compared to the previous Predator but at the same time still provides a nice feeling when hitting the ball. There are some people who will prefer the Predator 24’s striking area but I would argue that the newer Strikeskin is more refined in some ways. For example, the rubber striking area has various heights and it seems like they tested the strike zone to get the right amount of grip when hitting the ball. I would have liked to see the rubber fins be thicker for durability and grip purposes. But, on the ball, you still get plenty of grip and there is still that very obvious desire to hit the ball in the boots as hard as possible. Like many Predators before, it is very enjoyable to hit the ball with power in the Predator 25.

Again, like many Preds, you can get some lovely curve on the ball when going to place shots and hit a cross-field ball. There is this feeling that I should be the set piece taker, for every situation. Corners, freekicks, PKs, heck even goal kicks, all feel like something I want to do when wearing the boots. Especially in the modern market, there really is not anything like a Predator and the boot continues to stand on its own in some ways, unapologetic in its desire to appear more aggressive and more of a true power boot in the market.

None of this would be desirable normally, but there is this undeniable mystique when it comes to Predators and the new Predator 25 reinforces this idea. The boot responds well to hitting the ball with power. It wants you to add crazy bend to the ball any chance you get. The boots do not make the player of course, but one cannot deny the mental feeling you get when bending the ball in a pair of Predators. And a lot of the game is mental, after all.

Grip

The soleplate has not changed from the previous generation and that is to be expected as in some ways the Predator 25 can be seen as a midlife refresh. I personally would have liked to see a change (or at least seen the Predator 24 on a two-year cycle like it should have been), but at the same time the current soleplate is a solid option. Mostly.

I still do not like this soleplate for AG surfaces, and it is a bit of a shame that we still do not have a proper AG option for the FT Predator. You can of course wear the FG on AG and be ok, but I feel the soleplate is a little bit too aggressive for AG pitches. However, this does mean that the soleplate seems like it will be good on slightly softer pitches.

And something I did not get to test previously but had no choice now was testing the soleplate in snow and soaked grass pitches. The soleplate did really well in these conditions so it can definitely be recommended for adverse weather and poor pitch conditions.

Other Alternatives

New releases are very expensive, of course, so there are some options if you do not want to go for such expensive boots. The first option is the Pred 24 because the newest model being released means that the Pred 24 will drop in price. Another option would be the Predator Accuracy. Yes, it does not have the fold over tongue, but it will provide a lot of that aggressive grip on the ball and there are still pairs floating around.

Conclusion

It is crazy to think that a boot as good as the Predator 24 has been almost rendered obsolete with the release of the adidas Predator Elite FT 25. The Pred 25 has improved the upper and fit by a good amount and has made the Predator feel even more accessible than before. This is because the upper is so soft and pliable that it will fit a majority of foot types. At the same time, the Pred 25 still retains that classic Predator DNA and makes you want to say, “give me the ball”. While the Strikeskin is less aggressive, it does feel more refined and finely tuned for the modern game. It still provides a good amount of grip, and it is still very enjoyable to curve the ball in the boots. The Predator is still unapologetically a power boot in an age when they do not really exist, making the boot stand apart from the rest of the market. It is really a proper Predator.

What do you think of the adidas Predator Elite FT 25? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook!

Also make sure to check out the Football Boot Hour Podcast with me and Boot Wizard Boot Reviews!

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