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There has been a slightly odd twist in the world of soccer cleats this summer, and it involves the color black! That sounds odd considering the traditional color of boots has been black. But over the past few years, and in an effort to control the market, companies are releasing highly vivid boots that attract attention. Then out of the blue, the trend switched with black boots being the “in thing”. Those with a more classically inspired taste will tell you that this is the way things should be.
Here, we take a look at some of those releases and compile the 10 best black colorways we saw released this summer. This is Why Soccer's Favorite Shade This Summer is Black.
Bryan Byrne is the founder of
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No. 10 – Diadora Brasil Classic
Colorway: Black/Gold
Category: Heritage
Retail: $84.99
Diadora released a fresh, “old school” design in their traditionally styled Brasil Classic range this Summer. This boot is all about one thing - comfort and ensuring players are wearing a boot that will last 90minutes without taking your focus away from the game. At 10.2oz and featuring a calfskin leather upper, they are not designed for new-age players who want their feet to shine brighter than they do but the design is quality.
No. 9 – Nike Tiempo Legend
Colorway: Dark Charcoal/Laser Orange/Black
Category: Heritage
Retail: $159.99
The Tiempo series has taken a sharp turn over the past year, with the current range featuring a synthetic leather upper (Kanga-Lite) and taking on some highly colorful designs. This version, however, keeps things a little more traditional and is more in line with what we expect of Nike’s heritage release. The perform really well in all weather conditions and give players modern performance in a traditional package.
No. 8 – Adidas Nitrocharge 1.0
Colorway: Black/Metallic Silver/Electricity
Category: Control/Agility
Retail: $199.99
Although the yellow EnergySling across the front of the boot takes away from what would otherwise be a traditional colorway, this release deserves a spot on the top 10 list. The Nitrocharge is Adidas newest silo, created for the “engine” or player who is continually moving and seeking out the ball on the pitch. There is a very modern set of characteristics attached to this release, but the black Hybridtouch upper gives them an extremely appealing traditional look.
No. 7 – Nike CTR360 Maestri IV
Colorway: Dark Charcoal/White/Black/Bright Citrus
Category: Control
Retail: $199.99
If you need a boot designed for a playmaker, well look no further! At least that is what Nike will tell you. It is the single layer of stitching across the forefoot of the boot that gives these an edge on other boots. There is nothing better than having a boot that naturally flexes with your natural foot movements. The addition of a black paint job is pretty tasty on this latest release, it adds a clean look to a boot that is regularly shining brightly in the spotlight thanks to the many attack minded players that sport them!
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No. 6 – Adidas adiPure 11Pro
Colorway: Black/Metallic Gold
Category: Heritage
Retail: $159.99
Another boot that has undergone some serious upgrades over the past few editions is the adiPure, with this latest release taking the range into a new realm. A Taurus leather upper is combined with a new duracoat layer to create an extremely durable boot. We have seen a similar colorway released in the range previously, but this time around a minute amount of gold detailing is added to create a more royal appearance.
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No. 5 – Adidas F50 adiZero
Colorway: Black/Black/Electricity
Category: Speed
Retail: $209.99
The silo worn by the World’s best player, yet for some reason we won’t ever see him wearing this specific colorway! In a case of advertising wins the war, Lionel Messi is stuck wearing the flashy colorways and not the traditional versions like this. One of the lightest boots on the market right now, the F50 is designed with futuristic technology in mind and they are all about the modern players who wants to take advantage of every mille-second available. This colorway goes against the norm, but it is still very sharp and offers current day players a different look.
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No. 4 – Nike HyperVenom Phantom
Colorway: Dark Charcoal/Total Crimson/Black
Category: Speed/Agility
Retail: $224.99
Nike has treated fans to an all new type of boot in the form of the Hypervenom. Listening to player feedback, they focused on producing a boot that is built with agility and player movement on the ball in mind. The upper extremely unusual and you really have to examine them in hand to understand what the dimpled, mesh upper is all about. This colorway is fantastic and I appreciate the fact that Nike chose it as the 3rd colorway released in the boots life. It is classy, yet extremely modern.
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No. 3 – Puma King LUX
Colorway: Black/Black/Team Gold
Category: Heritage
Retail: $274.99
Shockwaves hit the boot market when Puma announced they were removing the K-leather upper traditionally found on the King series. Many people are still appalled that they made that decision, but instead, Puma has released a limited edition version featuring the highly regarded kangaroo leather upper. It is a bold move, seeing as they have drastically increased the price tag associated. It is a fantastic looking boot and probably would sit higher on the list…..if it wasn’t for that awful price tag!
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No. 2 – Nike Premier
Colorway: Black/Summit White/Orange Blaze
Category: Heritage
Retail: $109.99
When Nike decides to do something, they find a way to do it right! With so many fans choosing the Adidas Copa Mundial as their classically inspired boot of choice, Nike stepped in with their own traditional, old school boot that features a modern level of performance. It really is a genius move and really gives them a new type of player to reach out to. The design is as simple and classic as it gets, yet their modern take and touch has added a look that players are praising highly right now.
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No. 1 – Nike Mercurial Vapor IX
Colorway: Black/White/Dark Charcoal/Atomic Red
Category: Speed
Retail: $224.99
The leader in the war of Black boots this summer was the Nike Vapor IX, which has sold at unprecedented levels, while looking super polished and professional. They are that popular, that Nike released a leather and synthetic version of the speed boot. I have chosen the synthetic version, which features a dimpled design. It is different in a good way, offering a little extra dimension to the boot as you connect with the ball. We are so familiar with seeing wild designs featured on Mercurial Vapor releases, but this is one that Nike has definitely got right.
