ASICS’ banger year continues

The Japanese brand has recently been doing a lot of work towards increasing its reputation not just in Japan but gradually overseas as well. This has been helped by the excellent boots that ASICS has put out year after year. However, ASICS has not rested on its laurels and seems to be constantly trying to not only outdo its main domestic rival, Mizuno, but to give overseas brands a tough time as well. ASICS has also recently started selling their boots in the US market again, and surely another try at the European market will happen in due course. With the release late last year of the X Fly Pro 3, ASICS showed that it is possible to make a synthetic material that not only mimics kangaroo leather but even exceeds it in some ways. ASICS’ Silkywrap material is excellent and the new ASICS DS Light X Fly 6 shows that this material more than deserves the high praise people have given it.

Fit and Feel

Taking the X Fly 6 out of the box for the first time it is immediately obvious how premium the Silkywrap upper feels in hand. It is the closest synthetic to feel like kangaroo leather I have held, probably ever. You could probably trick someone into thinking that it is kangaroo leather because of how soft the Silkywrap is. In fact, the Silkywrap upper is softer than the kangaroo leather that was previously used on the X Fly 5. There is a nice, natural grain feel to the material that, again, could really fool people into thinking it is kangaroo leather. There is also more Silkywrap on the upper of the X Fly 6 than there was kangaroo leather on the previous X Fly 5. What this does is allow the boot to mold around the foot better and also helps with the feel on the ball.

Since the lacing system is very deep, there is a lot of adjustability in the fit and the overall shaping of the boot. This allows for a lot of different foot types to fit into the X Fly 6 without feeling overly cramped for wider feet or too looser for narrower foot types. Also, typical of many high-end ASICS boots is the extra lacehole which allows you to do a runner’s loop in order to get extra lockdown in the heel. I have said this many times before, but it is such a simple addition and the fact that a lot of brands do not do this shows a lack of care.

Speaking of the heel, it is brilliant. The X Fly 6 continues the ASICS tradition of having some of, if not the, best feeling heels on the market. There is a lot of cushioning that surprisingly does not feel overly bulky. The shape of the heel also wraps the back of the foot nicely, but because it is so nicely cushioned, I do not feel any hotspots or have any blistering. A lot of other brands would do well to understand what ASICS does well with their heels and learn from it.

As you might imagine, the overall comfort of the ASICS DS Light X Fly 6 is very good. In fact, it has to be one of the most comfortable boots of the year without seemingly sacrificing any performance. Normally, there is sometimes a trade off when it comes to comfort versus performance, but not only do the boots feel excellent on feet, but they are still one of the highest performing boots I have tested this year. Part of this comfort is also down to the really nice insole, that has good cushioning, prevents stud pressure and has good support, without feeling like it is overly thick.

ASICS does market the DS Light X Fly 6 as a stability boot, supposedly to help support the foot through any and all actions taken while playing. For me, I personally see it as ASICS’ version of the Mizuno Morelia Neo, except better. For example, the Morelia Neo Beta has great midfoot stability, but it also fairly narrow through the midfoot. The non Beta Neo has a softer midfoot, but it can lack structure as the BF Leather gets overly soft after a long period of use. The midfoot of the X Fly 6 seems to be a happy medium. There is a lot of structure without feeling constricting. It is still soft but at the same time the material feels more solid. The only possible drawback is that the midfoot material on the X Fly 6 is a bit thicker than what is found on the Mizuno Morelia Neo series. Personally, I prefer the feel of the X Fly as I like the more structured feel.

Another positive with the X Fly 6 is how ridiculously quick the break in time is. It only took about twenty minutes for the boots to feel almost ready to go for anything. The Silkywrap material is so soft. It is on par and even better than some of the leather boots on the market and it is just really impressive to experience.

For sizing, I did what I normally do with ASICS boots and went half a size down from my normal size. The fit has been perfect, so I recommend you go half a size down if you are planning on getting these.

On the Ball

It is really difficult to tell that the X Fly 6 is a completely synthetic upper. The Silkywrap feels almost exactly the same as the soft leather boot when it comes to the touch on the ball. The touch on the ball is very impressive and feels natural. There is that bit of cushioning that you would expect from a premium kangaroo leather boot. The Silkywrap feels very refined, and it feels like ASICS put in a lot of work to make it feel this way.

