A New Challenger Approaches

Special thanks to PingLe for sending me the boots. You can find more info here: pl-sports.com

Note: In this review I am using the given English name for the boots rather than the Chinese name, which is JIAN DAN QIN XIN.

While many of the larger brands in the football boot market as continuingly moving away from kangaroo leather, there are still brands that pride themselves on using the natural material. Thanks to the fact that even brands like ASICS and Mizuno have or will move away from kangaroo leather, a gap in the market has opened up. For the most part a lot of this gap is filled by Western brands like Pantofola D’Oro or Ryal, or Japanese brands like Adler. And while brands like TLSS out of China offer kangaroo leather boots, they are not as focused on the artisanal aspect of boot making. However, PingLe is different.

The brand out of China focuses on specifically making finely crafted kangaroo leather football boots. One of things I personally really like about the brand’s story is that the names of the boots, and even the logoing on the boots in Chinese take inspiration from Chinese history. Given that I absolutely love learning about history, I was pleased to hear about this. But, the most pleasing thing is the boots themselves, with which any justice, will start to see some expansion into the global market. Because the PingLe Knight gives a lot of classic boot brands a challenge.

Fit and Feel

Opening up a box of soft, kangaroo leather football boots never gets old and the PingLe Knight is no exception to this. The upper is super soft and plush out of the box, and it is striking how premium the material feels. While some boots like the Mizuno Morelia are still softer out of the box, I would say that the PingLe boots are on par with or in some cases even surpasses the feel of other kangaroo leather boots on the market. Obviously, the smell is something else to enjoy from a new pair of premium leather boots and the Knight is no exception.

There are a few neat touches on the boots that are appreciated. Double-stitching across the forefoot means the boots will not overstretch and will help them keep their shape better. There is some cushioning and a lovely, sheepskin (!!) suede lining in the heel that feels high-quality. The stitched logo invokes a more classical style of boot.

However, the fit is pretty modern. One of the issues that a lot of classically-styled boots struggle with is that they tend to try and take a neutral shape, meaning that while they can fit various foot types, it also means that they can get sloppy quicker as to ensure they accommodate as many foot shapes as possible, the leather has a tendency to overstretch. This has no been the case with the PingLe, as again the double stitching in the forefoot helps the boot keep its shape while still allowing for the leather to stretch around my feet.

Another thing that PingLe has done much better than a lot of European handcrafted brands is the heel. While I do find the heel on the PingLe Knight to be slightly wider than I prefer, the fact that the heel has some cushioning to it and the previously mentioned sheepskin suede lining means that the lockdown and comfort is much better than one would expect from a boot in this style.

The overall lockdown is nothing crazy and I would say that it is acceptable. Like something like the Tiempo Ligera, I would argue that the PingLe Knight is not a boot that people looking for this style would expect a ton of lockdown anyways. It gets the job done, nothing more, nothing less.

Also, quick note on the tongue design, which has these “wings” that go down either side of the foot. PingLe says that they made this design decision because it prevents the tongue from sliding around during play. And it does work, even if the tongue is a bit too long. It is a simple but clever decision that prevents annoyance around the ankle area.

Credit also needs to go PingLe for the insole, which is far better than a majority of the leather boots on the market. Granted, it is not difficult to make a good insole, but I still appreciate that they have done so.

The side to side stability is fine, and I felt it is just slightly more stable than something like a Morelia II, but again, this is not the type of boot you would go for if you are wanting something with a lot of structure overall.

As one might expect, there is almost no break-in period in the PingLe boots, and within 20 mins I already felt like the boots were super soft and had formed to the shape of my feet. It is a lovely experience, and the boots are one of the few that I feel confident enough in to take to a match from out of the box.

Something else that helps with the fit is that PingLe offers the boot in three different widths: narrower, medium, and wide. I personally went with the narrow width as my feet are medium to narrow and the fact that boots from the Asian market tend to find wider on average than brands from outside of this market. The narrow width is perfect for me, and I appreciate that the brand has multiple options for people.

Speaking of the fit, for sizing I went with my normal size which is a US 8.5/UK 7.5/EU 41/JP 26.5. The sizes are their website are CM/JP sizing so if you want a pair, go with your normal CM size.

On The Ball

The boot has this very classy touch on the ball. Yes, there is nothing overly complex about the design or material used on the upper, but it feels tuned to perfection. There is this elegant feeling when manipulating the ball with your foot and the leather is so soft that I feel all of those deft little touches I make when controlling the ball or moving it around.

What also helps with the touch on the ball is how thin the leather is. I would say that I find the leather to be slightly thinner than the Morelia II but thicker than the Adler Yatagarashu. It has a nice balance to it, so that you get the benefit of a plush leather upper without feeling like you are wearing pillows on your feet. The touch is also obviously helped by the fact that the upper is so soft that it never feels like the boot is trying to work against you.

As far as dribbling and shooting goes, there is not much out of the ordinary, but it again it does have that refined feel on the ball that makes you feel hyperconnected to it. Since I am a massive fan of leather boots, I do find striking the ball satisfying, but there is no crazy under the hood tech to enhance the experience. There is just that lovely upper with excellent feedback on the ball.

Oh and also, textured stud tips. Perfect.

Grip

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a brand out of East Asia, the stud layout and design are tailor made for AG and HG pitches. The stud length is similar to both kinds of soleplates from other brands and overall, the grip is good but not over the top. It is what you could call a “safe” soleplate in that you will not feel stuck in the ground when playing on either surface.

What is surprising for a boot that is classically styled like the PingLe Knight is the midsole is stiff and supportive. Normally, one of the major issues with classic boots is that the midsole seems to have been made of thick cardboard. For the PingLe boots, the brand uses a Polypropylene material for the midsole that offers great stability and even some slight energy return when sprinting. Again, nothing too crazy about this, but it is a smart use of a material to ensure the feet have support.

The only drawback to this soleplate is that on softer pitches there is not much traction, but given the soleplate is not designed for that I do not mind.

Conclusion

The PingLe Knight is very impressive boot that changes expectations of what a classical boot can offer. Having tested these, when I look at other classic boots I cannot help but feel the PingLe offer a more well-rounded product. Outside of personally wanting a narrower heel, it is difficult to find any real flaws with the boots. The high-quality kangaroo leather upper, sheepskin heel lining, well thought-out and supportive soleplate all combine to make a boot that with any luck will start to challenge other classic boots on the market. On top of this, the decision to reference Chinese history in the boots is a cool touch that gives the boots a story to talk about. A very cool product that will surely impress leatherheads.

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じゃあね！