Almost the perfect leather boot

If there is one thing that we can always count on, it is that Mizuno always makes a superb kangaroo leather boot. The Morelia II Japan has been the gold standard for years and while various trends come and go, the Morelia is seemingly eternal. It is one of those boots that as soon as you have tried them, it becomes the standard against which all other boots are measured. Over the past fifteen years, Mizuno has been gradually updating the Morelia II. Some are significant changes, others are slighter.

With the newest Mizuno Morelia II Japan, the Runbird has finally added suede lining to the heel are of the boot, a long-requested addition. There are a few other quality of life updates, such as the addition of the synthetic Barefoot Leather around the ankle area to help better wrap the ankle. Mizuno has also changed the Micro Taffeta in the forefoot to be thinner and stronger, helping to provide a nicer and closer touch on the ball. They have finally updated the laces to be thinner, and the rivets have been removed to save weight.

While there has not been a serious overhaul of the boot, the Mizuno Morelia II Japan is still almost the perfect leather boot, but now it has proper competition.

Fit and Feel

The Morelia is Mizuno’s premier leather boot and as such, the feel of the leather out of the box is incredible. It is absurd how soft and supple the leather is before it has even been broken in. The smell of the leather and the condition is awesome and the whole boot just oozes quality. Mizuno has also absolutely nailed the suede lining in the heel and it feels very premium. The whole boot feels as if almost no expenses were spared in the creation of the boots.

As anyone who has tried a Morelia II Japan before, you will know that the boots feel luxurious on feet. The newest model is no different and that addition of suede in the heels makes it feel just that bit more comfortable than previous models. The suede lining also does a great job of keeping the heel locked in place and accentuates the overall comfort here. The actual shape of the heel has not changed, which is good because the fit is great. If I am to be super critical, I do wish there was some extra laceholes at the top of the boot to allow me to do a runner’s knot and get my heel super locked in. This is more of a personal preference than anything the boot needs, however.

Speaking of the laces, they are improved and do feel nicer than previously. Mizuno has switched from 6mm laces to 4mm laces, which do feel less cheap than before. However, considering the quality of the rest of the boot, the laces are still somewhat of a letdown, and even more so when you think about the fact that Mizuno has their own ZeroGlide laces that are far more premium.

In spite of that issue, the change in laces does somewhat help improve the overall lockdown, which is solid without being over the top. Previously, I could feel the older laces begin to stretch and lose tension over time. While this has not been the case with this newest model of the Mizuno Morelia II Japan, it is still not good enough. Aside from that issue, the deep lacing set up that Mizuno always uses on this boot is superb. There is plenty of adjustability throughout the boot and this means that the Morelia II Japan can fit a lot of different foot shapes with relative ease.

Another thing that I always appreciate with the boots is the overall shaping of the boot. That longer lasting process seems to help highlight the excellent fit of the Morelia II. In particular, I really like the more rounded toebox as I feel it allows the boot to more naturally fit the foot. Of course, the fantastic kangaroo leather upper helps with this feeling. There is a bit of stretch to the upper that allows the boots to mold to the feet, but I have never experienced overstretching with almost any Morelia I have worn in the entire series.

Because the leather is so premium means that the boots feel fully broken in within an hour of play. If you have not experienced this feeling before, it is silly how quickly the Morelia II molds to the foot. The shape and adjustability of the laces means you can get just about the perfect fit.

The insole is not anything over the top, but it does provide some nice cushioning and there is no stud pressure while wearing the boots. I do need to point out the fact that previously the insoles said Made in Japan on them, but now Mizuno have stopped doing that. It is a very small and insignificant thing, but I thought it was nice to have that mark of quality on there.

For sizing I went half a size down from my normal size as I do in almost every Mizuno boot. So, my normal size is a 26.5cm but I wear a 26cm in pretty much every Mizuno boot except for the Wave Cup. My recommendation is to go half a size down from your normal size.