Much like a natural leather, the touch feels personal, like the boots were made specifically for my feet. Of course, part of this comes down to the great fit. The flip side of this is that since there is more of the softer material the previous X Fly, the X Fly 6 feels like an upgrade in terms of touch on the ball. At the same time, the Silkywrap is more cushioned and a bit thicker than the previous kangaroo leather. However, the Silkywrap does feel more premium, so there is a bit of give and take there.

Dribbling in the ASICS DS Light X Fly 6 is a natural as I would expect from a boot with a leather upper. There are no random bulges, and it is a simple feeling. Sure, they could have gone a bit crazier because Silkywrap is synthetic, but I appreciate the ASICS did not try and overcomplicate things here.

MoisTec, which was ASICS’ wetgrip activation material seems to have been dropped. In its place there are these slightly rubberized arrow patterns on the midfoot that feel like they do add a little bit of grip, but it has not been wet here lately, so it is hard to tell if they will make a difference in wet conditions. Still, it does not get in the way, so no issues to speak.

Another thing without issues is hitting the ball with oomph. The X Fly 6 is not as exciting as something with super grippy materials on the upper, but this seems like a case where ASICS realised that simplicity is best. So, much like a natural leather boot, you get out what you put in when it comes to shooting or hitting long balls. The leather-like also means there is no pinginess, which I do not really look for in a boot like this anyways.

While the soleplate has not changed, I do like how well it anchors the foot to the ground when shooting, so thumbs up here as well.

Grip

The soleplate is perfectly fine as it is. It was updated for the X Fly 5 and I am glad ASICS kept it around for the X Fly 6. This is because it is surprisingly grippy and yet offers a lot of rotational movement and no matter the surface, it never feels stuck in the ground. The soleplate also has some decent snapback, which is certainly not excepted give the soleplate’s look.

Another reason why I appreciate the soleplate is that it is very much a multi-surface plate. The studs are short enough that even on artificial grass there is no stud pressure, and it is a very comfortable soleplate to play. As a small aside as well, I like that the front studs are all around the same length as each other, and the back studs all being the same height as well. Brands sometimes seem like they are trying to be clever with different stud lengths to try and make the soleplates feel more agile or easier to lean into a sprint. For me, I have rarely enjoyed boots with soleplates like that because running in a straight line feels awkward. Anyways, great soleplate.

X Fly 6 versus X Fly Pro 3

First off, ASICS, please change your naming conventions. Not everything needs to be DS Light X Fly such and such. Simplify it, please.

With that out of the way, the X Fly Pro 3 is considered ASICS speed boot and as such has a more aggressive soleplate and stud layout. That being said, I do not have issues using them on artificial grass. The X Fly Pro 3 has an internal heel counter versus the X Fly 6’s external heel counter. There is less cushioning in the heel on the Pro 3 as well, yet it is still very comfortable.

The toebox on the Pro 3 is also more rounded than the X Fly 6. Another difference is that the Silkywrap on the Pro 3 has more of a waxy finish, whereas the X Fly 6 has a matte finish that makes it feel almost exactly like a natural leather boot.

Another very noticeable difference is that the Pro 3 has a raised toe to allow the foot to rock into a running position easier. It is obviously not for everyone, but on feet it does not feel awkward at all. There is also the fact that the Silkywrap on the Pro 3 is thinner than on the X Fly 6, so there is that to think about as well. The toebox is also taller on the Pro 3. Lastly, the Pro 3 has a bit more of an anatomical shape to it whereas the X Fly 6 feels more neutral.

As for my personal preference, I have always preferred the X Fly Pro models. Even when previous models of the Pro had a stiffer kangaroo leather than the regular X Fly, I still preferred the overall shape, fit, touch and soleplate of the Pro models. This preference continues for the newest models as well. Both boots fit me excellently, but the overall shape and pretty much everything else just works better for me overall. That being said, I am pretty sure the majority of people will prefer the X Fly 6 over the Pro 3. Mostly because of that more neutral shaping and soleplate. Plus, there is the plushiness of the X Fly 6 upper that will be a bonus for a lot of people. I personally think it is a no-lose situation. Both boots are absolutely brilliant.

Conclusion

It is crazy to think that even though the X Fly 5 was brilliant in its own right (being my Boot of the Year in 2023) but the X Fly 6 surpasses it. The X Fly 6 has a softer upper, with more of the softer material than previous editions of the boot. The touch on the ball is excellent, the soleplate is brilliant. It is a boot that suits pretty much any type of player and almost any foot type. In my mind, ASICS are one of the brands to watch out for in future and hopefully they can see their effort pay off on a global scale.

What do you think of the ASICS DS Light X Fly 6? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram!

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