Solid

While the other two big brands in the boot market (Puma and Nike) have mostly left the leather boot game, for the time being at least, adidas continued to push on with their Copa Pure series. On top of that, they even let the Copa Icon II get reworked to release as another leather option. However, one of the issues that has faced adidas is that now that two of their rivals had seemingly abandoned their options, the Copa Pure series ironically faced much tougher competition in the form of more leather centric brands like Mizuno. While adidas cannot compete in terms of quality versus Mizuno, I would argue that the adidas Copa Pure 3 Elite is far better than we give it credit for. Since it is also more widely available than something like the Mizuno Neo Beta, it might even be a better option in some cases, especially if the boots can be found for sale. Mostly though, the Copa Pure 3 is a solid option for a lot of people, and adidas deserves praise for continuing to push leather boots in the way they have.

Fit and Feel

As with many other leather boots, the most important thing out of the box is the leather. And Fusionskin is an excellent material, and it is no different here on the Copa Pure 3. For me, I think we take for granted just how good of a leather material Fusionskin is. Part of this is probably down to the fact that adidas has been using the material for around seven years now. If anything, though, that should show how well the material has stood the test of time. It still feels like a modern leather material. Now, it could be argued that it is time for a change but, I personally do not see the need for adidas to do so as using the same tech saves costs and allows them to do other things with the boot.

The overall quality of the upper is nice too, and again one of the things I like about Fusionskin is that it feels like a premium material. This is something that I think brands forget sometimes when making leather boots as especially some of the smaller boutique brands struggle with having a high grade of leather used for their boots.

Another thing that I appreciate about the Copa Pure 3 is how nice the heel is. It is not quite as cushioned as other leather boots on the market, but it is nicely cushioned. There is also this pleasant suede lining on the heel that gives a little bit of extra comfort. Adidas have also done a good job with the softness of the heel overall, making the bottom part stiffer for support while making the main part of the heel soft and malleable. This allows the heel to wrap the back of your foot nicely, with not much heel pressure. I would go as far as to say this is one of the better heels from the Big 3 brands on the market, with the recent F50+ Remake being the top, obviously.

Something else that helps with the heel is the overall lockdown of the boot. The laces go up a bit higher than previously which means you can use a runner’s knot. Personally, I could maybe want the lacing system to run slightly deeper down the foot, but that would mean giving up some of the excellent Fusionskin to do so. The knit tongue has this nice compressive feeling, with some cushioning towards the bottom to eliminate lace bit. It is a small thing that shows that adidas are paying attention to the small details that make a leather boot comfortable.

However, for some people, the knit sock might feel a little tight as the compression is fairly snug. I personally prefer it this way, but my foot is also medium to narrow width, so people with wider feet could have issues and may make them rethink their choice of boots, more on that later.

For me, the overall fit is good. I appreciate that the Fusionskin extends through the midfoot to the start of the hell section of the boot. It is also a smart idea on adidas’ part to make the Three-Stripes logo out of a stiffer material so that there is some midfoot stability. On the other hand, the stability is not as good as some other leather boots on the market, and even in adidas’ own line up, again more on that later. It is not a massive problem, but it is noticeable when cutting side to side that there is a slight roll in the material that while still holding the foot in place, does not feel as dynamic as some other leather boots. Though, to be fair, that is something to consider with a lot of leather boots and worth giving up for the extra comfort the leather gives.

For sizing, I did what I normally do with adidas boots, which is to wear a half size down from my normal US size. This means in the Copa Pure 3 I got a US 8/UK 7.5/EU 41 1/3, 26 JP. The fit is perfect in the length for me, especially as the leather does stretch slightly.

On the Ball

One of the many things that has improved versus the previous generation of the Copa Pure series is that the leather feels slightly thinner overall. This translates to a closer to the ball feel and for me the Copa Pure 3 Elite is the closest to a leather sock that we have got from adidas. There is also the added benefit that the leather also feels softer overall than the Pure 2, which again means that the touch on the ball is better.

Adidas surely would have been tempted to add some sort of grippy texturing to the upper. After all, adidas themselves have mentioned that one of the benefits of Fusionskin is that it is easier to attach elements to the upper versus a traditional leather. While there is some very slight texturing, I am glad that they did not go overboard, because the result is thar the boot has a purer (yes, that was intentional) touch on the ball. Sure, it does mean that the upper is not overly exciting, but it also means that there is nothing weird that you have to adjust to when wearing the boot.

Of course, the flip side of this is that you should not expect there to be anything overly out of the ordinary when hitting the ball with power. Like a lot of good, modern leather boots, what you put in is what you get out. Which I do not mind in the slightest. Shooting, dribbling, passing the ball are all as standard as you can get from a high-quality leather boot. But this is exactly what I want in a leather boot so, solid work all around here.

Grip

I love adidas’ HG outsole. It is basic, comfortable and it works. I also appreciate the oblong studs around the ball of the foot as that helps distribute pressure in the area, which is important as that part of the foot takes a lot of stress during play. My only complaint is that I wish it was not as pointy at the end, but overall, it is a great option.

The other thing I love about the HG soleplate is that it is very multifunctional. It works well on firm ground, artificial ground, hard ground (of course) and even slightly softer firm ground. It would be cool if adidas gets rid of their AG soleplates and offers the HG soleplate internationally as I think a lot of players globally would benefit from this specific soleplate.

Versus the Copa Icon II

So here is where the issues lay for the Copa Pure 3. The Icon II exists. While the Pure 3 has a nicer, higher-quality upper, the Icon II feels more performance based, in my opinion. The synthetic midfoot of the Icon II is more stable, and the floating tongue means that people with wider feet can more easily adjust the fit of the boot. The lacing system in the Icon II is also deeper, so it has a more adjustable fit for multiple foot shapes.

There is also the fact that the Copa Icon II is more budget-friendly than the Pure 3, making it more difficult to recommend the Pure 3, unless you find it on sale. And directly comparing the two in terms of overall performance, I personally find that the Icon II is the better performer.

My personal take is that adidas needs to drop the Pure line and instead offer an Elite+ model of the Icon II that has a Fusionskin upper. My reasoning for this is that I feel that the Icon II is a better platform for future models, not only because of the adjustable fit, but also because the main boot in the lineup, the Icon II Elite, is far more budget friendly than a lot of the “Touch” type boots currently on the market. It would also eliminate a silo, and any future colourways, which means there would be less product on the market, and fewer boots needing to be marked down, which in turn means better sell-through and more environmentally friendly as this means there would be less waste.

Finally, no offense to the design team in Germany, but overall, the adidas Japan design team has done a better job designing a modern leather boot. Just give it to the Japan team from now on.

Conclusion

This is ultimately where I land on the adidas Copa Pure 3 Elite. It is a solid option that does not get enough credit. But from a performance and price perspective, I cannot recommend it ahead of adidas’ own Copa Icon II. Do not be mistaken, the Copa Pure 3 is a great choice if you want a comfy, solid-performing boot, especially if you can find it on sale. But in the current market, I personally think we need something a bit more, and the Icon II can be that for adidas as long as they give it the attention and advertising that it so richly deserves.

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