Darkhorse
Thanks to New Balance for supplying me with the boots
There has been an absurd number of speed boots released this year, with some of them easily being in contention for Boot of the Year awards, like the F50 Hyperfast or the Mercurial Superfly 11. The market for speed boots has never been more competitive, and as I argued in my review of the Ultra 7 Ultimate, being a solid speed boot alone isn’t enough to compete.
And yet, despite that, New Balance’s year-on-year improvements they have continued to make with the Furon series make the boot a genuine dark horse BOTY contender. Unlike a lot of other speed boots on the market, the New Balance Furon V9 Elite has not undergone a radical overhaul in order to make it a serious option for a speed boot. The reworked upper has helped bring balance to the boot in order to make it an outstanding speed boot.
Fit and feel
Of course, the redesigned Hypoknit upper is the main focus of the changes made to the Furon V9. The previous generation Furon V8 got a lot of praise (from myself included) for how soft and easy to break in the upper was. It is obvious from initial impressions that the Furon V9 is not as soft as the upper of the last generation.
However, it would be a mistake to say that the upper of the Furon V9 is stiff. For me, I find that the Hypoknit is still softer out of the box than a majority of speed boots currently on the market, even beating out Nike’s offerings in terms of malleability from first wear.
It makes sense to start with the break-in period. While I did not get as much time as I wanted in the boots during my first session (I’m currently dealing with a foot injury), the boots broke in fairly quickly. Even after that initial forty-minute session, I felt confident enough in the boots that I would have worn them straight into a match if I had the chance.
Visually, it is easy to see how New Balance has completely re-engineered the mesh upper in this colourway. You can see the separate layers of mesh stacked on top of each other, and it’s a nice way to see how New Balance has added stability to the midfoot, especially.
And herein lies the other massive difference between the previous V8 and the current V9: the stability and lockdown are much improved. The Hypoknit upper of the Furon V9 may not be as absurdly soft as the V8, but in return, the V9 has much better overall performance than the V8.
The increased stability is a welcome addition as it makes the boot feel more in line with a lot of other speed boots on the market. The difference between the previous Furon and these is very noticeable when making harder cuts and pushing off at angles. There is an added structure through the midfoot that I felt was missing in the previous generation.
And with the lacing system now running deeper down the foot, as well as being moved to go down the center of the upper, the lockdown has improved greatly. With this change, the Furon has gone from having a below-average amount of lockdown for a speed boot to one that has even better lockdown than the newest Superfly.
It would be a stretch to say it’s one of the best locked-in sensations on the market, but it no longer is a slouch.
As is par for the course for me, I have to talk about the heel. It’s excellent, and outside of the X Fly Pro 3 (or Jetray Elite) or maybe even the Scudetta Biotouch, it is one of the best speed boot heels on the market. The heel has a good amount of cushioning without feeling bulky, and it is also soft enough to accommodate a variety of heel shapes. At the same time, there is still enough stability in the heel that I don’t feel my heel “shake”, to borrow a Japanese phrase.
The insole is decent, but it is maybe the one part of the boot that could use a big update, as a lot of brands have reworked their insoles to include some of their proprietary running foam in them for additional comfort. I wouldn’t say it’s uncomfortable, but it would be nice if New Balance included some of their new Infinion foam for that bit of extra comfort.
For sizing, just like the previous gen of the Furon, I went with my normal size, which means I got the Furon V9 Elite in a US 8.5/UK 8/EU 42/JP 26.5 and the fit is perfect. I do find that the Furon V9 fits slightly longer than the previous model, so while some people might still prefer to go half a size up for more breathing room, I think more people should stick with their normal size for these.
On the ball
As part of the changes New Balance has made to the revised Hypoknit upper, the surface of the upper is also now rougher to the touch when compared to the V8. This change is particularly noticeable in wet conditions, as there is some additional grip when compared to the previous generation. The grip is now anything like a Gripknit. And while there is no rubberised texturing, apart from some grip dots in the midfoot and along the outer logo, there is enough to have just a little bit of difference that maybe the Furon V8 was lacking at times.
Of course, the change from an off-centered lacing setup to a central system means that the striking area is smaller, but I personally don’t mind this as there is still plenty of area in for a clean strike.
One of the things I like about Hypoknit is that the foot is close to the ball when playing, and the softness of the upper means that there is a really thin and uninterrupted feel for the ball. I also really like how the boot feels when dribbling at speed, and the consistent feel of the forefoot means there is nothing to adjust to.
I also personally don’t really feel much of a pingy sensation when hitting the ball with power in the Furon V9 Elite, but that also isn’t something I’m always wanting anyways.
Overall, I often prefer to have an uncomplicated upper when playing, though obviously there is a time and place to go wild, but I appreciate that NB didn’t try to do anything crazy.
Grip
Literally the same soleplate as previously. Which I like because it’s excellent. There is a lot of grip, no issues with stud pressure, and it is a nicely snappy outsole. It is the one part of the boot I don’t think needed to be changed, and I’m glad it stayed. Maybe the extra breaking stud is a bit gimmicky. However, that extra stud has the added benefit of taking extra pressure off the heel, which I am always all for.
Another benefit of using the same outsole is that it saves on cost, which in turn means that the retail price can be kept lower. On top of this, New Balance has kept the same price between both generations, and given that the Furon already retails for a decent amount less than its rivals, it is something I really appreciate.
The horse to back
From the outside, it seems like the New Balance Furon V9 Elite has made the least radical changes of any new speed boot that has released this year. And yet, the reworked Hypoknit upper makes the Furon a much more competitive speed boot to the point that I would understand if people chose these over any other boot. The lockdown, stability, and grip on the ball have all been enhanced over the previous generation. And I personally find myself enjoying the V9 so much that I feel like it has to be part of my match day rotation. For me, New Balance continues to improve their boots year over year, and the Furon V9 is no exception to this. It really could be the dark horse pick for Boot of the Year.
What do you think of the New Balance Furon V9 Elite? Please share this with your friends and make sure to follow me on Instagram!
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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 click 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.
じゃあね！
