Strange

Over the past couple of years adidas has managed to put themselves front and center with the return of a Predator with a foldover tongue. Such a simple addition would not have had as much impact by itself, but the fact that the Predator 24 was so good and then adidas managed to do even better with the Predator 25 means that adidas received a lot of positive attention. Naturally, this sort of upbeat conversation around the Predator series meant that adidas would have to make sure to keep trend going. Given that the Predator 25 was a step up from the previous model, it seemed certain that The Three Stripes would repeat the trick with the adidas Predator 26 Elite, or at the very least make a sideways move. However, while there are some improvements to the Predator, and even some parts of the boot that seem like just a different take on what works, it feels like adidas have underdelivered.

Fit and Feel

This issue first arises when taking the Predator 26 out of the upper. The new NanoStrike+ upper is much stiffer out of the box when compared to the past couple of Predator models. It seems like such a baffling decision to take an upper that not only works (Hybridtouch), is soft and popular, and replace it with something completely new. I do not understand why adidas decided to develop a completely new upper instead of working on an evolution of Hybridtouch.

Besides the stiffness of the new upper, the other disappointing aspect is the fact that the NanoStrike+ is so thin. I can understand the idea of wanting the foot to be closer to the ball, but this a Predator. It has rarely been designed or advertised as a boot with an extremely thin upper, and this new upper makes the boot feel more like what one would expect of an F50 rather than a Predator. And we do not need another boot that feels like an F50, as we already have an F50. It is a Predator and it should feel like one.

Since the upper is also so stiff, that means that the break-in period is much longer than previously. On the Predator 25, the upper felt fairly broken in around a single, one-hour session. The Predator 26, on the other hand, took until the third session to feel close to being broken in. The upper is such a large step backwards that I am surprised that at no point did anyone step in to try and stop this upper from being used for production. This is probably the single part of the boot that makes the new model feel like such a strange release.

Even weirder still is the fact that the midfoot is much softer out of the box than the forefoot area. I can understand using a stiffer material along the lacing area, as it can be argued that that would help improve the durable of the eyelets. But to have the midfoot be that soft instead of the forefoot is unexplainable. In fact, the midfoot is soft enough that the embossed adidas stripes on the outstep seem to have been made deliberately thicker in order to add stability to the midfoot section of the boot. And, in spite of the softness, the midfoot material is still overly thin for a Predator. I absolutely do not understand how adidas thought this was a good idea.

Not to keep hammering home the point, but I also noticed that the overall fit is worse than the previous two models. While only a truly custom boot (or an excellent leather boot) will truly fit your feet perfectly, there is this weird deadspace on the instep of the forefoot next to where my big toe sits. I do not notice it when playing, but it is obvious enough that I can see it when looking down at the boots.

Another very strange decision regarding the design is that the heel has been made wider, for some reason. I have not heard of anyone complaining about the Predator heel being too narrow, only that adidas should really give this boot a cushioned stitch and turn heel. A heel design that weirdly while the Pro and League models have, the Elites do not. This wider heel means I need to tighten up the laces more in order to get more lockdown, which is something that the Pred FT has never excelled at. A consequence of this means that on AG, the surface that the soleplate I got is designed for, I can feel a shift in the heel area when I strike the ball with power or making a hard cut.

Back to the overall lockdown. As always, the non FT model will be the way to go if you want a more locked in feeling. Again, while the Predator FT has never excelled at this, the previous models at least had a tighter fitting heel.

A quick note about the rough texturing on the front of the toe: it is excellent. The reason I bring this up is this rougher area will help increase the overall durability of the boot and means it will take longer to wear out the toe. In general, the boot does feel well-built, again the upper should be softer, though.

For sizing, I went true to size which is a US 8.5/UK8 (adidas is weird)/EU 42 (again, weird)/26.5 JP and found the length to be perfect. So, go true to size if you want a pair.

On the Ball

As mentioned above, I do not want a Predator to feel like an F50. I do not want a barefoot feel on the ball in a power-esque/control boot. I just cannot understand the justification for this.

What does make sense is the design of the striking area. While it is not aggressive as the previous two models, there is still a good amount of grip on the ball. I do like the layout adidas have designed for the striking area as there is a larger surface area to make contact with the ball. It is slightly less punchy than previously, but it is still very satisfying to hit the ball with power. As one might expect, the strikezone area is still very enjoyable to bend the ball with. If only it was on a Hybridtouch, or my personal wish, leather, upper.

Something else I appreciate is the rough texture on the midfoot grip area. While it is not rubberised like the forefoot, it still has nice grip on the ball. What’s more, is that the fact that the striking area is lower in height overall previously does mean that there is a less bulky feel when hitting the ball. The highest praise I can give the striking area is that it reminds me of the original Mizuno Wave Ignitus, which I absolutely loved.

Dribbling is, well, thin and close to the ball. It is a positive that the forefoot has a rougher surface all over it, even on the non strikezone areas which means even in the wet there is a good amount of control on the ball. But again, we do not need to have such a thin upper on the Pred.

Grip

Aside from the redesigned strikezone area, the soleplate is my favourite part of the Predator 26 Elite. While the AG studs are long enough to be used on firm ground surfaces, it still is overall a good soleplate for a lot of AG surfaces. The new soleplate feels like a much higher quality material than was available previously on the Predator. It is one of the best designed parts of the boot, and the Powerspine is a smart addition that helps stop the boot from twisting awkwardly during play.

While the heel internally is over wide, the external heel counter is cleverly designed and has a nice additional bit of overlayed reinforcement to take pressure off the heels. It is also less bulky than the previous heel, and this goes for the soleplate in general. Which just makes the decision to rework the internal heel that much weirder as it negates the potential gains in support and comfort from the newer heel cup design.

Actually, thinking about it, I think this soleplate is my new favourite from adidas’ lineup. I enjoy what it offers and I really hope we get an upper deserving of it.

Conclusion

So, like the subtitle says, the adidas Predator 26 Elite is a strange release. The upper is so stiff, with a weirdly wide heel, yet the soleplate is excellent and I love the Strikezone layout. It is a frustrating boot in a lot of ways because if they had not moved away from a Hybridtouch upper, this would be a very easy recommendation. Additionally, the bizarre deadzones in random parts of the forefoot almost makes it seem like the boots were not properly tested for overall fit. Some of the decisions made with the construction and materials used for the Predator 26 make no sense. As for now, it is probably for best to pick up the Predator 25 on sale and I hope we get a midlife update to the upper. Just a weird boot.

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