Only the flashiest, lightest and most revolutionary models tend to get a piece of the football boot limelight these days and SportLocker thought it necessary to offer a more modest specimen the opportunity to take centre stage.

Step forward the adidas adiPURE IV in all its timeless elegance and offering all the qualities that footballers of the good old days demanded from their footwear with a 21^st century twist.

With the emphasis on style and requiring a mastery of the game to match the specification of this particular model, boot tester-in-chief Sam Van Gelder felt compelled to hand the responsibility over to Thomas Hyde on this occasion. Here’s what he made of the adiPURE IV.

The Boot: adidas adiPURE IV
Colour Tested: White/Black/Splash
Category: Heritage Boot
Price (RRP): £120
Who wears them? Kaka, Frank Lampard, Thomas Hitzlsperger
, Jack Rodwell, Maxwell

As always, let’s ‘kick’ things off with a look at the technology that is involved in creating such a masterpiece:

Technical details:

Last – Offers fantastic performance fit

Upper – “OneTouch” construction: softer, less water uptake, more breathable, lighter. Supports natural stretch of the leather for best fit – yet keeps consistent properties in wet and dry conditions.

– Lightest adiPURE ever (280gr TRX FG/299gr TRX SG)

– K-leather in kicking area for glove like fit and excellent ball Feel

– ULT-K leather in heel area for great fit and comfort

– Symmetrical construction with short vamp for great performance fit

– Super soft lining features anti-slippery finishing for best comfort and fit.

– 51% leather duty

Collar – Padded super soft collar for best comfort & snug fit.

Sockliner – Ergonomically pre-molded sockliner with cushioning  inserts in the heel for additional comfort.

Outsoles- Full plate outsoles offer Traxion® technology for optimum grip and stud pressure distribution on all surfaces.

About the boot

Having taken initial inspiration from the timeless Copa Mundial and World Cup
models, the adiPURE is now into its fourth generation and beginning to create an independent legacy all of its very own.

Kaka was a central part of the launch of adiPURE I back in 2007 and has remained loyal to the brand ever since as the embodiment of the grace, class and elegance captured by the designers.

The adiPURE has never been one to grab the headlines, allowing its more eccentric cousin, the AdiZero, to take centre stage for the adidas brand of late, but that is not for reasons of inferiority with the adiPURE IV confident enough in its own quality to both excel and succeed without feeling compelled to bellow from the rooftops like so many of its contemporaries in an increasingly competitive football boot market.

Initial Impression

For a traditionally conservative football boot, both in terms of technological features and appearance, this particular colourway serves up a relative curveball with its ‘Flash’ (blue to me and you) sole plate. This design feature has been trialed once before by adidas to great effect on the limited edition World Cup 1966 and is a striking yet classy accompaniment to a classic White/Black combination.

One further design feature that succeeds in catching the eye and adding to the retro styling is a forward shift of the three stripes that define the adidas brand on both side panels in the style of the original adiPURE.

On they go!

Adidas football boots traditionally cater for those narrow of foot and the adiPURE IV is no exception. However, where that has proved uncomfortable in the past for yours truly, on first impression these boots were significantly more forgiving thanks the super soft K-Leather blend that really does provide the promised ‘glove like’ fit. A fit that is snug but far from intrusive. Accommodating while providing a constant but gentle reminder of their presence softened by a generously plush sock liner.

This sensation also serves to provide a reassuring degree of security particularly in the heel region with the addition of a brand spanking new element.

Locked in and loaded like never before there was only one thing for it.

Running / Warming up

Having made such a positive first impression, the adiPURE IV required minimal prompting to crank up the charm offensive when wheels were set in motion and things got heated. The new heel element remained stable and delivered on the promise to reduce stress on one’s Achilles tendon while an anti-slip finish certainly does what it says on the tin.

There was yet more agreeable negotiation when further demands were made on the narrow confines of the boot and the indication is that this relationship will only improve in further time spent on the playing field.

With the ball/ Shooting

With the pleasantries over it was time to enter into the business end of any play test with the introduction of that round thing from which the beautiful game takes its name.

As with any heritage boot it is at this point that the spotlight turns to touch and feel and it soon became clear that the adiPURE IV was not about to fluff its lines.

The chosen term ‘one touch’ construction label may well need adjusting depending on your ability level but that is no reflection of failure from the boots.  That combined with an improved striking zone makes for a comfortable and solid experience when both passing and shooting.

In the absence of power or curl assistance technology, there is not much to report from this part of the play test but significantly that extends to the reporting of negatives, of which there are none.

Pro Perspective

As well as the aforementioned Kaka, there are a whole host of top level professionals currently enjoying the adiPURE experience tending to play with a particular style. Xabi Alonso, Frank Lampard, Thomas Hitzlsperger Jack Rodwell are all outstanding but modestly so. Gliding rather than sprinting. Stroking rather than thumping ( not counting Thomas ‘Der Hammer’)  and In many ways the unsung hero often located in the engine room of their respective teams.

But as is often the way there are notable exceptions to such unwritten rules as this. Notably in the form of flying wingman Jermaine Pennant. But it is testament to the quality of the boots that they possess such a broad appeal.

The Result

Adidas were ambitious in setting out with the aim of providing effortless elegance in the pursuit of pure football but with the adiPURE it would be difficult to argue that they have been anything other than successful.

At no point did this fourth offering attempt to reinvent the footballing wheel but when you’ve got a wheel already turning with such exemplary levels of efficiency and elegance there really is no need to do so.

In just four years the adiPURE has developed a skin it can feel eternally comfortable in. No gimmicks. No pioneering technology. No radioactive colourways. A boot that accentuates the positives without promising to turn its wearers into quicker or more powerful footballing beasts.

So if a smooth and luxurious ride is what you’re after then look no further than the adidas adiPURE IV. The Rolls Royce given pride of place on the football boot showroom floor.

Or for a more speculative metaphor… the Buzz Lightyear in the football boot toy chest. Stay with me…

They may not make you fly but you’ll certainly be falling with a whole lot of style.