Mostly Improved

The Japanese market is a struggle for many brands because of the fierce competition here. Many foreign brands have tried and often failed to achieve any kind of lasting impression. Obviously, Japanese brands have a natural understanding of their market. This leads to brands like Athleta trying to make updates for their boots an evolution rather than a revolution. The newest Athleta Proxima II is a great example of this. Athleta has honed bits of tech as well as added some small innovations like the One Stroke (I know, I know) threading to improve their boots without making overwhelming changes. The result of this is that the Proxima II has improved, while still staying true to what is so enjoyable about the silo.

Fit and Feel

One of the things we have taken for granted over the past half-decade or so is how soft a lot of synthetics are out of the box. It is difficult to make an upper feel solid enough to perform, but soft enough to afford a quicker breaking-in period. It is a balance that Athleta’s WetSand Tex upper does well, and the Proxima II is more supple out of the box than it would appear from first glance. It is possible that there was a temptation to stiffen up the upper to get more stability, but I appreciate that Athleta did not do this.

Subsequently, the breaking-in period is fairly minimal, and within an hour the boots feel fairly broken in. A second session is needed just to fully finish the job, but I feel that the Proxima II is on the easier side when it comes to breaking in.

The One Stroke technology may have a weird name, but it is a simple but effective piece of tech. Basically, there is a stitched line that runs from the instep midfoot through the forefoot and onto the midfoot on the other side. While this tech was mostly added to improve ball control (more on that later), it has two additional benefits: to give some stability across the boot and to help enhance the overall fit. The forefoot especially feels like it wraps around the foot better than the previous model, and when cinching up the lacing, there is no bulge on top of the foot.

There are some stability improvements because of this stitch line; it is still softer than other boots of this type. I personally do not mind this, as I prefer a softer upper for a boot like this rather than getting a ton of extra stability.

Athleta’s Grid Shell Tech makes its return as well, but with some changes. As with previously, the knit tunnel returns, but this time Athleta has designed the knit to wrap around the back of the heel as well. This is a positive move as the Proxima II feels more connected to the heel. This means the overall lockdown has improved. This is because the tension of the knit also pulls the heel slightly to tighten the wrap around the midfoot and ankle. As such, when the laces are tightened the foot is nicely locked in. It is because of this that the lockdown is better than one would imagine for a boot like this.

Despite the snugger wrap around the midfoot and its pull on the heel, overall heel comfort is great. The previous model had a cozy heel, but Athleta had used a stiffer heel counter for more stability. While I liked the heel on the previous model, I also see the change to a softer heel as a positive. The top half of the heel is made of the same knit as the forefoot. It has ample amounts of cushioning that nicely hugs the back of the heel. In addition to this, there is a faux suede liner that runs around the inside of the heel that helps grip the sock and provides even more comfort. It has one of my favourite heels on the market in terms of general comfort.

However, during initial testing I did feel like there was not enough lockdown in the heel, even though my heel never slipped out. Fortunately, the Proxima II still has the extra lacehole for a runner’s knot. After doing the runner’s knot, the heel lockdown issue went away.

All of these changes to the upper have had an effect on the fit, however. The boot does feel more wrapped around the foot, but that also means that it is not as forgiving for wider feet. The upper is still soft and sympathetic enough to be suitable for wider feet, but it will require more breaking in if your feet are on the wider side. Sadly, Athleta also removed the extra lace holes that allowed for a lacing set-up more suitable for wider feet. This is probably the strangest change that they made as I know people like The Boot Haul loved being able to change the lacing set-up on the originals.

The changes to the overall fit has also changed the length of the boot as well. Previously, Athleta’s boots ran a half size long. This is no longer the case. Unfortunately, I found this out the hard way as I went a half size down like I normally do with Athleta boots. Do not do this. Go with your normal size, which for me in these would be a US 8.5/UK 7.5/JP 26.5.

On the Ball

There has long been a trend among professional and amateur players alike in Japan to add stitching to the forefoot of their boots in order to increase the grip on the ball. This is even offered as an extra at some stores across Japan. This is the main reason that the One Stroke tech was added to the upper of the Athleta Proxima II. Their claim that it enhances ball control is not something I notice when compared to how it changes the overall fit of the boot. It might just be something that is more of a confidence thing rather than having much of an actual effect.

That being said, WetSand Tex is still great technology in terms of its performance on the ball. It would be a stretch to say it is as grippy as the GripKnit found on the Vapor 16 or the Phantom 6, but it is still pretty grippy on the ball because of the roughness of the upper.

Even in wet conditions, the upper still performs. I also really appreciate the uniformity of the material on the boot as this means that the touch is consistent across the upper. And while it does take some adjustment to get used to the upper, the balanced touch on the ball is a big positive.

More than anything else, the Athleta Proxima II is a lot of fun to play in. The grip is not excessive, but it is noticeable. I really enjoy hammering the ball while wearing the boots in particular. The upper has just enough to it to take the sting out of the ball, but the WetSand Tex makes it fun to put spin on the ball, especially when combined with power. This is because there is a nice amount of feedback when cutting across the ball. This is the aspect of the boot I enjoy the most.

Grip

The soleplate remains unchanged from the previous generation. This is not a bad thing, as it has good stability and works well on multiple surfaces with no issues. The stud length is probably slightly too long for the older, shorter AG pitches, but Athleta does offer the Proxima II with their excellent MG plate, so look for those if you play on older or harder pitches.

However, I personally have no issues with the standard stud layout on AG, though the artificial surfaces here are generally of good quality. Even on harder ground, I do not really feel the studs. The insole has some thickness to it, but this comfort also comes down to the studs themselves being shorter in height than others on the market.

Also, as a quick aside, I do appreciate that the upper is still riveted to soleplate. A small thing, but it does make it seem like the boot will be more durable long term.

Conclusion

Some neat changes to the Athleta Proxima II keep it a unique and entertaining boot to play in. The evolution of the fit, the improved heel, as well as the interesting One Stroke threading make for an upgrade for the previous model. It helps keep the Proxima II an exciting alternative to other boots on the market. The new heel construction is an especially good upgrade, and it is one of the more comfortable ones on the market, for me. In changing the fit, Athleta has made the boot feel more locked down around the midfoot and forefoot. On top of that, the WetSand Tex upper is still a standout feature that makes the boot an enjoyable experience. It’s a boot for people looking for something more unique without having to sacrifice performance or comfort.

If you like this review, please consider supporting me by buying me a Ko-Fi or making a donation through the Support The Blog sidebar!

I split my time between wearing HAVO Grip Socks and PureGrip Socks for training and matches.

Use code LOCKHART15 to get 15% off your HAVO Grip Sock order or clink the link here: https://havosports.com/LOCKHART.

Use code lockhart for 10% off your entire PureGrip Socks order here: https://puregripsocks.com. Along with the socks, I also recommend the Pure laces and Pure Carbon 2.0 shin guards.

What do you think of the Athleta Proxima II? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram!

Also, check out the Football Boot Hour Podcast I co-host with Boot Wizard!

じゃあね！