On the Ball

Naturally, the Mizuno Morelia II Japan really shines here. The kangaroo leather that the Runbird uses has a superb touch on the ball and it is almost the gold standard how a k leather boot should feel on the ball. It is no longer the top one out there, but more on that below. This does not take away from the fact that for the most part, the touch and feel on the ball while playing the Morelia II is the top boot that every other leather boot has to compare itself to. It sounds silly, but there are a number of people who feel that once you have tried a Morelia II, you are forever comparing everything else you wear to it.

Since the upper has a uniform shape, this also means there is no awkward feeling in the boots no matter how you play around with the ball. The upper is thin but has a slight amount of padding to help heighten the feeling on the ball. It is incredible. Dribbling, control, passing all feel very pure.

While the Morelia II Japan has no crazy shooting tech, it does not need it as it really emphasizes your individual technique. Basically, the better your technique is, the more the boot allows you to get direct feedback on that technique. There is no pingy sensation like a speed boot, but it is a mistake to assume that the Morelia is some chunky old school boot. Mizuno has done plenty of work on the boot over the years for it to feel as close to a leather sock on your feet as possible.

Quick note about the touch with the soleplate. Looking back, the first time I played in a Morelia was when I started to really appreciate the type of touch and ball manipulation you could do when the bottom of the studs had patterns on them. It is no different here and it is weirdly one of my favourite parts of the boot.

Grip

Not much has essentially changed for some time with the soleplate of the Mizuno Morelia II Japan. The one thing that seems to have changed, though Mizuno did not mention it in their tech press release, is the soleplate seems to have been stiffened up. This has probably been done due to the fact that for a long-time people have complained that the soleplate can become overly flexible after long-term (10-12 months) of wear. Something to keep an eye on.

It is understandable that some people would prefer shorter, or thinner studs to provide a different sort of grip, but considering the Morelia II is the paradigm for their boot line up, it makes sense that Mizuno is hesitant to change. The fact that the studs have been designed to take a lot of beating, especially because practice pitches in Japan are basically dirt, is probably the main reason why they have refused to change.

However, it definitely would be a good idea on Mizuno’s part to make their AG soleplate available for the Morelia II as well. It seems that Mizuno Korea has an AG plate option for the Morelia II, so hopefully that will make its way outside that market as well.

The Contenders

Earlier I mentioned that the Mizuno Morelia II Japan might no longer be the top kangaroo leather boot in the game. And since the release of the previous update in 2020, there has definitely been a lot more contenders. There are two in particular that come to mind for me.

Obviously, I have to mention the Adler Yatagarashu. The Yatagarashu has a thinner leather upper than the Morelia II and has a super thin yet still fantastic touch on the ball. There is also more adjustability in the overall fit of the Yatagarashu, and while it costs more for a custom, you can order the Yatagarashu in a narrow or wide variation. There is also the KaRVO midsole wildcard that makes the Yatagarashu have awesome springback for a boot in this category. Though it can be argued that the Morelia has a better soleplate, the Adler Yatagarashu cannot be ignored.

However, the biggest contender comes from Mizuno itself. Only a few months ago Mizuno released the limited Innovation Pack. While most people’s pick of the pack is the Mizuno Morelia Neo Beta with the Alpha soleplate, for me in terms of fit and touch, the Morelia Proto stole the show. The Morelia Proto has serious Rebula vibes and since the Rebula series always fit me well, this is probably why I feel that the fit of the Morelia Proto is better than that of the Morelia II.

For me, the touch on the ball is also better in the Proto, with the upper being thinner than the standard Morelia II and it has this almost ethereal touch on the ball that makes me excited to play in the boots. While I do prefer the FG soleplate from the Morelia II, I think that it would be a no brainer to pick the Morelia Proto instead. If only it had an FG soleplate and an extra set of laces.

Conclusion

In spite of my feelings, there is no escaping the fact that the Mizuno Morelia II Japan is an incredible boot. It feels luxurious on the ball and is enormously comfortable to wear. The shaping leads itself to fit a majority of foot types, and the quality is among the very best in the market. It is a boot that is made for everyone, yet at same time feels like it was designed specifically to fit you. Aside from the exceptions mentioned above, there is no boot like it. It is the leather boot that everyone else wishes they could make, and that all strive to be compared to. Every single leather boot lover has to wear a Morelia II at some point, more than anything else.

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